Flight of the Intruder http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099587/ (1991)
Rescue Dawn http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462504/ (2006)
U-571 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0141926/ (2000)
The Thin Red Line
Windtalkers
getting aeronautical
Memphis Belle
The Dam Busters
633 Squadron
Red Tails ( truly awful)
The Tuskegee Airmen (much better)
Reach for the Sky
Zeppelin
The Blue Max
The Fighting Seabees http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036824/ (1944)
The Green Berets http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063035/ (1968)
Operation Pacific http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043887/ (1951)
Sands of Iwo Jima http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041841/ (1949)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Note, folks, that this is collecting suggestions for BEST movie. Why bother listing films that are bad, mediocre, or somewhat good? Anything less than very good isn’t worth listing. And a list of *every *military movie you can think of will be very long indeed.
For this reason, I’m not nominating Starship Troopers, which I found to be a fairly entertaining story, but nowhere near a great movie.
Hunt for Red October.
I’ve always enjoyed WW2 films and IMO, one of the best is The Eagle Has Landed 1976.
I think the primary reason is that it stars Robert Duvall amongst others. He does a fabulous job. I started to say this film might have been the best work he ever did. But that is just far too presumptuous since he did such a fabulous job in so many films. I just loved the interaction between so many high ranking Nazi officials and the British officials and officers. The realism effect was very hard to beat. At times, I honestly thought I was in wartime England. That rarely happens to me.
It’s very hard to say this. But if I was stranded on a desert island and could only have one WW2 film to watch, it might very well be this one. In addition to Mr. Duvall, Michael Caine would be pretty hard to beat.
If you have never seen this film, prepare yourself for one really rocking, socking great movie.
84C Mopic
The 9th Company
The Battle of Algiers
The Lighthorsemen
The Lost Battalion
Cross of Iron
Stalingrad
Fort Apache
Ran
Yes, I like that movie very much, too. Donald Sutherland is also very good as the wry Irish spy. And the book is even better!
Doesn’t say ‘no comedies’, so I’ll nominate:
I realize the OP specifically asked for movies but I’m halfway through watching HBO’s Band Of Brothers for the first time and it is spectacular. I just have to throw it out there. It only ran 10 episodes so it’s kind of a* long *movie.
If TV is included, then the old Vic Morrow series Combat would have to be included.
Force 10 from Navarone
Bat-21
Jarhead
Get rid of “The Hurt Locker.” That movie sucked.
At this stage why impose self-censorship? Zeldar is compiling a list, but how the subgroups will shake out is still up in the air. If he breaks it down by conflict there may be over a thousand films about WW2, but only two films about the invasion of Grenada. The two Grenada films may both suck, but one will suck less than the other.
If there are too many entries he can apply whatever filter he wants to reduce the count.
Thanks. I have fixed it in my work file, and it should be right next update.
I’ll take it down unless somebody else recommends it. I have no dog in that fight! 
Absolutely wonderful series, but let’s save TV shows for a follow-up thread, if it’s needed.
And this is a good reason why: many excellent TV series to consider, including the old Navy Log, Air Power, The Big Picture, etc. I’d love to see such a follow-up spinoff thread for TV if anybody wants to jump in on that project.
Thanks for the support, JKilez. I’m hoping the voting will take care of weeding out the losers. But we’ll see.
Sahara, the 1943 Bogart film.
The Train, one of my all-time favorites of any genre.
A second vote for The Bridge at Remagen.
Das Boot
Run Silent, Run Deep
The two best WWII submarine movies IMHO. RS, RD shot in B&W seems to make it more authentic.
In Harm’s way
Battle of Britain
12 O’clock High
As of Post #76 these are the groups I’m thinking of for polls, grouped in approximate decades by release date (via IMDb)
I’m still open to suggestions and ideas for how to deal with all this great stuff!
