War is a genre as old as the movies themselves. Some offer visceral thrills, trying to immerse you in what it means to be in battle. Others take a different tack, and are more contemplative about their subject matter.
Whatever road they take, though, great war movies are always at least a little bit about how pointless war is. That self-reflexive gaze, which blends the valor of war with its violence and horror, is what makes these movies worthy of this list, whether they’re thrilling, funny, horrific, or a little bit of all three.
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