Just a preemptive response to all the expected comments about it: Yes, I'm aware of Lemmino's video about reactions. While reaction videos are not legally required to get permission from the original creators, my personal policy has been to respect the wishes of those creators which don't want me reacting to their work, once I am aware of that fact. I'm also aware he doesn't want people reacting to the entire video, which defeats the purpose of what I do, so I will likely not react to his videos in the future. I am disappointed, as the vast majority of content creators are very supportive of what I do, and I think he does a fantastic job with his work, but I'll respect his wishes.
All fault of streamers that don't even love what they are watching and don't say a word in the entire video except 'WOW' and 'Uh-huh' They screw up creators who provide extra content and actually love what they are doing
That is certainly a shame because I like the extra commentary and context you give to videos like his. But since Lemmino doesn’t want full reactions to his videos, I think your doing the right thing by respecting his wishes.
I don't see why you can't just upload your reaction seperately, as it's own video. Just tell people to watch Lemmino's video concurrently so all the views and ad rev still go to him. You will still get views and ad rev. That's the best solution, and Lemmino personally endorsed it in his video.
14:07 Chris, you NEED to watch Grave of the Fireflies. It is an animated movie made by Studio Ghibli from Japan. It is about a teenage boy and his younger sister trying to survive during the last few months of the war in 1945 during the firebombing raids. I will say that it is not an easy movie to watch, but it is one of the best animated movies ever made as well as one of the best movies ever made regardless of genre or type. The movie draws heavy inspiration from the real life childhood experiences of the author. It's a 10/10 movie, you just might want to keep tissues handy. The english dub is fairly well done and some of the artwork is just phenomenal.
I have only made it partway through. It is as good as it is hard to watch. I can kinda see why My Neighbor Totoro was paired with Fireflies as a double feature.
It is a soul crushing movie. Naturally, a movie that can invoke such genuine emotions from its audience is spot on and well worth experiencing. Don't be put off by the fact that it is animated. In a strange way, the animation allows the movie to deal with situations that would be difficult to portray in live action.
I was unimpressed with that movie. "Children dying is bad." Well, yeah. That's not exactly a groundbreaking insight, but it's pretty much all that movie had to say.
@@kyoungerswell this was true to life story. A story that the author heavily regrets throughout his life that he killed his character of the story as a means of atoning himself. It's not a new story but its a story of how war sucks and its the civilians who pay the large price.
Generally a great list. My only exceptions would be: 1987 Empire of the Sun (Spielberg/Christian Bale); 1962 Ivan's Childhood; 1957 Bridge on the River Kwai (David Lean/ Sir Alec Guiness); and 1941 Mrs Minever (Wyler, Greer Garson/Walter Pidgeon). 1977's film A Bridge Too Far (Lord Attenborough) deserves a mention too, if only for its scale.
Black Hawk Down, was the historical film which convinced me that I never want to fight in a battle but did make me respect US soldiers who endured combat operations.
You absolutely have to watch Schindler’s List before you go to Dachau. I once heard someone (I can’t remember who to credit them) say it’s the type of movie everyone should see once, but few will want to watch it again; and I 100% agree. It’s a heartbreaking masterpiece, and it does a pretty good job of showing the horrors while still being palatable enough to be able to be mass released.
I've watched it several times, but after each, I am just all cried out. I haven't seen it in a while, but would recommend to anyone that is familiar with WW2. I wouldn't watch it right before going to any concentration camp because of the emotional toll both events will likely have one someone. I went to Dachau as my first camp and I completely lost it when I saw a bowl and spoon that a prisoner made. I just could not hold back the tears. It just ripped into my soul. The camp itself is tiny and mostly gone, but the general feel of the area is just tremendous. I would recommend it over Aushwitz only because Aushwitz was feels more like an old German barracks. It was in fact, and it is still preserved as such. The messed up part is that you can still smell the burning flash in the the furnances. Birkenau is where the really messed up things happened. It was where they first arrived, and the real horrors, or at least the mass killings, took place. What got me was the smell of the gas. It is still there. Well, that was a tangent I didn't think I would take.
I watch Schindlers list once every few years allways brings tears to my eyes at the, when he brakes down and starts crying that he could have some 1 more person
Two of my favorite war movies didn't make the list so I will add them here! 1970 - Tora! Tora! Tora! rather than Patton 1977 - A bridge Too Far rather than The Ascent
If ever you get the chance, visit the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset UK. The provided the Fury 'Sherman' and the Tiger tank in the film. The Tiger (Tiger 131) tank used in the film is the only running Tiger in the world.
A last sacrifice to the algorithm: Downfall was a very important movie for me. We watched it with our history teacher when it came out in cinema here in Austria and it was the first movie, that I had ever seen, that conveyed the charisma of Adolf Hitler. As a teenager I had never understood how so many of my grandparents generation could have followed this guy. After this movie I did. There is also a nice anecdote how the director got Ganz to accept the role, because Ganz refused to play Hitler at first. The director went to Ganz with a Hitler whig, fake Hitler moustache and a black leather jacket. Then he told Ganz: "Just put these on and look into the mirror. If you don't want to do it afterwards I'll let you be." Ganz put the stuff on and looked into a mirror and said: "I see, I have to do it."
I would have argued for an inclusion of Starship Troopers in this list as it is very much a war movie and one of the best, in my opinion, of the 90s, but as it is from '97 I can't put it over "Life is beautiful".
Battleship Potemkin got overlooked.. Man. It's about the mutiny that occurred in 1905 when the crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin rebelled against its officers. After the men mutiny, they dock the ship in the port of Odessa. The climax of the movie, and probably one of the most visceral and impressive pieces of cinema, is the marching of White Cossack soldiers, down the Odessa Steps, bayonets fixed, as they stop and fire into the crowd of civilians who have either come to see the spectacle, or support the sailors. They, and the cavalry who attack anyone at the bottom of the steps, are portrayed as almost robotic. Marching down the steps, reloading, pausing, and firing. Of course, it's a Soviet film, but I don't doubt the Russian Empire would've suppressed such an uprising brutally. Either way, it is one of the most recognizable scenes in all of cinema and has been parodied and homaged untold numbers of times.
I can’t speak to any of the silent era films at all, save for the brilliant Russian film Battleship Potemkin. Lawrence of Arabia is my all-time favorite film. It also suffers from historical inaccuracies but is immovably an epic classic. Not listed was another film in my top 10, A Bridge Too Far (1977). The other war film in my top 10, also not listed, was Breaker Morant (1980) about an infamous British court martial of three Australian soldiers during the Second Boer War.
Speaking of The Great Escape, RIP to David McCallum, who played Lt. Commander Eric Ashley-Pitt in that movie but many know him best as "Ducky" in NCIS.
@@michaelavanzini9092 Now, the movie says that a skirmish depicted in the movie was not recorded anywhere in history books but it is still supposed to take place during the Seven Years' War (1756-63).
