[The Beta Max]

I was born in 1980 and I don't think there is more important film in terms of relevance to US kids growing up than SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998). Here is the trailer for its release in 1999 and I can't think of a more signifant film in my lifetime. Can you?

Saving Private Ryan

[Gattsu25]

Fight Club changed my worldview

[jett]

Band Of Brothers made SPR irrelevant.

[CygnusXS]

I was expecting the OP to have more than 3 sentences. Could you elaborate a little?

[brianmcdoogle]

Important how? Important to your life specifically? Important to film? Important because of its "heavy" themes of war and "sacrifice"?

[3N16MA]

The most important film is the first porn I ever watched. Think about it.

[The Beta Max]

I was expecting the OP to have more than 3 sentences. Could you elaborate a little?

In terms of my personal viewpoint of history on the US, World War II the most relevant event that has occurred. Saving Private Ryan is the most relevant film in regards to that event that has come out.

[IceCold]

What are the odds... my bro was watching this movie today.

dat coincidence.

[ShaneB]

Band Of Brothers made SPR irrelevant.

Agreed.

[Anth0ny]

Star Wars

[SalsaShark]

In terms of my personal viewpoint of history on the US, World War II the most relevant event that has occurred. Saving Private Ryan is the most relevant film in regards to that event that has come out.

so nothing like what you said in the title :/ you generalized it as the most important film for kids of your generation growing up

the fucking empire strikes back came out in 1980 man

[Soyongdori]

The Lord of the Rings

[lastplayed]

The fake Tiger tank ruined it for me.

Still a great film.

[alphaNoid]

How?

[hey_it's_that_dog]

Band Of Brothers made SPR irrelevant.

I agree. I watched SPR again after Band of Brothers and boy was it boring in the middle. The action setpieces were still incredible, obviously, but the character building scenes were not on par with BoB at all.

I think the marked improvement of serialized TV dramas over the last decade or so has had a real impact on the way I view character-building in movies.

[Arment]

Born in 1987.

Star Wars was what got me into loving sci-fi and fantasy so probably that.

The Shawshank Redemption would be a runner up.

[BobLoblaw]

Band Of Brothers made SPR irrelevant.

This, but thanks for playing.

[jtb]

Saving Private Ryan is overrated. The beach landing scene is great, everything else is pretty meh. Good, not great and nowhere near the most important film in your (or my) lifetime.

Hell, you want to go important, Spielberg, and WW2? Schindler's List would be a much better choice.

[LordCanti]

Earn your premise OP....earn it.

Schindler's List was more important.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

What? I'm three years older than you and I hardly think about it. Highly influential visually, sure.

We weren't even kids when it came out!

[Lionel Mandrake]

[brianmcdoogle]

Can you elaborate more? Why Saving Private Ryan over other war movies like Thin Red Line, The Big Red One, or Flags of our Fathers that deal with American troops? And, why not other movies that deal with WWII that don't deal with Americans? Stuff like Schindler's List, Shoah, Downfall, Come and See, or Das Boot?

[SalsaShark]

the only thing that stayed with me from private ryan really is the infamous stabbing scene. I really think it's one of the best scenes Spielberg's ever done,

[RustyNails]

Dat opening scene.

I remember there was a frenzy in FPS games around that time and everyone wanted to replicate the Normandy beach landing. One game did it really good though, forgot it's name.

[Man]

Lord of the Rings
It's astounding how much this trilogy did right and how many new benchmarks were set.

[Smellycat]

OMG YES!!!! SAVING PRIVATE RYAN IS AMAZING!!

But the sequels SHAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and SAVING RYAN'S PRIVATES are even better!!!!!1111!!!1w12!!!


Seriously though, Lord of the Rings trilogy is more important.

[Jimothy]

Das Boot is probably the most signifiant WWII movie, imo. It was one of the first, if not the first, movie about WWII to show German soldiers in a positive light.

In terms of movies in my lifetime, LOTR definitely. I don't think a single movie going experience has topped them yet.

[Scullibundo]

The Snowman cometh.

Schindler's List is the most important imo. Without SPR there wouldn't be any BoB.

[speculawyer]

The Normandy invasion was fucking amazing. And the climactic town fight was also amazing.

But I wouldn't call it 'important' since it didn't really disclose much history. (Which is perfectly fine . . . it was a slice of life film not a historical film.)

