Kelly’s Heroes (1970)

Kelly’s Heroes (1970)

[4] How's this for an ensemble? Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Carroll O'Connor, Gavin MacLeod, and Donald Sutherland. If you can't imagine how that would work, neither can anyone else whose seen this movie. Kelly's Heroes tries to be both a…
The Deer Hunter (1978)

The Deer Hunter (1978)

[8] Close-knit friends from a mining community share a harrowing experience during their tour of duty in Vietnam. Michael Cimino's three-hour long film focuses primarily on the aftermath of the ordeal, now one of the most famous scenes in movie history, a…
The Beguiled (2017)

The Beguiled (2017)

[7] Sofia Coppola (The Virgin Suicides) tackles an obscure remake of a 1971 film based on a book by Thomas Cullinan. The Civil War-era story centers around a small group of women and girls who are living in a nearly-abandoned but still operational girl's…
Body of Lies (2008)

Body of Lies (2008)

[5] Ridley Scott directs Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe in a story about a CIA agent (DiCaprio) trying to bust a terrorist leader in Jordan while having his chain yanked by both the Jordan and American governments. I could also describe it…
Of Human Hearts (1938)

Of Human Hearts (1938)

[6] Walter Huston and Jimmy Stewart star as a father and son at odds with one another in the years preceding The Civil War. Huston's a preacher and Stewart's character wants to pursue the earthly profession of medicine. Beulah Bondi earned an…
The Imitation Game (2014)

The Imitation Game (2014)

[7] Director Morten Tyldum makes this true story of Alan Turing and his team of mathematicians fighting the second world war from their college studies as thrilling and interesting as possible. Benedict Cumberbatch headlines as the socially awkward leader of the group,…
Dive Bomber (1941)

Dive Bomber (1941)

[7] Errol Flynn gives a low-key performance as a dedicated flight surgeon who teams with a bitter pilot (Fred MacMurray) to solve the problem of high altitude sickness and blackouts among Navy dive bombers. Despite the pre-WWII setting, this is more of…
They Died with Their Boots On (1941)

They Died with Their Boots On (1941)

[7] Errol Flynn plays General George Custer in this romantic (though not very historically accurate) panache of the accomplished Civil War general who met a celebrated fate at Little Big Horn. Despite the liberties taken in the script, it's a fun mini-epic…
Troy (2004)

Troy (2004)

[6] Brad Pitt simply isn't very convincing outside his own time and place. This limitation was used to intentional comedic effect in Inglourious Basterds, and to unintentional effect in Troy. It doesn't help that his character isn't the most interesting -- that…
Mister Roberts (1955)

Mister Roberts (1955)

[6] Henry Fonda is caught between a beleaguered WWII cargo crew and their vindictive captain in this oddly cheerful, lightweight drama directed by John Ford and Mervyn Leroy. James Cagney hams it up as the nutcase captain while William Powell makes a…