Dunkirk — A tense film you should definitely see on the big screen — 9*/10

As war movies go, there isn't all that much fighting and almost no blood, but you'd need a chainsaw to cut the tension. It's perfection on many levels, if that's the style you're looking for.

Incredibly well done by Christopher Nolan, but he has no idea how movies are going to live in the future. Those who have a great visual will continue to draw people to the cinema, but the rest will be streamed.

As a side note, IMAX or 70mm formats are probably worth the investment.

Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy.

Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5013056/

Hacksaw Ridge — An amazingly well-told story of World War II — 9*/10

• Overall: Much better than the previews let on. A captivating story from end to end. A superb work by director Mel Gibson.
• Who is it for? Anyone not afraid of violence.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2119532/
• Known actors: Andrew Garfield, Hugo Weaving, Vince Vaughn and Sam Worthington.
• Setting: Working class America and one World War II Pacific island battle.
• Style: An inspiring war movie and biography.
• Pacing: Nice and smooth transition from one event to the other, slowly cranking up the heat.
• Intro: It's probably its most grievous weakness. The initial scene is an overused stratagem that is not used to its best here.
• Story: I was riveted. I forgot I was in a theater. Let me be clear, though, all the elements of a cheesy story are there, but they're deconstructed, or maybe I should simply say they were put back together for the benefit of the preview. In a way it's a good thing, because by watching the it, you're not spoiled the really delicious elements. No single things follow the usual script, they're always a wild card or . It's touching, it's gut wrenching, it will make you spill a few tears. It's inspiring.
• Ending: Solid. Worthy of fiction.
• Epilogue: One of the rare occasions where I didn't mind the comparison with the real people.
• Dialogs: Great.
• Characters: Amazing. Great depth and well rendered. Even though the main character is religious, it doesn't turn into a preachy flick. More than that, even though those are American troops, it doesn't turn into a USA rally. It's a personal story. The story of one man dedicated to his principles and the battalion he's in with.
• Acting: Can't ask for more. Near perfect.
• Visuals: Excellent.
• Special Effects: They're good, but there are a number of occasions that you do feel that you are in a studio. Hugo Weaving’s best performance to date. Probably not Vince Vaughn's most convincing, but pretty good.
• Afterthoughts: I wasn't going to see it because it looked preachy and full of clichés. I would have missed a gem.

War Dogs — A very special experience that will probably captivate you — 8*/10

• Overall: Very interesting, unusual and entertaining.
• Who is it for? Those who like to see the dirty tricks of this world.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2005151/
• Known actors: Jonah Hill and Miles Teller.
• Setting: The seedy underbelly of the gun trade.
• Style: Dramatic character conflict and double-crossing business deals.
• Intro: Bad use of future events. It's an overused trick.
• Story: Very interesting ideas and you could really feel the sense of power. You easily get gripped and reeled in. However, the love story didn't feel real. There's also an overall sense of the pathetic which is kind of bizarre, but maybe that was the point.
• Ending: Nicely done. Unusual. Frank.
• Epilogue: Unexpected turn of events, but it feels a bit too good.
• Dialogs: Excellent. It is all about the dialogs and the narration.
• Characters: Well felt.
• Acting: Great, you could really feel what was happening.
• Visuals: Perfectly tied to the story.
• Score: Great.
• Afterthoughts: Mostly loved seeing it.

Casualties of War — A poignant war crime movie set in Vietnam — 8*/10

• Overall:  A great gripping dramatic movie by Brian De Palma that aged perfectly well. 
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for a drama or something about war. Highly recommended.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097027/
• Known actors: Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn, John C. Reilly, John Leguizamo, Ving Rhames and Dale Dye.
• Setting: The infamous Vietnam War.
• Style: Psychological meltdown. It's not about the fighting, but a narrow and dramatic set of its impacts.
• Pacing: Well divided in its basic parts.
• Intro: You really get a feeling for the original squad, and it quickly goes to shit, maybe a bit too quickly.
• Story: You can't help but feel the misery, anguish, and tension, even the psychosis, the unfolding events are causing.
• Ending: Solid.
• Dialogs: Great, but in some cases, when the main character is looking for meaning, they're not realistic and feel a bit scripted when viewed multiple times.
• Characters: You can really see what makes them tick. They're well built, even if some are a bit stereotypical.
• Acting: Mesmerizing.
• Score: Powerful and high flying.

