• Part 2

10. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

         The opening 30 minutes of this movie will go down as greatest and most haunting portrayal of war ever filmed. In 1998, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan stunned audiences around the world. It’s highly regarded as the finest World War II film ever made. The graphic depiction of American infantrymen landing on Omaha beach on D-Day was so realistic that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs installed a hotline to help World War II veterans because the scene evoked a poignant trauma among some of them. The movie follows Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks) who has been given special orders to take a select group of men under his command and traverse the French countryside in search of a missing paratrooper. Private James Ryan (played by Matt Damon) lost 3 brothers during the invasion of France and the U.S. army wishes to send him home. The journey to find Ryan is littered with difficult, morally grey situations that the men must navigate. The answer isn’t always obvious, and the wrong decision can put the lives of each man, and the mission at risk. In this vein, Saving Private Ryan is a movie about overcoming the vicissitudes that stem from the fog of war.

         Overall, I think it’s an excellent movie. It’s a technical masterpiece from a production standpoint. However, upon recently viewing it again, there are certain things about the movie I think are worth criticizing. This is something I want to share in greater detail in a separate blog post. The main point of critique is that war is multi-dimensional, and there is a litany of scenarios in which fighting a war becomes necessary and righteous. I don’t think Steven Spielberg understands this. Throughout the movie some soldiers are seen wining about not understanding why they’re here and how all they want to do is go home. In reality, millions of Americans volunteered to join the war after Pearl Harbor. These men were committed to the cause and believed in their duty to country and God to rid the world of tyranny. They didn’t arrive in France confused about their purpose. They felt pride in taking part in the greatest amphibious invasion in world history. They also were very much inclined to kill as many Germans as needed to destroy the evil Nazi regime. Tom Hanks character is set up to be the supposed wise teacher (he is an actual teacher as is revealed later) and there are several instances where he espouses lofty, moral platitudes about how war is bad but sometimes you must fight one. That view of war is childish and narrow. And this seems to be the extent of Spielberg’s ability to grasp topics that deal with moral ambiguity.

         I don’t want you to think I don’t like this movie. I think it’s wonderful. But I also think the morality points miss the mark.

• One Great Moment

         The Omaha Beach Landing scene is the greatest depiction of a battle ever put to film.

9. Downfall (2004)

         This is one of the greatest foreign films on World War II that I’ve ever seen. To be fair though I’ve only seen a handful. Downfall covers Hitlers final days wasting away in his air bunker near the Chancellery in the heart of Berlin. After 5 years of war that killed 60 million people Der Führer must watch his empire that was to reign for one thousand years crumble before his eyes. The movie opens on his 56th birthday on April 20th, 1945. The red army surrounds the German capital and they start bombing the city center. Hitler, now essentially a prisoner is forced to spend his remaining days in his bunker. The movie is told through the lens of Hitler’s real-life secretary, Traudl Jung (played by Alexandra Maria Lara.

         Downfall exceeds by doing what very few World War II films dare to. Instead of portraying Adolf Hitler as a one-dimensional raving maniac, it showcases the leader of the Nazis as a multi-layered human with depth. This was achieved through Bruno Gantz brilliant performance as the ailing and depressed Führer. Gantz spent months studying film of Hitler’s mannerisms and body language. His commitment to nailing that character shows itself in spades.

         Downfall was the brainchild of Bernd Eichinger. He wrote and produced the film. He also stated that it was his objective to paint a realistic picture of the man behind the monster. And while that did open the movie to some controversy; I think most people including myself recognize that it’s important to remember that Hitler was a man. It’s irresponsible, and possibly dangerous to write him off as a monster because that conviction allows us to falsely assume that we’re not capable of such evil. The disturbing reality is that the holocaust happened in a country full of people who believed in that very notion.

• One Great Moment

         I can’t praise Bruno Gantz enough for his performance. The best scene occurs when Hitler’s generals inform him that the Soviets have the city surrounded. Recognizing this as the final nail in the coffin, Hitler plunges into a blind fury. The tremendous acting made this scene so iconic that it became the subject of hundreds of parody videos on YouTube.  I highly recommend checking some of those out because they are hilarious.

8. John Adams (2006)

         The 7-episode HBO miniseries explores the exhilarating life of the most intriguing and overlooked founding father. It drew largely from David McCullough’s 2001 biopic John Adams, which I’m currently reading. When I’m finished, I’ll let you know my thoughts in a separate blog. Before the show and the book very few knew anything about the portly Bostonian who served as the 2nd President of the United States. Those who held an opinion tended to regard Mr. Adams as vain, insecure, ambitious, short-tempered, moody, and jealous. He received stark criticism as Commander in Chief. His political enemies accused him of being tyrannical. In the annuls of history he’s a foot note compared to the giants that came before (George Washington) and after (Thomas Jefferson.) But that reality couldn’t be further from the truth. John was a brilliant and honorable man, and we owe our sincere gratitude to his life and dedication to the United States.  

