Blake Hall
Memorial Day is a holiday best celebrated with an ice cold beer, a fresh-0f-the-grill burger, and a patriotic war movie. While we can’t provide you any beer or food, we can give your some recommendations for your family film.
Saving Private Ryan (1998) is a World War II epic that teaches viewers to appreciate the hard-won victories and sacrifices of our forebears. When three brothers perish in the line of duty, Captain John H. Miller returns to the Normandy battlefield to find the surviving brother, Private First Class James Francis Ryan, who has gone missing. The film was critically acclaimed for its grisly battle sequences, which WWII veterans said were the most realistic they had ever seen.
A baby-faced Tom Cruise stars as Maverick in Top Gun (1986), a high-flying military drama about a talented but reckless pilot undergoing elite flight training. The stunning aerial sequences may not be entirely accurate, but the iconic movie was made with the military in mind. Filmmakers collaborated with the Pentagon during production, and after the film premiered the US Navy reported a 500% boost in enlistment.
The iconic image of a soldier’s salute against the backdrop of the American flag originates from the opening scene of Patton (1970), a biopic of US General George C. Patton. The film follows the famous general’s exploits through WWII, which are hampered by his abrasive personality and bolstered by his sheer talent as a military strategist. Patton won seven Academy Awards and is considered one of the most culturally significant American films ever made.
If you need to purchase one of these stellar films, Best Buy is a place to start.
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