For 1970, I was kind of hoping Waterloo would be nominated. In my opinion, Rod Steiger absolutely slays in his role as Napoleon and Christopher Plummer does an equally excellent portrayal of the Duke of Wellington. For 1993, I was expecting either Stalingrad (the German film, not the crappy Russian propaganda film) or Gettysburg. For Gettysburg, Jeff Daniels slays in his role as Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and this might come as a controversial opinion, but I like Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee. But I understand why for 1993 Schindler’s List was chosen. Of course, for 2003, I was not expecting Gods and Generals to be nominated at all, for obvious reasons.
I’ve not seen Patton yet which was the 70 choice, but Waterloo is one of my all time favourite war movies, or at least my favourite on screen depiction of a battle.
@@VloggingThroughHistoryI assume someone said this already in the comments, but after a quick look I didn't see it. Tora! Tora! Tora! also came out in 1970, so there was good competition that year.
Not a recommendation for a reaction, [I don't think you could, even if you wanted to] but for your own information. Are you aware that 'Time Team have just released a video 'Digging Band of Brothers'. Set in Aldbourne, the dig took place earlier this year. What they found provides a fascinating look into the real life experiences of Easy and Fox Companies before they left England for the continent.
100% A crime you have not seen Schindler's list. Im actually surprised by that, but you've got to watch it. Highly recommend, I actually re-watch it just a few weeks ago
There is a 'making of' for They Shall Not Grow Old where they do into the details about the production that's a fantastic watch as well. No Bridge Over the River Kwai (1957)? How did that get left off the list?
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is a fascinating film, not only for the story it tells but also the story of its making. It was made during WWII and one of the main characters is German and is played by a German. I don't remember all of the details behind the scenes, but if my memory is correct, it is a movie that almost wasn't released.
The Great Dictator is well worth seeing at least once. One west movie I’ve always loved that didn’t make the list was 1959s Ballad of a Soldier, a Soviet film that focuses more on the impact of WWII on the lives of ordinary civilians. It’s equal parts tragic and heartwarming - really well done.
One movie i would really recommend is Tuntematon Sotilas or Unknown soldier in english. Its a very well made movie about the Continuation war between Russia and Finland!
I really enjoyed Gallipoli, staring Mel Gibson. Unfortunately it came out in 1981, same year as Dad Boot. But worth a watch about the ANZACs in the WW1.
Can’t believe The Battle of Britain (1969) didn’t make the cut. Need to see Army of Shadows now as to why it beat it. Same for The Ascent which beat A Bridge Too Far (1977), which is an amazing movie too. Thanks for all your videos, and if you need any tips on where to go in Vienna, please let me know.
My husband was in the Coast Guard and his ship stopped in Hawaii on its way to Vietnam when they were filming Tora Tora Tora. He talked about watching the Japanese planes flying overhead. It was surreal.
The only one on this list I disagreed with was for 2020. The Outpost is in my top 3 for best war films ever made. As a veteran myself I can go on and on about how much better the Outpost, Danger Close and Beneath Hill 60 really do get it right when it comes to how soldiers express camaraderie and how they act in battle… I may be expressing my own bias in this, but when it’s so very rare to see troops act authentically on screen, I will immediately give high praise.
Two movies that I would have liked to see would probably have been Tora! Tora! Tora! and A Bridge Too Far though Tora! Tora! Tora! shared the year with Patton so I can see how that would have been tough. But A Bridge Too Far is such an excellent movie about Operation Market Garden. Also as long as a historical movie is historically authentic then I feel like I will have a great time with the movie.
Let me add some: 1962: The Longest Day 1970: Tora Tora Tora 1992: A Few Good Men 1993: Gettysburg 1994: Forrest Gump 2001: Enemy at the Gates 2006: Pan's Labyrinth 2016: The King's Choice Gettysburg is 1993, not 1994
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is an all time favorite. Japanese POW camp drama. David Bowie is one of the protagonists. Clash of cultures and the full brutality you'd expect but a little different. The score is awesome roo
The Battle of Algiers is about the urban guerilla fighting between the FLN and French colonial government during the Algerian War. Its pretty incredible and gives a pretty good depiction of how those Anti-colonial/Left-wing of the Cold War functioned. As well as how brutal the security forces used against them were.
Based on this video, my curiosity about Come and See got the best of me so I checked if it was a free UA-cam movie, it wasn’t but right under the official UA-cam video, someone had posted it on their own. I watched it…I’m still numb emotionally an hour later. Yes (at least towards the end), it’s definitely a hard watch.
some omitions I wouldlike to draw attention to Hamburger Hill, probably one of the best Viet nam war movies. extremely under rated (coming from a guy who thinks the term extremely underrated/overrated is over used) Kelly's hero's 84C MoPic Waterloo Gettysburg Tora Tora Tora Sahara!! both version really Im probably missing some but those are off the top of my head
Das Boot was actually orginally a mini series for German TV, but it was cut down for cinema later. Both the mini series and the movie are glorious, the mini series just has a lot more of talking and quiet moments, because it is longer. Must watch, if you enjoy WW2 history. It is in German, but that just adds to the immersion. The main character (the reporter) is actually played by one of Germanys most famous singers, Herbert Grönemeyer. As a German, it is the best thing the German movie industry ever produced next to Der Untergang (Downfall) and Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter (Generation War).
One movie which ist Not in this list ist war and Peace. The soldiers are played by real soldiers of the soviet Army. But the movie ist about Napoleons invation of russia. One Point: downfall (Untergang) ist a German movie but Bruno Gans was Born in Switzerland.
If you want a great but disturbing movie about nuclear war Chris try Threads. It was made by the BBC around the same time as the Day After. It is disturbing but considering the budget limitations on the BBC they did a great job. It’s one of those films you find people don’t forget afterwards. It used to be on UA-cam but was removed for copyright reasons I think, but is or was available on DVD.
12:19 Fun Fact: In Poland when this movie was in cinemas, Poland was in State war and there is a famous photo showing the cinama showing what movie, they are playing, two peaople and a armoured truck next to it. Showing the impact of the message at the time. Wow so many movies i had not watch and did not know i want to watch. (whih i will :D). Suprised the was no "Enemy at the Gates" or "Code of war" Aweome movies with some historical accurances.
Captain Jack Aubrey from Master and Commander was loosely based on Thomas Cochrane, a British Captain during the Napoleonic wars, who fully deserves his own big screen biopic. A truly amazing military mind and man.
I watched Zulu based on your recommendation, and I was not disappointed! Fantastic film that seems to have gotten the history right. A little dry British humor never hurts either!
I think the most significant historical issue with Zulu is the portrayal of Hook as a malingerer. Cinematically, it made sense to have a character with a redemption arc like this, but it wasn't accurate to the real person and was so offensive to his daughters that they walked out of the premiere. I think there were some similar issues around the missionary as well. There are a few other small details, but it is broadly historically accurate, and such a great film.
