1977’s Star Wars (which later became known as __Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope__) is listed at No. 15 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years… 100 Movies list, which tabulates the best films of all time. When the list was revised in 2008 for its 10th anniversary, the movie landed even higher, at No. 13.

However, none of the movie’s many sequels or spinoffs landed on either version of…

I grew up thinking war movies were all these rah-rah escapades that glorified clean uniforms, flag-waving heroes, and clear-cut victories. And then I saw Oliver Stone's _Platoon_.

That movie shook me to my core and showed me a war that had no heroes and a loss of life that felt like there could never be another victory.

Platoon was released in 1986 and wasn't just another action flick.…