Memorial Day Movie Fest: Five War Movies to Watch

It's Memorial Day, which means you (hopefully) have the whole day off to enjoy the sunny weather and a cold beer (or lemonade). But if the rain has barred you from any backyard barbeque, here are a few suggestions of classic war movies to keep you entertained, and give you a reminder of why you have the day off in the first place.

1.) "Saving Private Ryan"

Okay, you've probably seen this one. If you haven't...where were you in 1998? This Spielberg epic remains one of the greatest war movies ever made, thanks to some spectacular performances from a very strong cast (even Vin Diesel does a pretty good job) and some unforgettable scenes. Of course, some of the scenes are unforgettable because the ultra-realistic violence seared them into your memory, but still. If you can deal with the blood, this is one of the more emotionally stirring war movies out there, and an excellent example of the heroism and horror that took place during WWII.

2.) "Apocalypse Now"

Speaking of strong casts, how about these names: Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Lawrence Fishburne, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, and Marlon Brando. They're all in "Apocalypse Now," a Vietnam-set film based on "Heart of Darkness," taking a soldier deep into the jungle to assassinate a rogue American colonel. It's trippy, it's very gory, it's from Francis Ford Coppola, and that's about all you need to know.

3.) "Band of Brothers"

So, it's not a movie. Who cares? "Band of Brothers" still belongs on here for the same reasons "Saving Private Ryan" does: it's an incredibly personal, highly emotional, gritty look at WWII. The story of Easy Company will draw you in so deep that you might end up watching the entire HBO mini-series in one day.

4.) "Three Kings"

This one might have gotten by you, and it's not exactly a traditional war movie, but it's surprisingly cool. Directed by David O. Russell (who may be crazy but can make a great movie), the movie stars George Clooney, Ice Cube, and Mark Wahlberg back when we were all still saying "What? Marky Mark is an actor now?" It has some pretty stunning visuals and and unconventional plot for a war movie, but still illustrates the complicated nature of war, and the need to do the right thing.

5.) "The Hurt Locker"

If you want a suspenseful movie, put down that slasher flick and watch "The Hurt Locker." The way that director Kathryn Bigelow (who won the Oscar for her work) builds tension in this film about a bomb disposal unit in Iraq is incredible. It's a quiet film, but that just makes it more of a nail-biter. In total, "The Hurt Locker" won seven Oscars, and introduced us to Jeremy Renner in the process. Today, its message of war as a drug is important to remember as we still send our troops overseas to protect our country and the world.