Saving Private Ryan (DVD 2004)

What is abundantly clear is that in the massive body of films that deal with World War II, this is one that pulls no punches. It consistently explores the unpredictable and random violence that engulfs and blinds the men within it.

The plot serves only to drag a squad of characters through uncharted peril with few fitting the normal pre-determined 'hero' tag of war films. They're off on a PR mission to find a Private James Ryan and take him home to his mother, who is shortly to learn that her other three sons are dead.

While the men are constantly under threat from the Germans, they are not engaged in a key battle that will help win the war. Without a major event to eclipse proceedings, a greater examination of each man's personal fears is allowed to shine through.

That movie really took me out of my seat in the movie theater and practically had me believing I was really in the battle with John Miller. When somebody was dying in that movie, it felt as if you could almost feel their pain. Speilberg did an unbelievable job of putting realism into this movie with the camera-work and everything else. Simply amazing. An all time great.