Skip to main content

12 powerful World War II movies that leave a lasting impact

The most devastating conflict in human history has made for some truly compelling cinema

Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan
Museum of Cinema / Flickr

There’s no way around it: World War II is still the most relevant conflict in modern history. With so much death and destruction, it took decades for some countries to recover from the bloodshed; some countries are still affected by the aftermath almost a century afterward.

Because of the layered, multifaceted extent of the war, filmmakers have been able to dissect and analyze various stories, people, and places that shaped the war period. One of the lastest Christopher Nolan movies, Oppenheimer, covers the process of how the atomic bomb was created — the weapon that essentially ended the war. To get ready, we’re here to give you our top picks for the best World War II movies.

Recommended Videos

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan
169m
Genre
Drama, History, War
Stars
Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns
Directed by
Steven Spielberg
Watch on Paramount+
This Steven Spielberg-directed film contains some of the most famous portrayals of violence during wartime in the history of film. The opening sequence in which we see graphic depictions of the D-Day landings on Omaha Beach in France remains an iconic and perfectly vivid representation of the horrific experiences soldiers had to live through to obtain victory during World War II. Tom Hanks gives a chilling performance as Captain John Miller.

The Pianist (2002)

The Pianist
150m
Genre
Drama, War
Stars
Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay
Directed by
Roman Polanski
Watch on Amazon
Sometimes we get so caught up in the violence and the toll of the battlefield that we forget the very human and emotional traumas that affect people who never step one foot into the military world. World War II was the type of conflict that defined these struggles for civilians. The Pianist captures one man’s immensely depraved situation in Warsaw, Poland, after the Nazi regime takes over the country. Adrien Brody delivers his best-ever performance, one that earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor. The main character’s propensity for playing the piano helps us see the beauty and perseverance in even the darkest of times in our world’s history.

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

The Bridge on the River Kwai
161m
Genre
Drama, History, War
Stars
William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins
Directed by
David Lean
Watch on Amazon
The Bridge on the River Kwai was considered one of the most vast and ambitious films from the 1950s; it still holds up on re-watch today for its dedication to telling a story of usually forgotten circumstances. Japan forced British prisoners of war to build a passageway across the aforementioned river during World War II. It was one of the horrific black marks on the country of Japan during this time period, and the movie helps to focus on the human aspects of the tragedy, painting a clearer picture of the people involved.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Inglourious Basterds
153m
Genre
Drama, Thriller, War
Stars
Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz
Directed by
Quentin Tarantino
Watch on Amazon
War isn’t supposed to be funny, but Quentin Tarantino can to juggle the sincerity of the time period with his signature blend of outlandish, violent humor in this Academy Award darling from the late 2000s. The story follows vengeful Jewish soldiers who use chaotic and dark means to fight back against the Nazi regime during World War II. Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz are the standout performers here.

Schindler's List (1993)

Schindler's List
195m
Genre
Drama, History, War
Stars
Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes
Directed by
Steven Spielberg
Watch on Apple TV+
There isn’t much more that can be said about Steven Spielberg’s historical drama Schindler’s List. This biographical story shows how Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist, came to save the lives of an immense number of Jewish civilians who would have otherwise died in the Holocaust. Schindler used his power as an employer to keep Jewish people working under his watch in factories, and in return, those Jewish people helped support him later in life. The film is famous for its incredible cinematography and dedication to a melancholy aesthetic.

Dunkirk (2017)

Dunkirk
107m
Genre
War, Action, Drama
Stars
Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance
Directed by
Christopher Nolan
Watch on Amazon
For film nerds, there isn’t a better spectacle than Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk. The highest-grossing World War II film at the box office, this movie is chock-full of exciting yet realistic scenes that bring to light the magnitude of the conflict. The best parts of the story are those that show the most human elements of being in the military, giving credit to selfless acts of sacrifice in the name of others.

Casablanca (1942)

Casablanca
102m
Genre
Drama, Romance
Stars
Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
Directed by
Michael Curtiz
Watch on max
A true classic of Hollywood cinema and also the only film on this list that was made in the midst of the war itself, Casablanca is a romance movie at heart. The protagonist must battle his own personal convictions, sacrificing either his love for a woman or his loyalty to ending the German’s war efforts. The tone is surprisingly uplifting for a film that was closer to the happenings of real life than any other we’ve talked about here.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Grave of the Fireflies
89m
Genre
Animation, Drama, War
Stars
Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Yoshiko Shinohara
Directed by
Isao Takahata
Watch on Netflix
Americans often forget about the tragic and catastrophic consequences inflicted on Japan during World War II, especially the atomic bombings that ended the conflict in the Pacific and the war as a whole. This beautiful anime film remains the gravest reminder of the ways Japanese civilian life was changed forever in the 1940s, as it follows two young children in their quest for survival during wartime. The movie helped demonstrate the merit of Japanese anime in the United States and worldwide.

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

Life Is Beautiful
116m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini
Directed by
Roberto Benigni
Watch on Amazon
If you get over the subtitles in Life is Beautiful, your eyes will be opened to the power of parental creativity and selflessness. The movie follows a dad who has no other way to shield his child from the horrors of the Holocaust than to pretend the whole thing is one big farce. Not everyone will enjoy this comedic decision from the film, but it shows the lengths humans will go to to overcome adversity of the most despicable kind.

