Mash review

 Number 616 on the top 1000 films of all time is the Robert Altman's war-comedy film Mash.

Mash follows the antics of three medical officers Captain Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland,) Captain Trapper John Mcintyre (Eliot Gould) and Captain Duke Forrest (Tom Skerrit) during the Korean war. Robert Duvall, Sally Kellerman and Rene Auberjonois co-star.

If you don't know the film Mash then you certainly know the subsequent TV show. Sufficed to say, it was one of the most popular American sitcoms with the most watched TV show finale ever. This is all in spite of how Altman absolutely despised the show.

And like how he despised the TV show, i despised the film. Many critics including the distinguished Roger Ebert, regard it as one of the funniest satires of war ever. Evidently, we we were watching different films, as I, far from my sides hurting from laughing, my eyes were hurting from rolling back in my head.

I barely cracked a smile through the two-hour run-time. it wasn't a funny film. Through a modern lens, you could certainly argue the humour hasn't aged well. I'm sure many modern women wouldn't be happy with how Margaret Houlihan was the butt of every joke.

Through every other lens, it just wasn't funny. It didn't help all the characters were really unlikeable. Hawkeye and Trapper were supposed to be loveable rogues, but they're also insubordinate jerks who like to cause trouble. They were obnoxious and annoying. They weren't characters I wanted to laugh with or at. And even the poor victim Houlihan was too much of a wet blanket to be truly interesting to watch.

In some ways, their characters reflected the actors playing them. Sutherland and Gould famously clashed with Altman and his improvisational directorial style - going so far as to try and get him fired by studio execs. Scriptwriter Ring Lardon JR also had his own problems with Altman. This is despite how he won the Oscar for best screenplay. It definitely changes your perspective of the film.

And my perspective? It was an unfunny film with unlikeable characters.

The Dirty Dozen review

 Number 484 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 1967 war film 'The Dirty Dozen.'

In March, 1944, Major John Reisman (Lee Marvin) is ordered to command Project Amnesty - a top secret mission to take twelve convicts, turn them into commandos in an effort to eliminate as many high-ranking Nazis as possible while they wine and dine in a Rennes chateau. Some of the dozen include loud-mouth and hot-headed mobster Victor R. Franko (John Cassavetes,) gentle giant Samson Posey (Clint Walker) the German-speaking Joseph Wladislaw (Charles Bronson,) the black Robert T. Jefferson (Jim Brown,) the psychotic Maggott (Terry Salavas) and Vernon L.Pinkley (Donald Sutherland.)

This was a thoroughly entertaining film and one I enjoyed immensely. It is very much your standard action film with gunfire and explosions galore, but it also had a great and memorable cast of characters. You had the psychopathic Maggott who is disliked and mistrusted by most of the gang and with good reason - he had previously raped and killed a young woman. Terry Salavas created a scary character. I also liked the gentle giant Posey who traumatised by his previous crimes becomes scared of his own strength. Clint Walker really helped to give some humanity to this goliath of a man.

You also had the iconic Charles Bronson and Donald Sutherland - two great actors who share the distinction of never being Oscar-nominated. One of the most striking characters was the rebellious Franko who goes onto becomes one of the gang's loudest voices. Cassavetes received a well-earned Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Tying this all together was Lee Marvin playing the army major forced into an undesirable position, but determined to see his mission through.

Inevitably by having such a large ensemble cast it's natural for some characters to overshadow others. This happened here with big personalities like Maggott, Wladislaw, Franko and Posey dominating screentime over some of the less memorable members of the operation. Nowhere is this more present than Jiminez (Trini Lopez) who, due to Lopez midway leaving production, receives a rather rushed off-screen death. 

No matter, as everything culminates in an exciting conclusion which sees most of our heroes dying (I don't think this is much of a spoiler - this was always going to be a suicide mission) There were plenty great set pieces and special effects.

All in all, I enjoyed the Dirty Dozen. Yes, some of the characters were better characterised than others, but it was still entertaining nonetheless.  

Lone Survivor review

 Number 429 on the top 1000 films of all time is the biographical war film 'Lone Survivor.'

Lone Survivor tells the true story of Operation Redwings - an ultimately failed US Navy seal operation to track down the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. The four-man team consists of Corpsman Marcus Lutrell (Mark Wahlbeg) Lieutenant Mike Murphy (Taylor Kitsch,) Gunner's Mate Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch) and Sonar Technician Matthew "Axe" Axleson (Ben Foster.)

Like many US films about the Afghan War, it can be all too easy to dismiss them as stylised propaganda. Perhaps Lone Survivor is more nuanced than that, but it was ultimately still style over substance.

It received criticism for prioritising the action sequences over deep characterisations. Although the action sequences are impressive they are overlong and the character work suffered as a result. Upon being discovered i their outpost, the four Navy Seals have to defend themselves against a far bigger Taliban force. Most of the film consisted of an intense firefight and multiple falls from steep ravines - dangerous stunts that ultimately injured a lot of stunt performers.

It also begged belief that all four soldiers survived these falls with only superficial injuries. I know this was based on real life, but it seemed like the seals had some serious levels of plot armour. Maybe it was all the body armour they were wearing? They also did survive multiple bullet wounds - until they didn't. This isn't a spoiler by the way. It's called Lone Survivor for a reason.

Not that the title really means much. After his brothers-in-arms were killed, Marcus Lutrell becomes the eponymous lone survivor, but the characterisations are so paper-thin, this could have been any of the four navy seals. And when you have old, wooden Wahlberg in the lead role, things just became worse.

But Lutrell survives the Taliban militants by being sheltered by local Pashtun villager Muhammed Gulab who goes on to protect him from the Taliban militants. This was a nice way of adding some technicolour to the otherwise black-and-white storytelling of US good, Afghanistan bad. 

I initially thought Gulab was protecting Lutrell because of how the militants killed one of his fellow villagers earlier, but it was actually due to the Pashtun code of honour Pashtunwali where members swear to protect a man from his enemies at all costs.

Again this some nice characteristics - it's just a shame the Navy Seals didn't receive the same treatment. it was also a bit strange that the Pashtun local don't speak English until they're talking with Lutrell and then it's "f**k America" this and "f**k Taliban" that. All very unlikely.

Patton review

Number 287 on the top 1000 films of all time is Franklin J Schaffer's epic biopic 'Patton.'

Patton follows the life of famed American army general George Patton (George S. Scott) as he leads the US to victory during the Second World War.

