**** Military Movie Recommendations ****

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HollywoodBQ
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11:37p, 6/4/16
AG
I'd like to compile a list of military related movies that someone who is looking to join the US Military could watch in order to learn a little bit about the jargon, operations, experiences, etc.
Drama/Action preferred ("Apocalypse Now", "Deer Hunter") but Comedy ("Stripes", "In the Army Now") is OK too.

Here's what I've got on my list just off the top of my head in no particular order:Thanks for your contributions
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AgLaw02
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2:19a, 6/5/16
AG
Restrepo. Same guy who did Korengal, but Restrepo was better received. It's a better depiction of our Servicemen's life in Afghanistan than anything else I've seen.
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JABQ04
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5:20a, 6/5/16
AG
The Hornets Nest
Generation Kill
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ABATTBQ87
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7:05a, 6/5/16
AG
I can't believe anyone would list "The Battle of the Bulge" on any good war movie list.


quote:
You know you've got a problem with historical accuracy, though, when Dwight D. Eisenhower emerges from his post-presidency blanket of privacy to hold a press conference denouncing your movie. Such was the fate of 1965's "Battle of the Bulge."
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Rabid Cougar
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In reply to AgLaw02 • 9:41a, 6/5/16
AG
quote:
Restrepo. Same guy who did Korengal, but Restrepo was better received. It's a better depiction of our Servicemen's life in Afghanistan than anything else I've seen.
I'm with JABQ04. You certainly have to add "The Hornets Nest" to that list Was at A-bad when that took place. It was surreal watching it.

I'll add

Zero Dark Thirty
Lone Survivor
13 Hours (Former Operators)

Coming from a DoD civilian (Corps of Engineers):

If you really want to show someone what todays military sounds like.... a high school football locker room. I spent three years (two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan) on numerous FoBs, very large and very, very small and on untold number of missions outside the wire. In every DFac, in every MRAP, in every Q-hut, the young soldiers sounded exactly like my high school and college age sons. Even done to the use of "****" or "s**t" at least every three of less words. Women, cars, video games, tats, each other, you name it, all the same.

However, when the words "Contact" is heard over the comms or the unforgetable sound/feel of a IED going off, its game on and its all business with just as much or more profanity.

I have a profound admiration and love of all of the young men that I lived with and went on missions with. I certainly appreciate all the NCO's and Officer's that train and lead them.
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aggiejim70
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In reply to ABATTBQ87 • 9:52a, 6/5/16
AG
My late father-in-law was with Patton at the relief of Bastogne. He didn't remember all the bright sunshine as depicted in Battle of the Bulge.

Also couldn't you find room on your list for Saving Pvt. Ryan
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
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SemperGigEm
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2:40p, 6/5/16
AG
Band of Brothers.
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airplane driver
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5:15p, 6/5/16
S
"We Were Soldiers"
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CanyonAg77
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6:04p, 6/5/16
AG
"We've Never Been Licked" - hey, great example of propaganda, anyway. I'll watch "Battle of Britain", "Strategic Air Command", and "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" for the airplane footage, not the plots.
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airplane driver
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7:53p, 6/5/16
S
Canyon -I think Strategic Air Command and Battle of Britain have the best aerial shots in the history of movie-making.
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Smithjg
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In reply to CanyonAg77 • 8:20a, 6/6/16
quote:
"We've Never Been Licked" - hey, great example of propaganda, anyway. I'll watch "Battle of Britain", "Strategic Air Command", and "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" for the airplane footage, not the plots.
While trying to watch "Thirty Seconds", I can never get past the part where the dude starts singing "the eyes of Texas" and chastises other for not singing it "cuz it the national anthem of Texas...." Click, changes channels
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JR69
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10:31a, 6/6/16
AG
12 O'Clock High
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yeshellyes
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In reply to HollywoodBQ • 10:54a, 6/6/16
AG
We Were Soldiers
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Swing Your Saber
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In reply to HollywoodBQ • 11:37a, 6/6/16
I think it really depends on branch of service, job, and goals. Some one joining Air Force logistics is going to have a radically different experience than someone going in to Special Forces.
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Swing Your Saber
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In reply to Rabid Cougar • 11:47a, 6/6/16
quote:
quote:
Restrepo. Same guy who did Korengal, but Restrepo was better received. It's a better depiction of our Servicemen's life in Afghanistan than anything else I've seen.
I'm with JABQ04. You certainly have to add "The Hornets Nest" to that list Was at A-bad when that took place. It was surreal watching it.

I'll add

Zero Dark Thirty
Lone Survivor
13 Hours (Former Operators)

Coming from a DoD civilian (Corps of Engineers):

If you really want to show someone what todays military sounds like.... a high school football locker room. I spent three years (two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan) on numerous FoBs, very large and very, very small and on untold number of missions outside the wire. In every DFac, in every MRAP, in every Q-hut, the young soldiers sounded exactly like my high school and college age sons. Even done to the use of "****" or "s**t" at least every three of less words. Women, cars, video games, tats, each other, you name it, all the same.

However, when the words "Contact" is heard over the comms or the unforgetable sound/feel of a IED going off, its game on and its all business with just as much or more profanity.

I have a profound admiration and love of all of the young men that I lived with and went on missions with. I certainly appreciate all the NCO's and Officer's that train and lead them.
A high school locker room is about spot on for the entirety of my career on the line. In rear echelon commands the atmosphere was more typical of an average office environment.

Restrepo, Korengal, and Hornets Nest are among the best documentaries out there. I have seen dozens about the current and past wars, and those three are a cut above the rest.