@@andrewturner7128 There were a lot of mistakes in the movie besides Hook. Colour Sergeant Borne for example was not that old nor was he that tall. He was the youngest Colour Sergeant in the British Army at that time.
11:52 ("А зори здесь тихие") It's a WW2 Soviet movie about an officer and his 5 female soldiers. I haven't seen the movie, but read the novel. It's a very tragic story. We had to read the novel at school which this film is based on. 11:57 ("В бой идут одни старики") I haven't seen the next one either, only some stuff on youtube, but people say it's a classic. The the main actor (who was also the director for this film) tragically passed away in a car crash 5 years later after the film was made. Most of the soviet WW2 movies have anti-war but also patriotic theme and lots of characters have diffrenet ethnicities
Cant believe i am going to say this, but as a guy with a history education degree, my favorite is probably "Master and Commander: Far Side of the World". I just adore the feeling of the movie.
Already made a comment about this but Thomas Cochrane, the inspiration for Jack Aubrey, truly deserves his own big screen movie. He was a genius naval commander, faced stupid odds against not only the French Navy but his own chain of command, and was instrumental in multiple revolutions and wars of independence.
@@derekmcdanold7108if you made a movie about him, people would just think it's entire fictional. I like to think the guy was actually insane because some of the things he did defy all rational thinking
@@derekmcdanold7108 Thomas Cochrane deserves his own TV show, covering his life. As if his life in the Royal Navy wasn't colourful enough, he later became an MP, controversially went to jail for fraud, got out, went to South America and fought for the Chileans, Brazilians, and Peruvians in their fight against the Spanish, was hired by the Greeks in their fight for independence from the Ottoman Empire, returned home, was pardoned and reinstated, and became the second highest-ranking officer in the entire Navy. Nelson might get all the fame for the big battles and (like Patton imo) his death was probably the best thing to happen to his reputation. But Cochrane was, in my opinion, the better seaman and the better tactician. Cochrane became such an infamous menace to the French that he was given a nickname - "Le Loup de Mer" or "The Sea Wolf"...by NAPOLEON. How this guy doesn't have an Emmy-award winning series about him is beyond me.
I know it's not technically "a movie" but the best WW2 mini series (?) was Band of Brothers. It is extremely accurate because it's literally a movie of the stories of the actual 101st Airborne. They went out of their way to make every sound and scene as accurately as possible. BEST history series ever!
There are actually a lot of historically inaccurate parts of the series. However, It's still good. I actually like The Pacific far more. Edit: Generation War is another really good WW2 mini series.
@@DJ118USMC I agree but mainly because the tone of the pacific was more fitting imo. At times Band of brothers almost felt like a bunch of friends going on holiday to france recounting their memories with a happy ending. The pacific on the other hand was just grim from start to finish and even when they won the war in the end there was really nothing to celebrate.
Braveheart is a perfect example of a movie that I love from start to finish, while simultaneously wondering in hindsight why the producers and creators didn't stay more true to the actual historical record.
Atonement is (partially) set around the Dunkirk evacuation and London Blitz. One of my all-time favorites movies with possibly my favourite movie ending ever
Core memories: watching Stalag 17 with my dad (who saw it in the theater with my grandpa, a WWII vet) any time it came on Turner Classics. Also not a war movie, but we watch the original Ocean's Eleven (Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr.), which my dad also saw in the theater with my grandpa ,every year around New Year's Eve. In the original, the members were supposed to be WWII vets from the 82nd Airborne division, which my grandpa served in during the war.
3:45 that napoleon movie was made by the french abel gance, is often considered a masterpiece of cinema in all times, and had re- release a few years ago. praised by scorssese, welles and other great filmakers, last about 5 and a half hours, covering the first 31 years of napoleon, roughly until the famous crossing of the alps. abel gance had plans for a second part but it never came to be
I was interviewed by a Waco, TX news channel about my thoughts on "Black Hawk Down". I was coming out of the theater into the hall to leave when they stopped me to ask my thoughts. I loved that movie. But seeing myself on TV on the news was jarring! lol
I saw Come and See. It was EXTREMELY difficult to watch. But it was a necessary watch, talking about the Nazi invasion during the early parts of Operation Barbarossa with the einsatzgruppen in Byelorussia. And yes, this unit was real, this unit was THAT barbaric. Watch at your own risk. It is a very difficult movie.
Apocalypse Now is no more a film about the Vietnam War than Saturday Night Fever is about Disco. Both movies used popular tropes at the time they were made to delve into he depths of the human condition. Gone With the Wind, like the others, uses war as a background, it's not about war itself . Das Boot is one of the best war movies ever made along with Full Metal Jacket.
The Steel Helmet from 1951 is worth a watch. Takes place in the Korean War. Written and directed by Sam Fuller who also wrote and directed The Big Red One.
As a Frenchman, I recommend 4 of the best of our films: Lacombe Lucien (a young man who joins the Collaboration during the Second War), the 317th Section (Indochina), Weekend at Zuydcoote (better than Dunkirk) and the fantastic "Captain Conan" (German-Bulgarian front during the First World War)
Some movies and TV that didn't make the list but should have gotten an honorable mention was Gettysburg, We Were Soldiers, Sink the Bismarck, and the TV miniseries Winds of War and War and Remembrance. Forrest Gump wasn't a war movie but the Vietnam War played a significant part. So I don't know if it would qualify for the list.
Escape from Mogadishu was such a good movie. It is about the Battle for Mogadishu (obviously), but more specifically, it is about how the Korean ambassadors from both North and South Korea, who were in Mogadishu to persuade the Somalian ambassador to the UN to vote for their respective country to join the UN, escaped from Mogadishu when the violence erupted. I highly recommend watching it in Korean with subtitles on.
"Atonement" with one of the greatest 5 minute single-take tracking shot scenes at Dunkirk where the British Expeditionary Force are waiting around an abandoned theme park to be evacuated.
I think an excellent film that is overlooked is El Alamein The Line of Fire. It shows the north Africa campaign and the battle of El Alamein from the Italian perspective and it's a theatre of the second world war that isn't often portrayed in film. Highly recommend it
Big fan, I know it’s probably not what you’re most interested in but I love when you talk recent military events like some of the engagements in the 90s and the war on terror and stuff I also realize it’s too soon for us to be able to accurately judge these movies since enough time hasn’t lapsed for us to have a better understanding on these events
The Battle of Algiers is very interesting in that a lot of the Algerian rebels are actually playing themselves, and the French paratroopers are also played by veteran french paratroopers. It’s almost more of a docu-drama in that level of accuracy and authenticity. I highly recommend it
Chris, you have to watch this movie called Battle For Sevastopol, it’s a Russian film about “lady death” and it’s best with subtitles. It will pull on your heart strings. One of my all-time favorites.