Patton is three hours long. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Films need a very good reason to be three hours long. I'm not sure that Patton had that reason. If you are going to have a three-hour film, then it needs to follow a likeable character. By all accounts, Patton was a bit of a dick. I can only imagine this is how he was in real life - a big-mouthed hot-head who hated cowardice.

This might be an accurate portrayal of the character, but it didn't make me like him anymore. Patton's hotheadedness gets him into trouble more than once, most notably, when he physically assaults a PTSD-suffering soldier in full view of the rest of the hospital ward. Again, Schaffer might be staying true to reality, but it didn't make Patton anymore likeable. And considering the film was about him, this was a problem.

This isn't to discredit George C. Scott's work. He did win the Best Acting Oscar after all even if ultimately refused it. Despite playing an unlikeable character, he did his best to make him a fully-rounded three-dimensional character.

Like many of my film reviews, I think this review ultimately boils down to personal preference. Not being American, Patton's prestigious position in American military history means little to me. As such this film meant little to me.

The Counterfeiters review

 Number 606 on the top 1000 films of all time is the German historical war drama 'The Counterfeiters.'

This film is based on the true-story of Operation Bernhard. During the Second World War, the Nazi's had a plan to destabilise the British economy by flooding it with fake currency. To achieve this goal, they coerced Jews into helping them - the chief among these is renowned counterfeiter Salomon "Sally" Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics.)

The Counterfeiters won the 2007 Best Foreign Language film Oscar. I can see why. It is a quiet, but powerful story about the lengths that people will do to stay alive. Sally is just one of a group of Jews exploiting their skills to save their own lives.

Plenty of questions are raised about the morality of what the counterfeiters are doing, least of all from former Nazi dissident Adolf Burger (August Diehl) who is the first to point out the relative luxury that they are living in - in comparison to the Jews not lucky enough to be in their positions.

Sally's office is at the back of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. We often get chilly reminders of how he and the other Jews are in a special type of bubble - far enough away to be protected by the Nazis, but close enough to hear how the rest of their people are being massacred. It was a clever juxtaposition which reminded us that horror was never far away.

The different prisoners all have their own reasons to submitting to the Nazi demands yet they all felt human and believable. This is especially true of Sally who very much eschewed your standard hero archetype. Despite Burger's many attempts to spur him into rebelling, he stubbornly refuses. He's more interested in his own self-preservation. Considering his circumstances, who can blame him?

I do think that the film could have used an extra ten or fifteen minutes to wrap up the ending, as everything was rushed. Otherwise, this was a quietly powerful about a little-known part of the Second World War.

The Flowers of War review

 Number 647 on the top 1000 films of all time is Zhang Yimou's 2011 Chinese historical drama-war film - 'The Flowers of War.'

Set during the rape of Nanking, we see a group of Chinese school girls led by Shu (Zhang Xinyi) taking cover in a church led by Father Ingleman. But with this priest's recent death, the responsibility falls to his young apprentice George Chen (Huang Tianyuan.) They are soon joined by a group of high-class prostitutes led by Mi Yo (Ni Ni) and American mortician John Miller (Christian Bale).

I've said it before and I'll say it again: more people need to know about the atrocities that Japan committed against China in the run-up to the Second World War. In the West, this has always been over-shadowed in favour of the Western Front, but the rape of Nanking is one of Japan's most heinous crimes. An entire city was decimated with its men shot and women raped.

Zhang Yimou quite rightly did not shy away from showcasing the sadism of the Japanese. We saw their brutality in unflinching detail. It was upsetting to watch, but it was only being honest to what happened in real life. I thought the acting from all the child actors was very good.

The actresses playing the schoolgirls were excellent, displaying a maturity beyond their years. Despite the terrible things done to them, they never cry and complain. This was especially true of Zhang Xinyi who excelled as their leader Shu. But it also applied to Huang Tinyuan who portrayed George Chen. Despite not being much older than them, he tries his best to protect the school girls. Yet it is obvious that he is quickly out of his depth. It was difficult not to feel sorry for him as he tackled his insurmountable task. The characterisation and the acting all round was good.

The Flowers of War received a mixed reception from critics with most criticism centring on John Miller being an unnecessary distraction who was playing a white saviour. Initially, I was tempted to agree with this. John Miller was a cliched, predictable character who added so little to the first half of the film that it could have survived without him. Up until the forty-five minute mark, much of the Flowers of War focussed on the school girls with Shu taking centre-stage. She also narrates the film.

However, I did enjoy watching John Miller fulfil his reluctant hero character arc. Yes, it is predictable, but it is still enjoyable to watch. I also don't agree with him being a white saviour. How much saving does he actually do? Despite his best efforts, he does little to stop a rogue squad of Japanese soldiers attacking the church; instead it is the lone Chinese Major Li who saves everybody.

And when the Japanese demand that the girls sing at a special play it isn't Miller who suggests a solution, but Mi Yo. And when two of the prostitutes sneak out of the church, needlessly putting themselves into danger, Miller does not bring them back safe and sound. If anything he is a white failure - trying to save everybody but mostly failing. Not to mention, he was based on the real-life American missionary Minnie Vautrin.

There was also some who argue that the film was style over substance. Yes, while there was a lot of spectacle with plenty of slow-motion and vivid colours, it never detracted from the plot. This is in comparison to most Wuxia films which place spectacle front-and-centre. While the Flowers of War did focus on myth and legend, it was always tied to the plot. Even the sequence of the prostitutes singing to the schoolgirls enhanced rather than detracted from the film.

Zhang Yimou wanted to separate the Flowers of War from other similar films by highlighting and celebrating the efforts of women in the war. He certainly achieved that goal. Despite their best efforts, George and John are largely useless - yes they show remarkable bravery and self-sacrifice at the film's conclusion, but this is after four of their number have been killed.

Instead, we see the incredible strength and resourcefulness of the female characters. I've already spoken about the schoolgirls, but the prostitutes were equally intelligent and tough. Yes, the two groups quarrel on occasion - you get tiffs, arguments and fights, but, in the end they work together for the greater good.

Ultimately, I think the Flowers of War was a triumph. It looked gorgeous while also having strong writing, acting and characters. It's just way too traumatic to watch for a second time.  

Top Ten War films on the top 1000 films of all time

 "When the rich wage war, it's the poor who die" - 

Jean-Paul Sarte said those immortal words that are as relevant now as they ever were. War has been a fixture of cinema stretching from All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) to the 2022 remake. No doubt it will continue to feature heavily.

This is my arbitrary list of war films that also feature on the top 1000 films of all time. For a film to qualify, it just needs to have war as its central subject. This list is in no order but chronology.

