You guys have converted me into the "must have special edition if there is one at all costs" fanatic I feared, but I love it!!!

I have always been thinking about watching Black Hawk Down but I always vaguely remembered people here talking about a special edition version so I would never buy the 19.99 DVD when I saw it at best buy as it was only one disc and obviously not the special edition I had heard about.

Luckily on the same day Animatrix came out, I saw the new Bond movie and WOW, this nice 3-disc black hawk down. That has GOT to be the best version that will ever come out. So I got all 3. I watched the movie, and I have been floored. I want to watch it again tonite and I watched it last night. That leads us here, I want to know what other movies I should check out. I enjoy the grittyness of it, and scenes like the one in Predator when they are firing upon the village of terrorists (even though it's not ver gory I just liked the teamwork and heavy arms LOL)

I have done some research and found out I should deffinately check out Apocalypse now, Tears of the Sun sounds pretty ok, and the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Oh and I have also seen U-571 and I love the tensity of the whole movie. What other war movies should I rush out to the store to buy, and why? BTW I put this in the movies forum because it really is more about movies than DVDs.

And please don't reccomend really old movies (not that I'd never want to see them I'm just more interested in the newer movies right now).

Platoon
Band of Brothers
Bridge on the River Kwai
Deer Hunter
Full Metal Jacket

I highly recommend We Were Soldiers as the finest Vietnam War movie since Platoon.

Tears of the Sun is not a war movie. Its more of an action movie with one-note characters and Bruce Willis barking one-liners like: "Hold the Line!!!!!" and "I will complete this mission!" Avoid this one at all costs.

I thought we were soldiers was a tv series on HBO. Or is that band of brothers? I realize Tears would be more propaganda than gritty realism but I heard it is a bit gorey. And I like the premise of going back to save a group. Are you sure I should avoid it?

The ones I haven't seen yet from the movies listed I've got

We Were Soldiers
Full Metal Jacket

Marked down. How about upcoming movies. Are there any I should keep a look out in theaters?

Just watched Disc 4 of BoB and I gotta say it's phenomenal. The different stories and the commentary from realy Easy Co members is just outstanding. The Acting is great. This is definitely amongst my favorite War movies

1. Band of Brothers(for the sheer scope of the story)
2. Full Metal Jacket
3. Platoon
4. Saving Private Ryan
5. Black Hawk Down
6.. We were Soldiers.

limiting yourself to certian movies based on age is a mistake IMO.

Platoon is a must see for war movie fans.

Also, check out the Sean Penn/Michael J. Fox war movie Casualties of War, it's great.

If you're daring, check out Patton, it's got an OOP 2 disc SE, if you can find it it's great.

Yes! Avoid! At no point during the film did I even begin to care about the men in Willis' unit or the African refugees. IMO, Willis' character should be court-martialed for leading his men in suicide misson like that.

Also, this might not suits your taste, but I'd prefer watch Das Boot anyday than U-571.

Hmm. I get the action channel here and I have seen an hour or two of Das Boot, and It never really captivated me enough to watch it all of the way through.

And I never said I wanted to avoid older movies. If you look up at my post I said I am just more interested in watching the newer movies right now (as in FIRST watch the new movies since after Black Hawk Down I really haven't watched any War movies and I want to start with the newer ones I've missed).

I'm heading to best buy tommorow and I am deffinately getting we were soldiers as I really want to see the best potrayal of Vietnam and I hear that's the one. Somebody tell me what's so bad about that last 100 minutes of saving private ryan? I get the jist of it, that the only real action is in the first part. But why else would people be saying that's the ONLY good part?

The last 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan are just as amazing as the first IMO. I also think the middle portion of the film is great as well.

I'd also recommend The Thin Red Line I bought it as a blind buy at Target for $14.00. It's the only war movie I actually teared up a little near the end. It's long an drawn out (some say boring) but it's well worth the time invested.

Band of Brothers is, IMO, the best war film ever made, don't be wary of the fact it's a mini-series; the production value and realism are outstanding.

I think it's hard to recommend old war movies because it's been in just recent years that war movies have become so realistic. The old John Wayne type movies are so clean it's almost insulting.
Exeptions are:
Patton
Apocalypse Now (not that it's terribly old)
Sargeant York (a little "Mayberry-ish" but pretty accurate...considering)

It's not bad at all. I loved the entire movie just as it is. The characterization, the story, everything. But the first 20 minutes could stand on its own.

Oh I see. Thanks everybody. You have prepared me very well for my War movie buying spree.

Just incase anybody wants to know. I have decided upon these movies to pick up soon. Saving Private Ryan, We were Soldiers, Apocalypse now, Pattoon, and Tears of the Sun <-sorry robert but with a $15 best buy price plus saving $5 with my BHD mail in rebate I think it's worth $10. (with the plans to maybe check out Band of Brothers sometime). Thanks to all of the suggestions that gave me a helping hand along the way.

Here's a kind of a guilty pleasure: Uncommon Valor. Not really a movie about a war but I find it entertaining. Good for at least a rent.

And Pearl Harbor is acceptable if you skip all those stupid love scenes.

I don't really care for Civil War movies but I really like Glory. It's one of those war movies made just before they started using CGI. Great performances all around.

I enjoyed The Patriot with Mel Gibson as well, I think it is better than We Were Soldiers, IMO.

It's funny that you mention it Mittman. I'm buying we were soldiers and my mother is buying the patriot. Evn though I kinda wanted her to buy Saving Private Ryan. Thanks for the imput. Now I'll make sure she buys it.

You're not picking up Platoon???

Platoon is WAY better than When We Were Soldiers in my opinion...heck, didn't it win the Oscar for Best Picture?

Get Platoon. Get it now.

then you're not looking to explore then, are you?

You are making a HUGE mistake by limiting your self to modern and color war movies. Huge mistake.

Please, please experiment with with The Longest Day.

Yes, its old.

Yes, it's black and white.

Yes, it is very, very good.

As are All Quiet on the Western Front, Path's of Glory, Hell is for Heros, To Hell and Back etc., etc.

• A Bridge Too Far
• Das Boot

Finally someone suggested TTRL. Not only do I think The Thin Red Line is the best film about war ever made, I think it is the Best American film of the 1990s. Be warned though, as many people hate this film as love it, you'll just have to watch it yourself and decide. And this film takes more than one viewing for many people to appreciate. The first time I saw it I didn't know what to make of it. The second time I saw it, I fell in love with it. If all you want is action in your war films, this might not be for you. But if you are interested in a different depiction of war (and probably a more accurate one--one in which people are not in constant battle and there is a lot of waiting, hiding, and being introspective) then I highly recommend this film.

You should also check out GLORY.

Great acting, great story.

Ugh. I didn't like the Thin Red Line at all.