Best Movies for the Whole Family on Memorial Day

I love war movies, and I come by a natural affection for America’s military honestly. My father served in the Army during the Cold War, his father served in the Marines in the Korean War, and my mom’s dad served in the Air Force (or Air Corps) in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. My great-great uncle died in World War I. My Scottish ancestors, the Thorntons, wore badges bearing their family coat of arms in the American War for Independence. Their motto: Fac et Spera. Do and hope.

So, naturally, I must share my favorite movies featuring Americans at war. Since this is a national list, you’ll notice that many great films are missing (Schindler’s List, Dunkirk, Defiance, Anthropoid, Valkyrie) only because they aren’t about Americans. Those belong on a different list. A good list.

I’ll kick off with films that are appropriate for (most of) the whole family, probably ages 10-ish+, and move to the tougher R movies (more like ages 14+).

For the Family

The Great Escape - Nothing is too dark and scary, and it makes duty and bravery look incredibly natural and compelling as only those old movies can.

U-571 - Loud, exciting, bursting with action—just what you’d expect when American sailors get stuck on a crippled German U-boat. The production quality isn’t the absolute highest (featuring mostly unknown, occasionally subpar actors), but the story is great, and a young Matthew McConaughey convincingly leads the troops.

Midway - Colorful, action-packed, masculine, fascinating, and appropriate for most kids. (Beware one well-placed F bomb.) Also, it conspicuously refuses to kowtow to the DEI nonsense. This chapter in history happened to feature white men. So they cast white men. No apologies.

Greyhound - This 90-minute thriller starring Tom Hanks is about a US Navy commander who leads an Allied convoy across the Atlantic during World War II. While dodging German U-boats. Without air support. It’s as tense as it sounds, and the movie hardly stops for a second of character development. (It’s fine, you don’t really miss it.) Greyhound also bears the distinction of being, minute for minute, the loudest movie on this list.

The Patriot - Mel Gibson is at his post-Braveheart best as father and fighter of the year. His character arc is as powerful as the cannon balls making you duck as they fly at the camera. Plus, there’s John Williams. Good for kids 10+ but you might want to cover their eyes when Mel goes berserk.

For the Big Kids and Adults

Saving Private Ryan - Let this be your teenage son’s first look at real war. The opening battle scene on Bloody Omaha will change his life and inspire him to visit the beaches of Normandy, and you should go with him.

Band of Brothers - Watch after Saving Private Ryan. Hands-down, the best war “movie” ever (it’s technically a mini series). I have seen the opening credits alone bring people to tears. If you want a story and a soundtrack that capture the honor we feel towards the Greatest Generation, it’s Band of Brothers.

Hacksaw Ridge - Occasionally too violent and overly dramatic, but this amazing true story will stick with you forever. Alongside Midway, it’s the only WWII movie I like that is set in the Pacific theater. (I turned off The Pacific. Twice. Can somebody tell me why fighting for freedom is depressing?)

We Were Soldiers - This film packs a one-two punch: it doesn’t just show you men dying in war, it shows you the widows back home. One of my favorites. Mel Gibson rides again.

Black Hawk Down - A savage look at modern war and stunning political ineptitude. My three-time war veteran grandfather called my mom to say, “Don’t watch Black Hawk Down. It’s way too realistic.” She said: “Too late. I watched it.” And so should you.

13 Hours - Tough, exciting, thrilling, sobering. Will inspire your kids (including daughters) to do what’s right even if it isn’t in their job description…and even if their boss orders them not to.

Parting Shots

Several “meh” movies didn’t make this list (eg, Zero Dark Thirty), but the only film whose absence I must shout from the roof tops is Lone Survivor. I can’t recommend a movie when I almost left the theater in the middle of it. This movie doesn’t just trash history, it trashes good storytelling. The great lengths it went to hamstring the noblest, most powerful elements of Marcus Lutrell’s story are astounding. If you want to honor the fallen this Memorial Day, skip the movie and read the book.

Now as you prepare to fire up the grill and wave that little American flag from last year’s Fourth of July parade, enjoy some movies this weekend!

Salute,

Gwen