========================================
The Battleship Potemkin Battleship Potemkin (1925) - IMDb (1925)
The Big Parade The Big Parade (1925) - IMDb (1925)
The General The General (1926) - IMDb (1926)
Wings (1927) Wings (1927) - IMDb (1927)
All Quiet on the Western Front All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) - IMDb (1930)
La Grande Illusion The Grand Illusion (1937) - IMDb (1937)
Alexander Nevsky Alexander Nevsky (1938) - IMDb (1938)
For Whom the Bell Tolls For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) - IMDb (1939)
The Four Feathers (1939 version) The Four Feathers (1939) - IMDb (1939)
49th Parallel http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033627/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1941)
Sergeant York Sergeant York (1941) - IMDb (1941)
Mrs Miniver http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035093/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1942)
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036112/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1943)
Sahara http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036323/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3 (1943)
The Fighting Seabees The Fighting Seabees (1944) - IMDb (1944)
Henry V (Laurence Olivier) Henry V (1944) - IMDb (1944)
They Were Expendable They Were Expendable (1945) - IMDb (1945)
A Walk in the Sun A Walk in the Sun (1945) - IMDb (1945)
The Best Years of Our Lives The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) - IMDb (1946)
Fort Apache Fort Apache (1948) - IMDb (1948)
Battleground Battleground (1949) - IMDb (1949)
I Was a Male War Bride I Was a Male War Bride (1949) - IMDb (1949)
Sands of Iwo Jima Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) - IMDb (1949)
Twelve O’Clock High Twelve O'Clock High (1949) - IMDb (1949)
Operation Pacific Operation Pacific (1951) - IMDb (1951)
The Cruel Sea The Cruel Sea (1953) - IMDb (1953)
From Here to Eternity From Here to Eternity (1953) - IMDb (1953)
Stalag 17 Stalag 17 Stalag 17 (1953) - IMDb (1953)
The Caine Mutiny The Caine Mutiny (1954) - IMDb (1954)
The Dam Busters The Dam Busters (1955) - IMDb (1955)
Mr. Roberts Mister Roberts (1955) - IMDb (1955)
To Hell and Back To Hell and Back (1955) - IMDb (1955)
Reach for the Sky Reach for the Sky (1956) - IMDb (1956)
The Bridge on the River Kwai The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - IMDb (1957)
The Enemy Below The Enemy Below The Enemy Below (1957) - IMDb (1957)
A Farewell to Arms A Farewell to Arms (1957) - IMDb (1957)
Paths of Glory Paths of Glory (1957) - IMDb (1957)
No Time For Sergeants No Time for Sergeants (1958) - IMDb (1958)
Run Silent, Run Deep Run Silent Run Deep (1958) - IMDb (1958)
The Young Lions The Young Lions (1958) - IMDb (1958)
On The Beach On the Beach (1959) - IMDb (1959)
Operation Petticoat Operation Petticoat (1959) - IMDb (1959)
Pork Chop Hill Pork Chop Hill (1959) - IMDb (1959)
The Alamo The Alamo (1960) - IMDb (1960)
Sink the Bismarck Sink the Bismarck! (1960) - IMDb (1960)
The Guns of Navarone The Guns of Navarone (1961) - IMDb (1961)
Hell is For Heroes Hell Is for Heroes (1962) - IMDb (1962)
Lawrence of Arabia Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - IMDb (1962)
The Longest Day The Longest Day The Longest Day (1962) - IMDb (1962)
The Lost Battalion Escape to Paradise (1960) - IMDb (1962)
55 Days at Peking http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056800/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1963)
The Great Escape The Great Escape http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057115/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1963)
633 Squadron http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057811/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1964)
Dr. Strangelove Strangelove http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1964)
Fail Safe http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058083/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1964)
Father Goose http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058092/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 (1964)
The Train http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059825/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1964)
Zulu Zulu Zulu Zulu http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058777/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 (1964)
The Bedford Incident http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058962/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1965)
Doctor Zhivago http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059113/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1965)
In Harm’s Way http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059309/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1965)
The Battle of Algiers http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058946/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1966)
The Blue Max http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060177/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1966)
The Dirty Dozen The Dirty Dozen http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061578/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1967)
Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062790/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3 (1968)
The Conqueror Worm http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063285/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1968)
The Green Berets http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063035/ (1968)
Where Eagles Dare http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065207/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1968)
The Bridge at Remagen The Bridge at Remagen http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064110/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1969)
The Sorrow And The Pity http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066904/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1969)
Catch-22 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065528/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1970)
Kelly’s Heroes http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065938/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1970)
MAS*H MASH http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066026/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 (1970)
Patton http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066206/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1970)
Tora! Tora! Tora! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066473/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1970)
Zeppelin http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068014/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1971)
The Execution of Private Slovik http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071477/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1974)
Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071650/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1975)
The Eagle Has Landed The Eagle Has Landed http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074452/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1976)
Midway http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074899/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1976)
A Bridge Too Far A Bridge Too Far http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075784/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1977)
Cross of Iron http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074695/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1977)
The Boys in Company C http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077270/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1978)
The Deer Hunter http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077416/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1978)
The Four Feathers (1977) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076047/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3 (1978)
Force 10 from Navarone http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077572/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1978)
Apocalypse Now http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078788/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1979)
Zulu Dawn http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080180/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1979)
The Big Red One http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080437/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1980)
Breaker Morant Breaker Morant Breaker Morant http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080310/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1980)
Das Boot The Boat Das Boot Das Boot http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082096/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1981)
