generation welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’re counting down our picks for
the top ten Iraq war movies and TV shows
before we begin we publish new videos
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more great content for this list we’ll
be looking at the fictional films and
shows dealing with a widely covered
early 21st century conflict in Iraq
while not necessarily having to be
strictly set in Iraq our choices reflect
the effects of the war both at home and
on the battlefield and although they are
set in the same country movies like
three kings and jarhead have to sit this
one out as they are focused on the Gulf
War number 10 in the Valley of Elah was
wondering if she knew her son had any
enemies one of the first movies to come
out of the Iraq war era to focus on the
effect that combat can have on a
soldier’s mind was the award-winning
Paul Haggis and Tommy Lee Jones vehicle
in the Valley of Elah featuring the
heart-wrenching story of a former MP
searching for his son who disappeared
shortly after returning from Iraq in the
Valley of Elah manages to make weighted
commentaries on the nature of American
military involvement overseas as well as
explore America’s own racial bias you’re
a good father you don’t have to prove
you loved him with a top notch story
co-written by Mike bole in the Valley of
Elah
also gives unflinching depictions of
military camaraderie paired with
psychological distress for returning
American soldiers shouldn’t some heroes
to places like Iraq number nine
stop-loss you didn’t stop lost while the
war drama wasn’t a box-office hit
kimberly peirce provided a topical look
at american military policy in her in
depth and nightmarish stop-loss
referencing a controversial loophole in
military regulations where honorable
discharge is bypassed and tours of duty
are extended stop-loss turns its camera
on soldiers returning to the US after a
terrifying skirmish that leaves nearly
all involved with PTSD with a shortage
of guys and no draft they’re shipping
back soldiers who supposed to be getting
out with bleak subject matters showing
the unfortunate problem suffered by the
main characters such as alcoholism
domestic abuse and even suicide the film
is made even more tense by their sudden
recalls of combat due to the stop-loss
policy testing the character’s
allegiance to their homeland who wants
to play let’s start shooting people
number 8 the wall I only been here man
18 Plus consisting of only three actors
and grossing a little over four million
dollar
on a three million dollar budget Doug
Lyman’s the wall actually proved to be a
worthy thriller using its limitations to
its advantage the film sees John Cena
and Aaron taylor-johnson portrayed two
American soldiers who have been pinned
down by a sadistic enemy sniper with
both injured and with no radio to call
for backup the situation seems hopeless
as they are toyed with it every turn by
their attacker as they’re left with
limited resources and death approaching
the tense thriller leaves audience is
wondering how the soldiers will make it
out alive
q he’s coming fast
number 7 turtles can fly Jimmy I’m Xiao
chuan I am gumbaz I need Bengal busting
to now giant buck Mongo bodies
hard-hitting turtles can fly has the
honour of being the first film to be
made in Iraq after the fall of Saddam
Hussein set in a Kurdish refugee camp at
the dawn of the US invasion of Iraq the
war drama chooses to follow a group of
children instead of soldiers and adults
double chin ups Toya thank you she loves
cooking food out come David a man that
would bet that starkly depicting the
abject poverty of those who suffered
most at the hands of military oppression
each child has a terrifying background
story to tell with most of the
characters affected by issues ranging
from blindness to childhood trauma
Turtles can fly proves to be a cynical
and necessary portrait of the innocence
affected by violence pinky
number six fair game know why you’re
lying I never forget the truth taking a
bureaucratic turn fair game tells the
unbelievable story of governmental
corruption in the face of nuclear
warfare based on biographies written by
ex-cia agent valerie plame and her
diplomat husband Joseph C Wilson fair
game explores life outside the combat
zone seven floors to the director for a
Joint Task Force on Iraq I want you to
head up operations from the offices of
the White House to the deserts of Niger
and featuring top-notch performances by
Naomi Watts and Sean Penn Doug Lyman’s
2010 political thriller sets the stage