Stalag-17 (1953)

This is the oldest film on this list. William Holden plays J.J Sefton - a roguish Sergeant in a POW camp on the Danube. After a failed escape that sees many of his compatriots killed, he is suspected of being a mole.

Holden won the Best Acting Oscar for this role. It is certainly well-earned. He is definitely one reason why this film succeeds. He gave a multi-layered performance that covered both emotional and humourous notes. Plus, it is a great story of paranoia and subterfuge. There is a reason it is 202nd on the top 1000 films of all time.

Paths of Glory (1957)

I put Paths of Glory as one of my top ten Golden Oldies. It is also one of my top ten best war films, plus one of the best films by Stanley Kubrick - second only to another film that I will mention later on this list.

Coming in at number 56 on the top 1000 films of all time, Paths of Glory stars Kirk Douglas as WW1 Colonel Dax. After an assault goes wrong, three of his men are sentenced to be shot for cowardice. He fights tooth and nail to save their lives.

Kirk Douglas is absolutely terrific in this devastating morality tale. In many ways, it can be considered an anti-war film due to its damning condemnation of the poorly-misunderstood PTSD and shellshock. Explosive at times, quietly powerful at others, this was a great watch.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

If you're going to watch this film, I would recommend only watching it once. It's too heart-breaking to watch again. The Deer Hunter put Michael Cimino on the map as one of Hollywood's freshest talents. Having earned the 165th spot on the top 1000 films of all time, it is easy to see why. We witness Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and John Savage changed by the horrors they have witnessed in the Vietnam war.

Christopher Walken won an Oscar for his most human performance ever. And before you think this film is all doom and glory, the scene where the group of friends are singing Can't Take my Eyes off you is one of the most heart-warming in cinema history.

Das Boot (1981)

Das Boot is a terrific German film about a submarine crew under attack in WW2. Intensely claustrophobic, it displays the suffocating pressure of war.

It ranks as number 70 on the top 1000 films of all time. I've watched a few German films on this list, including a couple by Fritz Lang, but Das Boot blows them all out the water. Pun very much intended. There is a reason it features on my top ten list of World Cinema films.

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

We're going back to the Vietnam war for Stanley Kubrick's best film. You heard it here first. Full Metal jacket is not only the best film about the Vietnam War, but it is also Stanley Kubrick's best film ever. It is better than A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

It features on my top ten films of all time. It is also number 106 on the top 1000 films of all time. There are some who would argue it is disjointed, but I think it is a darkly-comical look of how men are brainwashed into being killers. At times it is funny, at others, it is tragic, but it is always powerful. Great performances by Matthew Modine, Vincent D'onorio and the incredible R. Lee Ermey, only helped to solidify its success.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

This is a film I've only been brave enough to watch once. I've not been strong enough to rewatch it, so I can write a review. It is a Japanese film made by the brilliant Studio Ghibli.

What do you think when I say Studio Ghibli? Racoons? Radish spirits? Dragons? Shape-shifting racoons? Family-fun entertainment? You probably wouldn't think of this harrowing tale of a brother and sister in the twilights years of World War Two Japan.

Featuring at number 68 on the top 1000 films of all time, it contains a gorgeous original score and beautiful animation. Not only it is one of the best war films, but one of the best films ever made.

Glory (1989)

Glory is an outlier on this list, as it is one of the few that doesn't engage with neither the Vietnam War or WW1/WW2. Instead it takes place during the American Civil War, following the first black regiment in the United States Army.

Edward Zwick crafts a good film that honours a group of people who have been horrifically discriminated against. Not without its flaws, it features a talented cast including the likes of Morgan Freeman, Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington. Washington won his first acting Oscar for his role - I would argue he was even better here than Training Day.

Where Glory shines the most is its quieter moments, such as when the black soldiers are singing together on the eve of battle. It features at number 353 on the top 1000 films of all time, but I think it should be even higher.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

This is a film that needs no introduction. It ranks at number 42 on the top 1000 films of all time - the highest of all the films mentioned on this list. It won Stephen Spielberg his Best Directing Oscar, although there are some who should say it should have won best film too.

Known best for its opening sequence depicting the storming of the beach of Normandy, so realistic it made veterans leave the cinema in shock, it also has its list of quieter, but no less powerful moments. Featuring a top cast including Tom Hanks, Matt Damon and Vin Diesel, I would argue this is one of Spielberg's best films.

Tae Guk Gi - The Brotherhood of War (2004)

Featuring at number 185 on the top 1000 films of all time, the Korean film, Tae Guk Gi does not shy away from the horrors of war. It follows two brothers during the Korean war. When the older brother goes missing, the younger one swears to bring him back home.

This is a powerful story about family. But it also shows you how much war can change a person. I would say it's one of the best Korean films I have ever watched.

Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

Letters from Iwo Jima tells the story of a group of Japanese soldiers desperately trying to defend the island of Iwo Jima from the invading American forces during the twilight years of WW2.

Almost entirely in Japanese with a Japanese cast led by the magnificent Ken Watanabe, would it surprise you to learn that this film was directed by no less than Clint Eastwood.

You best believe it, because it's true. He's a terrific director. letters from Iwo Jima is just another feather to add to his cap. He brought great humanity to a group of soldiers who were painfully aware of the hopelessness of their situation.

Plus he also highlights an area of the Second World War that doesn't get as nearly as much attention as the war in Europe.

What's interesting is that while the critically acclaimed Letters from Iwo Jima featured at 362 on the top 1000 films of all time, its sister film, Flags of our Fathers, which tells the same story from the American perspective, received none of the same success.

This list is really just a damning condemnation of the inherently violent nature of humanity. We are a species intent on our self-destruction. Looking at all the conflict currently happening the world, I don't think that's changing any time soon.

Top ten World Cinema films from the top 1000 films of all time

 Since I started working through the top 1000 films of all time, I have seen the best that World Cinema has to offer. Here are my top ten best World Cinema films.

City of God

There is a reason that this film is number 21 on the top 1000 films of all time. And there is a reason that it is on my list for the ten best films of all time. It is a breath-taking piece of cinema.

Detailing the lives of two boys growing up in the slums of Rio De Janeiro, it is an absolute roller-coaster. I have seen this film multiple times and each time it has been more thrilling than the last.

Oldboy

This Korean film comes in on number 82 on the top 1000 films of all time. Plus it also features on my top ten films of all time and for good reason. It is a powerful tale of revenge based on a Japanese manga.

