4/10 (D+)

Will someone say something about the kickass smiley ... please? :wink:

The only good thing I can say about that oversized, hyperactive monstrosity of a smiley is that it almost (almost) covers up that shameful grade that you gave the film, which contrasts with your high rating for some astonishingly bad stinkers in your signature.

Well I think they're all good movies

I FINALLY saw this...

A-

It's a fantastic movie, though not a masterpiece and not really close to one of the best of all time. I felt that some moments, like the battle scenes, yes those were bordering on absolute brilliance among the best sequences ever. But then it has moments that just aren't on that level, it wavered quite a bit. The present day scenes with the old man bothered me the most, I have to say. The lines and acting was cringeworthy, and it had too much of a "Patriotism! America forever! Yay!" effect to it that felt stuffed.

Still though, great stuff.

An amazing, powerful, devastating look at the utter hellishness of war. A masterpiece for our time.

A

Decent enough movie. Not close to the greatest ever, but good none-the-less.

***

Amazing film, a masterpiece, one of Spielberg's best, etc. Truly a travesty that it did not win Best Picture. One of my personal favourites and one of the highest quality films ever.

A...Best War movie ever made and in my top 30 movies of all-time. Speilberg is a genius.

True, Miller was not a perfect leader.. Just an English teacher from Appy.. He made deciscions, some right and some wrong... That's exactly why the POW he releases shoots him..
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"a great film, just forty years too late"... a WWII veteran's comment..

Very good film. I agree it's one of Spielbergs best. I remember seeing it in a packed theatre before my area had Stadium Seating. It was so inttense the beginning with the invasion and the brutality of it all. It was like your strength was being sapped as you watched the film. As it went along it kept my attention and the final battle was excellent as well. The only dude that annoyed me more than Upham was the sniper Barry Pepper.

My shame has forever been lifted, as I watched Saving Private Ryan.

I begins with one very brutal battle that is probably the greatest war scene ever filmed. If Normandy was anything like that, it's not hard to understand where the term "war is hell" came from. My goodness , if I didn't know better, I'd swear Spielberg was having people slaughtered.

As our story gets into full swing, it's discovered that 3 Ryan brothers have been killed in battle, with a 4th still out there somewhere. Mention of the Sullivan brothers, who all 5 died in combat and changed US policy, prompts a mission to bring Private James Ryan (Matt Damon) back home safely. (by the way, The Fighting Sullivans is an excellent movie that everybody should check out!) Tom Hanks is recruited to lead the rescue team. He gives a very strong performance, as does the entire cast. It was funny to see Ted Danson pop up.

You really feel the horror of war while watching this, as the emtional landscape provides the viewer with an exausting series of events. It's sometimes hard to watch. I'm not sure there is a great deal of rewatchability because of the high level of realistic, yet not over the top violence. The characters are well developed, some gung ho, some reserved, and some just wishing they were any place else. It never drags, even at almost 3 hours.

I wouldn't say it's quite as good as Schindler's List is, but it's still a damn fine movie, and I'm glad I finally watched it.

A

Brilliance. the final scenes veers towards to much shmultz for my liking but a minor complaint

A

I agree, word for word. I like Shakespeare in Love, but this was a much better film and much more deserving. I guess it was the Academy's way that year of trying to be "different".

A+

DP

Great SpieLberg war fiLm. The Omaha Beach scene made the fiLm and its probabLy one of the most intense yet technicaLLy amazing sequences I've ever seen in any fiLm. And yeah, what sucks though is that America forever thing --the US fLag being featured twice is too much IMO. ALso, the emotionaL and heroic stuff didn't affect me as much as it shouLd have done. StiLL, a technicaLLy outstanding fiLm; I'd have to watch it again to decide between an A or A-.

I'm surprised I hadn't posted in here yet. This is one of my favorite movies. It deserves all the acclaim it's received.

The first 30 minutes are excellent, the other 2 hours, not so much.

C

I finally watched this from start to finish (had only seen a few scenes before).

A truly fantastic experience. The action in this film is some of the best I have seen and it holds up so well 15 years later as many films can't touch what this film has achieved. The story and acting are just as riveting. One of Spielberg's best for sure.

A great, great film. Not sure if it's the best war movie ever made, but it's in the discussion.

A

Watched this movie for the first time in years tonight. Excuse me while I sob in the corner.