Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

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For the second time during a MoFo countdown, we're going to be having a Group Watch thread! Here's how this thread will work:

-The host will nominate a war movie, the participants will have 3 days to watch it, and to state that they watched the film in the thread (make sure your nomination doesn't last over four hours).

-You're not required to review the film. You can if you want to, but simply writing something like "I just watched XX and really enjoyed it" should suffice.

-Afterwards, the host will use a random number generator to pick the next person to nominate a film (provided the person watched your nomination and hasn't nominated a film yet) and the process would repeat.

-This thread will last till the deadline for the preliminary thread (or close to it).

-You can opt-in/opt-out of this thread whenever you want. You're not required to watch every film in this thread just because you watched one film in it.

In short, this is similar to a Hall of Fame, except it requires far less effort.

I'm sure many of us will be voting for some obscure films which not many MoFos have seen, so participating in this thread might be a good way to increase the likelihood of your film making the countdown.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Nominations:

Kanal (1957, Andrzej Wajda)
Nominated By: SpelingError

Le Silence de la mer (1949, Jean-Pierre Melville)
Nominated By: Allaby

The Bridge (1959, Bernhard Wicki)
Nominated By: Thursday Next

The Red Angel (1966, Yasuzô Masumura)
Nominated By: cricket

King Rat (1965, Bryan Forbes)
Nominated By: Citizen Rules

Fortress of War (2010, Alexander Kott)
Nominated By: edarsenal

Shoulder Arms (1918, Charlie Chaplin)
Nominated By: Wyldesyde19

Barefoot Gen (1983, Mori Masaki)
Nominated By: cricket

Regeneration (1997, Gillies MacKinnon)
Nominated By: Thursday Next

City of Life and Death (2009, Chuan Lu)
Nominated By: Citizen Rules

Land of Mine (2015, Martin Zandvliet)
Nominated By: ScarletLion

The Shop on Main Street (1965, Elmar Klos and Ján Kadár)
Nominated By: John-Connor

Bitter Victory (1957, Nicholas Ray)
Nominated By: Frightened Inmate No. 2

The Burmese Harp (1956, Kon Ichikawa)
Nominated By: SpelingError

Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020, Jasmila Žbanić)
Nominated By: Frightened Inmate No. 2

The Painted Bird (2019, Václav Marhoul)
Nominated By: ScarletLion

White Material (2009, Claire Denis)
Nominated By: Siddon

Westfront 1918 (1930, G. W. Pabst)
Nominated By: ScarletLion

Johnny Got His Gun (1971, Dalton Trumbo)
Nominated By: cricket

Sahara (1943, Zoltán Korda)
Nominated By: Citizen Rules

No Time for Sergeants (1958, Mervyn LeRoy)
Nominated By: Allaby

Three Came Home (1950, Jean Negulesco)
Nominated By: Citizen Rules

In Harm's Way (1965, Otto Preminger)
Nominated By: John-Connor

Fires Were Started (1943, Humphrey Jennings)
Nominated By: SpelingError

The 12th Man (2017, Harald Zwart)
Nominated By: Torgo

Anthropoid (2016, Sean Ellis)
Nominated By: John-Connor

Coming Home (1978, Hal Ashby)
Nominated By: cricket

War Witch (2012, Kim Nguyen)
Nominated By: Allaby

A Town Like Alice (1956, Jack Lee)
Nominated By: Citizen Rules

The Four Feathers (1939, Zoltan Korda)
Nominated By: Allaby

The Hill (1965, Sidney Lumet)
Nominated By: John-Connor

This Land is Mine (1943, Jean Renoir)
Nominated By: SpelingError

Nomination #1

Great, one that's already on my watchlist!

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Also, let me know if you need a link to the film.

On YouTube with subtitles!

I’ll submit a nomination shortly. Going to go over my options.

I believe we wait until we watch the film and the deadline comes, and then the next host is picked at random.

