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Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Tom Hanks best!!
Review: I am a big fan of Tom Hanks movies and I am also a big fan of war movies. So I must say that "Saving Private Ryan" is an incrediable movie. The depiction of D-day is so accurate and so greatly done that it still gives me chills just watching it. The story is wonderful and overall the movie is just fabulous. Steven Spielberg directs probably his most meaningful movie yet, and Tom Hanks does probably him most award winning performance. The movie is rather violent and bloody at times which may turn the stomachs of some watchers but it about had to be like that to accuarately depict some of the scenes. Especially the D-day scene.

Ranked as one of the top 100 films of all time, and once you watch it you will see why.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: On D-Day,The Greatest Danger for Eight Men Was Saving One
Review: Internationally acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, Steven Speilberg's World War II masterpeice, Saving Private Ryan, is an unforgettable film acheivment that has had profound and lasting impact throughout the world. The Winner of five Acamedy Awards incuding Best Director, the film also captured the Oscars for Best Cinematography, Film Editing, Sound, and Sound Effects Editing. It was robbed of the Best Picture Oscar in the single biggest act of ignorance from the Acamedy in history. More than 70 critics (including those at Time Magazine, USA Today, The New York Times, and Etertainment Weekly) and critics' groups in New York, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, and Great Britain named the film Best Picture of the Year, while Los Angeles, Toronto, and Boradcast Film Critics honored it with both Best Picture and Best Director Awards. In addition, Speilberg recieved his third Directors Guild of America Award, the American Legion "The Spirit of Normandy" Award, which is a USO Merit Award. It is the highest award a civilian can recieve from the Dept. of the Army. Selected for more than 160 top ten lists, Saving Private Ryan's other awards include Best Picture from the Golden Globes, and the top-grossing movie of 1998.

If you have not seen this movie yet, expect to see through the eys of a squad of American soldiers, the story begins with World War II's most infamous battle, the historic D-Day invasion, then moves beyond the beach as the men embark on a dangerous special mission. Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) must take his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Faced with impossible odds, the men question their orders all throughout the film. Why are eight men risking their lives to save just one man? Surrounded by the brutal reality of war, each man seaches for his own answer-and the strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honor and courage.

My answer is that Saving Private Ryan is the best war film ever. It is very moving, to the point that WWII veterns broke out into tears in the theaters. If you are an American, and can sit through this film without feeling a sense of pride for what those boys did sixty years ago, there's something wrong. Any time you can walk away from a movie with feelings of pride, depression, hapiness, and fear all at the same time you have an outstanding movie. I believe there is a violence and language lock on the DVD so small children can watch this important film. Everyone should see this movie and you already have, you know what I am talking about. Saving Private Ryan is a film not to be missed by anyone.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Unbelievable and nauseating
Review: Seeing this movie in the cinema was nauseating quickly followed by excruciatingly dull. The opening sequences are horrific and if that's something people feel the need to witness in real life or as realistic dramatisation, well thank God I decided long ago not to bring children into this world. Of course as an Englishman I realise I'm supposed to feel slighted that we Brits aren't depicted ...frankly I was grateful...Britain fought an ideological war for vanquished countries we believed were freedom loving too. We are thankful to have won. We never thought to find glory in it only death, and fought it anyway. After the opening scene (which I could hardly watch) comes the really hard bit...sitting through the rest of this fairytale-like meander through the decimated states of Europe shooting those nasty Orks (I mean Germans). Stephen...I think you're great, my favourite film ever is the sleeper 'Empire of the Sun' (also set in WW2 and a film I highly recommend). 2 stars for your directing style which is always great...but Stephen...what were you thinking man?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Speilberg has done it again!!!
Review: After watching the movie for my first time, I hated it. But I kept watching it for some strange reason and months later I bought it. For more then two years it ranks as my number one favorite movie. Speilberg depicts the war as accurate as it can get. During the wrath of the WWII Normandy invsion of 1944, three brothers were killed all over the world at Omaha, Utah, and New Guinea. After the mother finds out she realises the youngest son James is still alive. The army gets Capt. Miller(Tom Hanks) to take his men behind enemy lines and find the young Private before its to late. the cast also includes Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Matt Damon, Giovanni Ribisi, Jeremy Davis, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, and Vin Dieasel. In all this movie was dedicated to the veterans. At Oscar night the film was awarded five Oscars including Best Director. It really was the winner of Best Picture Over Shakespear In Love. So see this movie. I've recommended it to more then 200 people and have seen it more then 500 times.
Saving Private Ryan, see it tonight... remember it forever.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Very Violent Accurate Representation of War
Review: Incredible movie to illustrate what "The Greatest Generation" went through in the name of freedom. Should be watched by everyone at least once to try to understand what it really means to be an American patriot. Very graphic movie that I wouldn't show to anybody younger than a high school senior. God Bless those who gave their lives for what millions around the world enjoy today.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Highly Over-Rated
Review: Am I the only one here who sees this movie for what it is? Everyone kept saying how this film did not glorify war, and shows how gritty and unpleasent it truly was, which I thought might be a nice change from "pearl harbor". However, I was extreamly let down. This movie, though gritty and unpleasent, does nothing BUT glorify war. It shows you that to be a "hero" you must brutally murder others who are in the same awful position as you. I know that this view is unpopular, but I couldn't care less. Martin Luther King Jr., now THERE'S a hero. Do the world a favor, and be free to hate this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: As realistic as it gets
Review: This is the best war film (or ties with Black Hawk Down) that I've seen. We start with Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller, Tom Sizemore as Sgt. Horvath. Throw in Barry Pepper as my favorite character, the hothead, religious sniper, Vin Disel as Private Caparzo, and Jermy Davis as the corpral, as they storm Dog Green sector of Omaha beach. The ramp of the PA boat drops and soldiers run out, only to be stopped by MG42 bullets, mortars blow men to bits, 20mm flaks cut the troops to peices, but, Captain Miller and his men actually survive perhaps the most realistic battle scene. . .EVER.
But it's not over yet, Miller and seven other men get assigned a mission to find Private James Ryan, a paratrooper with the 101st
who lost three brothers on D-day, he has a ticket home.
This is a great, probably the best war movie ever, the Omaha beach we saw wasn't real, but it looked that way. As Miller and the others find Ryan, losing two men, Caparzo and the medic, Wade. Ryan and his brothers in arms are defending a bridge, and the Nazis storm on them with infantry and tanks, and only two or three people from Miller's squad (along with Ryan) survive.
I have to say, I'm not a fan of Speilberg, (I liked Minority Report), but this is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Rent or buy. . . NOW!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Movie, awesome acting
Review: Saving Private Ryan is a very well made movie, but is somewhat 'hollywoodized'. Spielburg is not one to make beauiful movies, but he puts quite a bit of depth into Saving Private Ryan. I would not call it the best war movie of all time, if you think it is please see The Thin Red Line, but it is definatly one of the the best. I won't forget to mention it is one of the more graphic war movies. I've been known to have a 'different' taste in movies but I think everyone can agree that this is a very well made movie that deserves credit.
(although I'm still sour with Spielburg because of A.I.! why did Kubrick have to die?!?!!?!!)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: No other War Movie Compares to This !!!
Review: Saving PRivate Ryan was an excellent movie based on WWII. Stephen Speilberg made this movie tragic, scary, violent, and very realistic. Stephen speilberg showed what war really lookes like in Saving Private Ryan. The movie itself had an excellent plot, which was finding private Ryan, (Matt Damon) telling him he was the only brother alive out of the other three.Tom Hanks also did a magnificent job in playng the captain. All these actors played very great roles. the acting was also very well done. I don't think any war movie comes close or compares to this. Stephen Speilberg showed all the peopele what WWII really looked like.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not as bad as some say, but still somewhat flawed.
Review: To start off my review, I would like to answer those who complain about this film ignoring the British and not having African Americans or other minorities in the army units.

