We Were Soldiers
|
Vietnam War film based on a book by Lt. Col.
Harold Moore starring Mel Gibson. The film is about a group of soldiers
whom are dropped in a location from which they draw heavy fire. They are
aiming to survive as long as possible before re-enforcements may come to
relieve them. Among the people there is a journalist and this
character's evolution throughout the film is a powerful element of the
film.
It's a good film which I would recommend to anyone whom likes the
Genre |
Black Hawk Down
|
Black Hawk Down is a beautifully edited film.
Winner of an Oscar for best film directing we see beautiful shots of
"Hawks" taking the five minute flight into Mogadishu in
Somalia. What was meant to be a routine mission turns into a disaster as
the operation took place during the day. The streets erupt with fighting
and the American Soldiers are pinned down for what will become more than
20hrs.
The film was so powerful I decided to read the book
and the book written by Mark Bowden is a really good read |
Empire of the Sun
|
Empire of the Sun, an early Steven Spielberg
and one of the most powerful is the story of a young boy whom is separated
from his parents after the Japanese attacked the city in which
he was living. The way in which he is transported into a prisoner camp.
The cinematography and story telling of this film are amazing. |
Apocalypse Now
|
A solider whom awaits special operations is
lying in his room waiting for the next mission, worrying about how weak
he is becoming with no fighting. He is soon rewarded with a mission to
surpass all over. Involving Ride of the Valkyries with ten helicopters
or more and surfing whilst fighting is still taking place this film
stands out from the rest. |
M*A*S*H (Five Star Collection)
|
M*A*S*H is an anti war film made during the
Vietnam war using the Korean war as a backdrop to criticize America's
involvement in Vietnam.
If you'd like to find out more then read an essay I
wrote whilst a student in England
To what extent
does genre theory, knowledge of technology at the time and understanding
of the socio-political situation in America and Vietnam contribute to an
understanding of M*A*S*H? |
Full Metal Jacket
|
A Stanley Kubrik film about a training camp
for soldiers going off to the Vietnam war. A look at training for
service at the front. Very powerful imagery and worth watching at least
once. |
The Dirty Dozen |
A colonel is asked to train troupes for a
suicide mission. The dirty dozen are convicts who have been forced into
the service and because they are expendable they are being trained for
this mission. |
The Longest Day |
The Longest day is a beautiful master piece of
film making history. It profiles several divisions as they prepare for
the D-Day landings and then go to war. A very interesting and powerfull
vision of what it may have been like for the troops at the time of the
landings. |
Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop
Worrying and Love the Bomb (Special Edition) (1964)
|
A Stanley Kubrik film based around the Doomsday
device. It is based around the Cold War when the Soviets and Americans
are at defcon 2 because some planes have started flying towards Soviet
targets. There is the ever present danger that world War III may start.
Some of the people at the highest position in the government have become
crazy and it is a challenge to inform all planes to come back to base
thereby avoiding nuclear war. |
Enemy at the Gates
|
During the 2nd World War a battle was taking
place between the Germans and Russians for the city of Stalingrad. The
capture of this city is of great propaganda value. Vasiliev is a small
boy from the Caucasus who has learnt the art of sharp shooting. He
becomes a propaganda tool for the Soviets. One of the top German
marksmen is called in to kill Vasiliev. This film is the tale of these
two individuals in a sea of people fighting for many years in a row.
The cinematography and editing within this film are among the most powerful
I have seen in recent films and I would recommend that
everyone watches this film. |
Saving Private Ryan |
Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan is known
for the realism of the scenes, everyone remembers them. During the 6th
of June D Day landings in 1944 Private Ryan must be found and taken to
safety. All his brothers and his father has died and the military must
find him and send him home so that his mother may still have one son
alive. |
Empire of the Su n
|
In Shanghai during the Second World War a young boy lives with his parents. Unfortunatley Japan gets ready to invade this Island and he is seperated from his parents. Throughout the film we find beautiful cinematography. |