On the movies you did not comment on, I highly recommend The Steel Helmet (1951), Ashes and Diamonds (1958), Army of Shadows (1969) and Underground (1995). Ashes and Diamonds in particular has great visual storytelling and performances. The movie takes place at the end of WW2 in Poland, and focuses on the conflict between former Home Army and Communist forces over control of the nation - a conflict not portrayed much in WW2-related movies.
How is Kingdom of Heaven not on here? 2005 was its year btw and took place during the 2nd Crusade and probably one of the greatest war films taking place in medieval times, especially in the middle east during the crusades.
I have Paths of Glory on dvd as well as Das Boot , Downfall and Dunkirk also the 1958 Dunkirk with John Mills . The Cruel Sea with Jack Hawkins was among those black and white films the Brits did so many of. I remember at school we were always shown those war films of the 50s at Christmas . You may remember me telling you that my dad was a sergeant in the Lancashire Fusiliers in WW1. I am now 75 and perhaps why i also have Paths of Glory in my collection.
A lot of people might think I'm off my rocker, but I don't think you're missing a lot with Gone with the Wind. Schindler's List, on the other hand, you definitely need to see. It's not something I really care to see again, but I think everyone should see it at least once.
Hi, Chris. I know you have complimented Estonia before and now I can make my contribution to this video. "Tangerines" is a 2013 Estonian-Georgian film that was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. Thank you and good night.
While not a film expert or panning the choices, I’d plead a case for two that were not mentioned - The Best Years of Our Lives from 1946 and Taking Chance from 2009. Neither are war movies per se, but I feel like if you are going to discuss war, reflections on veterans who served and the causalities of war need to have a voice too. That and they both are really great movies too.
A pretty solid list overall, kuddos for making it as international as possible and not only US/English language-centric. Here are a few ones I would add: 1959: Ballade of a Soldier (the sad but sweet story of a young Soviet soldier being awarded with a short leave to visit his mother, and the various people he meets during his journey) 1967: Westerplatte resists (this is where it all began, folks: the story of a fortress guarding the Vistula, one of the primary targets of the 1939 invasion of Poland. Stern but beautifully shot, the story is basically a Polish Alamo, with a particularly poignant ending) 1977: The Duelists (my favourite film about the Napoleonic era this side of Master and Commander, how I wish we had more films like this, not about Napoleon or Nelson themselves but about the simple soldiers. So gorgeously shot as well, what a debut for Ridley Scott!) 1989: Life and nothing but (the story of the hunt for the Unknown Soldier lying - pun intended - under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, set in 1919 France, in a country utterly devastated by the Great War. Not so much a war film as a post-war film, its mood is unparalleled) 2006: Black Book (Paul Verhoeven of Robocop and Starship Trooper fame goes back home to the Netherlands to tell the story of a young Jewish woman as she literally has to sleep with the enemy to survive and help the Resistance. One of the best depictions of life under the Nazi occupation and an overall thrilling story, full of twists and turns)
I highly recommend watching And the Violins Stopped Playing. It is based on the biographical novel by Alexander Ramati about a group of Ramani people who are forced to flee from the Nazis during the Porajmos.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is god-tier great, find it wherever its streaming. Name another war movie with David Bowie? Also, where was Tora! Tora! Tora!? They re-bombed Pearl Harbor. PS: If Valyrie came out the same year as Inglorious, it wouldve been better. Inglorious, like Three Kings, shouldnt be in the running for best war picture.
For 1990 disappointed the Hunt for Red October isn't there. Such an incredible look at the human side of the Cold War with espionage and the moral dilemma
I fail to understand how PATHS OF GLORY (1957) was given preference over THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI of the same year. 🤷🏻♂️ As good a film the former was, it won only 5 awards, none of them an Academy Award (Oscar)… while BotRK won SEVEN OSCARS! Now, irrespective of personal view or taste, the accolades won should certainly supersede personal preference. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957) by definition *has to* be ‘best’ of 1957.
Just a preemptive response to all the expected comments about it: Yes, I'm aware of Lemmino's video about reactions. While reaction videos are not legally required to get permission from the original creators, my personal policy has been to respect the wishes of those creators which don't want me reacting to their work, once I am aware of that fact. I'm also aware he doesn't want people reacting to the entire video, which defeats the purpose of what I do, so I will likely not react to his videos in the future. I am disappointed, as the vast majority of content creators are very supportive of what I do, and I think he does a fantastic job with his work, but I'll respect his wishes.
All fault of streamers that don't even love what they are watching
and don't say a word in the entire video except 'WOW' and 'Uh-huh'
They screw up creators who provide extra content and actually love what they are doing
That's hilarious coming from a video that is itself a reaction video to a hundred years of movies.
A lot of it is fault of streamers like XQC. Putting their videos on whilst streaming, saying nothing constructive, or not even being in the same room.
That is certainly a shame because I like the extra commentary and context you give to videos like his. But since Lemmino doesn’t want full reactions to his videos, I think your doing the right thing by respecting his wishes.
I don't see why you can't just upload your reaction seperately, as it's own video. Just tell people to watch Lemmino's video concurrently so all the views and ad rev still go to him. You will still get views and ad rev. That's the best solution, and Lemmino personally endorsed it in his video.
14:07 Chris, you NEED to watch Grave of the Fireflies. It is an animated movie made by Studio Ghibli from Japan. It is about a teenage boy and his younger sister trying to survive during the last few months of the war in 1945 during the firebombing raids. I will say that it is not an easy movie to watch, but it is one of the best animated movies ever made as well as one of the best movies ever made regardless of genre or type. The movie draws heavy inspiration from the real life childhood experiences of the author. It's a 10/10 movie, you just might want to keep tissues handy. The english dub is fairly well done and some of the artwork is just phenomenal.
So true, the best movie I will not watch again
I have only made it partway through. It is as good as it is hard to watch. I can kinda see why My Neighbor Totoro was paired with Fireflies as a double feature.
It is a soul crushing movie. Naturally, a movie that can invoke such genuine emotions from its audience is spot on and well worth experiencing. Don't be put off by the fact that it is animated. In a strange way, the animation allows the movie to deal with situations that would be difficult to portray in live action.
I was unimpressed with that movie. "Children dying is bad." Well, yeah. That's not exactly a groundbreaking insight, but it's pretty much all that movie had to say.
@@kyoungerswell this was true to life story. A story that the author heavily regrets throughout his life that he killed his character of the story as a means of atoning himself.
It's not a new story but its a story of how war sucks and its the civilians who pay the large price.
Generally a great list. My only exceptions would be: 1987 Empire of the Sun (Spielberg/Christian Bale); 1962 Ivan's Childhood; 1957 Bridge on the River Kwai (David Lean/ Sir Alec Guiness); and 1941 Mrs Minever (Wyler, Greer Garson/Walter Pidgeon). 1977's film A Bridge Too Far (Lord Attenborough) deserves a mention too, if only for its scale.
Black Hawk Down, was the historical film which convinced me that I never want to fight in a battle but did make me respect US soldiers who endured combat operations.
