This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

Top 10 Must See U.S Military Movies

Explosive bomb-fests or classic American cinema?

These Americans are reckless. They never retreat when they're supposed to

-Major Prinz, The Lost Battalion

With Memorial Day around the corner, Patch has compiled a top 10 list of the greatest must see military movies ever made.

Find out what's happening in Bayside-Douglastonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Films about the military are a hallmark of the movie industry. Just ask director Steven Spieldberg, who won an award at 14 years old for a 40-minute war movie called Escape To Nowhere (Spielberg would later direct  the epic WWII film, Saving Private Ryan).

Some of our selections focus on illustrating the horrible realities of war, while others show-cast a CGI infused explosive bomb-fest.

Find out what's happening in Bayside-Douglastonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This holiday weekend, take a moment to become inspired by our Patch Top 10 list and ask yourself, which film do you think is best? 

10. Top Gun (1986)

Directed by Tony Scott

It is not common for Top Gun to make the list of military movies. People often overlook the fact that flying an F-18 in a dog fight against a Soviet Mig-29 is real combat. Watch Maverick and Ice-man duke it out to become top gun in this action thriller.

9. Glory (1989)

Directed by Edward Zwick

Glory is based on the wartime struggles faced by early Americans during the Civil War. Interestingly, there is more than one war being fought by the protagonists, a fight for civil rights for black soldiers and a fight for Confederate succession. This heart wrenching tale is about the first all black unit during the Civil war to see combat. Be prepared to weep in the climax of the film.

 8. Patton (1970)

Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner

Patton, the film is considered the American equivalent to Lawrence of Arabia, according to Avforums. Watch the chronicle of brave and audacious General George Patton as he spearheads American troops into Nazi fortified Europe.

7. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Arguably one of the best Vietnam films ever made, Full Metal Jacket dives deep into the psyche of America’s elite fighting force, the U.S Marine Corps. Follow Cowboy, Private Snowball, Joker, and Rafterman as they fight their way through war torn Da Nang in what seems like one Pyrrhic victory after another.

6. Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

Directed by Richard Fleischer

“I fear that all we may have done is awoken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.” –Admirial Hirohito. This classic film chronicles the Japanese surprise raid on Pearl Harbor in 1941 with surprising detail. The depth of each character is developed with attention to historical accuracy. Tora! Tora! Tora! is a documentary as much as it is a great military naval warfare film.

5. The Fighting 69th  (1940)

Directed by William Keighley

Loud-mouth, fast talking New Yorker, Jerry Plunket (James Cagney) is a World War I Dough boy fighting in a muddy parapet with a Springfield in one hand, and a dream in the other. The Fighting 69th is one of the most realistic, pre-CGI black and white films ever made and is a must see for any military film aficionado.

4. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Saving Private Ryan is about a rescue mission that takes place in France. Spielberg’s depiction of the invasion of Normandy is the subject of fierce debate. Eye opening and shocking scenes depict the carnage of war. Realistic effects were ample, however the controversy is over historical accuracy. Movie goers didn’t seem to care. The film had a budget of $70 million dollars and grossed $224,700,000 at the box office, according to IMDB.

3. The Crossing (2000)

Directed by Robert Harmon

Jeff bridges stars as General George Washington in this depiction of the early conflicts during the American Revolution. Bridges does a stellar job portraying the leadership of General Washington who embarks on the monumental task of crossing the Delaware river. The Crossing was released on TV, but nevertheless is an accurate production of the country’s essential struggle for liberty.

2. The Lost Battalion (2001)

Directed by Russel Mulcahy

A trend among made for TV movies is that they tend to replace expensive effects with great acting and historical accurateness. Major Whittlesey (Rick Schroder) formerly a lawyer from New York leads a battalion of lost, outnumbered, and outgunned troops in the Argonne Forest of France. A classic behind enemy lines plot enfolds in this telling rendition of actual event during World War I.

1. The Green Berets (1968)

Directed by Ray Kellog

You're what this is all about

-Colonel Mike Kerby 

John Wayne plays tough as nails Colonel Mike Kirby who handpicks a dirty dozen for a special mission in South Vietnam. The Green Berets is one of the very few movies that portray American involvement in Vietnam with a positive light, while the war was still going on. Although campy at times, this movie captures the essence of the Special Forces in relation to the feelings of the Vietnamese people. Limited effects and clear dialogue lend to a harrowing tale of kidnapping an enemy general behind enemy lines.  Watch Colonel Kirby, a flag waving American in this Herculean motion picture.  

Readers are encouraged to submit comments and they’re own top 10 lists andor recommendations.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Bayside-Douglaston