         The series takes you on a journey through the budding nation’s first 50 years. John Adams was a man swept up by The Revolution, making him a prominent figure during some of the greatest events in world history. I give the series high marks for its incredible set pieces, costumes, music, its meticulous attention to detail and its portrayal of daily life in the 18th century. The series takes great pains to show you the real man who fought for independence, who signed the Declaration, who spent 14 years away from his family, and who avoided a war with France. By the end of the show, you can’t help but feel for the man who gave his blood, his sweat, his legal mind, and his life to establish a new nation that was very much his experiment. He was also a man gravely concerned about his judgement at the hands of future generations. It’s expressed in the show with a bit of irony, since this is a show specifically about him.

         Adams is played by Paul Giammatti whose performance received mixed reviews. Paul certainly looks the part. While I think his acting is fine, I remove points for depicting the character too often as unhinged, angry, and prone to outbursts. The real John Adams had was known to also be charming, warm, cordial and fiercely loyal to his friends and family. However, the blame for what I see as mischaracterization probably falls on the director more than Paul Giammati. And despite being more than 7 hours long, many important historical details of his life that I would’ve liked to see weren’t included. But overall, the series is outstanding and worth the watch.

• One Great Moment

         In the 2nd episode of the series the continental congress is in session. The colonies are getting closer to endorsing the radical break away. But John Dickinson of Pennsylvania is still holding out. In one scene, he paints a grim picture of untold chaos, destruction, and pandemonium should they sign the Declaration. John Adams rebuttals this bleak outlook with the greatest speech you’ll hear in any movie or TV show about the importance and necessity of U.S. independence.

7. Darkest Hour (2017)

         It’s May 1940 and 2 million Germans have invaded western Europe. It’s a catastrophe for the allies. Western Europe appears to be doomed. And nowhere is the crisis more compounded than in British parliament where the disgraced prime minister Neville Chamberlain is forced to step down. Amid the political upheaval, a man who was once seen as a rising star in English politics but now wanders the political wilderness will come forth and take the helm. This man is Winston Churchill, played by Gary Oldman. Darkest Hour zeroes in on the first few weeks of Churchill’s prime ministership. He must salvage the situation in Western Europe. But German advance threatens to shove the entire British army into the English channel. The clock is ticking. But that’s not his only problem. He’s caught in the middle of an ugly political game where pressure to make peace with Hitler mounts.

         Joe Wright directed Darkest Hour. Wright is known for bringing a unique artistic look to his films. He’s developed a reputation for directing stylistic period dramas, such as Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, which are great movies. But in my opinion Darkest Hour is his finest. It’s a brooding, slow burner that aims more for mood and style over action. The set design looks like a blend of cinema and a stage play. The script is thorough and gripping. And Gary Oldman’ performance as Churchill is electrifying. If there’s anything I would criticize it would be that the movie’s core conflict revolves around Churchill’s indecision about entering peace talks with Hitler. Eventually he opts not to but in reality, Churchill was a lion who never considered negotiating with Der Führer.

• One Great Moment

         The best scene of the movie occurs when Winston Churchill decides to ride the subway to parliament. It’s a delightful moment where he interacts with the awestruck passengers. He asks their opinion on matters relating to Germany and the war. The responses they share make for a cute moment in an otherwise dreary film.

6. Amadeus (1984)

         My list of movies consists almost entirely of war dramas filled with copious bloodshed and fighting. So how about we take a break and turn to a 3-hour opera on classical music? Does that sound boring to you? On paper the answer should be yes. But as it happens, Amadeus is one of the greatest films ever made. You’ll never see a more gripping story about an 18th century musical composer. Amadeus follows the life of the young prodigy Wolfgang Mozart, played by Tom Hulce. The movie’s narrative is told through the lens of Antonio Salieri, played by F. Murray Abraham. Salieri is a far less talented composer serving in the court of Vienna. He prides himself on being a pious, model of virtue. But he grows jealous at the genious Mozart, and comes to realize his own musical talents are mediocre at best. Full of envy Salieri makes it his mission to destroy Mozart and take credit for his musical achievements.

         The movie is brilliantly acted. The costumes and set pieces are dazzling. The soundtrack is scintillating. Mozart’s compositions are featured throughout the film. Amadeus is a character study that examines the cost of greatness, unchecked obsession, envy, and mediocrity. What I enjoy most about the movie is that these themes are played through the clever use of dark humor. It has been the subject of controversy for its historical discrepancies and truth stretching. But it’s still considered among the finest movies ever made.

• One Great Moment

         There is a terrific scene where Salieri puts together a simple tune for the emperor of Vienna. The entire court has gathered to welcome Mozart. When he enters the palace he hears the emperor playing Salieri’s melody on the piano. Salieri maintains that it’s nothing special even though it’s evident he put a great deal of effort into composing it. Mozart then proceeds to play it himself and he starts adding more complex verses on the fly. This drastically improves the melody. The court is astonished and floored by his aptitude. Mozart then asks Salieri if he agrees that is sounds much better now, to Salieri’s chagrin. This moment is hysterical and it captures the core themes of the movie.