War > Little, Ryan War

Advantages: great plot, touching characters
Disadvantages: none

...awards The story of Saints and Soldiers is set in December 1944 , Belgium, Ardennes Forest. The film begins with a group of allied prisoners who have been captured by the dastardly Germans. A commotion in the prisoners starts and one of them manages to prise a gun from a German soldier and shoot him. The Germans being the cruel fiends they are, open fire on the captured American soldiers while they are fleeing towards the trees to save their lives. ...
...and with only one gun between 4 men they have to make their journey back to allied ground and treachorously make their way behind enemy lines. Along the way they rescue a British Pilot who they decide to help as he is carrying reconassance photographs. This film allows you to connect to the characters and learn their past and their future dreams. There'll be times when you want to cheer and urge them on, then again there will be times when you want ... Read review

Advantages: Gripping in battle scenes
Disadvantages: Not what it could of been

The film is set in 1944 with the German army storming through the ardennes forest taking many prisoners as it goes. The film is the story of a group of the American prisoners who end up escaping the germans. Unarmed and without food they battle through enemy lines to get back to allied territory. On the way they meet a British pilot who is shot down, together they experience the fear of been behind enemy lines and the need to get the British pilot's ...
...The film has alot of suspense and has a high quality of acting, but it is a little lacking in real wartime action adventure for me, with short battle scenes which are good and make the film likeable but by no means are long enough. The film instead focuses on the relationships of the men and their state of mind, which is interesting and creates a good suspense and mild horror as Deacon deals with shell shock. But this for me does not make the film ... Read review

Advantages: all-star cast
Disadvantages: no special effects

...prisoner of war experience captures the true events that took place in Germany's Stalag Luft III, prisoner-of-war camp; This cinema achievement provided an entertainingly satirical view of the courage embraced by the British POWs, whom devised a brilliant plan while under German supervision, and resulted in the first of many successful escapes within Germany during WWII. Steve McQueen/ James Garner/ Richard Attenborough/ Charles Bronson/ James Coburn/ ... Read review

Advantages: Great action sequences
Disadvantages: Slow to start, but gethers pace nicely

...any factual or historic event, Von Ryan's Express stars Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard and tells the story of survival against the odds in a war torn Europe. Released in 1965, Sinatra plays Colonel Joseph Ryan, a smart thinking American Pilot who after getting shot down by the Italian Army is sent to an Italian run Prisoner of War camp for what is expected to be the remainder of the war. Upon arrival Ryan is immediately made the head of the Allied ...
...turn the soldiers call him Von Ryan for collaborating with the enemy. In fact the heated discussions that take place between Ryan and Fincham are great to watch on screen as you see Sinatra in a different light to other roles that he has played before, something which leads to both men trusting each other by the end of the film. With the help of the Italian Commander, who has now switch sides, Ryan and the Allies hatch a plan to escape and steal ... Read review

Advantages: Educational & great story
Disadvantages: Constant flashbacks & forwards spoil flow of film slightly

Set during WW2 this film tells the story behind what has become part of American military folklore of the Marines raising the Stars & Stripes on the island of Iwo Jima. You follow the individual stories of the marines to see how their lives helped to create the story behind this American iconic image which went on to be carved in stone as a monument. Before watching the movie I didn't know anything about this film or the story of the second flag ...
...in that account. The film is well made, looks wonderful and all the actors are excellent that they all played their alloted roles very well indeed. The film for me has one major point against it that makes it difficult to watch and that is the constant scene transitions from present to past to war to future and where ever else they choose to be. This made scenes disjointed and exceptionally difficult to follow. Although it says this was shot back ... Read review