[The Beta Max]

As much as I loved Saving Private Ryan (and I still do) watching

TREMORS 2

was a real life-changing experience. That was the film that convinced me that ANYTHING could happen in sequels. And despite the game-changing events that occurred, I love Tremors 2. Despite this post please do not assume that

Saving Private Ryan = Tremors 2

Thank you.

[Beardz]

Fight Club changed my worldview

You and me... you and me.

[SalsaShark]

people saying LOTR are making me feel old and im fucking 23

[speculawyer]

Dat opening scene. I remember there was a frenzy in FPS games around that time and everyone wanted to replicate the Normandy beach landing. One game did it really good though, forgot it's name.

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. Grand-daddy of the EA MoH series. And yes, the game did a very good job of it.

[vaelic]

great movie

[RobotChant]

Pretty sure Titanic was bigger than SPR in your lifetime. Whether you like it or not is another story.

[hey_it's_that_dog]

Pretty sure Titanic was bigger than SPR in your lifetime. Whether you like it or not is another story.

He didn't say big he said important. WW2 was more important than a giant ship sinking by acccident.

[stormer]

great movie, but most important in a lifetime? why make a statement like that

[Jtwo]

Uhhm that's not jurassic park..

[The Beta Max]

great movie, but most important in a lifetime? why make a statement like that

Because I cannot think of a more important film (in terms of historical relevance) that I have seen since being born in 1980

[Joe Shlabotnik]

He didn't say big he said important. WW2 was more important than a giant ship sinking by acccident.

But it's not an actual war, it's a movie about one. War movies aren't automatically more important than every other kind of movie.

[Inferno313]

But it's not even the best WWII movie that year.

[Revenant]

Certainly a great movie. Looks great over a decade later.

[CFK]

You just game me a huge flashback. Thank you very much :)

I remember how much I loved this and the original. I used to watch them a lot.

[i-Lo]

Movies that changed my views on the world and possibilities of imagination while growing up:

• The Matrix
• Jumanji
• Schindler's List
• Saving Private Ryan
• Ghost in the Shell
• Free Willy
• Grave of the Fireflies
• Jurassic Park

[ToxicAdam]

I have a lot of trouble watching Spielburg now. The schmaltz factor in most of his movies is a distraction.

[Aurongel]

Schindler's List was more important for its time in my opinion. SPR is still one of the greatest WWII films of all time though.

[GunslingerVit]

Band Of Brothers made SPR irrelevant.

This. It not only made SPR irrelevant, but some aspect of it ridiculous.

[Pecan1]

Was this the first film on the subject you've watched? Did you have any US history lessons in school? You need to watch Band of Brothers or if your honestly interested read a book.

What did watching this film do for you? How has watching this film changed your world view? What lessons do you believe it is important for people to take away after viewing this film ( Saving Private Ryan)?

[CFK]

If I gave it some thought I'd say A Clockwork Orange is the most important film in my life, or at least one the most important ones. Many films have hit me hard and profoundly affected me. A Clockwork Orange opened my eyes to completely different types of films. I first watched it when I was 14 I think. Could never forget it. Schindler's list is another incredibly important film in my life.

[Lionel Mandrake]

As much as I loved Saving Private Ryan (and I still do) watching TREMORS 2 was a real life-changing experience. That was the film that convinced me that ANYTHING could happen in sequels. And despite the game-changing events that occurred, I love Tremors 2. Despite this post please do not assume that Saving Private Ryan = Tremors 2 Thank you.

I don't know. I mean, I admire Saving Private Ryan. I really do. But we're talking about Tremors 2. 2. Aftershocks. I recently sat down and started to watch some films that are typically considered among the best. You know, Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Tremors 2, The Shawshank Redemption... And while they're all GREAT movies, and important ones, I don't think any of them really stack up to Tremors 2.

I mean, I appreciate what Wells did with Citizen Kane, and I'm very aware that without it there would probably be no Tremors 2. However, there's really not a single element in that movie that Tremors 2 didn't touch on and improve. I hate to say it, but in a lot of ways, Tremors 2 made Citizen Kane irrelevant. Like it was the beta version of Tremors 2. It's difficult to even compare the two, despite the fact that they touch on a lot of similar themes. (I've heard that Earl's story arc in the movie was largely inspired by Charles Foster Kane's and it's definitely a possibility)

Again, Saving Private Ryan is a great movie. But the most important of our generation? Not even close. Ever since Tremors 2 was released, the world hasn't been the same. I'm not sure if I can say that about SPR.