22. "Cross of Iron" (1977)
World War II Movie Night gets edgy with the 1977 Sam Peckipah feature "Cross of Iron." Reviled upon its release, COI has grown in esteem the last few decades, helped along by famous fans such as Quentin Tarantino. Violence and betrayal reign as the German army retreats from the Russians, and everyman Steiner has to contend with Machiavellian climber Stransky. A different kind of movie than we're used to, does "Cross of Iron"'s emphasis on the mental and physical toll of war--and its anti-patriotism--make it the post-Vietnam World War II movie?... Asides include a Charlie Brown movie and the psychedelic aesthetic of the '70s.