1. Blazing Saddles (1974) Mel Brooks‘ outrageous satire follows a black sheriff in an all-white town. Why it’s great: 2. Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) James Garner stars as a cleverdrifter who becomes sheriff of a lawless gold rush town. Why it’s great: 3. Cat Ballou (1965) This musical comedy follows a schoolteacher turned outlaw […]

1. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) John Ford’s classic follows a retiring cavalry captain on his last patrol. Why it’s great: 2. Fort Apache (1948) Another John Ford cavalry film, this one explores tensions between a rigid new commander and his more experienced officers. Why it’s great: 3. The Horse Soldiers (1959) John Ford […]

1. Red River (1948) Howard Hawks‘ classic follows a rancher and his adopted son on a cattle drive from Texas to Missouri. Why it’s great: 2. Lonesome Dove (1989) While technically a miniseries, this adaptation of Larry McMurtry‘s novel is a defining cattle drive story. Why it’s great: 3. The Cowboys (1972) John Wayne stars […]

1. Saving Private Ryan (1998) Steven Spielberg‘s epic follows a group of soldiers sent to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have all been killed in action. Why it’s great: 2. Schindler’s List (1993) Steven Spielberg’s powerful drama tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, who saved over a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. Why […]

1. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) Based on Erich Maria Remarque‘s novel, this film follows German soldiers in World War I. Why it’s great: 2. Paths of Glory (1957) Stanley Kubrick‘s film depicts the dehumanizing effects of war through a story of French soldiers refused to continue a suicidal attack. Why it’s great: […]

These films blend elements of war movies with romantic storylines. 1. Casablanca (1942) Set in World War II Morocco, this classic follows a nightclub owner reunited with his old flame. Why it’s great: 2. From Here to Eternity (1953) This drama depicts the lives and loves of soldiers stationed in Hawaii in the months leading […]

War epics are large-scale productions that often cover extended periods or multiple storylines within a war. 1. The Longest Day (1962) This epic depicts the D-Day landings from multiple perspectives. Why it’s great: 2. Saving Private Ryan (1998) Steven Spielberg‘s World War II epic follows a group of soldiers sent to retrieve a paratrooper whose […]

These films blend elements of war movies with adventure narratives, often focusing on daring missions or escapes. 1. The Guns of Navarone (1961) A team of Allied commandos is sent to destroy massive German guns on a Greek island. Why it’s great: 2. Where Eagles Dare (1968) Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood star as Allied […]

These films depict various aspects of the Vietnam War and its impact on soldiers and civilians. 1. Apocalypse Now (1979) Francis Ford Coppola‘s epic follows a captain sent to assassinate a renegade colonel during the Vietnam War. Why it’s great: 2. Full Metal Jacket (1987) Stanley Kubrick‘s film follows Marines through boot camp and into […]

These films focus on underwater warfare and life aboard submarines. 1. Das Boot (1981) Wolfgang Petersen‘s epic follows a German U-boat crew during World War II. Why it’s great: 2. The Hunt for Red October (1990) Based on Tom Clancy‘s novel, this thriller follows a Soviet submarine captain attempting to defect to the United States. […]