This thriller follows Oh Dae-Su - a man who has been mysteriously imprisoned for fifteen years. After his sudden release, he goes on a self-destructive journey to find his kidnappers. It is brimming with gorgeous Korean proverbs, stunning fight sequences and one of the biggest plot twists in film history.

Rang De Basanti (Paint it Saffron)

Yes, you've guessed it. Rang De Basanti also features on the top 1000 films of all time at 34th. It is an Indian film. Critics of Indian cinema dismiss them as overly-dramatic with shoe-horned musical numbers. Yes, that is partly true, but Rang De Basanti is far more than that.

It tells the story of Sue - an English film-maker making a documentary about some of the early leaders of the Indian independence movement. However, the lines between reality and fiction soon begin to blur. It is a magnificent story about finding your place in the world. An absolute must-see for lovers of Indian cinema.

The Hunt

Director Thomas Vinterberg creates a gripping psychological drama that shows the witch-hunt following teacher Lucas (Mads Mikklesen) after he is falsely accused of molesting one of his pupils. This Danish film show-cased Mikklesen at his best. There is a reason that he won the Best Actor award at Cannes. But the entire film is a triumph. The tension never lets up for a minute. It is Danish cinema at its best. I much preferred it to Vinterberg's earlier effort of the Celebration, which is probably why The Hunt places 124 on the top 1000 films of all time. Fifty-five places higher than Vinterberg's earlier film.

My Neighbour Totoro

I had to include Japanese cinema on this list. And while it might have made sense to include Akira Kurosawa, I instead wanted to pay respect to the genre of anime. And there is no greater producer of anime than Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.

I was so tempted to put Grave of the Fireflies on this list, but that heart-breaking affair has featured on other lists of mine, so I want to pay homage to another Studio Ghibli great: My Neighbour Totoro, which features at 137 on the top 1000 films of all time.

It would be all too easy to dismiss as a kids' film, but it is great for all the family to watch. Sisters Sasuki and Mai have just moved into a country home with their father while their mother is sick in the hospital. The young Mai then befriends the adorable Totoro who helps her through the process. This coming-of-age story is surprisingly poignant. Plus, I just love Totoro. He is the cutest thing ever. There's a reason he has become the mascot for Studio Ghibli.

Les Intouchables (The Untouchables)

This French film is the last time I'm going to mention my list of the top ten films of all time.

Les Intouchables features at 31 on the top 1000 films of all time. It tells the story of Philippe (Francois Cluzet) a billionaire quadriplegic and his unqualified, unprofessional carer Driss (Omar Sy.) Their unlikely friendship contributes to one of the feel-good films of the century.

Les Intouchables will make you laugh. It will probably make you cry too. Plus it's what launched Omar Sy to international stardom. If you've seen him in Lupin, do yourself a favour and go back and watch. You won't regret it.

Y tu Mama Tambien

We've come to Alfonso Cuaron and Mexico. This film really surprised me. Some of its critics have dismissed it as a Mexican American Pie, due to its frank depiction of sex, but this touching coming-of-age drama is far deeper than that. It places at 641 on the top 1000 films of all time.

It follows three characters: best friends Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna) and older Spanish woman Luisa (Maribel Verdu) as they try to find a mythical beach.

It's a story about growing up. It's a story about change. It is under-stated, but also really sexy. You just might not want to watch it with your parents.

IP Man

Although I'm generally not a fan of wuxia/kung-fu films, I would make an exception for IP man. It tells the true-life story of IP Man (Donnie Yen) a Kung-fu master who navigates the dangers of living in Hong Kong during the occupation of Japan. IP Man places at 215 on the top 1000 films of all time.

Unlike other Wuxia films, IP Man stays grounded in the real-life. Plus the kung-fu sequences are brilliantly choregraphed. Donnie Yen also gave a charismatic performance. I wasn't as keen on the sequel, but I still think IP man is the best that the Wuxia genre has to offer.

Zwartboek (Black Book)

We're returning to Europe with this excellent Dutch film that centres on the Dutch resistance movement during World War Two. Black Book is 435th on the top 1000 films of all time.

Where director Paul Verhoeven succeeded is by highlighting the different shades of grey that comes with warfare. No matter what Hollywood says, things are never black and white. This is a fast-paced affair with twist after twist. Its film-making at its best.

Das Boot 

We remain in World-War-Two for this excellent West German film that focusses on a German submarine crew who are under attack. And that film is Das Boot. It places 70th on the top 1000 films of all time.

Tight camera angles result in a claustrophobic, suffocating affair that highlights what it would be like to be on a submarine during battle. It also does great character work especially in how it explores how war can affect men. It certainly isn't perfect, but it is still an intense affair that doesn't let up for a minute.

It was difficult to nail this list down to just ten film. And there were many films and directors that did not make the cut: Fellini, Kurosawa, Bergman, Lang etc. Have I missed any other films? Let me know in the comments below. 

All Quiet on the Western Front review

 Number 284 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 1930 epic war film 'All Quiet on the Western Front.'

Paul Bauhmer (Lew Agre) is one of many German raw recruits who signed up to fight for the fatherland during World War One. While here, they need the older, cynical corporal Stanislavus "Kat" Katcinzsky. Quickly, Paul's optimism fades away, as he witnesses the true horrors of war.

All Quiet on the Western Front won the 1930 Oscar for Best film, only the third film to do so. I'm so sure to audiences back then, it would have been powerful stuff. But it was also a film of its time. AQWF would have held a special relevance to 1930's audiences, as WW1 was still in living memory.

I watched this in 2024, so, naturally, it didn't have the same relevance for me. I'm sure it would have been ground-breaking at the time, but I've seen it all before. it was difficult not to draw comparisons to every other war film I've seen whether that's World War 1, World War 2 or the Vietnam war. Because AQWF was such a pioneer, it's become an influence on every film since.

At the time, the film industry was slowly transitioning to sound, so I'm sure the gunfire and explosions would have been as traumatic as the initial sequence of Saving Private Ryan, but for a modern viewer like me, it failed to resonate. Unsurprisingly, the special effects were nothing compared to Steven Spielberg's seminal work. But that is only to be expected.

And the deep philosophy about the nature of war wasn't ground-breaking either. Granted, it wasn't as in your face as the Thin Red Line, but, again, it was stuff I've seen before. The same can be said for the transformation of the naive, optimistic recruits into battle-hardened, cynical killers. Full Metal Jacket comes to mind.

Although, I did find it peculiar that there wasn't much conflict between the German soldiers themselves. It's quickly established that conditions are terrible with the troopers starving hungry, so you would expect them to be fighting among each other, but instead they're all very amiable with each other. 

