Rating: 
Summary: Where did we find men such as these?
Review: They rode those little boats to land against a fortified continent. Where did we find men such as these? They were, indeed, the greatest generation.In particular, my hat is off to the sound crew. Although it is not as noticeable in the home theater arena, the sound is amazing. On the beach, listen for the sound of bullets hitting the beach obstacles and the distinctive "ting" as the empty clip is ejected from the M-1 rifles. More importantly, they captured the feel of the approaching tanks. You feel tanks before you hear them, and the sound guys got that. Amazing. The extras are a good addition to DVD, and are one of the reasons I lve this medium. A wonderful film.
Rating: 
Summary: If you like cardboard cut-outs watch this.
Review: Take away the battle scene and what have you got? The second worst, most boring movie ever,other than A.I. Followed only then by the rest of the Spielberg catalogue. If you want to be patronized by a guy who has time and time again turned out simplistic non-sensical films about some of the most interesting subjects then join the other cows in the field.
Rating:
Summary: A Groundbreaking movie and a cultural milestone!
Review: I'm breaking my review into two parts: the weak points and the strengths. Weak points: Sentimentality- Speilberg's infamous tendency towards over-sentimentality unforturnatly does make an appearrance in SPR. It's a matter of opinion of whether Speilberg's maudlin touch goes too far in SPR to ruin its effectiveness as a taut war movie. I've always felt that although Speilberg almost went over the edge in several scenes (ie Lincoln's letter), he never plunged the movie into the hole of sappiness. Dumb Germans- When SPR was first released it seemed that every pundit was tripping over himself to say: "It's so much more realistic than those old WWII movies, especially those with John Wayne!" The more I watch SPR, the more I realize that those pundits had never seen a WWII movie before. Tom Hanks and his boys do feats of heroics that would make the Duke blush with shame. They charge across an open field against an emplaced MG42 position and suffer one casaulty?!?! And during their heroic stand in Ramelle, they defeat an overwhelming force of elite SS panzergrendiers and armor. How did they do it? Well, it helps when the Germans run right at you without firing their weapons! The Germans in SPR act even less realistically than they do in most other WWII movie- in fact they are as tactically inept as the Stormtroopers in the Star Wars movies! Supporting actor monologues: Without question the weakest part of the movie are three monologues by young supporting actors who wanted to demonstrate their screenwriting and acting chops in this big budget production. Giovanni Ribisi, Ed Burns, and Matt Damon all got opportunties to make the audience really dislike their characters and bore us to tears. Speilberg's decision to let these pups write their own dialogue was a big mistake! None of these monologues work and, in the case of Damon's, it actually screws up the continuity of the official script. If anything should be cut from this movie it would be these monologues starting with Damon's. Strengths: Combat scenes: Groundbreaking, revolutionary, jarring, and stunning to watch. Every postive thing said about the combat scenes in SPR is true. SPR left all other war movies eating dust in it's handling of combat. Acting: Tom Hanks and Tom Sizemore would have been considered too old and too fat to be Rangers in WWII, but in a movie they are both terrific. As for supporting actors, although Burns and Damon got big billing, it's Adam Goldberg and Jeremy Davies who rivet the viewer's attention- both give stellar performances as tough Pvt. Mellish and timid Cpl. Upham respectively and they didn't need any longwinded monologues to do it either! Old Fashioned Patriotic Film Making- Although some people think this is a bad thing, I don't. SPR really is not too removed from the war movies of the late 40's and 50's. In fact, movies like "A Walk in the Sun" (1945) and "Battleground" (1949)were viewed for influences by Speilberg before he made SPR. No SPR's plot is not groundbreaking, but I think updating the classic war movie for a new generation was a great thing not a tragedy. Finally, the cultural impact SPR has had on this country cannot be underestimated. Critics can lambast it as an over-rated movie or whatever, but there is no doubt it had a huge cultural impact in reviving public interest in WWII. It is this interest that has produced numerous new documentaries, films, and books on the war. It has also been a huge boost for the WWII memorial. It's simply amazing that a movie could have such an impact, but it happened and for that I'm very grateful to Speilberg.