Braveheart — It captured the imagination then and it still does now — 9*/10

• Overall: Epic medieval story by actor-director Mel Gibson that will easily transport you. 
• Who is it for? Anyone wanting to watch a grandiose story. Short attention spans should abstain, because it is very long and develops slowly. It is also quite violent.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112573/
• Known actors: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, John Kavanagh, Brendan Gleeson and Tommy Flanagan.
• Cameos: Brian Cox.
• Setting: Grubby, dirty medieval England and Scotland.
• Style: Gritty sometimes gory folk hero war story with a side of romance. Lots of different elements make for a complete tale.
• Pacing: There are multiple culmination points and multiple paces to the storytelling which gathered together build a great narration. It is quite long, almost three hours.
• Intro: Slowly sets the tone and immerses us in the story.
• Story: It has a lot to tell and it takes its time to do it. Full of action, battles, angry Scots and some romance, it is no wonder it was such a success and it is still now a cultural reference.
• Ending: Gripping. Gut wrenching.
• Epilogue: Could have done without it, although it is pretty moving.
• Dialogs: Well rendered.
• Characters: They all have very palpable personality. As you get to know each of them, you get to understand each of them without a doubt.
• Acting: Superb.
• Visuals: Beautiful in a gritty way. The film is getting old and you can see it, but you can still appreciate the quality.
• Special Effects: Only a few disappointing mishaps that you usually only see on subsequent watch.
• Costumes: Excellent designs, very realistic.
• Score: Gripping, grandiose.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot — A serious kind of intellectual comedy in a conflict zone — 8*/10

• Story: Tight, funny imaginative and witty, with nice action for a comedy. Extremely positive women first flick. Will keep you riveted to the screen, that's how good the whole package is.
• Pacing: Really good roll all the way through. Nothing hectic, just some good rhythm.
• Ending: Very serious for a comedy, but solid.
• Dialogs: Perfect.
• Characters: Excellent work on all of them.
• Acting: Great.
• Known actors: Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3553442/
• Entertainment value: High.
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for a witty laugh, not a silly one and who doesn't mind it getting serious.

13 Hours, The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi — Propaganda aside it's great — 8*/10

• Scenario: The production has too much American propaganda, a very one sided story and a serious undertone of G.I. Joe underlying its heroes. However, the rest is almost without reproach, another entertaining flick by Michael Bay, one of his better. Solid acting, excellently paced scenario, sound logic, interesting characters, captivating story, riveting suspense, good dialogs and astounding action with some touching drama and a few very minimal jokes.
• Visual & sound: Great, nothing was spared.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4172430/
• Who is it for? Those who don't mind the gung-ho attitude, it's a great action suspense flick.

Bridge of Spies — Captivating piece of cold war history — 8*/10

• Scenario: Great portrayal and realism with of flair combined to awesome acting and great period settings will make you believe you're there. Very entertaining. Another solid hit by Steven Spielberg. The only negative thing is that the story is pretty simple due to historical nature even though it's full of thoughtful details that a guy like Spielberg will intuitively include in one of his movie. That being said, it is no less interesting to see those tractations and how they might have gone down.
• Known actors: Tom Hanks, Alan Alda and Amy Ryan.
• Visual & sound: Great decors, costumes and camera shots as well as seamless soundtrack.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3682448/
• Who is it for? Anyone, unless you need a very happy or rosy film. A must for any Spielberg or Hanks fan.

