The Best Historical Movies To Broaden Your Perspective
The Best Historical Movies To Broaden Your Perspective Recently, I wrote about historical fiction books, and the response was overwhelming. So, I thought, why not
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It is quite interesting and also strange that whenever we watch war movies, we are usually in awe of the grand scale of the battle scenes, the intense action sequences, and the brilliant direction. Only when such war movies end do we realise they are more than that.
After all, the best war movies based on true events show us the realities of conflict, heroism, brutalism, and human resilience. These films bring history to life, and we experience pivotal moments that shaped our world through the eyes of those who lived them.
From epic battles to personal struggles, the best war movies capture the complexities of warfare and its impact on individuals and societies. They often highlight the courage, sacrifice, and moral dilemmas soldiers and civilians face during times of great upheaval.
So, I will discuss the critically acclaimed war movies based on true events. Each of these movies offers a unique perspective as it covers different wars throughout history.
Life is Beautiful is an Italian comedy-drama film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni. This heartwarming story is widely regarded as one of the best war movies ever made. It perfectly blends humour and tragedy in a unique portrayal of the Holocaust.
Guido Orefice is a Jewish Italian man who uses his imagination and wit to protect his young son from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. Initially, everything is quite normal as Guido is quite happy with his wife, Dora, in pre-war Italy. However, when the war breaks out, things change abruptly, as the family is deported to a concentration camp.
As Guido is a witty father, so he uses his charms to convince his son that their imprisonment is actually a game, with the grand prize being a real tank. Through this pretence, he shields his son from the grim reality and brutality of the concentration camp. The unique and yet tragic storytelling sets this movie apart from other best WW2 films.
Life is Beautiful stands out among the best movies about WW2 for its ability to find light in the darkest circumstances. The film is a powerful message about the strength of the human spirit when there’s so much darkness. When released in 1997, it was a commercial and critical success. It won three Academy Awards, among other prestigious awards.
The Lives of Others is a German drama directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, also famous for Never Look Away. This film is set under the oppressive regime of Stasi in East Germany during the 1980s. It is often considered one of the best Cold War movies, pitting it against another Cold War spy movie, The Good Shepherd.
Gerd Wiesler is a dedicated Stasi agent assigned to surveil Georg Dreyman. Georg is a playwright suspected of harbouring anti-communist sentiments. As Wiesler constantly surveils Dreyman’s life, he becomes fascinated by the artist’s world and begins questioning the system he serves.
Eventually, he becomes interested in Dreyman’s love life and his actress girlfriend, Christa-Maria Sieland. When Dreyman publishes an article criticizing the government, Wiesler secretly protects him. But the affair ends tragically with the death of Dreyman’s girlfriend, Christa-Maria.
It is one of the best Cold War movies on the moral awakening and internal conflict in a society living in fear and mistrust. The Lives of Others received widespread critical acclaim and won numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2007.
Apocalypse Now is one of the great works of Francis Ford Coppola, who’s also known for The Godfather trilogy, Lost in Translation and many other classics. Apocalypse Now is a haunting exploration of the Vietnam War. It is rightly considered one of the best war movies, pushing the boundaries of psychological depth and visual grandeur.
The film follows U.S. Army Captain Willard on a secret mission to assassinate Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, a Special Forces officer who has gone insane. Willard’s journey up the Nung River descends into darkness when he sees the madness everywhere.
As Willard and his crew encounter consistent violent situations, the line between sanity and insanity blurs. The situation worsens when they confront Kurtz, who has established himself as a god-like figure among a local tribe. This final confrontation explores the corrupting influence of power and human nature, making this film the best war movie of all time.
It’s interesting to mention here that you should take this movie as an American movie, not a Vietnam War movie. Why? Well, I argue here in the introduction of the best Vietnamese films.
Ip Man is a Hong Kong biographical martial arts film directed by Wilson Yip. The movie is about the impact of the Second Sino-Japanese War on individuals and communities in China.
The film follows the life of Ip Man, a Wing Chun grandmaster, during the Japanese occupation of Foshan in 1937. Initially, Ip Man lives a comfortable life, practising martial arts. However, the Japanese invasion disrupts his peaceful existence, forcing him to work in a coal mine to support his family.
As tensions escalate, Ip Man stands up against the brutal Japanese occupiers, using his martial arts skills to defend his fellow Chinese citizens. He faces off against Japanese military officers in intense fights, becoming a symbol of Chinese resistance and pride.
Unlike the best revolutionary war movies that often focus on large-scale conflicts, Ip Man explores individuals’ heroism during wartime. If you like martial arts cinema that blends historical war and drama, you can watch this one of the best war movies on Amazon Prime.
The Act of Killing is a groundbreaking documentary film that explores the aftermath of the Indonesian mass killings in 1965-66. It brings a disturbing perspective on the effects of mass violence, earning its place among the best war movies for its examination of historical atrocities.
The film focuses on Anwar Congo and other former members of Indonesian death squads who were responsible for killing thousands of alleged communists. The director, Joshua Oppenheimer, invites these men to tell about murders in the style of their favourite film genres, including westerns, gangster films, and musicals.