Sands of Iwo Jima (1950)

Sands of Iwo Jima
100m
Genre
War, Action, Drama, History
Stars
John Wayne, John Agar, Adele Mara
Directed by
Allan Dwan
Watch on Amazon
One of the most recognizable John Wayne films of the era, Sands of Iwo Jima is a story about hard-ass sergeant John Stryker and the relationships he built with his soldiers during the war that ended with the Allied victory in the Pacific. This movie is the second-oldest on the list behind Casablanca, and as such, it also helped show people what life was like in the midst of the battles during while memories of the war were still fresh.

The Thin Red Line (1998)

The Thin Red Line
171m
Genre
Drama, History, War
Stars
Jim Caviezel, Ben Chaplin, Dash Mihok
Directed by
Terrence Malick
Watch on Amazon
Set in the Pacific theater, The Thin Red Line tells the story of a soldier who leaves his unit behind, only to be forced back into fighting. As he and his regiment prepare to invade a Japanese position, the movie becomes rather discursive as it explores its various characters and how they feel about the war they are waging, and about the notion of war in general. Terence Malick’s movies are always unlike any other movie you’ve ever seen, and that’s never been more true than it is here. This is a movie about war that seems fascinated by the minutia of it, and it’s a gripping movie in spite of its long runtime.
The Thin Red Line | #TBT Trailer | 20th Century FOX

Darkest Hour (2017)

Darkest Hour
125m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn
Directed by
Joe Wright
Watch on Netflix
A political thriller set against the darkest days of the war, Darkest Hour follows Winston Churchill’s rise to political prominence as the only man who seems capable of guiding Britain through the siege it’s undergoing against Germany. Featuring a ferocious performance from Gary Oldman, the movie is a tribute to an angry, curmudgeonly, brilliant man who may have single-handedly saved the United Kingdom from total German dominance. It’s a bit of a hagiography, but one that will undeniably leave you inspired and filled with patriotic verve.
Darkest Hour - Official International Trailer (Universal Pictures) HD
Movie images and data from:
Shawn Laib
Shawn Laib is a freelance writer with publications such as Den of Geek, Quote.com, Edge Media Network, diaTribe, SUPERJUMP…
The best Netflix movies: Top picks for February
Pick from this definitive list that covers all genres of movies to stream on Netflix
Netflix logo on TV with red backlighting

Although it's now only one big player in an even bigger streaming market, Netflix still manages to crank out plenty of stuff to keep its users subscribing. That glut of good movies on Netflix is great if all you want is to never get bored, but it can make it difficult to figure out which things are actually worth your time and which aren't. If that's your goal, we've got you covered. This list is a combination of great Netflix original movies and good movies to watch that Netflix is currently housing on its service, and it even includes a few great Netflix action movies. What unites these movies, though, is that they are the very best Netflix movies currently available.
Netflix is, for many people, including myself, the first place you go when you're looking for great stuff to watch. And if I'm being honest, there's tons of crap to wade through. Thankfully, this list will help you find the best stuff right away.
If you're looking for films to watch on some of Netflix's competitors, we've also found the best Amazon Prime movies, the best Hulu movies, and the best Disney+ movies. You can also check out some new Netflix movies at the bottom of this post.

Blackhat (2015)

Read more
Top picks for February: The best movies on Paramount+
Though a newer entry to the streaming world, Paramount+ has some good picks
Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick

Paramount Plus is one of the newer arrivals on the streaming scene, and while its roster is rolling out plenty of exciting streaming original and acquired shows, there are plenty of movies on Paramount Plus that are worth exploring. From the classic to the current and from the vintage to the very new, Paramount+ offers an excellent movie lineup that rivals any other streaming service, even Netflix.
That might seem hard to believe, but between its library of classic titles and the fact that Paramount still puts new movies out every year, there are few services that offer you more bang for your buck. Personally, I could spend all day perusing the streaming service without running out of interesting things to watch.

Interstellar (2014)

Read more
Discover the best Disney+ movies to watch this February
If you're a Disney+ member, stream these movies this month
Princess Bride

Disney is arguably the most iconic entertainment brand in the world. The company's properties, both original and acquired, combine to produce content that transcends age demographics. Disney has built a brand that's beloved by children, and those children eventually age into adults who introduce their kids to the films they loved when they were young. Disney's animation alone has made it iconic, but in recent years, the company has also acquired some of the biggest pieces of intellectual property there are. And with Disney Plus available on any device, you can watch all these movies whenever you want.

Between its acquisitions of both Marvel and Star Wars, there's a good chance that Disney is shepherding whatever you love to screens, both large and small. When it launched Disney+, the company was sure to fill it with both those nostalgic animated classics and plenty of new stuff as well. If, like me, you've ever felt a twinge of nostalgia for the Disney movies you loved as a kid, they're all there. Just as importantly, though, you can find movies that will resonate with you today in ways they didn't as a kid. Whatever you're looking for, you can probably find it on Disney+.

Read more