Yeah, it's only one nomination at a time.

Gotcha. I’ll get to Kanal soon

Super excited to see this happening again and glad you're running it. I'll take a link, Youtube doesn't work for me as I can't snag the subs only the video from there.

Sent!

I know!🙂

I'll keep an eye on this thread, but I probably won't watch as many movies from here as I did with the last countdown group watch thread.

I expect that most of the movies that are nominated in here will heavily feature the battles, but that's the part of war movies that I like the least. I'll probably focus my watch list more on movies where they take place in war times, but focus more on the people than the battles. (I expect that mostly war/romance movies will be on my watchlist.)

Count me in for this.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

I would like to enlist.

I watched Kanal today on the Criterion channel. I thought this was pretty good. It was well shot with good performances. I didn't find it as compelling or gripping as many others did though, based on the reviews and comments on Letterboxd. It won't make my ballot, but I think it has a good shot at making the final countdown.

Good film that. Love all those tunnel shots.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

I have Kanal lined up and ready to go. Hope to watch it like real soon!

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Kanal will definitely make my ballot. Maybe even in the top 10. Throughout the first half, it does a great at establishing the dynamics between various characters, specifically for Daisy and Korab. Though their situations definitely aren't good, you still maintain a bit of hope for them to pull through. Once they move to the sewers in the second half though, it is then that the film adopts a thoroughly bleak tone. Watching the character dynamics and relationships slowly break down throughout this portion of the film makes for a rather unforgettable experience. The movie also remains beautiful at the same time, which is saying a lot given the setting. The camerawork and the resilience which certain characters maintain throughout the second half is all top notch and acts as a great contrast to the tone. Like The Ascent, another film which will surely make my ballot, neither film feels like misery porn. All the hardships the characters encounter feel earned and it instead serves as a portrait at the unpleasantness of war.

I’ll start up Kanal tonight.

I now have about 45 films on my war watchlist and this was one I was most looking forward to. Along with the new All Quiet on the Western Front, Kanal was on my regular watchlist before the war countdown was ever talked about. I don't remember how it got there, but I now understand why it was. It is properly bleak and hopeless, and that's expressed matter of factly in the documentary style beginning. There were a couple of early moments that were hard hitting, and that's a big reason why I watch movies. Because of those moments, I think I slightly prefer the film before it goes into the sewer, but it's the sewer that makes it notable and memorable. This movie was written by a former soldier who survived the sewers. It's also the 2nd part of a trilogy; anyone see the other two? A very good war film.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Current candidates to host the next round...

Allaby
ScarletLion
Citizen Rules
cricket

You guys have about 24 more hours to watch the film.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

As an aside, since I sometimes work in the morning and afternoon, I think it would be easier for me to state who the next host will be around nighttime, so I'll likely do that for now on (though I may announce the next host an hour or two earlier tomorrow).

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Question for everyone who'll be participating in this: Are you considering War movies that don't have battle scenes for your countdown ballot?

I ask because when it's my turn to pick the next war movie, I wouldn't choose a non-combat war film if you guys aren't including those on your ballots.

Good question, actually.

Kanal

When we’re first introduced to the Company of soldiers, we’re told right away that they won’t survive the night. Wajda is telling us what to expect right away. The characters aren’t what’s important here. It’s the experience. One unlike many movies have truly been been able to capture.

Sent to defend a city before the Germans capture it, they full expect to die that night. When they’re told to retreat via the sewers, there’s a mix of disbelief and relief. Anger and disappointment. Yet, to the sewers they go.

This is where the film really picks up, as the sewers are like a whole other world. It could be interpreted as a descent into hell. Indeed, the water seems to have smoke rising from it as if a lake of fire. We even get a quote from Dante’s Inferno, as we see men crawling through muddy sewage.

