The Post Critic

Apparently, you all really liked last week’s column. This makes me happy. So, why not run a good thing into the ground with another list? This time, in honor of Veteran’s Day, I offer you my Top 5 favorite military-related movies.

The hardest part about doing these lists is that so often, many of the films are classic. They aren’t just my favorites. They’re everybody’s favorites. This means there’s a lot of critiques already out there and coming up with something unique to say is very difficult. For instance, Full Metal Jacket is not on this list. That isn’t because I don’t love the movie. I do. It’s because there is absolutely nothing I can say that hasn’t already been written by much better writers than me. That’s why, for the record, no films from Romero’s Zombie trilogy made my horror list last week.

Another problem (I’m getting to the list soon, I promise) is that, due to the quality and popularity of these movies, most everyone has already seen them. Hopefully though, I can come up with something that someone, somewhere may have overlooked.

Apocalypse Now

This one is really a no-brainer and should probably fall into the same category as Full Metal Jacket, but I can’t help it. This isn’t just one of my favorite military films. It’s one of my favorite films period. From the opening credits Door’s song, to the introduction of Martin Sheen under the swirling fan, to the “before they were stars” appearances by Harrison Ford and Laurence (here billed as “Larry”) Fishburne, to the knock out performances by Robert Duvall as an insane cavalry pilot, Dennis Hopper as an insane photographer, Marlon Brando as an insane special forces colonel and every other actor who crosses the screen, this movie is just perfect from beginning to end.

If you have not seen Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam-era retelling of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, you are not just missing out on a piece of American movie history, you are missing out on a work of art. For a real treat, watch this as a double feature with Heart of Darkness: a Filmmaker’s Apocalypse. This documentary details the financial, emotional and physical struggle Coppola went through in order to create his masterpiece.

Best scene: You’re joking right? Like I could pick just one.

Men of Honor

It seems as though people outside of the Navy don’t understand the importance of the Chief. This rank is unique among services. Those anchors are more than a symbol of an E-7; they are a mark of honor, courage and commitment. In the Navy, Chief’s lead the way. While Men of Honor wants you to think it’s about Navy Divers, it’s not. It’s about Navy Chiefs.

Cuba Gooding, Jr. plays real-life Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear, the first African- American Master Diver in the Navy. Robert DeNiro plays Master Chief Billy Sunday; a composite of the various chief’s and master chief’s who guided, instructed and challenged Brashear through his career.

The film follows Brashear from his initial enlistment through his Naval career and hits all the classic tropes about overcoming prejudice and adversity. And with good reason. Brashear’s story is inspiring. He did overcome tremendous prejudice and adversity and is someone much admired in Navy tradition. But for me, a former Sailor, this movie soars highest when it focuses on the deck-plate leaders who make up the “Goat Locker.” Other services may call them senior enlisted leaders or noncommissioned officers, but we call them Chiefs.

Best scene: As Brashear struggles with a test to remain a diver after a serious accident, Sunday guides him through it the only way a Chief can: by berating and insulting him.

The Guardian

Sticking with the water, this Kevin Costner vehicle is the only movie I can think of about the Coast Guard. Costner plays a close to retirement rescue swimmer tasked with training new recruits, including Ashton Kutcher.

You would think that those elements would make for a dull, cliché-ridden popcorn flick you’ve seen a thousand times and you would be right, except The Guardian is never dull. It acknowledges that the Coast Guard is not considered as prestigious as the other branches of service and embraces the idea of these unsung service members. They may not get the glory, but they save lives. As an added bonus, this is the only movie Ashton Kutcher has been in where he doesn’t annoy the living crap out of me.

Best scene: Costner and Kutcher walk into a Navy bar and beat up an entire crew of Sailors. I love when movies dare to dream the impossible.

The Sands of Iwo Jima

It’s John Wayne. As a Marine. In the World War II Pacific Theater. What more do you want. If you don’t love this movie, you’re a communist.

Best Scene: The final shot of the Marines marching back into battle with the “Marine Hymn” playing on the soundtrack.

Band of Brothers

I’m including this one because it’s not so much a TV show as it really is a 10-part movie. Each chapter tells the continuing story of the Soldiers of E Company (“Easy Company”) of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, through the European Theater of World War II. Based on the nonfiction book by Steven Ambrose and produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, each part is bookended with interviews from actual members of Easy Company as they recall their combat experiences.

While the fighting is fierce and heavy (as any good war movie should be) the focus is more on the bond between the Soldiers. Even the title comes from the Shakespeare’s Henry V as the tititular character is rallying his troops before a battle. “We few. We happy few. We Band of Brothers.” If you don’t have anything better to do on Veteran’s Day, sit down for a marathon viewing of all ten episodes.

Best scene: The fourth chapter, “Replacements.” New Soldiers are transferred in to Easy Company and friction ensues between the surviving original members and those who have replaced their fallen brothers.

Remember, this is by no means a comprehensive list. There are many, many more great movies. The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape and Saving Private Ryan are just three that would have been included if I had the space for a Top 10 (but Pearl Harbor wouldn’t have made the list, even if I had room for a Top 100). Besides that, these aren’t even “the best” by any standard other than my own. That’s what makes these lists so much fun. They are completely subjective.

But what are your favorites? Are they the same as mine or completely different? Do you like my choices or have I completely missed one or two classics that, without question, belong on any Top 5 list? Let me know at nick.spinelli@us.army.mil