Hyena Road — High impact visit on a modern Canadian war zone — 9*/10

• Scenario: Realistic, stark, gripping, that's what you're in for. You get a bit of behind the scene politics, intelligence work, some squad interaction as well as ground firefights that will shake you, and then you will shed a few tears, as you are touched by the drama. We might not understand the war, but we can feel it in this solid production.
• Known actors: Not really.
• Visual & sound: Stark, realistic visuals. Great use of voice over.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4034452/
• Who is it for? Those, like I, who want to try to understand war through outside documentaries.

I Declare War — Unexpected and captivating flick about kids — 8*/10

• Scenario: Novel ideas and point of views giving a nice glimpse into the imaginary world of kids which will always mirror our own wether we want it to or not. It's not perfect and it certainly isn't all pretty, but it's good. Great acting, especially for ones so young, solid characters, captivating story and perfect ending.
• Known actors: None.
• Visual & sound: Well done.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2133239/
• Who is it for? Those who like things different.

How I Live Now — Very unusual teen romance with well developed backdrop — 8*/10

• Scenario: Great ideas, unexpected turns, and nice pacing. Some little teen romance thrown in with war front fear gives us a truly unique mix. The scenario is well split between before and after. It almost feels like two movies. The events are kept strictly from the point of view of the main female lead which makes it interesting because we're not dragged in the rest of the events and thus neatly avoid needing to elaborate or trying to compete with potential war scenarios.
• Dialogs: Solid and pretty realistic.
• Characters: Well built and easy to relate to.
• Actors: Good work on the part of everyone. Cast members include Saoirse Ronan.
• Photography: Well done with some especially beautiful scenes.
• Sound: Good music and score.
• Special effects: None.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1894476/
• Who is it for? Those looking for unusual teen romance.

American Sniper — Another extraordinary point of view of what war feels like — 9*/10

• Story: Gripping, touching, incredible, and most of all: realistic. No extreme, just what is. Thumbs up to the fact that it's not smeared with American propaganda, you can feel a certain neutrality towards it.
• Characters: A psychological depth that you can really feel.
• Dialogs: Perfect.
• Scenario: Great mix of pacing that really fills your mind.
• Actors: Solid work from everyone. Superb job by Bradley Cooper who seems to have put on a lot of muscle since his last gig.
• Photography: Captivating.
• Special effects: Just right.
• Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2179136/
• Who is it for? Those who try to understand war through movies like me, war junkies, Cooper fans, and those looking for a psychological fuck up.

I'm not sure why I'm not giving it a perfect score. Maybe it's just in comparison to other excellent war movies. Most flick based on actual facts have a tendency to be a bit incomplete, because you cannot rearrange events to fit that perfect scenario. That's probably why. Anyway, my hat to Clint Eastwood.

Fury — See what it feels like to be outclassed and outgunned — 9*/10

Fury is an excellent war movie. Acting, action, special effects, fights, and realism are all near perfect. It's only weak point would be the slight predictability of the scenario. Still the story is quite captivating.

For anyone who doesn't mind violence.
9*/10

Brothers - Psychologically very disturbing post war trauma - 9*/10

Brothers is not the only post war trauma movie to combine with family drama, but it certainly merges the two in an heart wrenching way. The acting is impeccable, even the children, the story gripping and the scenario very taut and realistic.

Not for sensitive souls.
9*/10

The Lucky Ones - Very different story with nice twists - 7*/10

The Lucky Ones doesn't go where you think it will go, not once. Considering we're talking about soldiers, it's an extremely low key movie, yet the story is interesting and you can relate to the characters even if you've never been in the army.

For something different to watch.
7*/10

The English Patient - Dramatic and sad - 9*/10

The English Patient is a timeless piece. It is long and very slow developing, but captivating to those who like to savor a rich story filled with characters of depth, great scenery, and a solid score. The leading man is the worst kind of lover and it makes for a excellent romance.

