Unbiased Reviews by Real People
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Unbiased Reviews by Real People
Tales from Around the World in World War IIDec 16, 2005 (Updated Dec 17, 2005) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line I think these are all good stories that you will enjoy. Drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts on my top ten picks! (not you Michael Bay)
War has always been a popular subject for the movies. World War II certainly provides numerous possibilities for excellent films. I have chosen ten stories all set in WWII from several different points of view, ours, the Russians, the Japanese, the Jewish and the German side. All were compelling well done stories set against the backdrop of World War II. coming in at 214th Pearl Harbor This is the best movie about Pearl Harbor, starring Ben Afleck that was directed by Michael Bay. I am not sure how many war films I have seen, but let's just say 214. Bay's war picture makes my list of the top 214 war movies I have seen. Okay, lets get serious and see what movies I watched and loved. Ten - The Desert Fox 1951 I was always fascinated by the Generals and strategies of WWII, and no German general was more fascinating to me than George Erwin Rommel. I have read the book on which this movie was based, and I have also read a book of his personal memoirs. Rommel was a good German soldier, but he was never a Nazi, and actually opposed Hitler and his ideas. Although this film is over 50 years old, it does a good job of showing what made Rommel such a brilliant general and interesting person. Nine - Force 10 From Navarone (1978) As a teenager, I really enjoyed Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Indiana Jones, so I looked up and rented every VHS movie I could find with Harrison Ford. In this tale, Harrison Ford and company had one simple task, blow up a bridge! It turns out not to be so simple, but its a fun movie to watch. Eight - Midway 1976 This film about the bombing of Pearl Harbor was far better than Bay's overblown epic, but it is also on this list because it was the first war films that I saw as a kid, so I always remember it. My dad took me, and we saw it at the local cinema. The soundtrack was great, I remember how loud the planes and the bombs sounded. Seven - The Thin Red Line 1998 I liked the way this movie was told, and the acting in it was great. It had quite a cast ranging from Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, John Cusack, George Clooney, Adrien Brody, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly and even Jim Caviezel. The movie moves from soldier to soldier, capturing not only their story but their thoughts in a mosaic of interwoven scenes. Six - Enemy at the Gates 2001 directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. This is a tale of a legendary Russian sniper on the front lines with Germany in WWII. Vassili Zaitsev (played flawlessly by Jude Law) is the Russian sniper who may or may not have been a myth. His arch rival is German sniper Konig (played by the always good Ed Harris). Throw in a love story between Zaitsev and Tanya (played by beautiful Rachel Weisz) another Russian sniper. Make it a love triangle with Joseph Fiennes as an arrogant Russian officer, Commisar Danilov. The battle scenes are intense and riveting, and the story as a whole is well told. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the final sniper battle. Five - Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka) 1988 directed by Isao Takahata. This haunting picture is a Japanese anime and tells the very sad moving story of a young boy and his little sister trying to survive in a shelter after the fire bombing of their home and all they know. This doesn't show much of WWII's battles, just the often forgotten aftermath. Four - Life is Beautiful (La Vita e bella) 1997 directed by Roberto Benigni. This moving tale of a Jewish man also played by Roberto Benigni, who is caught up in WWII Germany, and ends up in a Concentration Camp doing the best he can to protect his son from the horror of the situation they are in. I've never seen a film that made me laugh so hard in one scene, and cry out loud in another. The film is in two parts, the first half a poignant love story, the second the harrowing ordeal of being rounded up and placed in a concentration camp. This is truly a must see movie. Three - Das Boot 1981 Directed by Wolfgang Petersen. This German Submarine drama is one of the best WWII movies, and certainly the best submarine picture. I usually see U-571 on the list of best submarine movies, but Das Boot blows that film out of the water on sound, realism, story and acting. Just because the story is told from the German side, doen't think that you won't empathize with the plight of the crew, because you will. Be sure to get the Directors cut with the DTS 5.1 soundtrack, the depth charges will rock your home theater room. Two - Saving Private Ryan 1998 directed by Steven Spielberg. I have to include this movie on the list, its one of the best WWII pictures I have seen. The opening twenty minute scene of the storming of beaches at Normandy alone are enough to cause Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Speilberg really shows why he has a room just for Oscars in this film. I haven't seen Spielberg's other WWII film, Schindler's List, so that is why its not on my top ten list. One day, I will have to see that one too. One - Band of Brothers (2001) This has directors and stars too numerous to cover although Office Spaces Ron Livingston plays a central role in most of the episodes and does an excellent job. This epic movie about the adventures of Easy Company from boot camp to the Eagles Nest. Based on the book by Stephen Ambrose is one of the best WWII movies I have seen. It was actually a ten hour miniseries on HBO, and released on DVD. The stories of the Easy company should intrigue anyone interested in WWII. My Other Top Ten Movie Lists
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