Top Ten WWII Movies

My ten favorite WWII films

1. Life is Beautiful
   Probably the most touching movie I have ever seen and also the most likely to make you cry. This is an all around fantastic film that everyone should love. It is a foreign film and is subtitled throughout but you barely notice. This movie inspires me.
   
   
   
2. Schindler's List
   Perhaps the definitive WWII movie. An artistic masterpiece from Steven Spielberg.
   
   
   
3. Saving Private Ryan
   Another amazing film from Steven Spielberg. A great story full of action and lots of appearances from big stars.
   
   
   
4. The Scarlet and the Black
   Solid performance from Gregory Peck in a thrilling story about the Vatican during the second world war.
   
   
   
5. I Am David
   Brilliant story that is adventurous while at the same time deeply touching. About a boy traversing Europe alone in search of his mother.
   
   
   
6. The Best Years of Our Lives
   Well written film detailing the trials and challenges endured by WWII soldiers as they return home from the war. Recommended by the WWII veterans and experts I know as you can read about on Larry Martin's blog.
   
   
   
7. Saints and Soldiers
   Lesser know film about some WWII soldiers lost in enemy territory. Great story with really good characters.
   
   
   
8. The Bridge on the River Kwai
   Excellent work from Alec Guinness, as usual on this great tale of british soldiers taken prisoner by the Japanese.
   
   
   
9. Inglorious Basterds
   Quentin Tarantino plays with history in a comical romp about a troupe of Nazi killers who assassinate Hitler. B.J. Novak even has a small role.
   
   
   
10. The Fighting Seabees
    This is actually a really good movie starring John Wayne that I may never have seen if my dad had not been a Seabee for almost 20 years.
    
    

I hope you all enjoyed this list. Please feel free to share your own favorite WWII films below.

AFI Top 100

This year my wife, sister and a good friend of ours have decided to try and watch every movie on the American Film Institute's Top 100 Films of All Time list. We decided to skip the ones we had already seen which left us with around 80+ shows to watch. Each of us is keeping a journal of our notes on every film as well as a star rating based on how great we thought each film was. Well, Ash and I have been plowing through the list and have now seen around 40 out of the 100. It has been very interesting to see all these famous shows, many of which we may never have taken the time to watch otherwise. There have already been a few that we really enjoyed and a few that really disappointed us. I plan on making my own Top 100 films list later this year when we make it through this list from the AFI.

I am enjoying this little endeavor of ours quite a bit and look forward to seeing all the other films. Feel free to take a look at the list and comment on what you think. I am sure everyone will have something to say about what is missing from the list and what doesn't belong there so go ahead and say it. I am very sure that my top 100 list will be quite different. For one, 2001: A Space Odyssey will NOT be on mine.