Rating:
Summary: The greatest film ever made
Review: That's right. Hands down, this is the best movie ever made. It hits as close to home as is possible with the cinema format. Tom Hanks and the supporting cast are brilliant, and the way that the movie is pieced together gives it an unparalleled flow and depth. Anyone who wishes to detract from this movie's value has to have some seriously flawed logic in doing so. Not one thing about this movie is stupid, trivial, or uninteresting. The battle scenes have few worthy comparisons, the dialogue is substantial and meaningful, the settings are perfect, and the impact should not be lost on anyone. Spielberg may never again duplicate the mastery of this movie, but even if he did not, this movie would be good enough on its own to immortalize him without the assistance of "Jaws", "Schindler's List", "Jurassic Park", "E.T.", or "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." There are good movies, there are great movies, but only a few are the best. This movie stands at the top of the heap.
Rating:
Summary: Realistic war pic
Review: This is one of several DVDs that is recommended in your collection (one of the others is The Matrix), as the sound and picture quality is remarkable. As the DD5.1 is only available in Australia, the DTS version would be mind-blowing.
The battle scenes are quite loud, with explosions creating remarkable low-level rumbles. The final battle scene in the French town gives astonishing sound quality. When the tank rumbles twards the town and goes down the street, the low-level rumbles gets louder and louder. When the peebles start to move, the rumbles are at the loudest and feels like your house is reverbarating - I had the volume at the low end. Sound comes from all speakers, and each one puts out different ones.
This is why this DVD rates as the best I have encountered, and the docu "Into the Breach" is excellent.
Rating:
Summary: War is not entertainment
Review: I found this film ugly, stupid and offensive. There is a terrible suspicion that the much vaunted opening Normandy landing sequence is, ultimately, entertainment - the noise and the gore is horrific, but the audience has not been introduced to a single one of the casualties, and so the 'spectacle' is at some level dehumanised - this applies to the Americans, but doubly so to the Germans, who are the archetypal faceless evil.
*
Spielberg truly disgusted with his eye for the grotesque, even (I'm dismayed to say) the comical in the midst of this horror: think of the soldier whose helmet is shot, who then inspects it only to be shot again, this time fatally, in the head - this belongs in a cheesy Western, not in a film of serious intent; or the soldier who picks up his severed arm. Why are we being asked to witness this? We do not know who these soldiers are - they are as expendable as extras in a genre horror film - and this is degrading when one considers the reality that is being depicted.
*
At the end of this opening sequence are we solely appalled, or have we, through the technical bravura, also been excited, in some shameful sense of the term? Do we want to see the whole thing over again? If yes, then what does that say about the film's allegedly 'anti-war' intent?
*
We are introduced to the central characters after all of this. They are not casualties of an anonymous 'war machine', but instead, more or less, follow a stereotypically heroic trajectory. As archetypal heroes, they are portrayed as successful killers. The worst in this regard is the sniper, Jackson - in this character there is a repulsive conjuction of religious fervour, with its attendant self-righteousness, and fetishism regarding skill in marksmanship. This soldier's talent for killing is portrayed as unreflectively admirable - there is a despicable relish in his achievements, most notably in the moments prior to his death where he shoots (again faceless) German infantry. If we enjoy, even empathise, with his precision as a marksman, how is this 'anti-war'? It seems no more 'anti-war' than a typical battle-based video game.
*
There is, of course, the sentimental core of the film, the actual saving of Private Ryan. Literally, this is undoubtedly unrealistic, so I assume we are expected to take it symbolically, perhaps as saying that the preservation of one individual life or, more likely, a way of life, can justify a larger sacrifice, the sacrifice of many lives. Perhaps this explains the presence of Ryan's family in the opening and closing graveyard scenes - more than a single life has been saved. If this is the point, thenthere must be a better way to make it. Making war into a fairy tale is inappropriate. To do so is stupid and manipulative.
*
In the end we have war as seen through the eyes of the man who brought us E.T. and Jurassic Park. If he were humble, he would recognise the limitations of his gifts, and make movies for children. Instead, he debases serious topics by rendering them childishly. No doubt this is satisfactory for viewers who delight in details concerning the authenticity of the tanks used, and in the quality of the sound effects, but that is to say for viewers who are children playing with toy soldiers.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the more overated films in recent memory.
Review: This isn't a bad movie by any means, but I didn't think it to be THE GREAT REALISTIC WAR FILM that so many others did. True, it had some of the most powerful action sequences ever put to film. It's when the combat stops that this film fails. The storyline is absolutely ludicrous. I can't believe the military would take one of its best commanders and eight other soldiers and send them behind enemy lines on what amounts to a suicide mission because they feel sorry for a little old lady who lost three of her sons. Especially at such a critical point in the war. This is pure Hollywood fantasy. The films depicton of military life and soldiers about to enter battle is similarly unbelievable. No one ever utters a profanity, and people say heroic things before going into battle. Spielberg's direction is at times as heavyhanded and maudlin as Frank Capra at his worst. That said, it's certainly not a bad film. It does portray the brutality of battle as no other film ever has before. Not quite a classic though.