Gallipoli http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1981)
Stripes http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083131/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1981)
Don’t Cry, It’s Only Thunder http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083843/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1982)
An Officer and a Gentleman http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084434/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1982)
The Right Stuff http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086197/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1983)
Ran Ran http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089881/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1985)
Heartbreak Ridge http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091187/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1986)
Platoon http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091763/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1986)
Top Gun http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1986)
Full Metal Jacket http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093058/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1987)
Good Morning, Vietnam http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093105/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1987)
Hamburger Hill http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093137/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1987)
The Lighthorsemen http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093416/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1987)
Bat*21 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094712/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1988)
The Beast (aka The Beast of War) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094716/?ref_=nv_sr_1 (1988)
Grave of the Fireflies http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1988)
84C Mopic http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096744/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1989)
Casualties of War http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097027/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1989)
Glory Glory Glory http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097441/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1989)
Henry V (Kenneth Branagh) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097499/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1989)
Talvisota (the Winter War) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098437/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1989)
Europa Europa http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099776/?ref_=nv_sr_3 (1990)
Hunt for Red October http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099810/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1990)
Jacob’s Ladder http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099871/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1990)
Memphis Belle Memphis Belle http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100133/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1990)
Flight of the Intruder http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099587/ (1991)
Hot Shots http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102059/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1991)
A Few Good Men A Few Good Men http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1992)
The Last of the Mohicans http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104691/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1992)
A Midnight Clear http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102443/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1992)
Gettysburg http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107007/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1993)
Schindler’s List http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1993)
Stalingrad http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108211/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3 (1993)
Braveheart http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112573/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1995)
Hiroshima http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113309/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1995)
The Tuskegee Airmen http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114745/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1995)
GI Jane http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119173/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1997)
Saving Private Ryan http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1998)
The Thin Red Line http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120863/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1998)
Three Kings http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120188/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (1999)
The Patriot http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2000)
U-571 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0141926/ (2000)
Black Hawk Down Black Hawk Down http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265086/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2001)
Enemy at the Gates http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215750/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2001)
We Were Soldiers We Were Soldiers http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277434/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2002)
Windtalkers http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245562/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2002)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311113/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2003)
Tears of the Sun http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314353/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2003)
Downfall http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2004)
The 9th Company http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417397/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2005)
Jarhead http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418763/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2005)
Kingdom of Heaven http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0320661/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2005)
300 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416449/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2006)
Letters from Iwo Jima http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0498380/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2006)
Rescue Dawn http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462504/ (2006)
Admiral http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1101026/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 (2008)
The Hurt Locker The Hurt Locker http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0887912/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2008)
Inglourious Basterds Inglorious Bastards http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361748/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2009)
Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014759/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_6 (2010)
War Horse http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568911/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2011)
Red Tails http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485985/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2012)
Snow White and the Huntsman http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1735898/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2012)
Zero Dark Thirty http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790885/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2012)
Lone Survivor http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1091191/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2013)
Stalingrad http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1966566/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 (2013)
American Sniper American Sniper http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2179136/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2014)
Fury Fury http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2713180/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2014)
The Imitation Game http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084970/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2014)
Kajaki http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3622120/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 (2014)
Since I nominated Stalingrad without realizing there was a 2013 movie named that, I think we can whack that one and just leave the 1993 movie. Unless someone else has actual seen it and wants to nominate it.