That notwithstanding, I recognise most of my criticism is unfair. I'm sure that in 1930, this film would have been a masterpiece, but almost 100 years later, I don't think it held up at all.

The Thin Red Line review

 Number 694 on the top 1000 films of all time is Terrence Malik's 1998 epic-war film 'The Thin Red Line.'

During the World War Two battle of Mount Austen, a group of US Army infantry soldiers are tasked with taking a key position of the Guadalcanal campaign which could be the turning point of the war in the Pacific.

I've watched a lot of war films and I don't think I've seen one as slow, badly-paced and boring as the Thin Red Line. It was a blocked, drawn-out affair with an overly-large cast.

I would say it takes a while to get going, but it never truly does. For the first ten minutes, we are introduced to Private Witt (Jim Cavizel) who is frolicking with the Melanesian locals, but we don't have any reason to care about them at this point. It is only after the ten minute mark do we see any whisper of conflict where Sergeant Welsh (Sean Penn) tells off Witt for going AWOL.

Thirty minutes later, the soldiers go to the war. Seriously. It's a war film and we don't see any war until well over the forty-minute mark. It's a far-cry from the storming of the beaches in Normandy depicted at the start of Saving Private Ryan.

The Thin Red Line also suffered from a severe lack of main characters or any characters to root for. Sean Penn received star-billing as Sergeant Welsh, so you would think he's the protagonist, but the he only appears in a handful of scenes. But Private Witt is the first character we're introduced to, so you might be forgiven for thinking he's the main character, but then he goes AWOL for much of the film.  

Private Fife (Adrian Brody) was originally scripted as a key-player, but much of his dialogue was edited out. He only had two or three lines. And while the cast was dominated by high-profile names like George Clooney, John C. Reilly, John Travolta and Woody Harrelson, their roles were little more than cameos. It was all very distracting and it certainly didn't make me care for their characters, which was problematic when they were in battle. I didn't care if they lived or died. If anything I cared more about the poor Japanese soldiers they were killing.

The two most memorable and best performances came from Nick Nolte as Lt. Colonel Gordon Tall and Elias Koteas as Captain James Staros. Having been passed over for promotion multiple times, Colonel Tall sees one last chance for glory by telling Staros to capture a bunker by full-front al assault. However Staros realises the position is heavily guarded and he refuses to send his men to die, leading to a huge confrontation between him and Tall. Although their conflict only lasts for a few scenes, it was one of the most interesting and dramatic.

Much of the rest was spent hearing random voiceovers of random characters all philosophising about the meaning of war. It all became very pretentious especially since there's no rhyme or reason as to why these characters are giving voiceovers at that particular time.

Terrence Malik was ruthless with his editing, not only vastly reducing Adrian Brody's role, but also cutting out other roles completely - Mickey Rourke was supposed to appear, but only does so in deleted scenes. I do think the film was overly-edited; it is an incohesive mess of random scenes and characters thrown together without any clear storyline.

Big surprise. I did not care for the Thin Red Line. Not only was it pretentious and bloated, but it was also something a film should never be and that's boring.

The Last Samurai review

 Number 576 on the top 1000 films of all time is Edward Zwick's period-war drama 'The Last Samurai.'

Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is a celebrated American civil-war hero. While his exploits of killing native-Americans has earned him a fiercesome reputation, it has also left him with severe PTSD. Sensing the prospect of future trade deals with Japan, his superiors send him to Japan to train Emperor Meji's (Shichinosuke Nakamara) army, so they can defend themselves against the rebellions led by the eponymous last samurai: Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) and his men. Billy Connelly, Timothy Spall and Hiroyuki Sanada co-star.

The Last Samurai strongly reminded me of Kevin Costner's 'Dances with Wolves.' Both films star an American protagonist befriending and fighting alongside the enemy they're supposed to be fighting. Both films have the protagonists keep diaries as a narrative device. The difference is that the Last Samurai didn't bore me to the core. It was everything Dances with Wolves should have been.

It helped that the Last Samurai was directed by Edward Zwick who also brought the brilliant film Glory to life. Yes, he did use too much slow-motion at times, but he also presented an entertaining, watchable film that portrayed a country at war with itself. Should Japan modernise with Western traditions, clothing and, most importantly, guns, or should they stay true with their own tradition of the samurai. This is the question Zwick answers. 

It was also refreshing to see Tom Cruise in a different type of role. Yes, this isn't a million miles away from Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible, but Nathan Algren had more depth than some of Cruise's more action-oriented roles. He is a man looking for redemption. And Cruise brought this tortured soul to life.

But the true star was Ken Watanabe. He received his only Oscar nod for this role. It was well-deserved. I thought he was brilliant as the samurai so desperately clinging onto the honour and tradition that he holds so dear. At times, it was a subtle, delicate performance, at others it was explosive, but it was always entertaining.

The cinematography and world-building was also well-textured and detailed. New Zealand stood in for Japan which explained the gorgeous cinematography.

My main gripe was with Billy Connelly who was doing some weird accent that was a hybrid between Irish and his native Scottish. It was like if they had asked Sean Connery to act with an Irish accent.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the Last Samurai. Along with Glory, I can count it as another Edward Zwick success.

Stalag 17 review

 Number 202 on the top 1000 films of all time is Billy Wilder's 1953 war-film Stalag-17.

J.J Sefton (William Holden) is just one of six hundred and thirty sergeants being held prisoner in a German WW2 POW camp. He is a cynical, jaded loner who stays apart from the rest of his men. When an escape attempt that leads to two of his fellow prisoners being shot dead, he is quickly suspected of being a collaborator.

Admittedly, I wasn't looking forward to watching this. I thought that because it's a war film, it would be depressing, hard-going and difficult to watch. However, I was surprised to find it had plenty of laughs and light-heartedness. A lot of that was down to William Holden who was great as J.J Sefton. Sefton is your standard wise-cracking smart-arse. He is also enterprising often bartering with his guards for luxuries, as well as improvising a distillery, organising mouse-races for gambling, as well as other activities to keep the other prisoners entertained. Holden played the role well, stopping Sefton from becoming overly-cynical.

Billy wilder has done such a wide array of films over the years from noir to rom-coms to screwball comedies that it was no surprise that Stalag-17 succeeded in the way it did. It had the same off-beat humour as Some Like it Hot but also the drama of Sunset Boulevard.  Originally adapted from a stage-play, Wilder was able to keep that same theatrical feel, while making it suitable for the screen. He made everything bigger and better.

