War Movies

I love war movies. Partly it’s because I practically grew up on war movies from those afternoon matinees they used to show on television; the more memorable ones being Von Ryan’s Express, The Dirty Dozen, The Guns of Navarone, and Escape to Victory. Of course, there was also Tora! Tora! Tora!.

Then came 1998 there were Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line. The two World War 2 movies were practically polar opposites in many ways, but both equally awesome. While Saving Private Ryan was action packed and hyper-realistic, The Thin Red Line was simply beautiful.

I would say that the best thing to come out of Saving Private Ryan was that Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg went on to make Band of Brothers. Compared to Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers had the added appeal of being based on real people and real events.

Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded.
We're paratroopers, Lieutenant. We're supposed to be surrounded.

Band of Brothers (2001)

I have the Band of Brothers DVD ‘can’-set.

Now, they are bringing us The Pacific. Somehow, in their infinite wisdom HBO is only going to show it in Asia in April, but I don’t think I’m going to wait.