For training the "Making the Cut" series does the best of any I have seen, however I have not watched many documentaries about training. I have seen a three about Ranger School & Making the Cut is the only one I remember and by far the best. A friend of mine basically said the same thing about BUDS. He cited another documentary he thought was better, unfortunately I do not recall which, but he liked Making the Cut as well. Our issue is most training based documentaries make easy things look hard and fail to really convey how tough some of the stuff really is.
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BQ78
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12:56p, 6/6/16
AG
A Gathering of Eagled sure did a good job of capturing SAC mentality during an ORI.

I like Armadillo better than Restrepo, it also has the unusual perspective of Danish troops in Afghanistan
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Rabid Cougar
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2:16p, 6/6/16
AG
TV Docu-series:

"Bomb Patrol Afghanistan" - G2
"Inside Combat Rescue" - National Geographic
"Live to Tell" - History
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k_beaman
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3:08p, 6/6/16
AG
Heartbreak Ridge!
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Hey Nav
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6:40p, 6/6/16
AG
The Great Santini is one of my favorites.
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F4GIB71
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9:18p, 6/6/16
Band of Brothers and We Were Soldiers.

I realize Ton Gun was one of the most popular movies ever, but based on 18 years in fighter aviation, the only thing realistic about the movie was there were aircraft and there was flying. Also my old squadron commander, Lt. Col. Jeremy C Thomas (RIP), could have been the role model for the commander in the movie.

Don't recall ever having someone in a skirt and heels debriefing air combat maneuvering on the ACMI range.
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Rabid Cougar
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In reply to F4GIB71 • 9:26a, 6/7/16
AG
quote:
Band of Brothers and We Were Soldiers.

I realize Ton Gun was one of the most popular movies ever, but based on 18 years in fighter aviation, the only thing realistic about the movie was there were aircraft and there was flying. Also my old squadron commander, Lt. Col. Jeremy C Thomas (RIP), could have been the role model for the commander in the movie.

Don't recall ever having someone in a skirt and heels debriefing air combat maneuvering on the ACMI range.
Charlie was VERY realistic
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Presley OBannons Sword
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8:21p, 6/7/16
A few good men is my guilty pleasure

No homo
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ChemEAg08
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12:19p, 6/9/16
AG
The Pacific is another mini series on HBO.
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Ambres
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8:09p, 6/9/16
AG
When I joined the Corps my Dad showed me the D.I. .. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_D.I._(film) .. great explanation of discipline and why it is important for the military.

Recommend also
Tora Tora Tora and Midway.. not the stupid love story but to see the decision making of both the Japanese and the American.. how and what it takes to conduct operations.. from weather to support.. and the real nemesis .. the FOG of war.

For just good war movie
Patton and Bridge too Far - explains the limitation of warfare.. especially a Bridge too Far... something is simple as not verifying the radio almost doomed part of the operation.. making assumptions that was contrary to common sense.
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JR69
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8:25p, 6/9/16
AG
The Great Raid is an excellent and pretty historically accurate representation of the Army Rangers' mission to rescue POWs from the Japanese prison camp near Cabanatuan in Nueve Ecija Province, Philippines. It also does a pretty good job of showing the value of the Filipino Resistance, both in the field and in Manila.
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Wearer of the Ring
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11:36a, 6/10/16
AG
Old classic "A Walk in the Sun"

just a good movie "Gardens of Stone"
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ABATTBQ87
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In reply to JR69 • 4:52p, 6/10/16
AG
quote:
The Great Raid is an excellent and pretty historically accurate representation of the Army Rangers' mission to rescue POWs from the Japanese prison camp near Cabanatuan in Nueve Ecija Province, Philippines. It also does a pretty good job of showing the value of the Filipino Resistance, both in the field and in Manila.
I agree 100%!
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12thmanfootball
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1:06p, 6/11/16
AG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bridge_on_the_River_Kwai

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jbeaman88
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7:12p, 6/11/16
AG
Sergeant York is still one of my favorites.
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RedlegAg21
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1:01a, 6/16/16
The Patriot is a classic with Mel Gibson
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2004FIGHTINTXAG
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7:33p, 6/18/16
Just watched 13 Hours. Highly recommend it.
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stoneyjr78
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10:04p, 9/20/16
AG
A lot of good movies listed and a couple I will have to see. Some more I liked. Zulu is riveting. For history buffs, it is the battle for Rourkes Drift. Zulu Dawn depicts the battle that preceded it. I always liked The Longest Day which was closely taken from Cornelius Ryan's book by the same name. If anyone remembers Mr. Roberts, the scene with the shirts was repeated almost verbatim on a bridge site when the wet bulb was up. I was slammed with deja vu and realized it was a movie.
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Aggie1
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5:31p, 9/22/16
AG
"Saving Private Ryan"... (It really happens that way - the military services do NOT want the risk of taking the lives of all brothers in a family - and will find a job for survivor in a non-combat role or discharge)
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HollywoodBQ
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In reply to SemperGigEm • 4:22a, 9/23/16
AG
quote:
Band of Brothers.
My daughter took a school field trip to Poland and Germany two years ago which included stops at Auschwitz and Berchtesgaden. Before she went, I wanted her to see the Band of Brothers episodes which covered the concentration camp and the Eagle's Nest. I was going to have her start on episode 8 but, after thinking it through, I just had her watch the entire 10 episodes. It was definitely worth making her watch the whole thing.

Thanks for all the replies to this thread.
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Blue Bell Ag
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9:51p, 9/27/16
AG
I will add:
The Great Escape
The Sand Pebbles
Memphis Belle
Apocalypse Now
Inglorious Bastetds
The Bridge Over the River Kwai
Von Ryan's Express
Fury
Flags of our Fathers


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