If the film fell down anywhere, it would have been the supporting cast. Although some of them like the German guards were funny in their own right, mostly they all blended into one. I did have trouble distinguishing the different characters. I did get mixed up between Lieutenant James Dunbar (Don Taylor) and security officer Frank Price (Peter Graves.) Other than Sefton, the only other character I really remember is Sefton's loyal, if naive aide Cookie (Gil Stratton) who also narrates the film.

Overall, I did enjoy Stalag-17. It was an entertaining war film with a great turn by William Holden.

This is England review

 Number 599 on the top 1000 films of all time is Shane Meadows' 2006 British drama 'This is England.'

Shaun (Thomas Thurgoose) is a troubled twelve-year-old boy whose father has recently been killed in the Falklands' War. Bullied at school, he is taken in by a gang of skinheads led by Woody (Joe Gilgun) and his girlfriend Lol (Vicky McClure.) However, everything changes when the gang's volatile and racist member Combo (Stephen Graham) returns from prison.

Directors like Shane Meadows always have difficult jobs when it comes to films like 'This is England.' They can't be seen either out-right condemning or approving of their content; they have to portray an objective reality allowing the viewer to make their own decisions. And that's where Meadows succeeded. Without ever becoming too preachy, he provides a fascinating snapshot into skinhead culture.

But he cannot take all the credit. Much of that should be bestowed on the brilliant Stephen Graham. Before he became a household name, he was playing characters who were espousing the same nationalistic, jingoism that was just as relevant now as it was back in the eighties. And he did it with such nuance. It would be all too easy to play the role as a romping - stomping, red-faced gammon shouting at the top of his lungs, but Graham was smarter than that. He brought many layers to Combo showing his vulnerability. While never condoning them, you understand his actions.

All this was seen through the perspective of twelve-year-old Shaun. This was a clever decision, as it was a stark warning of how easy somebody can be brainwashed by ideology. Thomas Thurgoose was very good in his debut role. While many of his co-stars like Joe Gilgun and Vicky McClure have gone onto bigger and better roles, I can't say the same for Thurgoose, but I'm sure his time will come soon.

Granted, you could argue that there isn't much in the way of plot, but I don't think it was necessary in a slice-of-life film like this. It was a simple snapshot of skinhead culture. And that's all it needed to be. Plus it had the brilliant Stephen Graham as the lead. What more do you want? Just be warned, this is England is way too depressing to watch more than once.

Letters from Iwo Jima review

 Number 362 on the top 1000 films of all time is the Japanese-language American-produced Letters from Iwo Jima.

General Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) is granted the impossible task of defending the Japanese island of Iwo Jima from American invasion during the last few months of World War Two. One of his soldiers is Private Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya.)

In my Mystic River review, I hoped that Clint Eastwood would stick to directing rather than acting. And that's exactly what he did when he directed this film. It was an excellent portrayal of  a little-known part of World-War-Two told from the unfamiliar perspective of the Japanese. When Hollywood portrays WW2, they often have an unfair bias toward the war in Europe, being completely ignorant of the whole other war happening in the Pacific. Letters from Iwo Jima was also a sensitive, well-rounded and brave portrayal. For once, it is the Japanese, and not the Americans, who are shown as courageous heroes.

Letters from Iwo Jima was received well in Japan with much praise going toward its well-rounded characters who were real without being stereotypical. Private Saigo had no interest in the war; all he wants to do is to return home to his pregnant wife. But as the government took his baking equipment for the war effort, he has no choice but to fight. And Kazunari Ninomiya brought a very sympathetic character to life. It was hard not to root for such an underdog. But Ken Watanabe was equally good if not better. General Kuribayashi was a character who was fiercely loyal to his men.

Eastwood depicted the battle of Iwo Jima with sensitivity, gravitas and nuance. The feeling of doom is apparent, but so is the feeling of honour among the men. In one of the film's more disturbing sequences, a group of soldiers choose to commit honour suicides instead of surrendering or being taken prisoner.

Mostly filmed in Iceland, we see that the location is as stark and as a fraught as are the Japanese's chances of survival. Yet believing it to be the perfect place for the US to attack their homeland, they're prepared to defend it to the last man. And this preparation soon turned into desperation.

Eastwood earned himself yet another best film nomination with Letters from Iwo Jima. And it was well-deserved. This was an under-stated, but incredibly powerful film.

Watchmen review

 Number 662 on the top 1000 films of all time is Zack Snyder's 2009 superhero film 'Watchmen.'

Set in an alternate dystopian 1985 with cold-war tensions running high, the film focusses on a group of retired superheroes called the Watchmen. When former member 'The Comedian,' (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) his team-mate Rorschach (Jackie Earle Healey) tries warning his former comrades Dr Manhatten (Billy Crudup,) Silk Spectre (Malin Akerman,) Niteowl (Patrick Wilson) and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode,) but instead he soon stumbles upon a greater and more dangerous conspiracy theory.

Many people credit Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy for giving a darker, grittier vision of superhero films. However, I would argue that Watchmen deserves a lot of credit for this too. As somebody got bored of superhero films by Age Of Ultron and who has never cared about the Marvel/DC debate, I thoroughly enjoyed Watchmen.

Not only did I enjoy the darker, grittier tone, but it felt more grounded and realistic than other superhero films. There were no stupid puns like the infamous Batman and Robin nor any fun and whimsy that you would expect from one of the million MCU films. Everything was grounded in real life. Nothing was played for fun. Nor should it have been.  Even in the eighties, the threat of nuclear annihilation was omni-present. It was a real fear, and Zack Snyder tapped into this fear well.

I was also impressed with Zack Snyder's direction. Having seen a few of his other films, I've noticed that the he prioritises spectacle over storyline, but he was remarkably subtle here. He also released a director's cut, which was also well-received.

Out of all the characters, Dr Manhattan is the only one with any powers which added another layer of realism. These aren't super-powered beings who became heroes, but simply everyday people.

Across the board, the performances were strong as well. Jeffrey Dean Morgan showed his early 'Negan' tendencies in his role as the slimy and smarmy 'Comedian. But Jackie Early Healy was the star of the show. Rorschach was a tortured soul, but Healy made him a sympathetic anti-hero.

Sure, it is relentlessly dark, but the next time you credit the Dark Knight Trilogy for reimagining the superhero genre, please also give Watchmen its due.

Legends of the Fall review

 Number 846 on the top 1000 films of all time is the epic Western drama 'Legends of the Fall.'