Wajda keeps the camera tight of their faces. We see their fear, anxiety, anger, and hopelessness etched in their brows, their eyes. Faces covered in beads of sweat as they face an impossible situation, slowly discovering the way to salvation is filled with many pitfalls, Germans standing above laying in wait, while the gas below slowly seeps into them. They are trapped, they come to realize. Despair overtakes members of the company, Madness overtakes those that remain.

The film is a harrowing experience, as we feel the claustrophobic confines of the sewer as much as the soldiers. It is a personal hell as much for us as is it for them. As such, the ending comes as a relief of sorts. The suffering is over. Again, as much for us as for them.

Absolutely, War is so much more than just 'battle scenes.' imho.

I had not heard of it before but decided to watch Kanal as the reviews sounded intriguing. What an incredible film! The way the camera sweeps across the faces of the fighters in stark black and white reminded me of Paths of Glory (released in the same year, I think). The descent into the madness and horror of the sewers was riveting. As someone said above, it's also interesting to see different experiences and perspectives on war. A strong contender for my ballot, I should think.

It just depends on the film but I'm on the stingier side. Does the movie merely take place during wartime? Does wartime just act as a setting? Can I tell someone who's about to watch it that it's a war film without being misleading, or do I have to say well it's a drama set during a war? To me a war movie is a movie in which it's primary narrative is about a war.

Absolutely. Documentaries are included aren't they?

Yes. I'm considering anything tagged as war on imdb or Letterboxd.

Yeah I wouldn't see why not.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

There can be many different kinds of war films. There are films which feature combat, films which take place away from the battlefields but are still colored by war, and war documentaries. Saving Private Ryan, Casablanca, and Shoah are all war films, as far as I'm concerned, and I can't see anyone arguing otherwise.

To me Casablanca isn't a war film any more than Raiders of the Lost Ark. I get the argument, but I'd also understand if someone argued that Maverick was a war film.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Yeah, there's some legit questions here. There's a few films I love that are entirely talking about war, talking about strategy, that might make my list.

I'm picky every single genre countdown and it just makes it more difficult for myself. If I viewed Casablanca as a war film it'd be my #1 easy. I would also vote for Stripes, Failsafe, and Pan's Labyrinth if I considered them war films. I don't like Strangelove so I wouldn't vote for that either way. A lot of it is just point of view.

I also won't be checking IMDb tags for my own ballot. If I have to look, it's not a war film.

When it's my turn to choose a movie for this I'll try to check everyone's Letterboxd account so that I don't pick a movie everyone has seen. I know not everyone has a Letterboxd account, I don't have one.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Pan's Labyrinth is 100% a war film! As is The Devil's Backbone.

I have no opinion on those but just a factoid: Pan's Labyrinth is tagged War at IMDB but The Devil's Backbone isn't tagged War at IMDB, Letterboxd or Rotten Tomatoes so would not be allowed as a ballot choice. I never seen the movie myself.

Keep in mind that those tags don't actually mean anything.

I can't describe either one of those films as a war film without being misleading. I would have to add in that one is a fantasy and one is a horror. Yes, I understand that some movies can be multiple genres, but to me those movies are not at least 50% war, which is what I would need them to be. They just have war elements and that's not enough for me.

The War tag means everything as far as qualifying by KeyserCorleone's ballot submission rules. But yes I've said in the past that those tags aren't always accurate and are mainly used for search and categorization usage.

Casablanca is one of my favorite films ever, but I don't think I'll be voting for it as a war choice.

I trust most people here will construct their ballots based on what they feel deserves to be there as war movies. I'm not too worried about most of these making it on.

Not arguing with those facts but The Devil's Backbone is about an orphan boy in the Spanish civil war! del Toro's best film in my opinion. Definite war film.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Arguing about what qualifies is, as Citizen noted, academic, because the eligibility requirements are already set. But insofar as people are interested in talking about that, it seems obvious the distinction is just about whether something just has to be about or centered around war, or has to depict it more directly.

