World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, killing an estimated 60 million people worldwide. Each one of those people, as well as the ones who survived, all had their own stories to tell; a handful of those get turned into movies. Indeed, there is an endless amount of movies about the Second World War, and this is because the war itself is wrought with heroism.
Studio Ghibli movies are ordinarily whimsical and full of adventure, yet this movie has nothing of the sort. In fact, it's one of the most depressing movies ever made, and being animated makes no difference at all. The visuals pull no punches and portray the horrors of war with morbid detail. That said, it's also excellent and was praised by critics, who consider it a powerful anti-war statement from one of cinema's most evocative studios.
This remarkable story makes for quite a good movie, actually. What's really impressive is the dialogue in the courtroom scene towards the end is word-for-word identical to what the actual court transcript says. Sophie Scholl - The Final Days is not only a magnificent tale of fighting back against all odds but a historically accurate movie, too.
6 'The King's Choice' Director: Erik Poppe The King's Choice is a Norwegian film reminiscent of The King's Speech , which stars Colin Firth as King George VI as he prepares to deliver a speech to the British populace officially declaring war on Germany. Whereas the latter is about a British king, the former is about the Norwegian king, Haakon VII, played by Jesper Christensen. This movie was so good that it made the shortlist for the Oscars for the Best Foreign Language Film.
Striking and powerful, Ivan's Childhood is a sweeping drama that shows a boy who desperately clings to his childhood, even as the war forces him to grow up. It is a message that in such a harrowing crisis, there is a place for everyone to help out if they want to. The film portrays the battle of youth and adulthood as they both seek to overtake each other, which is an excellent dynamic to watch unfold.