The Best Damned war Movie Ever Made!!!

Rating: Null/10 (27 July 2001)

This is the best damned war movie ever made made...Bar none. As a freelance writer I have had the priviledge to interview veterans from WW 1 & 2, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf. My grandfathers were in WW2 as well.My dad was in the 82nd Airborne and he had sergeants that were in the D-Day drop. They have told me how this is the closest thing and best depiction of what it was like. Who am I to argue. They were there. We weren't. They praised the accuracy of the weapons, the characters, their actions and the combat. Plus it was a damn good story. The next most commented on item was how the army after the Sullivans tragedy was damned if it did and damned if it didn't rescue Private Ryan.Like Schindler list, this movie should be shown in high school history classes as part of their lessons on WW2. Veterans told me they would include The Longest Day and Tora, Tora, Tora in that category as well. Too many people knock it because of it's big budget. I don't understand that. The movie works in every way. I first saw SPR up in Alpena, Michigan where it was filled with mostly older WW2 generation people. Some were veterans. They had their wives with them. When we left there wasn't a sound made. Nobody said a word exiting the theatre. SPR touched the crowd that much. I had a Vietnam vet who I work with say that after he saw the movie he was sad/depressed for about three days afterward. he said Platoon didn't even affect him that way. Isn't that the sign of a great movie of this type? One that reaches out and makes you feel things you never felt or experienced before.One that actually moves you very deeply. I witnessed that personally as people left the theatre. I can only hope that Spielberg makes another war movie. Hopefully, maybe one on the Battle of the Bulge.I can hardly wait for Band of Brothers on HBO this fall. This was the greatest war movie ever made. Definitely a must see.As far as the top five war movies go I would rate them this way. 1.) saving Private Ryan 2.) Cross of Iron 3.) The Longest Day 4.) The Thin Red Line 5.)tie: All Quiet On the Western Front and Platoon Honorable mention should go to: The Best Years of Our Lives, Go For Broke, Battleground, Tora Tora Tora, Patton & a Bridge Too Far.