As the murderers gleefully recreate their crimes, the line between past and present blurs, revealing the psychological impact of their actions. The film becomes unsettling when Congo and his associates confront the reality of their deeds, which leads them to self-reflection and remorse.
The same director produced another movie about the genocide called The Look of Silence which I featured in the best historical movies.
Taegukgi is a South Korean war film directed by Kang Je-gyu. It is widely regarded as one of the best war movies to come out of Korean cinema. The movie is a powerful and emotional portrayal of the Korean War through the lens of two brothers.
Jin-Tae and Jin-Seok are two brothers who are forcibly drafted into the South Korean army when the Korean War broke out in 1950. Jin-Tae, the older brother, deals with his superiors: if he can earn the highest military commendation, his younger brother will be sent home. This means Jin-take will have to show extraordinary heroism.
Jin-tae’s actions become brutal as the war progresses, and his personality changes dramatically. Eventually, he becomes disillusioned with his brother’s transformation and the horrors of war. The brothers find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict, leading to a heart-wrenching climax.
Taegukgi was a massive commercial and critical success in South Korea and across the globe. You can also check my other favourite Korean films in South Korean movies.
A Very Long Engagement is a French romantic war drama directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Jean-Pierre Jeunet is a legendary filmmaker whose movie Amélie I recently covered in the best French movies.
This movie is a bit of a departure from the violence of war in our list, as it blends romance, mystery, and, of course, the horrors of trench warfare. Mathilde is a young woman who’s looking for her fiancé, Manech, who is reportedly killed during World War I.
However, she refuses to believe that he is dead and tries to find out about his fate. Her investigation leads her to discover that Manech was one of five soldiers condemned to death for self-mutilation to escape military service.
As Mathilde digs deeper, she uncovers lies and wartime atrocities. The narrative shifts between Mathilde’s present-day search and flashbacks to the war. This dual timeline approach sets it apart from many of the best World War 1 movies, giving a historical and contemporary perspective.
It’s interesting to note that many recent movies cover World War I. For example, you can stream 1917 and All Quiet on the Western Front on Netflix. I recently also covered The English Patient, in best historical fiction books; a similar tragic love story during WWII. You can also stream The English Patient on Netflix.
Downfall is a gripping German historical drama that shows the final days of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime. It is one of the best war movies that provides a harrowing and intimate portrayal of the collapse of the Third Reich from within Hitler’s bunker.
The film is about Traudl Junge, Hitler’s young secretary, as she witnesses the Führer’s mental health during the last ten days of his life. As Soviet forces close on Berlin, Hitler refuses to accept defeat. His delusional hopes of victory and irrational orders to his few remaining loyal followers make things even worse.
As chaos engulfs the bunker and the city above, the desperation and madness of Hitler and his inner circle takes a toll. It depicts their final actions, including Hitler’s marriage to Eva Braun, his suicide, and the attempts of various Nazi officials to escape. The movie is considered one of the best WW2 films for providing a chilling look at the human face of evil.
It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and won many others, making it one of the best movies about WW2. Interestingly, one scene from the movie became a popular internet meme.
The Warlords is a Chinese historical war film directed by Peter Chan. It is a compelling portrayal of conflict, brotherhood, and betrayal set against the backdrop of the Taiping Rebellion in 19th-century China.
The film follows General Pang Qingyun, who survives a massacre of his troops and joins forces with two bandits, Zhao Erhu and Jiang Wuyang. The three men swear a blood oath of brotherhood and loyalty to fight for the people against injustice.
As they rise through the ranks of the Qing army, their bond is tested by political intrigue, conflicting loyalties, and romantic entanglements. Pang’s ruthlessness alienates his sworn brothers, leading to a tragic confrontation.
Although many cinema buffs know little about this movie, it was a commercial success in Asia. The film’s blend of epic battle scenes amid unsettled moral dilemmas makes this one of the best war movies. If you want to explore China’s history, read my post on Chinese books.
Enemy at the Gates is a gripping war film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. It is set during the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II. Unlike the above-mentioned best war movies, this movie’s setting is not grand. Instead, it portrays the conflict by focusing on the psychological duel between two snipers.
Vassili Zaitsev is a skilled Russian sniper who became a propaganda hero for the Soviet forces during the siege of Stalingrad. As Vassili’s reputation grew, the German high command dispatched their expert sniper, Major König, to eliminate him. This set the stage for a tense duel between the two marksmen.
Amidst the destruction of the battle, the film unravels propaganda, loyalty, and the human cost of war. An equally interesting situation that happens in the movie is a love triangle. It develops between Vassili, his friend Danilov, and a local woman named Tania, adding personal stakes to the larger conflict.
The best war movies discussed above give a unique perspective on historical events. Although some movies are not grand, they focus on a few characters instead. Yet, these films, especially the best movies about WW2, spark interest in historical periods and encourage further exploration of actual events.
Watching war movies is an engaging way to learn about the lasting impacts of war on individuals and societies. However, it’s important to approach these films critically and supplement them with factual historical resources for better understanding.
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