Could the movie you’re thinking of be 'Sahara' with Humphrey Bogart? I know it’s older and may not have the groundbreaking cinematography you're describing, but it features a tank and has some strong camaraderie scenes. Plus, it's such a classic!

lol it's obviously Star Wars, duh. Space tanks and intergalactic soldiers ftw.

Sounds like you're describing 'A Bridge Too Far'. It has an ensemble cast and some well-executed battle scenes with tanks. The score is composed by John Addison, who utilized strings quite heavily. It's World War II, strategic, and has very distinct cinematography.

The details provided lead me to suspect the film in question could likely be 'The Battle of the Bulge'. It is indeed a World War II movie renowned for its use of Panavision widescreen to capture the scope of the tank battles. However, this movie was criticised for historical inaccuracies, so if you are a stickler for details, be warned. The music, if I recall correctly, had some intense violin sections that provide a dramatic backdrop to the carnage of the battlefield scenes.

Your mention of dramatic violin music piqued my interest. Not sure if this is the one, but 'Platoon' (though not a WWII movie) has a very famous score that fits your dramatic violin description with 'Adagio for Strings' by Samuel Barber. It's Vietnam War but still, might be worth looking into.

i dunno much about old war movies but my grandpa always talks about something called 'Kelly's Heroes'? maybe check that out? could be wrong tho

That description rings a bell. You might be thinking of 'Patton', which is known for its large-scale battle scenes and has a very memorable score. The movie won several Academy Awards and the tank battles were some of the most realistic for its time.

Hmm this is tricky without more specifics, but it kinda sounds like 'The Battle of the Bulge' - the cinematography in that was impressive for the era. Hope that helps!