You absolutely have to watch Schindler’s List before you go to Dachau. I once heard someone (I can’t remember who to credit them) say it’s the type of movie everyone should see once, but few will want to watch it again; and I 100% agree. It’s a heartbreaking masterpiece, and it does a pretty good job of showing the horrors while still being palatable enough to be able to be mass released.
Schindler's List is a film that is so emotionally draining that you watch it once, and likely never again.
I've watched it several times, but after each, I am just all cried out. I haven't seen it in a while, but would recommend to anyone that is familiar with WW2. I wouldn't watch it right before going to any concentration camp because of the emotional toll both events will likely have one someone. I went to Dachau as my first camp and I completely lost it when I saw a bowl and spoon that a prisoner made. I just could not hold back the tears. It just ripped into my soul. The camp itself is tiny and mostly gone, but the general feel of the area is just tremendous. I would recommend it over Aushwitz only because Aushwitz was feels more like an old German barracks. It was in fact, and it is still preserved as such. The messed up part is that you can still smell the burning flash in the the furnances. Birkenau is where the really messed up things happened. It was where they first arrived, and the real horrors, or at least the mass killings, took place. What got me was the smell of the gas. It is still there.
Well, that was a tangent I didn't think I would take.
I saw it when it came out, and never watched it again. About 5 years ago a little girl in a red coat walked past me in the street and I teared up.
I need to watch it, I've never seen it. That description reminds me of something like _12 Years A Slave._
I watch Schindlers list once every few years allways brings tears to my eyes at the, when he brakes down and starts crying that he could have some 1 more person
Two of my favorite war movies didn't make the list so I will add them here!
1970 - Tora! Tora! Tora! rather than Patton
1977 - A bridge Too Far rather than The Ascent
A bridge to far shouldn't have been forgotten. I watch that movie every year between the 17th and 27th of September.
If ever you get the chance, visit the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset UK. The provided the Fury 'Sherman' and the Tiger tank in the film. The Tiger (Tiger 131) tank used in the film is the only running Tiger in the world.
A last sacrifice to the algorithm: Downfall was a very important movie for me. We watched it with our history teacher when it came out in cinema here in Austria and it was the first movie, that I had ever seen, that conveyed the charisma of Adolf Hitler. As a teenager I had never understood how so many of my grandparents generation could have followed this guy. After this movie I did.
There is also a nice anecdote how the director got Ganz to accept the role, because Ganz refused to play Hitler at first.
The director went to Ganz with a Hitler whig, fake Hitler moustache and a black leather jacket. Then he told Ganz: "Just put these on and look into the mirror. If you don't want to do it afterwards I'll let you be."
Ganz put the stuff on and looked into a mirror and said: "I see, I have to do it."
I would have argued for an inclusion of Starship Troopers in this list as it is very much a war movie and one of the best, in my opinion, of the 90s, but as it is from '97 I can't put it over "Life is beautiful".
Battleship Potemkin got overlooked.. Man. It's about the mutiny that occurred in 1905 when the crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin rebelled against its officers. After the men mutiny, they dock the ship in the port of Odessa. The climax of the movie, and probably one of the most visceral and impressive pieces of cinema, is the marching of White Cossack soldiers, down the Odessa Steps, bayonets fixed, as they stop and fire into the crowd of civilians who have either come to see the spectacle, or support the sailors. They, and the cavalry who attack anyone at the bottom of the steps, are portrayed as almost robotic. Marching down the steps, reloading, pausing, and firing. Of course, it's a Soviet film, but I don't doubt the Russian Empire would've suppressed such an uprising brutally. Either way, it is one of the most recognizable scenes in all of cinema and has been parodied and homaged untold numbers of times.
It was mentioned in the video Chris overlooked but it is a classic and a masterpiece of film making..
1925, it's there.
Also the stairs scene was redone with Costner in Untouchables.
I would guess "Triumph of the Will" is Hitler's favorite film consereding he was its executive producer and it is a good movie.@@joem4939
As did a lots of European masterpieces.
I can’t speak to any of the silent era films at all, save for the brilliant Russian film Battleship Potemkin. Lawrence of Arabia is my all-time favorite film. It also suffers from historical inaccuracies but is immovably an epic classic. Not listed was another film in my top 10, A Bridge Too Far (1977). The other war film in my top 10, also not listed, was Breaker Morant (1980) about an infamous British court martial of three Australian soldiers during the Second Boer War.
Speaking of The Great Escape, RIP to David McCallum, who played Lt. Commander Eric Ashley-Pitt in that movie but many know him best as "Ducky" in NCIS.
Barry Lyndon is a phenomenal movie, every shot of the film could be out of a oil painting, and its a Stanley Kubrick movie
I would also add that it portrays Infantry tactics during the War of Austrian Succession very well. great battle sequences. Cinematography is superb.
@@michaelavanzini9092 Now, the movie says that a skirmish depicted in the movie was not recorded anywhere in history books but it is still supposed to take place during the Seven Years' War (1756-63).
For 1970, I was kind of hoping Waterloo would be nominated. In my opinion, Rod Steiger absolutely slays in his role as Napoleon and Christopher Plummer does an equally excellent portrayal of the Duke of Wellington. For 1993, I was expecting either Stalingrad (the German film, not the crappy Russian propaganda film) or Gettysburg. For Gettysburg, Jeff Daniels slays in his role as Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and this might come as a controversial opinion, but I like Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee. But I understand why for 1993 Schindler’s List was chosen. Of course, for 2003, I was not expecting Gods and Generals to be nominated at all, for obvious reasons.
Agree. Fantastic movies and portrayals
Agree 💯 about Waterloo. Also a great ww2 movie deserving mention was “The Train” filmed in 1964.
I’ve not seen Patton yet which was the 70 choice, but Waterloo is one of my all time favourite war movies, or at least my favourite on screen depiction of a battle.
@@VloggingThroughHistoryI assume someone said this already in the comments, but after a quick look I didn't see it. Tora! Tora! Tora! also came out in 1970, so there was good competition that year.
Not a recommendation for a reaction, [I don't think you could, even if you wanted to] but for your own information. Are you aware that 'Time Team have just released a video 'Digging Band of Brothers'. Set in Aldbourne, the dig took place earlier this year. What they found provides a fascinating look into the real life experiences of Easy and Fox Companies before they left England for the continent.
100% A crime you have not seen Schindler's list. Im actually surprised by that, but you've got to watch it. Highly recommend, I actually re-watch it just a few weeks ago
There is a 'making of' for They Shall Not Grow Old where they do into the details about the production that's a fantastic watch as well. No Bridge Over the River Kwai (1957)? How did that get left off the list?
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is a fascinating film, not only for the story it tells but also the story of its making. It was made during WWII and one of the main characters is German and is played by a German. I don't remember all of the details behind the scenes, but if my memory is correct, it is a movie that almost wasn't released.
i know most ppl won’t care but for that one person, or two, the ambient music used throughout the video was the Battlefield 1 OST. it’s so good
The Great Dictator is well worth seeing at least once. One west movie I’ve always loved that didn’t make the list was 1959s Ballad of a Soldier, a Soviet film that focuses more on the impact of WWII on the lives of ordinary civilians. It’s equal parts tragic and heartwarming - really well done.