for one of the most controversial news
stories surrounding the Iraq war the
purported weapons of mass destruction
hidden by Saddam Hussein are you telling
me that you’re 100% sure these tubes are
not intended to create nuclear weapon
point about intelligence nothing is 100%
sure number five greens out
if it’s not for you to decide what
happens here capitalizing on the success
of Matt Damon in the Bourne movies
director Paul Greengrass brought the
star in once more for his controversial
but gripping thriller Green Zone named
after a safe area of operations in
Baghdad the film sees Damon as American
officer Roy Miller who becomes embroiled
in a nationwide manhunt for a fugitive
Iraqi general who reportedly knows the
location of Saddam’s illusive WMDs
you’re off reservation for reason what
is it well I came to find weapons and
save lives
maintaining similar fast-paced editing
techniques and hard-hitting action
sequences employed by green grasses
Bourne films Green Zone also makes
comments on the American presence in
Iraq after the 2003 invasion using
weapons of mass destruction as a silk
screen for ulterior motives which
condemned the film’s reputation for some
viewers what happened your leg right
look isn’t that on since 1997 number 4
much respected work giving us a rockstar
look into life in the Marines David
Simon’s hit miniseries Generation Kill
pulls out all the stops in depicting the
United States invasion of Iraq with
Rolling Stone journalist Evan Wright
tagging along for the ride the civilian
perspective shows the soldiers of
Generation Kill in a whole new light
sergeant hadn’t get to shoot focusing on
the emotional complexities and
frustrations of its large-scale cast the
versatile actors playing the members of
the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and
Generation Kill make it a layered story
grounded in realism but what else would
you expect from the creator of such hit
shows as the wire and the deuce
logistics join the Army Marines mcdu
number 3 the messenger the families of
fallen soldiers are often a familiar
subject tackled in war films however the
people behind the scenes delivering the
bad news hardly ever get any thorough
treatment this was not the case with
Orin motorman’s devastating yet moving
film the messenger did anyone talk with
you already man how did he die telling
the story of a decorated Iraq war hero
and a recovering alcoholic commissioned
with alerting next of kin that their
loved ones have lost their lives the
movie is full of emotionally charged
moments faking the larger question of
the role many have in wartime with
amazing performances by Ben Foster and
Woody Harrelson as the titular
messengers motorman’s film is not to be
missed
it’d be worse Christmas number 2
American sniper God country family right
an intense character study as well as an
exploration of a war legend Clint
Eastwood’s biopic about the late Chris
Kyle a military sniper with a reported
255 kills measures the actions and
effects many soldiers undergo while
serving to protect their freedom I just
want to get the bad guys but if I can’t
see him I can’t shoot him starring
Bradley Cooper as Kyle the film shows
life on both fronts at home and in the
battle zone not sparing the gritty
details of moral decisions that must be
made with the pulling of a trigger
despite its warm reception American
sniper was also heavily criticized for
ignoring some of the darker elements of
Chris Kyle’s story nevertheless it was
still nominated for several Academy
Awards including Best Picture
I just protecting my guys they were
trying to kill our soldiers and I’m
willing to meet my Creator and ask for
every shot that I took number 1 The Hurt
Locker follow Mew got him
one of the most memorable war films of
the early 21st century Kathryn Bigelow’s
multiple oscar-winning thriller is a
crowning achievement in cinematic
storytelling despite not having a
standard linear plot The Hurt Locker
manages to perfectly capture the
intensity of bomb defusion as well as
battle zone tactics gonna war is a
once-in-a-lifetime experience
could be fun ranging from close-range
shootouts to lengthy and nail-biting
sniper battles the film’s ultimate
metaphor is about the rush one gets
during combat with three close-knit
soldiers in a bomb disposal unit taking
the spotlight the varying psychology is
that the characters are complemented by
amazing cinematography and sound design
putting viewers right in the heat of the
moment I’m gonna die aren’t I
comfortable do you agree with our picks
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