Colonel William Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins) is a former army veteran who retires to a ranch in Montana. When his wife Isabelle leaves, he raises his three sons alone: the oldest Alfred (Aidan Quinn,) the middle son Tristan (Brad Pitt) and the youngest and most naive Samuel (Henry Thomas.) Also, on the ranch if William's Cree friend One Stab (Gordon Tootoosis,) as well as ranch hand Decker (Paul Desmon,) his Cree wife Pet and their daughter Isabelle Two.

Legends of the Fall is a sprawling narrative that encompasses a huge time period from the early twentieth century to World War One to prohibition and even the 1960's. Edward Zwick takes us through each era well. Although at times it felt very disparate which we will come to later.

When WW1 breaks out, Samuel and Alfred volunteer to fight. Trist also reluctantly volunteers. He has promised Samuel's fiancé Susannah (Julia Ormond) that he would keep him safe from harm. The war scenes were effective and well-shot. And Brad Pitt proved he's more than capable of doing quieter, character roles, as well as bigger, block-buster, action roles. Anthony Hopkins was also great. As the stresses of his life become too much, William suffers from a stroke, rendering him virtually mute and immobile. But Hopkins still generates a lot of sympathy for the character.

However, while the male stars and characters were great, I feel like the female characters were short-changed. Susannah didn't have much of a role beyond being the object of affection for all three brothers. Although she is initially Samuel's fiancé, when he *spoilers*

is killed in the war, she hooks up with Tristan, all while Alfred looks on in desire. When Tristan goes AWOL for years, Susannah marries Alfred. It was less than the most satisfying of characters.

When Tristan returns to the ranch, he finds that Isabelle Two has all grown-up. And the two promptly marry and start a family. Even putting the age difference aside, the brothers were all adults while Isabelle Two was still a little girl. I saw very little reason why she and Tristan would marry each other except they're both young and hot. At least you had Alfred acknowledging the oddity of the situation.

But returning to my point about the disparateness, while Legends of the Fall worked in little parts, the parts didn't coalesce well together. it was a massive film set across an expansive time period which encompassed a lot of genres. It began as a Western, flirted as a romance, turned into a War film and later on, during the Prohibition era, it even became a gangster flick. It seemed overly-ambitious. And I don't think it worked. Fewer elements explored in more detail would have been better.

Ultimately, I still enjoyed this film. The female characters weren't great, and it was overly-ambitious, but Pitt and Hopkins shone.

IP man review

 Number 215 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 2008 Hong-Kong biographical martial-arts film "IP Man."

Based on the true story of Ip Man, a former wing-chun master, this film follows his many exploits. Considered the number-one authority of his martial art, he is well-respected and has his own school in the city of Fushon. However, when the Japanese invade and occupy Hong Kong as part of the Sino-Japanese war, Ip Man (Donnie Yen) soon becomes a leader of a resistance movement.

I enjoyed this film a lot more than I thought I would. I thought it might be like Kung-Fu Hustle and be all style over substance. Sure it would be full of well-choregraphed martial art sequences, but there would be little in the way of story. I couldn't have been more wrong. There was a great storyline behind all of the spectacular kung fu sequences. And they were spectacular. Martial artist Sammo Hung and stunt coordinator Tony Leung Siu-hung worked together to create slick and entertaining fight scenes. But Donnie Yen is also to be applauded. In preparation for the role, he spent months training in Wing Chun and it really showed on screen. 

But like  Lust, Caution, I really enjoyed how Ip Man showed a part of the Second World War that people don't talk about as much in the Western world and that's the Sino-Japanese theatre. True, it did start separately from the war in Europe before eventually bleeding into WW2. Obviously, I'm not too clear on the history of it all, but it was so interesting seeing this other aspect of the war. The production element from the costume to the set design was brilliant. And this all was a perfect backdrop to the martial arts. Instead of over-shadowing or under-mining, the two elements came together very well. 

After the Japanese invade and occupy Hong Kong, Ip Man is forced to work in the coal mines to support his family. There he trains the other workers in Wing-Chun to protect against roving bandits. He also comes to the attention of the Japanese General Miura (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi) who is a karate master and has the Chinese martial artists fight against his Japanese cadets in a show of dominance. General Mirua wishes to break Chinese spirit by proving that Japanese martial arts are better than their Chinese equivalents. Ip Man eventually accepts his challenge and the two fight each other in a thrilling conclusion.

I also have to briefly mention Tenma Shibuya who played Colonel Sato, Miura's second-in-command. Despite looking no more threatening than a bank manager, he was a sadistic and psychotic maniac. Shibuya was great in the role.

Beyond this film, I don't really know anything about Ip Man and his exploits, but I think this film did him justice. However, most importantly, what I know now about Ip Man is that he went onto have many famous students: none more famous than Bruce Lee himself.

Lord of War review

 Number 661 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 2005 crime drama 'Lord of War.'

Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) is a Ukranian-born, American international arms dealer. He and his brother Vitaly (Jared Leto) deal weapons to warlords and governments worldwide. However, he is relentlessly pursued by INTERPOL agent Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke.)

Although Nicolas Cage has had a prolific career, I know him more from internet memes rather than his films. In fact, I have seen very few of his films. In fact, I know him so much from clips where his acting is incredibly over-the-top, to the extent of being ridiculous, that I had forgotten that he was once a serious actor. And one that could seriously act. After all he did win the Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas, which I've also not seen. But I do think Cage was a big reason why this film was so successful.

Yuri Orlov narrates the film giving a blunt and cynical take on the subject. But his narration gives 'Lord of War,' a brilliant energy that moves everything along at a blistering pace. Cage's laconic delivery provides a lot of the film's black humour which does stop things from becoming too dark. And, as you can imagine, a film about arms dealing does get pretty dark at times. However, what was great about Cage's portrayal of Orlov was the authenticity of the character. He isn't a hypocrite. He knows exactly what he's doing and he doesn't care. For him, it's just business. And this unapologetic perspective made him such a compelling character to follow.

He was far more compelling than Jared Leto as Vitaly. I have mixed thoughts of Jared Leto. Sometimes he gives great performances like in Dallas Buyers Club or Requiem for a Dream, but he was very boring here. Some of that was down to the character. Vitaly lacked much of the nuance and depth that Yuri had. Instead he is ill-disciplined and petulant leading to him gaining a cocaine addiction. And his inclusion at the end seemed like a very contrived way to generate conflict. 

