Movie #17: Platoon

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Platoon


Date Watched: 08/3/24

Format: Streaming on TV via Prime Video

Still the best Vietnam film to this day

Directing (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐):

Stone can go in either direction for me.  Platoon still is the benchmark I measure him by.  The film is beautiful, and I can't find one flaw in his work.

Writing (⭐⭐⭐):

This is where he was just ok.  The writing worked for the movie but it was nothing special.  I still don't like voiceovers.

Acting (⭐⭐⭐⭐):

It was all Berenger and Dafoe.  They led the way.

Wildcard (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐):

That cast.  Are you kidding me!  Except for Saving Private Ryan and Tarantino films, this is still one of the deepest and best casts in film history.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda:

Platoon wins it, no question.  It was still a good year for Oscar worthy films and others (Aliens and Top Gun) but Platoon was the right choice.

Ranking:

1) Forrest Gump (Movie #5) 20⭐

2) Platoon (Movie #17) 17⭐

3) Gladiator (Movie #11) 17⭐

4) Gone with the Wind (Movie #1) 17⭐

5) On the Waterfront (Movie #3) 16⭐

6) Rocky (Movie #14) 15⭐

7) The French Connection (Movie #15) 14⭐

8) Moonlight (Movie #9) 14⭐

9) Amadeus (Movie #4) 13⭐

10) Shakespeare in Love (Movie #2) 13⭐

11) Rain Man (Movie #7) 12⭐

12) The Bridge on the River Kwai (Movie #12) 12⭐

13) The Apartment (Movie #10) 11⭐

14) The Last Emperor (Movie #13) 11⭐

15) Wings (Movie #6) 10⭐

16) Midnight Cowboy (Movie #8) 9⭐

17) Hamlet (Movie #16) 8⭐

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