It's pretty easy to come up with hypotheticals that break our preferred definition, though. Nobody would say a romcom where a news anchor in the background mentions a war in passing would be a "war film" just because a war's happening in the background of that fictional world, for example. And there are films that are 100% about war and its planning that don't depict, say, the frontline of battle.

This is 99% vibes, even if people may use a specific and selectively chosen example fact to justify those vibes, if only because it's usually easy to find another film that has a totally different feel even if it contains a similar reference to (or orientation around) a war.

Like I said, it just comes down to point of view, I think, and the person voting should believe in what they are voting for and that's all that really matters. I think if I was showing my wife The Devil's Backbone tonight and she asked me what kind of movie it was, I could simply say horror without misleading her. I could not simply say war without misleading her. Furthermore, I think about the kinds of movies that the director makes, what is their objective? That's some of the criteria I use.

I think it's as good away as any to have criteria for the countdown. I just wouldn't use those tags for my own personal ballot or in a debate on what constitutes a war film.

That's cool. It's interesting to me how we all see genres differently.

For my own ballot, I just go with my gut feeling if a film is war enough for me. Then I would check to see if it's tagged War at those three sites so that I can include it. If it's not I have plenty more that I like.

I just want people to vote honestly and with their hearts. If someone thinks something is a war film they should vote for it. What has happened in the past which I'm not a fan of, is people voting for a film because they like it, even though they don't see the film as that particular genre. I see that as screwing up the countdown similar to not voting for a film because it doesn't need your vote, putting it too high on your ballot because it does need your vote, limiting votes for the same director, etc. Vote for your top 25 in honest fashion without trying to game the system so we can have a true top 100. It's not about individual members or movies.

This is my preferred method as well.

Raiders of the Lost Ark takes place in 1936, which was a few years before World War II started, so calling it a war film wouldn't be accurate since it doesn't take place during any wars. Top Gun: Maverick didn't directly name a war either (unless I'm misremembering). Casablanca, on the other hand, directly takes place in the middle of WW2 and the plot is specifically about an expatriate trying to help refugees escape from the Nazis to the U.S. If this isn't enough to fit the bill for you then fine. However, like the comedies countdown where certain films were debatable over whether they could be classified as comedies or not (Fargo, for instance), I think people should feel free to vote for whatever they want as long as they genuinely think the film classifies as war.

I wouldn't call it a war film personally, but are you using criteria that a war film must take place during a war, and not before or after?

I don't think so either, but it is about the training of Navy fighter pilots and there is a conflict. I'd also suspect that we get films on the countdown that are not about a specific war.

I hate the word expatriate here since it's a word that sounds like it has something to do with the military, but I know it's used on the Wiki and IMDb pages. To me it's about Rick running into his old flame and the rest is setting and dressing. Yes for money he helps people flee the Nazis, and that has something to do with war obviously. I don't think that makes the film about war, and I don't think it makes it a war film.

Yep I agree.

My criteria will likely be that it has to take place during the war and that the conflict has to have at least a moderate influence on the story.

I suppose it's a bit more borderline than Raiders of the Lost Ark, but it's not uncommon for the military to be involved in conflicts here and there. That doesn't necessarily mean we're involved in a war though.

If it wasn't for the WW2 aspect of the film, there would be far less conflict in the film and the story would be completely different. Heck, Bogart might not have even encountered his old flame if that was the case. Though it's certainly more of a low key war film than something like Saving Private Ryan, WW2 still has a predominant impact on the characters in the film.

I completely agree with you about Raiders, but I would also say that what happens before actual war can be just as relevant to said war as what happens after, and we know for sure we will have films on the countdown that will be about the after effects of war.

I completely agree, but we know there will be films that show up that aren't about an actual war.

Yea I think every movie has something about it that if you take it out, the film would be very different. I get the war element, but I don't think it's about war.