One movie i would really recommend is Tuntematon Sotilas or Unknown soldier in english. Its a very well made movie about the Continuation war between Russia and Finland!
I really enjoyed Gallipoli, staring Mel Gibson. Unfortunately it came out in 1981, same year as Dad Boot. But worth a watch about the ANZACs in the WW1.
You need to watch Platoon. This was one of the first movies that Captain Dale Dye trained actors for war movies. It’s also a great movie.👍
It's obscene that Master and Commander wasn't a franchise. Agree with you 100% about Dunkirk.
All we got was the Horatio Hornblower series (1998-2003). Pretty solid but imagine what could be done with Master & Commander.
@@scipioafricanus5871 Ioan Gruffudd tried to bring that back too.
I never watched Patton but Waterloo (1970) is a fantastic movie and I was surprised it wasn't on the list.
Yeah for me it's 1993 with Stalingrad. But Schindler's List is probably the better movie.
@@reneszeywerth8352 yes 1993 stalingrad is very underrated. And both are free on youtube surprisingly.
So great to see The Battle of Algiers included. The sound track by Ennio Morrecone is just on point.
Can’t believe The Battle of Britain (1969) didn’t make the cut. Need to see Army of Shadows now as to why it beat it. Same for The Ascent which beat A Bridge Too Far (1977), which is an amazing movie too. Thanks for all your videos, and if you need any tips on where to go in Vienna, please let me know.
Why was "Cross of Iron" not included? Orson Welles called it the best anti-war film ever made.
My husband was in the Coast Guard and his ship stopped in Hawaii on its way to Vietnam when they were filming Tora Tora Tora. He talked about watching the Japanese planes flying overhead. It was surreal.
The only one on this list I disagreed with was for 2020. The Outpost is in my top 3 for best war films ever made. As a veteran myself I can go on and on about how much better the Outpost, Danger Close and Beneath Hill 60 really do get it right when it comes to how soldiers express camaraderie and how they act in battle… I may be expressing my own bias in this, but when it’s so very rare to see troops act authentically on screen, I will immediately give high praise.
Agreed, Beneath Hill 60 is absolutely awesome.
Have you ever seen more 2016 movies?
@@worldoftancraft yes, but it’s hard to beat Hacksaw Ridge. It was by far the best war movie that year.
@@James-zg2nl I didn't see it, but was greatly impressed by 28 Panfilovcev. Or Panfilov's 28 men for English audience
Two movies that I would have liked to see would probably have been Tora! Tora! Tora! and A Bridge Too Far though Tora! Tora! Tora! shared the year with Patton so I can see how that would have been tough. But A Bridge Too Far is such an excellent movie about Operation Market Garden. Also as long as a historical movie is historically authentic then I feel like I will have a great time with the movie.
The Blue Max. Hamburger Hill and The Battle of Britain should be on the list
I'm sorry but the fact that Midway was not on the 2019 is disrespectful. One of the best accurate movies I've ever seen
Let me add some:
1962: The Longest Day
1970: Tora Tora Tora
1992: A Few Good Men
1993: Gettysburg
1994: Forrest Gump
2001: Enemy at the Gates
2006: Pan's Labyrinth
2016: The King's Choice
Gettysburg is 1993, not 1994
2016 is 28 Panfilovcev
1987: Empire of the Sun
1995: The Tuskegee Airmen
2012: Lincoln (not exactly war but during USA Civil War)
Plenty of others that maybe mentioned.
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is an all time favorite. Japanese POW camp drama. David Bowie is one of the protagonists. Clash of cultures and the full brutality you'd expect but a little different. The score is awesome roo
The Battle of Algiers is about the urban guerilla fighting between the FLN and French colonial government during the Algerian War. Its pretty incredible and gives a pretty good depiction of how those Anti-colonial/Left-wing of the Cold War functioned. As well as how brutal the security forces used against them were.
Must watch for any history buff.
Based on this video, my curiosity about Come and See got the best of me so I checked if it was a free UA-cam movie, it wasn’t but right under the official UA-cam video, someone had posted it on their own. I watched it…I’m still numb emotionally an hour later. Yes (at least towards the end), it’s definitely a hard watch.
some omitions I wouldlike to draw attention to
Hamburger Hill, probably one of the best Viet nam war movies. extremely under rated (coming from a guy who thinks the term extremely underrated/overrated is over used)
Kelly's hero's
84C MoPic
Waterloo
Gettysburg
Tora Tora Tora
Sahara!! both version really
Im probably missing some but those are off the top of my head
Tora, Tora, Tora, Patton and Waterloo all came out the same year so only one could be included. Gettysburg came out the same year as Schindler's List.
It would be great if I figured that out before posting...apologies
As a current MA student in History, videos on books and some historiography sound like a treat! Your work is greatly appreciated!
As a master history. It might be fun to watch the blackadder series. It is full of historical facts are satiresed.
Das Boot was actually orginally a mini series for German TV, but it was cut down for cinema later. Both the mini series and the movie are glorious, the mini series just has a lot more of talking and quiet moments, because it is longer. Must watch, if you enjoy WW2 history. It is in German, but that just adds to the immersion. The main character (the reporter) is actually played by one of Germanys most famous singers, Herbert Grönemeyer. As a German, it is the best thing the German movie industry ever produced next to Der Untergang (Downfall) and Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter (Generation War).
The greatest submarine movie ever conceived.
you can visit the old setting from "Das Boot" in the Bavaria Filmstudios in Munich
The bridge on the river Kwai is probably my favorite war movie.
You must hear this all the time, but the poem "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon reads "They shall grow not old"rather than "They shall not grow old"
One movie which ist Not in this list ist war and Peace. The soldiers are played by real soldiers of the soviet Army. But the movie ist about Napoleons invation of russia.
One Point: downfall (Untergang) ist a German movie but Bruno Gans was Born in Switzerland.
Barry Lyndon is a phenomenal film, directed by Stanley Kubrick, who also directed Spartacus
If you want a great but disturbing movie about nuclear war Chris try Threads. It was made by the BBC around the same time as the Day After. It is disturbing but considering the budget limitations on the BBC they did a great job.
It’s one of those films you find people don’t forget afterwards.
It used to be on UA-cam but was removed for copyright reasons I think, but is or was available on DVD.
12:19 Fun Fact: In Poland when this movie was in cinemas, Poland was in State war and there is a famous photo showing the cinama showing what movie, they are playing, two peaople and a armoured truck next to it. Showing the impact of the message at the time.
Wow so many movies i had not watch and did not know i want to watch. (whih i will :D). Suprised the was no "Enemy at the Gates" or "Code of war" Aweome movies with some historical accurances.
