Saving Private Ryan and more movies to watch Memorial Day Weekend 2023

Many of us are taking the holiday weekend to honor those who served our country. That said, we are also in the spirit of action and freedom! So on that note, here are some of the best war movies you can stream this Memorial Day Weekend.

It’s hard making a film about war worth watching, but when executed right, the emotional response sticks for quite some time. One of the greatest cinematic experiences to this day is Saving Private Ryan. Being in the theater at the time of its release was unlike anything the world had experienced before. The sound design, the cinematography, everything was executed with such precision. The audience could literally feel the bullet hitting the sand. As the credits rolled, not a single person left saying a word. It was a lot to process and extremely impactful. It’s one of the best war movies ever made.

While we do not have Spielberg‘s classic listed below, we do have several films that also landed emotionally with audiences. Most of these are well known and can be found on both Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Memorial Day Weekend movies to watch

#1 Full Metal Jacket

Full Metal Jacket isn’t the most pleasant film by any means. Stanley Kubrick’s dark tale about Vietnam soldiers has a lot on its mind. The film digs deep into the nature of war and whether it’s an actual peaceful solution. Just like most of Kubrick’s work, the answers are more cryptic than anything, but the emotional weight of the soldier’s duty is absolutely on display. To this day, Full Metal Jacket remains a timeless piece of art about war, as well as possessing one of the most iconic performances from R. Lee Ermey as the vicious drill Sargeant. Full Metal Jacket is currently available on Max.

#2 The Hurt Locker

Kathryn Bigelow is an incredibly gifted director and 2008’s The Hurt Locker was the reminder we all needed of her talents. Unlike most war movies, The Hurt Locker is generally focused on the identity of the men who serve and the cost they bear coming home. It also dissects the nature of the job and whether the sense of duty can become an addiction. For this reason, the film stands out as one of the most original outputs in the genre to date. The Hurt Locker is available on VOD.

#3 The Kingdom

The Kingdom is not as recognized as much as the first two mentions but the film still has some interesting statements to make. At times, the movie tries to be more entertaining than being a war thriller, maybe even sometimes to a fault. Still, the conclusion is enough to make The Kingdom worth a watch. Director Peter Berg was conveying the never-ending violence that results in war, which made for a timely argument in the world after 9/11. The Kingdom is currently available on VOD.

#4 Last Flag Flying

Last Flag Flying is a rather different specimen than most in this genre because none of the film is set around war or violence. It’s a road trip film based around the backdrop of soldiers and warfare, and it’s really good. Possessing an amazing cast with Steve Carrell, Bryan Cranston, and Laurence Fishburne– the movie is about three men on a journey to bury one of their son’s who was killed in Iraq. Throughout the story, we see the men cope with their own experiences in battle while grieving the loss of another soldier. It’s also directed by the amazing Richard Linklater of Dazed and Confused. Last Flag Flying is available on Prime Video.

#5 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

I have yet to see 13 Hours but I have heard great things. The film is based around the controversial incident back in 2012 where several soldiers found themselves under attack in Benghazi, Libya. How accurate the movie is to the real-life events of Benghazi I’m sure is up for debate. From everything written about the film though it seems Michael Bay did a decent job trying to depict the tragedy of Benghazi. The film is also the first time audiences got to see John Krasinski take a dramatic turn, which eventually led to his directorial debut with A Quiet Place–which is also produced by Michael Bay. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is available on Paramount+.

What are some of your favorite military and war movies? Do you plan on watching anything during memorial day weekend? Tell us in the comments below!