Top Fifteen: War Movies

With The Hurt Locker sweeping the Oscar race last night, I thought I might take this time to incorporate a new facet to my blog THE TOP FIFTEEN.

Why fifteen? Well, mostly because it's too hard to narrow the list down to ten, and twenty looks like I wasn't even trying.

So here it is . . .

TOP FIFTEEN WAR MOVIES

#1 The Grand Illusion

 

Criterion's first release was an anti-war  masterpiece.

#2 Pan's Labyrinth

 

The dark fantasy element of this movie makes the Spanish Civil War backdrop easily forgettable...but it's there.

#3 Gladiator

 Words are not needed.

#4 Ran

Kurosawa's color masterpiece.

#5 Full Metal Jacket

 

Leave it to Kubrick to find beauty in war.

#6 Braveheart

Think what you want of Gibson, but this is amazing!

#7 The Fog of War

Remorse is the great humanizer.

 #8 Ben-hur

 Bible costume dramas kick ASS!

#9 Atonement

Remember that thing I said about remorse?

#10 Apocalypse Now

(but leave the Redux version alone.)

#11 The Thin Red Line

So much better than Saving Private Ryan.

#12 Why We Fight

Made me fall in love with a Republican President....not an easy task.

#13 Blood Diamond

 

Mmmm, blood.

#14 Cold Mountain

And not just because Jack White was it (although that does give it cool points.)

#15 Schindler's List

 

Don't judge me, it's on here at least.