A big mistake with CGI, is that filmmakers frequently render the shots from positions which would, if it were real aeroplanes attacking real ships, be impossible to locate a stable camera in, thus your brain automatically goes 'that's CGI' because you know it wouldn't be at all possible to have a camera in such a position, so even if the rendering is done well from a graphics, lighting and modeling standpoint, you remain unconvinced. That and the fact that they tend to show attacks being pressed so close that the bombs and torpedoes wouldn't actually be in flight long enough for them to arm and aeroplanes seem to have an inexhaustable supply of ammunition.

A particularly notable exception to this is seen in the 2001 Michael Bay movie Pearl Harbor, which for the most part is guilty of having P39s and A6Ms whizzing about like X-Wings and TIE fighters, but in the sequence where Ben Affleck's Supermarine Spitfire of the Eagle Squadron is in a dogfight over the channel and is shot down, they shake the 'camera' about all over the place, which lends it a good deal of authenticity. The dialogue still sucks of course, with Affleck giving a running commentary over his radio which would doubtless result in his flight leader telling him to shut the hell up, but apart from this, it is genuinely an exciting sequence which looks fairly convincing for the most part:

One thing I did notice which was authentic in that recent Midway film, was that they show the Mitsubishi A6M having its gun firing button on the throttle lever rather than on the joystick, which is as it was on the real A6M 'Zero'. The rest of the movie is a fairly mediocre retelling of the actual events, but that little touch of authentic research about the A6M's weaponry did pop out at me as I was watching it. Of course they do then spoil it by having the fighters and bombers pulling moves that would tear the wings off an A-10 Thunderbolt, let alone an SBD Dauntless, because they seem to think real warfare isn't exciting and scary enough for a modern audience used to action-filled computer games.

Edited January 26, 20224 yr by Chock

My favorite war movie of all time is "Das Boot," a story about a German Submarine in WWII.

I really enjoyed it in German with English subtitles. There was a lot of suspense, action, and moments of quiet before depth charging begin.

In HS and later in life, I read a lot of books about submarine warfare, and the operation of this U-boat, seemed very realistic by comparison.

Best war movie ever, and I am a diehard airplane buff, especially WWII!

Bill

@Chock  Welcome back!  You were missed!  A search party was ready to be sent out looking for ya!

Just now, charliearon said:

@Chock  A search party was ready to be sent out looking for ya!

But they couldn't be arsed. 😄

"Unknown Soldier" is an excellent, little-known war movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJkXFwhCFLo&t=2372s&ab_channel=mrtomi

Trailer: 

 

 

Also, in the list of of battles scenes that actually teach some understanding, the portrayal of Gaugamela in "Alexander" deserves an honourable mention.

 

Edited January 26, 20224 yr by Holdit

1 hour ago, sbclark said:

My favorite war movie of all time is "Das Boot," a story about a German Submarine in WWII.

I agree.  It is one of the best.  It was a TV series in Germany I believe.  The subtle distain of the U-boat skipper when they saw the feast laid out before them on the tender was classic.  The difference between the warrior and the support troop.  Like Bill Mauldin's cartoon of the two 'tough' guys in front of a bistro looking for a fight.  Willie says, "Too far forward to wear ties and too far back to get shot at."

Another good one was The Enemy Below with Robert Mitchum and Curt Jergins.

Noel

Edited January 26, 20224 yr by birdguy

In first part of the video when the guy starts turning the siren handle I wonder where the dog pushing the ball was going.  But overall much, much too busy.  It was hard to keep track of what was going down.  

Noel