Come on Saving Private Ryan isn't a war film lol

I'm not participating, but if a thread is starting off with a Wadja film, I'll probably be at least paying attention to the recommendations (okay, I'm only familiar with Ashes and Diamonds, but it's also really well regarded).


But to answer your question, yes I would, but I might penalize how I'd rank/select such films when it comes to my ballot. I think the one sub-genre that probably doesn't get penalized is the prisoner of war film category, which often don't have any battle scenes.


I think, actually, it's about how far away the central conflict/tension of a movie is from the pertinent war. Like, especially with a lot of the famous Vietnam movies, if you think about it, don't have that many battle scenes. If The Deer Hunter makes my ballot, the war scenes actually hurt it, and its depiction of post-war PTSD is the reason why it's there.


While I don't associate Casablanca as a war film, I'd point out, America unexpectedly joining the war greatly affected how it was received at its release. Which might actually be an indicator I'm underselling it as a war movie in my mind. (Bogart can easily stand in as a metaphor for America's isolationism after WW1).

If you see a film here that you're interested in I hope you'll watch it and write a little something about it. I'd love to see what choices you'd come up with for war films and there's no comments here, it's come and go as you please. Easey peasey.


Interesting. I knew that America was following a path of isolationism before Pearl Harbor but I'm curious as to what you mean by "Bogart can easily stand in as a metaphor for America's isolationism after WW1"?

Bogart’s refusal to “stick his neck out for nobody” is a metaphor for America’s refusal to join the war from the onset, instead waiting for an action to bring him to the other side, rather then sitting on the fence.

That is suppose to read no commitments here. Comments are good!

Thanks...the Bogart reference, “stick his neck out for nobody” is from Casablanca?

Yes, in the scene where Ugarte is arrested, a patron, possibly Lazlo, makes a remark about Rick’s lack of aid.
To which Rick responds “I stick my neck out for nobody.”

Ah, I thought it sounded familiar...I just watched Casablanca a couple of weeks ago.

The next host is...

@Allaby
ScarletLion
Citizen Rules
cricket
Wyldesyde19
Thursday Next

I sent you my nomination. It's a good one!

I imagine there will be all kinds of different war films on the countdown, and I can understand people using different criteria when forming their ballots. I'm not saying other people should go by my guidelines. These are just the rules which I'll go by. People should feel free to nominate whatever they want.

Neither is The Deer Hunter:

Nomination #2

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

I'm a huge fan of Melville, so I'll definitely be looking forward to this.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Also, let me know if you need a link.

Haven't seen that, will try to watch

I think it’s playing on a criterion so I’m good. Should be able to get to this duri the weekend

I'd really like to watch this but can't find it anywhere.

Have a link if anyone needs it

Sent!

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

I'll be watching Le Silence de la mer (1949) in the next day or two. Looks interesting, I like the premise.

Melville rocks. Been a while for this one. I may check it out again.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Just finished watching the film. I might post more thoughts later today or tomorrow, but in short: Great concept, decent execution.

7/10

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Le Silence de la mer is a powerful film on individuality. It's one of those movies that were made too soon but also one that couldn't have been made any later.

I appreciate this movie more now that I'm not watching it. While watching it I was intrigued by it's premise and curious as to where it would go. To be honest after 25 minutes I had to force myself to finish the film. I did finish it and I'm glad I did. Though in the end what I gained from the film was more of an interesting narrative style than anything profoundly deep. Yet to the French audience who had just been subjugated to four years of Nazi occupation this film must have spoken volumes.

I perceive that the film's message is delivered in prose by the uninvited house guest. His is a misguided dream of the occupation. To the officer the occupation is a marriage between Germany and France. Germany is enlightened with an influx of lofty romanticized ideas which are bestowed upon by the subdued French. The officer sees the Germans as saviors of the French, sweeping away their bourgeois capitalist loving government and replacing it with German clockwork efficiency. Only towards the end of the film does the idealistic officer realize that the Nazis have a much more brutal plan in-store for France.