Captain Jack Aubrey from Master and Commander was loosely based on Thomas Cochrane, a British Captain during the Napoleonic wars, who fully deserves his own big screen biopic. A truly amazing military mind and man.
I watched Zulu based on your recommendation, and I was not disappointed! Fantastic film that seems to have gotten the history right. A little dry British humor never hurts either!
I think the most significant historical issue with Zulu is the portrayal of Hook as a malingerer. Cinematically, it made sense to have a character with a redemption arc like this, but it wasn't accurate to the real person and was so offensive to his daughters that they walked out of the premiere. I think there were some similar issues around the missionary as well. There are a few other small details, but it is broadly historically accurate, and such a great film.
I was amazed at how the redcoats could kill so many strapping 7 foot Zulus with mere glancing blows of their rifle butts!
@@andrewturner7128 I didn't know that about Hook's daughters! Damn...
@@tomobedlam297 🤣🤣🤣
@@andrewturner7128 There were a lot of mistakes in the movie besides Hook. Colour Sergeant Borne for example was not that old nor was he that tall. He was the youngest Colour Sergeant in the British Army at that time.
11:52 ("А зори здесь тихие") It's a WW2 Soviet movie about an officer and his 5 female soldiers. I haven't seen the movie, but read the novel. It's a very tragic story. We had to read the novel at school which this film is based on.
11:57 ("В бой идут одни старики") I haven't seen the next one either, only some stuff on youtube, but people say it's a classic. The the main actor (who was also the director for this film) tragically passed away in a car crash 5 years later after the film was made.
Most of the soviet WW2 movies have anti-war but also patriotic theme and lots of characters have diffrenet ethnicities
Cant believe i am going to say this, but as a guy with a history education degree, my favorite is probably "Master and Commander: Far Side of the World". I just adore the feeling of the movie.
Already made a comment about this but Thomas Cochrane, the inspiration for Jack Aubrey, truly deserves his own big screen movie. He was a genius naval commander, faced stupid odds against not only the French Navy but his own chain of command, and was instrumental in multiple revolutions and wars of independence.
@@derekmcdanold7108if you made a movie about him, people would just think it's entire fictional. I like to think the guy was actually insane because some of the things he did defy all rational thinking
@@derekmcdanold7108 Thomas Cochrane deserves his own TV show, covering his life. As if his life in the Royal Navy wasn't colourful enough, he later became an MP, controversially went to jail for fraud, got out, went to South America and fought for the Chileans, Brazilians, and Peruvians in their fight against the Spanish, was hired by the Greeks in their fight for independence from the Ottoman Empire, returned home, was pardoned and reinstated, and became the second highest-ranking officer in the entire Navy.
Nelson might get all the fame for the big battles and (like Patton imo) his death was probably the best thing to happen to his reputation. But Cochrane was, in my opinion, the better seaman and the better tactician. Cochrane became such an infamous menace to the French that he was given a nickname - "Le Loup de Mer" or "The Sea Wolf"...by NAPOLEON.
How this guy doesn't have an Emmy-award winning series about him is beyond me.
@@thecynicaloptimist1884 All we got is "Horatio Hornblower"...
I know it's not technically "a movie" but the best WW2 mini series (?) was Band of Brothers. It is extremely accurate because it's literally a movie of the stories of the actual 101st Airborne. They went out of their way to make every sound and scene as accurately as possible. BEST history series ever!
There are actually a lot of historically inaccurate parts of the series. However, It's still good. I actually like The Pacific far more.
Edit: Generation War is another really good WW2 mini series.
@@DJ118USMC I agree but mainly because the tone of the pacific was more fitting imo. At times Band of brothers almost felt like a bunch of friends going on holiday to france recounting their memories with a happy ending. The pacific on the other hand was just grim from start to finish and even when they won the war in the end there was really nothing to celebrate.
@@DJ118USMC I actually forgot about those 2. They are pretty great too!
An exceptional series, I agree but "extremely accurate" it's not.
Although it was set right after WWII on the homefront, I thought 1946's "The Best Years of Our Lives" was going to be there.
It should be mandatory watching for everyone exiting the service.
Braveheart is a perfect example of a movie that I love from start to finish, while simultaneously wondering in hindsight why the producers and creators didn't stay more true to the actual historical record.
Atonement is (partially) set around the Dunkirk evacuation and London Blitz. One of my all-time favorites movies with possibly my favourite movie ending ever
I’m surprised that The Longest Day isn’t on there.
I really hope you watch Apocalypse Now, Platoon and Schindler's List. They are three of my favorite movies of all time.
Core memories: watching Stalag 17 with my dad (who saw it in the theater with my grandpa, a WWII vet) any time it came on Turner Classics. Also not a war movie, but we watch the original Ocean's Eleven (Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr.), which my dad also saw in the theater with my grandpa ,every year around New Year's Eve. In the original, the members were supposed to be WWII vets from the 82nd Airborne division, which my grandpa served in during the war.
3:45 that napoleon movie was made by the french abel gance, is often considered a masterpiece of cinema in all times, and had re- release a few years ago. praised by scorssese, welles and other great filmakers, last about 5 and a half hours, covering the first 31 years of napoleon, roughly until the famous crossing of the alps. abel gance had plans for a second part but it never came to be
I hope theres a digital copy
I was interviewed by a Waco, TX news channel about my thoughts on "Black Hawk Down". I was coming out of the theater into the hall to leave when they stopped me to ask my thoughts. I loved that movie. But seeing myself on TV on the news was jarring! lol
Come and See is the best (anti) war movie of all time
I saw Come and See. It was EXTREMELY difficult to watch. But it was a necessary watch, talking about the Nazi invasion during the early parts of Operation Barbarossa with the einsatzgruppen in Byelorussia.
And yes, this unit was real, this unit was THAT barbaric. Watch at your own risk. It is a very difficult movie.
Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence is a great movie, a totally different side of the late great David Bowie.
Apocalypse Now is no more a film about the Vietnam War than Saturday Night Fever is about Disco. Both movies used popular tropes at the time they were made to delve into he depths of the human condition. Gone With the Wind, like the others, uses war as a background, it's not about war itself . Das Boot is one of the best war movies ever made along with Full Metal Jacket.
Kelly hero’s is one of my favorite ww2 movies
The Steel Helmet from 1951 is worth a watch. Takes place in the Korean War. Written and directed by Sam Fuller who also wrote and directed The Big Red One.
As a Frenchman, I recommend 4 of the best of our films: Lacombe Lucien (a young man who joins the Collaboration during the Second War), the 317th Section (Indochina), Weekend at Zuydcoote (better than Dunkirk) and the fantastic "Captain Conan" (German-Bulgarian front during the First World War)
Some movies and TV that didn't make the list but should have gotten an honorable mention was Gettysburg, We Were Soldiers, Sink the Bismarck, and the TV miniseries Winds of War and War and Remembrance.