*Spoiler alert* After Yuri enters retirement, an old client - Andre Baptiste Sr (Eamonn Walker) the brutal dictator of Liberia - offers him his biggest payday yet in exchange for one last deal. Yuri accepts and brings Vitaly with him. When Vitaly realises that Andre Baptiste intends to use the weapons to massacre a refugee camp, he blows up half of them before being killed himself. I don't really understand why Yuri brought Vitaly with him. It's already established that he is an unpredictable, loose-cannon. He spends much of the film addicted to cocaine. What good could he do?

Also a quick shout-out to Eamonn Walker who was great as the villainous Andre Baptiste. It's difficult to believe this was the same actor who played Kareem Said on HBO's prison-drama Oz.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lord of War. It had a delightful energy, mainly due to Nicolas Cage's great performance. Jared Leto wasn't as good, but, nevertheless, Lord of War brilliantly exposed the horrific nature of arms trafficking. It is a difficult topic that more people should know about. And the ending was the icing on the cake. We are told that rather than independent traffickers, the biggest arms traffickers are the US, the UK, Russia, France and China - the five permanent members of the UN's security council.

Black Hawk Down review

 Number 571 on the top 1000 films of all time is Ridley Scott's 2001 war film 'Black Hawk Down.'

Based on true events, Black Hawk Down is set during the Somalian civil war. A group of American soldiers are sent to extract the top lieutenants of the Somalian dictator Mohamed Farrah Aidad from the capital Mogadishu. But the extraction goes wrong and the soldiers are left fighting for their lives. The massive ensemble cast includes Josh Hartnett, Ewan Macgregor, Ewen Bremner, Eric Bana, Ioan Gruffard, Orlando Bloom and Tom Hardy.

The problem with war films is that the characters always look the same. It is so difficult to tell them apart. Obviously, that comes with the territory, but other films and directors have done a much better job in distinguishing them than Ridley Scott does. True, he did choose to write the character's names on their helmets, but it was still difficult to tell who was who. Part of that was down to the sprawling cast, but also a lack of a clear protagonist.

Josh Hartnett received star billing, so I guess he was the main character, but there were so many other characters with so many storylines that they were all overshadowed by one another. They were all fighting to be noticed, but they all failed dreadfully. And that led to an overlong, bloated film which lost narrative direction. At times, it seemed like Ridley completely forgot about some of his characters and plot points.

Orlando Bloom plays raw recruit Todd Blackburn who is desperate to start fighting. He is due to drop into the city, but when his helicopter has to dodge an RPG, he tumbles to the ground below. A massive effort is made to rescue him, but what happens after isn't focussed on at all. Another soldier Michael Durant (Ron Eldard) is captured by the Somalians. Yet we only find out through a line of exposition at the film's end that he was released after ten days. Hell, the whole point of the mission was to capture Aidad's lieutenants and bring them out safely. But even this central plot point was left by the wayside. Ridley Scott set up so many storylines, but he forgot to finish them satisfactorily.

Instead any storyline takes a backseat to the action. Due to the army's mantra of leaving no man behind, the soldiers aim to rescue every single one of their fallen comrades (except for Durant who was mostly forgotten about) this includes the troopers inside the Black Hawk helicopters which are downed by RPGs. Yet the rescue effort goes awry as the soldiers quickly find themselves overnumbered. Cue endless gunfights and explosions. The action is fast, frenetic and chaotic. It doesn't let you catch your breath, so you're left blankly watching the screen asking 'what the hell is going on?' Ridley Scott was obsessed in creating a spectacle, he forgot to include any story.

Black Hawk Down was also criticised for its portrayal of the Somalian population. I would echo this criticism. The Somalians were generic, two-dimensional villains with no depth or clear motivations. I'm sure if Ridley wasn't so concerned with the gunfights he could have created a memorable villain, but he didn't.

*Spoilers* the film ends with a group of a soldiers running to safety from the crash site to a safe zone - something that has retrospectively been called the Mogadishu mile. They all make it safely. I know this was based on real life, but I found it hard to believe that the Somalians allowed them to do this in peace.

It's hard to believe this is the same man who created Alien - a masterpiece of horror and science-fiction. But Black Hawk Down was certainly no masterpiece. It was an overlong, monotonous affair with too many characters and paper-thin villains.

Glory review

 Number 353 on the top 1000 films of all time is Edward Zwick's 1989 US civil-war drama 'Glory.'

Glory tells the true story of 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment - one of the earliest African-American regiments within the Union army. It is commanded by the white officers Colonel Robert Shaw (Matthew Broderick) and Major Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes.) Some of its troops include the hot-headed Silas Trip (Denzel Washington,) the older and wiser John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman) and the well-educated Thomas Sears (Andre Braugher.)

I certainly cannot attest to the historical aspect of Glory, but it was a thrilling warm film that gave a well-rounded review that the 54th infantry faced. Its black soldiers suffered racism from their white counterparts and weren't paid as much as them either, while their white officers were constantly left lacking vital supplies needed by their men. It also highlights the interpersonal differences between the black soldiers - notably between Sears and Trip. The two initially clash on their radically different upbringings and perspectives. Trip resents how Sears acts and talks like a white man, while Sears rails against Trip's accusations of him not being truly black.

Both actors were great, but Washington especially so. He won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar and I think his win was more deserving than his one in Training Day. Silas Trip was a far more nuanced character than Alonzo Harris. And Washington played him with a lot of vulnerability. Morgan Freeman was also good as the wise and calming John Rawlins. And I particularly liked Andre Braugher. He and Washington were great together.

The black actors were superior to their white counterparts. I do think Matthew Broderick was miscast. He was just too young for such a role. This was only three years after he starred in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and it was difficult seeing him as anything other than the high-school slacker. He just looked scared all the time; whenever he spoke it was like he was trying to convince both himself and the audience that he was mature enough for such a role. I understand this is partly the character. Shaw is supposed to be young, inexperienced and unsure of himself, but Broderick did little to persuade me that he was the right man for the job.

Honestly, I think his co-star Cary Elwes would have made a better lead. Elwes had already proved himself a capable leading man in the Princess Bride. Although he wasn't great here either. He had a strange accent that varied between American and his native English accent.

Glory strayed into melodrama at times. I could have done without the grandiose, instrumental score and characters dying in slow motion. Where it shone was its quieter moments; particularly when the black soldiers are singing a gospel song on the eve of their first big fight. This was a brilliant scene that highlighted the camaraderie and close relationship between these men.

Glory is certainly a good film. Yes, it is cheesy at times and Matthew Broderick was dreadfully miscast, but it was still a noble attempt to bring the efforts of the 54th infantry to the big screen.