It's the clash of the cultural values between the insect leg pulling Nazis and the idealistic romanticized French. The old man and his niece's refusal to talk to the German officer represents passive resistances to the occupation. These two powerless people do what they can in the face of an overwhelming occupation.

The beauty of the film, call it the pay off, is during the film the audience develops sympathy for the German officer. As misguided as his dreams are he's still a sorrowful character and when he learns the bitter truth of the Nazis the audience is rewarded by the kind gesture of the old man and niece who finally break the silence and bid the officer a farewell.

I'll get to it in the morning if I can't tonight

Current candidates to host the next round:

Mr Minio
Citizen Rules

You guys have about 24 hours left to watch the film.

I’ll be starting it tonight. Review will come sometime tomorrow

I was glad Kanal was picked because I was already planning on watching it. Now I'm glad this was picked because it wasn't on my radar. I like the director, though not as much as most people. I like him a little bit more now, and a lot of it has to do with this not being a film that shouts Melville. It was different, and in a great way. It's a rare war film that's full of elegance and tenderness. The three leads were all great, and I found it impressive how the niece had the same look on her face for the whole film yet emoted a variety of feelings like contempt, frustration, longing, and sympathy. The uncle was older and wiser and his expression showed that. It wouldn't be a proper war film with some power, and when the soldier learned of the atrocities while the camera zoomed in on the picture of Hitler, well that was a great scene. I liked everything about this.

I found Le Silence de la Mer oddly familiar at times. I don't think I've watched it before and forgotten it, but who knows?!


Nicole Stephane (from Les Enfants Terribles) is good in this, conveying so much without a word and barely even a flicker of expression.


There was something mesmerising about the silence that was such an interesting way to show the power of Werner - often standing, so physically taller, and always talking, imposing his ideas - but also the power of their silent resistance and, in the end, how his words turn out to be folly, empty.


I liked the bits with voiceover much less. I thought it felt in some ways much older than 1949. Werner's first appearance and the monstrous close up of his face looked like something out of The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.


I don't know if it will make my list, but a good film all the same.

The next host is...

Mr Minio
Citizen Rules
cricket
@Thursday Next

Nomination #3

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Excellent film! I have the Criterion blu ray. Definitely a strong contender for my ballot.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Also, as usual, let me know if you need a link.

An anti-war masterpiece! Some good nominations here.

I gave The Bridge and mentioned it in CR's recommendation thread. The young cast makes it all the more powerful and it has a great finale. It's a contender for my ballot.

Yeah, the general idea of these threads is to nominate films which not too many people have seen. For instance, everyone has heard of Saving Private Ryan and knows it will make the countdown, but if you want to increase the odds of an obscure film making the countdown, nominating it in this thread might be a good way to increase its odds of doing so.

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

I don't mind the group watch/countdown all that much. I'm just commenting on the movies I've seen. :)

Although it looks like everyone has seen The Bridge so far so I obviously didn't go obscure enough!

I've been ranking my brain trying to find a good war film that most haven't seen. I can think of plenty of good war films but many are at least semi common to the average MoFo.

It would help if everyone posted their Letterboxd account name so we could check to see what's been watched.

I haven't seen it, but I do have the movie ready to be watched as Cricket mentioned it on my Spam my war ballot thread. Looks like a great choice!

I haven't seen it yet!

I have my LB account linked as my signature, though for some reason, it only shows up under a few of my posts. Here it is though:

https://letterboxd.com/PopcornReviews0/

Re: Movie Forums Top 100 War Movies - Group Watch
 

Here is my Letterboxd. Be sure to read my diary and like all of my reviews.

https://letterboxd.com/SteveAllaby/

Obscure enough for me. :) Pretty stoked since I always enjoy your films and with everyone else's praise should be an excellent film to see.
Already found a Criterion version on a favorite Russian streaming site WITH subtitles so I'm going to be checking it out today.