11 Best Movies To Watch This Veterans Day Weekend

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Planning to watch a movie this weekend to celebrate Veterans Day? This list of flicks will make you feel extra proud of THE men and women who served in the U.S. military.

So don't think twice! Check out these films as you honor the heroism and bravery of our military veterans.

“Courage Under Fire”

Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips; directed by Edward Zwick

Edward Zwick’s action-drama film stars Denzel Washington as a military officer despondent over a friendly fire incident he caused during the 1991 Gulf War. As if adding insult to injury, his superiors subsequently assigned him to investigate the case of Army Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan), a chopper commander nominated for a posthumous Medal of Honor. Is she worthy to receive the U.S. Armed Forces’ highest honor? Can he finally find a way to stop his pain and suffering from his past missteps?

“Lone Survivor”

Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch; directed by Peter Berg

A film adaptation of Marcus Luttrell’s eponymous nonfiction book, Peter Berg’s biographical war film follows four Navy SEALs (Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster) deployed to conduct a counter-insurgent mission to capture the notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shah in 2005 Afghanistan.

Absorbing and heart-wrenching, “Lone Survivor” highlights the perils of war that a soldier might have to reckon with in the face of uncertainty.

“Zero Dark Thirty”

Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt; directed by Kathryn Bigelow

A depiction of the nearly decade-long international search for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, Kathryn Bigelow’s gripping 2012 thriller navigates the manhunt through the eyes of Maya (Jessica Chastain), a fictional CIA analyst and profiler, joined by an elite team of intelligence operatives and Navy SEALs. Ultimately, Maya’s fervor and dedication will lead to the exact whereabouts of the notorious wanted man. The rest is history as we know it.

“American Sniper”

Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller; directed by Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood’s biographical war film is loosely based on Chris Kyle’s 2012 bestselling memoir chronicling the war hero’s rise to become the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history.
Bradley Cooper plays Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper famed for his pinpoint accuracy. His four tours of duty in the Iraq War are legendary, saving countless lives on the battlefield. However, his acts of valor would take a heavy toll on his marriage and personal life.

Eastwood’s dramatization of the battle scenes is awe-inspiring, while Cooper plays the titular marksman with outstanding gravitas and brooding intensity.

“Apocalypse Now”

Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall; directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Writer-director Francis Ford Coppola adapts Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella, “Heart of Darkness,” against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. In contrast to the book’s narrated voyage up the Congo River, Coppola’s film follows U.S. Capt. Benjamin Willard’s (Martin Sheen) river journey from South Vietnam into Cambodia. His mission? A covert operation to terminate the command of Col. Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a decorated war hero gone rogue.

“Apocalypse Now” explores the ravages of war as it peers into the souls of the hitman and his target, all the while dazzling viewers in its grandiosity.

"The Hurt Locker"

Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie; directed by Kathryn Bigelow

With "The Hurt Locker," Kathryn Bigelow made history at the 82nd Academy Awards as the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director. The war thriller follows the harrowing experiences of an Army bomb squad, led by Sgt. 1st Class William James (Jeremy Renner) during the Iraq War, underscoring the crew's psychological reactions to the stress of combat. Intense and gripping, the war thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

“Saving Private Ryan”

Tom Hanks, Matt Damon; directed by Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg’s modern war classic evokes the brutal realities of war as well as the agonizing terror and horror of combat through the eyes of Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks) and his men behind the enemy lines. Its opening scene alone, a 30-minute-long depiction of the Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings, will leave you breathless.

At the heart of the emotional story is Capt. Miller’s mission to search for the titular paratrooper, Pfc. James Ryan (Matt Damon), the last surviving brother of four male siblings — the other three having been killed in action. Will Miller and his men find Ryan in the end?

"Hacksaw Ridge"

Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington; directed by Mel Gibson

"Hacksaw Ridge" is a biopic about the war experiences of Army medic Desmont T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), the first American in history to be awarded the Medal of Honor after refusing to carry any weapons in combat. In spite of a great deal of graphic violence, "Hacksaw Ridge" is piercingly thought-provoking. Mel Gibson's brilliant directorial vision and exposition are reminiscent of his movie "Apocalypto."

“Born on the Fourth of July”

Tom Cruise, Kyra Sedgwick; directed by Oliver Stone

A film adaptation of Ron Kovic’s autobiography, Oliver Stone’s 1989 classic stars Tom Cruise as the war hero who returns home from the Vietnam War paralyzed from the chest down. His emotional scars take a toll on his spirits, fueling bouts of alcoholism and despair. But Kovic eventually prevails with renewed hope and a mission in life as an anti-war activist.

“Patton”

George C. Scott, Karl Malden; directed by Franklin J. Schaffner

Winner of Best Picture at the 1971 Academy Awards, Franklin J. Schaffner’s war drama is a biopic about the controversial career of U.S. Gen. George S. Patton, chronicling the rise and fall from grace of the war hero during World War II.

George C. Scott embodies Patton with an unshakeable gusto — especially in the actor’s delivery of the opening monologue against the backdrop of an enormous American flag — earning the legendary star the Best Actor Academy Award.

“Black Hawk Down”

Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor; directed by Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott’s war-thriller movie, which is based on Mark Bowden’s non-fiction book, is a depiction of U.S. military's 1993 raid in Mogadishu to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord. As the mission gets underway, Somalian forces launch heavy fire at two Black Hawk helicopters lowering the U.S. ground-extraction convoy, bringing the choppers down. The ensuing battle is horrific beyond belief as the wounded U.S. soldiers fight for their lives.