Rating:
Summary: A glimpse into history. Cannot recommend too highly.
Review: As an amateur WWII historian, this movie was a rare and wonderful opportunity to peek into the past and get a realistic glimpse of what D-Day was like for those on Omaha Beach. Spielberg does a masterful job of portraying the unbridled horror of the beach assault, which in itself is a must-see for every American. It's a great reminder of the price which has been paid to preserve basic human liberties. From a historical perspective, it was great to see the director's attention to some minute details for the sake of authenticity. The uniforms, the equipment and the general tenor of the movie were indeed realistic and convincing. No doubt a great deal of research went into this production. I only give it four stars, however, because in other historical areas, it is lacking. The main example is the depiction of the first wave on Omaha managing to not only get off the beach but clear the German defenses. This simply did not happen in reality. Additionally, the general story line, although based loosely on a true account, was given an ample dose of "Hollywood," and thus was a little weaker from a historical perspective than I would have liked. Nevertheless, the overall movie experience is, in my opinion, better than any other for depicting D-Day in all its awfulness. Well done, Mr. Spielberg.
Rating:
Summary: WOW
Review: What else can I say about Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg's masterpiece about the D-Day invasion of Normandy? This film represents the pinnacle not only of war movies, but of film making in my opinion. The characters are memorable, the cinematography is amazing, the direction is right on, and the actor's all deliver with performances that are nothing short of perfect. First let's talk about the cinematography. It's wonderful. The shots are all reminiscent of Life Magazine and the original images of the invasion. This, however, is just where it begins. Spielberg, ever the perfectionist, and his cinematographer (Janusz Kaminski) use a first person perspective of shaky camera's to put the viewer right in the middle of the battle. Whether it's on the beach, or pinned down in the middle of a french village, the viewer certainly feels as if he is there with those soldiers. The script itself was a wonderful story. The idea that you would risk a few to bring out one man because he is the last of four children is powerful. .... The sacrifice these men made for one was selfless and honorable. The writers certainly captured the spirit of what is being called "The Greatest Generation." As for the actors, well, they were amazing. Tom Hanks is certainly the best actor of this time period and he proves it with this performance. Tom Sizemore is excellent as the competent and battle hardened sergeant. Barry Pepper delievers the performance of a lifetime as the religious sniper and Giovanni Ribisi's performance as a soulfull medic makes me wonder why he accepts such [bad] parts in movies like Mod Squad (to name just one of his many horrible movie choices). In short, this movie was robbed when it lost out to Shakespeare in Love and is one of the greatest movies ever made. If you don't own in on DVD then you need to buy it NOW!!
Rating:
Summary: One Of Hollywood's Greatest Accomplishments
Review: Saving Private Ryan is a masterpiece of filmmaking and storytelling. Steven Spielberg proves once again that he is head and shoulders above everybody else. The first 20 minutes or so of the film is some of the rawest, most gripping, most brutal piece of film ever filmed. It's tough to watch, and definitley not for everyone. The rest of the film is the same way. The war scenes are as real as real could get. You'll feel like you were right there. The sound is the greatest sound I've experienced in watching a film. The bulletts sound as if they were whizzing right by your ear. It is phenomenal. This isn't an entertaining movie. It's not a good time. It's not something you can watch over and over. This movie is very brilliant and highly educational. It's important for everybody to see this film. Especially younger people. This is real. This is history. There are moments of this film that will haunt you for a very long time. There is only one moment in the film that sorta ruins it. It's a scene where a German passes an American on the steps after killing one of his fellow soldiers. The German, with gun in hand, just looks at the American and keeps walking. That part is Hollywood. Thankfully, it was the only part. The cast is incredibly good. Tom Hanks is phenomenal. Matt Damon is good, but he could've been given a better part. There's a rather odd cameo by Ted Danson halfway through the film. What's Sam Malone doing there?. This is a very special, important film. You need to watch this. I'm not guaranteeing that you will have a great viewing time. It's not that kind of movie. Just watch it and have the great feeling afterwards that you've seen it. You'll be a better person for it. Pure brilliance.
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