At the end of every May, we all look forward to Memorial Day Weekend. After all, who doesn’t like a day off of work, discounts, and deals? But there’s more to the holiday than just barbecues and leisure. It’s a day to remember, recognize, and pause to commemorate the fallen soldiers who have served our country. What better way to do so than to watch films that tell the harrowing stories of characters surviving through the terrors of war? In honor of the holiday, here are some of our favorite blockbusters to watch this Memorial Day Weekend.
1. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Alongside its cast full of A-listers like Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, and Vin Diesel, Saving Private Ryan tells the story of a group of soldiers during WWII who are given a mission to find and capture a fellow soldier Private Ryan (Matt Damon) after he remains the last surviving of his three brothers who’ve died in combat. After embarking on this mission, Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) takes his unit made of several men to fight against Nazi soldiers. This movie was released in 1998 and was directed by Steven Spielberg. Shortly after its well-received release, Saving Private Ryan went on to be nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won five Oscars including Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Sound Effects Editing.
2. Pearl Harbor (2001)
This enticing and romance-filled drama recounts the story of two childhood best friends, Captain Rafe McCawley (Ben Afleck) and Captain Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett), during World War II. Throughout the film, their friendly competition while becoming Air Force Pilots turns sour after a love triangle involving Nurse Evelyn Johnson (Kate Beckinsale) blooms. In a turn of events, a surprise attack set by Japan upon the naval base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, brings McCawley and Walker to work together. The real-life Attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 resulted in thousands of deaths. This 2001 film directed by Michael Bay went on to be nominated for a few Academy Awards and won for Best Sound Editing.
3. Full-Metal Jacket (1987)
In 1987, the Vietnam War film Full-Metal Jacket was released and directed by the remarkable Stanley Kubrick. This film starts by showing the grueling process of becoming a United States Marine in basic training. We are introduced to the characters Private James T. “Joker” Davis (Matthew Modine) and Private Leonard Lawrence (Vincent D’Onofrio) who suffer the verbal and physical torment that’s unleashed by their Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermery). Towards the middle of the film, after completing their basic training, they are deployed to the ruins of Vietnam to combat. This film was not only controversial at its time of release, but sparked conversation across the public regarding the consequences military men faced during the Vietnam War. This film was loosely based on the 1979 semi-autobiographical novel The Short Timers written by Gustav Hasford, who recounts his experience during recruitment and serving for the United States Marine Corps. The film also won an Academy Award in 1998 for Best Adapted Screenplay.
4. Unbroken (2014)
Based on the novel written by Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, Academy Award-winning actress Angelina Jolie directed the biographical film on soldier and Olympic athlete Louis Zamperini. The audience is introduced to Zamperini’s (played by Jack O’Connell) success during his participation as a runner in the Berlin Olympics in 1936. During WWII, Zamperini enlists in the United States Army Forces and becomes a bombardier. After his plane crashes into the ocean during a mission and he is captured as a prisoner of war by the Japanese Army, he becomes resilient to his torture and cruel punishment by the Japanese forces. This film perfectly depicts the beauty of resilience and survival.
5. Dunkirk (2017)
The notable Christopher Nolan released a harrowing war film that tells the story of a few different perspectives during World War II, which all intersect toward the end of the movie. These three different experiences are seen through the eyes of soldiers Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance) and Air Force pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy). The film takes place in Dunkirk, France during the German invasion. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.
We hope you enjoy the weekend and watch one of these fantastic films with your loved ones. As you celebrate, don’t forget the true significance of what Memorial Day commemorates!
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