Yes, the British did have a major part in World War II and there were many British and Canadians, as well as Americans, present at the Normandy landings. But a few reviewers have already mentioned that Omaha was invaded by the Americans. And, as someone mentioned before, Brits weren't exactly commonplace in an American Rangers Unit. As for the minorities, American units were still very much segregated in World War II.

But, I do agree with other reviewers who mention the slanted portrayal of Germans in this movie. Some have blamed this on Director Spielberg's Judaism. While I can't agree with that, I will say this: The German troops in here reminded me of drones. They were cold hearted and brutal. None of them thought of killing without hesitation and, above all, they weren't human. They were also easier to eliminate then the Americans (With the exception of the opening scenes), despite the fact that they were probably elite German troops (They seemed older, bigger and tougher then many of the Americans). However, hasn't this been seen in war movies for decades, dating back to John Wayne WWII movies or films like "The Guns of Navarone" and "The Dirty Dozen"? It's pretty ridiculous to downgrade an AMERICAN war movie because the soldiers on the other side are easier to kill then AMERICANS. Basically, historical movies, especially those made by the United States, aren't the best history teacher.

The greatest question posed at the end of "Saving Private Ryan" is was it worth it. Was it worth risking the lives of eight men just to save one, basically unimportant man just because his brothers were all dead? Contrary to some reviewers, I think the movie was showing that it wasn't worth it. Most of the men in the squad sent to save Ryan were killed and the survivors would have been slaughtered had it not been for allied reinforcements. Even Tom Hank's John Miller seems skeptical as to whether it was justified: His last words to Ryan are "Earn this. Earn it".

My only other compliant with the movie was in who survived on the American side. I'm not complaining about Ryan, but about the other men in the squad sent to rescue him, of whom just two survive. One is a cocky private (Edward Burns) who can't keep his mouth shut. There is a tense scene where he tries to leave the squad and gets into a shouting match with another sergeant, played by Tom Sizemore. Sizemore pulls his gun out and threatens to shoot him. I was hoping that he would put the bullet in his big mouth. The other survivor is a very well educated corporal who's bilingual in German and French, which is why he was brought along. Yet he isn't a good solider because he's easily shaken by battle. Granted, not everyone can be a tough guy underfire (He isn't really a soldier either. He was a mapmaker and translator beforehand). Still, had he showed more bravery and courage in the battle in the French town (He had a thirty caliber with a full belt, for pete's sake), at least two others in his squad would have either been saved or would have had an advantage against the Germans. He was also very much within firing range of the Germans through most of the last battle. Not until the battle's end does he finally have the guts to shoot someone. His character's action seemed based on those of Lt. Joyce from "Bridge on the River Kwai".

I also somewhat agree with those who question the military tactics. A squad of American soldiers is in dangerous, heavily occupied nazi country, yet is bunched up closely together talking loudly. Ridiculous, no doubt. But again, this is Hollywood. It's better film wise to have the actors placed this way. And during these walks, we learn more about the men and about their opinions on the mission and the war.

That said, this is an excellent, powerful war movie. The battle scenes are stunning and, while ultra violent and perhaps made for action movie buffs, they make one hope that we or the ones we love are never have to be in those situations. However, while this movie depicts the D-Day assault more brutally than any other, the early war epic "The Longest Day" shows a wider overall coverage, though with less bloodshed (Since censors wouldn't have allowed it at the time). Rent both tonight.


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