Forrest Gump wasn't a war movie but the Vietnam War played a significant part. So I don't know if it would qualify for the list.
Grave of the Fireflies will tear your heart apart. It is a great movie though.
Tora Tora Tora, came out in 1970, the same year as Patton. So take your pic!
I agree with the Tora,Tora, Tora. Would also like to add The Longest Day, A Bridge to Far and the Charles Heston Midway.
Escape from Mogadishu was such a good movie. It is about the Battle for Mogadishu (obviously), but more specifically, it is about how the Korean ambassadors from both North and South Korea, who were in Mogadishu to persuade the Somalian ambassador to the UN to vote for their respective country to join the UN, escaped from Mogadishu when the violence erupted. I highly recommend watching it in Korean with subtitles on.
Atonement is the superior Dunkirk film and also primarily a romance, one of my favorites for sure.
"Atonement" with one of the greatest 5 minute single-take tracking shot scenes at Dunkirk where the British Expeditionary Force are waiting around an abandoned theme park to be evacuated.
As a war movie, I would put Stalingrad before Schindler's List in 1993.
I think an excellent film that is overlooked is El Alamein The Line of Fire. It shows the north Africa campaign and the battle of El Alamein from the Italian perspective and it's a theatre of the second world war that isn't often portrayed in film. Highly recommend it
Big fan, I know it’s probably not what you’re most interested in but I love when you talk recent military events like some of the engagements in the 90s and the war on terror and stuff
I also realize it’s too soon for us to be able to accurately judge these movies since enough time hasn’t lapsed for us to have a better understanding on these events
Napoleon from 1927 is a MASTERPIECE you should try to look into it
I am shocked that Valkyrie lost to the Hurt Locker.
Let's be honest here, "Tropic Thunder" was the best war movie of 2008
The Battle of Algiers is very interesting in that a lot of the Algerian rebels are actually playing themselves, and the French paratroopers are also played by veteran french paratroopers. It’s almost more of a docu-drama in that level of accuracy and authenticity. I highly recommend it
Chris, you have to watch this movie called Battle For Sevastopol, it’s a Russian film about “lady death” and it’s best with subtitles. It will pull on your heart strings. One of my all-time favorites.
On the movies you did not comment on, I highly recommend The Steel Helmet (1951), Ashes and Diamonds (1958), Army of Shadows (1969) and Underground (1995).
Ashes and Diamonds in particular has great visual storytelling and performances. The movie takes place at the end of WW2 in Poland, and focuses on the conflict between former Home Army and Communist forces over control of the nation - a conflict not portrayed much in WW2-related movies.
1970 had WATERLOO too
How is Kingdom of Heaven not on here? 2005 was its year btw and took place during the 2nd Crusade and probably one of the greatest war films taking place in medieval times, especially in the middle east during the crusades.
La Grande Illusion and the Battle of Algiers are two of my favorite black and white films. As a historian, I highly recommend that you see it.
Just a tiny little quirk… Bruno Ganz was Swiss, not German. But yes, Downfall was a fabulous movie and an incredible performance by Ganz
There is always a bit of baggage when a German plays Hitler. Not many German actors want to take on that role.
I have Paths of Glory on dvd as well as Das Boot , Downfall and Dunkirk also the 1958 Dunkirk with John Mills . The Cruel Sea with Jack Hawkins was among those black and white films the Brits did so many of. I remember at school we were always shown those war films of the 50s at Christmas . You may remember me telling you that my dad was a sergeant in the Lancashire Fusiliers in WW1. I am now 75 and perhaps why i also have Paths of Glory in my collection.
A lot of people might think I'm off my rocker, but I don't think you're missing a lot with Gone with the Wind. Schindler's List, on the other hand, you definitely need to see. It's not something I really care to see again, but I think everyone should see it at least once.
I cannot believe he has never seen Schindlers List
You must see Barry Lyndon, it's so unique imo, one of my favs
Hi, Chris. I know you have complimented Estonia before and now I can make my contribution to this video. "Tangerines" is a 2013 Estonian-Georgian film that was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. Thank you and good night.
The Patriot deserves a shout.
The grand illusion is a extremely well done French film i watched for an upper division history class. Well worth watching.
Ashes and Diamonds is a Polish movie either about ww2 or set right after the war. Its been a while since i have seen it.
While not a film expert or panning the choices, I’d plead a case for two that were not mentioned - The Best Years of Our Lives from 1946 and Taking Chance from 2009. Neither are war movies per se, but I feel like if you are going to discuss war, reflections on veterans who served and the causalities of war need to have a voice too. That and they both are really great movies too.
Haven't seen the former but Taking Chance was fantastic.
We Were Soldiers is one of my favorites
A pretty solid list overall, kuddos for making it as international as possible and not only US/English language-centric. Here are a few ones I would add:
1959: Ballade of a Soldier (the sad but sweet story of a young Soviet soldier being awarded with a short leave to visit his mother, and the various people he meets during his journey)
1967: Westerplatte resists (this is where it all began, folks: the story of a fortress guarding the Vistula, one of the primary targets of the 1939 invasion of Poland. Stern but beautifully shot, the story is basically a Polish Alamo, with a particularly poignant ending)
1977: The Duelists (my favourite film about the Napoleonic era this side of Master and Commander, how I wish we had more films like this, not about Napoleon or Nelson themselves but about the simple soldiers. So gorgeously shot as well, what a debut for Ridley Scott!)
1989: Life and nothing but (the story of the hunt for the Unknown Soldier lying - pun intended - under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, set in 1919 France, in a country utterly devastated by the Great War. Not so much a war film as a post-war film, its mood is unparalleled)
2006: Black Book (Paul Verhoeven of Robocop and Starship Trooper fame goes back home to the Netherlands to tell the story of a young Jewish woman as she literally has to sleep with the enemy to survive and help the Resistance. One of the best depictions of life under the Nazi occupation and an overall thrilling story, full of twists and turns)
I highly recommend watching And the Violins Stopped Playing. It is based on the biographical novel by Alexander Ramati about a group of Ramani people who are forced to flee from the Nazis during the Porajmos.
love merry Christmas, mr. Lawrence
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is god-tier great, find it wherever its streaming. Name another war movie with David Bowie? Also, where was Tora! Tora! Tora!? They re-bombed Pearl Harbor.
PS: If Valyrie came out the same year as Inglorious, it wouldve been better. Inglorious, like Three Kings, shouldnt be in the running for best war picture.
For 1990 disappointed the Hunt for Red October isn't there. Such an incredible look at the human side of the Cold War with espionage and the moral dilemma
I fail to understand how PATHS OF GLORY (1957) was given preference over THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI of the same year. 🤷🏻♂️
As good a film the former was, it won only 5 awards, none of them an Academy Award (Oscar)… while BotRK won SEVEN OSCARS!
Now, irrespective of personal view or taste, the accolades won should certainly supersede personal preference.
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957) by definition *has to* be ‘best’ of 1957.