For those who are patient.
9*/10

Jarhead — A war where soldiers do not fight makes for an interesting war movie — 8*/10

Jarhead is a good view of what a foot soldier feels like in a modern war with almost no guerrilla, man to man warfare or street fighting, which was the case in the first Gulf War.

The good. Excellent photography. Solid characters. Realistic interactions and situations.

The actors. Jake Gyllenhaal is perfect as the bright recruit. Peter Sarsgaard is just as good as the guy for whom being a marine is everything. Jamie Foxx once again sets aside his "thing" to give us a brilliant performance as the career under-officer. Other good mentions include: Brian Geraghty, Lucas Black, and Scott MacDonald

The bad. The drill sergeant is not credible enough.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A straight face view from the ground of the first Gulf War as well as soldier camaraderie.

8*/10

Casualties of War — A troubling movie on a terrible fact of war — 8*/10

Casualties of War shows that war can be ugly for more than the obvious reasons. A great dramatic piece by Brian De Palma.

The good. Excellent score. Once past the intro, powerful mood. Riveting story. Well built scenario, very logical and nicely paced. Emotionally disturbing.

The actors. Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn are just perfect as antagonist. Don Harvey fits his crazy role very well. John C. Reilly plays the simpleton with convincing clarity. And I'll just mention in passing a good performance by Ving Rhames.

The bad. The initial jungle scenes lack realism, as well as some over-acting by the black guy in the first part.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. An emotional and brutal movie. Not for the faint of heart.

8*/10

Apocalypse Now — The war is not only fought on the field but also in the shadows — 10*/10

Apocalypse Now is a Vietnam War masterpiece by Francis Ford Coppola.

The good. This is an other one of those movie you could list everything here. Once again, I'll just mention what makes it special. The impeccable photography, the viscerally poignant visuals, and the incredible score perfectly emphasize the dark chilling gloom of the situation, the sense of impending doom. The story is a solid tale that exposes the twisted nature of the conflict. The long and slow scenario really lets you sink into the morass faced by the main character, like feeling a centipede crawl across your skin. Unexpected events popup all the time.

The actors. Martin Sheen shines and quietly shows his talent as the tortured special force soldier sent on a mission of a lifetime. Robert Duvall is the perfect blustery unshakable commander. Marlon Brando displays all his talent as he portrays a genius commander gone mad. An extremely young and unrecognizable Laurence Fishburne already shows us his potential. And finally, Harrison Ford, fresh from Star Wars, plays a small role as a colonel.

The bad. Nothing.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. A difficult movie to watch, but a must for anyone with enough fortitude. The redux version should be seen to really understand the whole story. The shorter original version should only be watched by those who want to be exposed to this masterpiece, but are not certain to like it.

Platoon — War is not just bullets flying, and horror is not just about blood — 10*/10

Platoon is about what it means to be a grunt in the Vietnam War. A masterpiece by Oliver Stone, and definitively the best Vietnam War movie ever made.

The good. This is one of those movie you could list everything here. I'll limit myself to what makes it truly special. An incredible score that leaves an indelible mark. Extremely strong psychology built into the scenario and the characters. You get right there with them, you feel the heat, the ants, the numbness... Perfect realism for the firefights, the ambushes, the battles, the camps, the duality, the interactions, and the dialogs. Superb acting.

The actors. At the time Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe were big names and you can see why by the quality of their work in this piece. However, the real star here is Charlie Sheen for his portrayal of a and ex college boy and disillusioned volunteer. An other great performance, often underrated, is the one by John C. McGinley as the stringy sergeant O'Neil. This production also feature people that would eventually become much bigger in the industry, namely Forest Whitaker, Keith David and a very young Johnny Depp.

The bad. Nothing.

The ugly. Nothing.

The result. Not for the faint of heart, highly recommended for everyone else. A must for those who want to understand the horrors of war.

10*/10