WWI- part 2
As promised, here are my top five films about World War I.
5. Grand Illusion (1937 French) was directed by the exalted Jean Renoir, stars Jean Gabin and Erich von Stroheim, and is the first of the great prison camp movies. The contrast between the cultured German commandant and the horrors of the war are deliberate and effective. Should run 117 minutes; beware hacked-up versions.
4. Paths of Glory (1957) is a Stanley Kubrick masterpiece as modern as today's sound bytes. A French general orders his troops on a futile, suicidal (and stupid) mission. They do their best, but fail. To avoid bringing blame for the debacle on himself, he picks three of the survivors to charge with cowardice. A withering indictment of war, featuring Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker and Adolph Menjou. Menjou makes a splendidly slimy bad guy. 
3. Gallipoli (1981) is Australian Peter Weir's memorial to the war from Down Under. Mel Gibson is one of the featured actors (this was before he came to America and became rich, famous and controversial). The youthful exuberance of the lads on their way to the front plays nicely against what we know waits for them there. For three-fourths of the film the war seems like a great adventure, a lark. We, and they, are jerked up short by the last reel. This is a splendid film.
2. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) is admittedly about a strange little offshoot of the Big War. But it is that rarest of animals, a spectacular entertainment with intelligence.  Peter O'Toole (in his debut) shines as the English junior officer who led the Arabs into battle. It has gorgeous location cinematography and it never drags despite its nearly four hour length. The film won a fist full of Oscars, including Best Picture. Watch out for hatcheted versions; running time should be at least 222 minutes.
1. When all is seen and done, nothing quite comes up to the understated epic, All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). Told from the German side, which somehow enhances its universal appeal, this is the film that just seems to look and feel like World War I should. It is based on Eric Maria Remarque's wonderful novel, and stars the underrated Lew Ayers. It should run at least 130 minutes. The 1979 made-for-TV remake with Richard Thomas is not bad, but it is a 7 and the older version is a 10.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are for mature 10-year-olds and up; not for little kids.