WW2 - best movies and series of all time
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All time best World War 1 (WW1) movies and mini-series
Movies and mini-series about Germany during the Cold War
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All time best World War 1 (WW1) movies and mini-series
Movies and mini-series about Germany during the Cold War
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- DirectorMarc RothemundStarsJulia JentschFabian HinrichsAlexander HeldA dramatization of the final days of Sophie Scholl, one of the most famous members of the German World War II anti-Nazi resistance movement, The White Rose.Rating: 9/10
- DirectorMar TargaronaStarsMario CasasRichard van WeydenAlain HernándezBased on real events, Francesc Boix is a Spaniard inmate in the Nazi concentration camp of Mauthausen in Austria who tries to save the evidences of the horrors committed inside its walls.Rating: 9/10
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I personally think this movie is a gem that has received less credit than it deserves.
This movie not only shows the true story of a spanish camp prisoner, but also shows you the cruelty of the Mauthausen concentration camp. It will show you why so many people died in the mine - excavation pit - with amongst others the 'stairs of death'. - DirectorOliver HirschbiegelStarsBruno GanzAlexandra Maria LaraUlrich MatthesTraudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.Rating: 10/10
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An absolute must-see if you want to watch any movie about WW2. Based on the true events during the last days of WW2.
The actor portraying Adolf Hitler - Bruno Ganz - does such an awesome job that it even causes some scenes to have gained a mime status: i.e. that they are used as basis for many parodies on YouTube. - DirectorRobert SchwentkeStarsMax HubacherAlexander FehlingSebastian RudolphIn the last moments of World War II, a young German soldier fighting for survival finds a Nazi captain's uniform. Impersonating an officer, the man quickly takes on the monstrous identity of the perpetrators he's escaping from.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen KingsleyIn German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.Rating: 9/10
- DirectorErik SkjoldbjærgStarsKristine HartgenCarl Martin EggesbøChristoph Gelfert MathiesenApril 1940. The eyes of the world are on Narvik, a small town in northern Norway, source of the iron ore needed for Hitler's war machinery. Through two months of fierce winter warfare, Hitler is dealt his first defeat.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorMatti GeschonneckStarsPhilipp HochmairJohannes AllmayerMaximilian BrücknerOn January 20, 1942, leading representatives of the German Nazi regime met in a villa in Berlin-Wannsee for a meeting that went down in history as the Wannsee Conference, at which the systematic murder of 11 million Jews was decided.Rating: 8/10
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From the same makers as "Der Untergang" (aka "Downfall") - in which you can see Hitler's final days in his bunker - the movie "Die Wannseekonferenz" shows the infamous meeting in which the SS came up with the "Final Solution". The "Final Solution" is thereby the plan to commit the murder of millions of people - mostly jews - by means of gas chambers in concentration camps.
This movie is very similar to "The Conspiracy" by HBO. It is however still a very worthwile watch since it is close as possible to the true events. It allows you to get a 'history lesson' on how evil men can be, whereby they commit mass murder and genocide whilst 'hiding' behind orders, bureacratic processes and business methods. - DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsJürgen ProchnowHerbert GrönemeyerKlaus WennemannA German U-boat stalks the frigid waters of the North Atlantic as its young crew experience the sheer terror and claustrophobic life of a submariner in World War II.Rating: 10/10
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If you have not seen this movie already: this is another must-see!
With its overall IMDb score of 8.4/10, this movie also makes the top-100 list with 'best movies of all time'. And it deserves to be noted that this is a list dominated by Hollywood movies, whereby 'Das Boot' is one of the rare exceptions...
Please note that this is the feature film that was released in 1981. There is also a "Director's Cut" of around double its duration, which was released in 1985. - StarsJürgen ProchnowHerbert GrönemeyerKlaus WennemannA World War II German U-Boat crew have a terrifying patrol mission in the early days of the war.Rating: 10/10
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Please do not be mistaken with the "Das Boot"-entry that is on the previous spot: i.e. the one released in 1981.
The 1985 release of "Das Boot" is the so-called "Director's Cut" of the movie, which is released as a 3-part mini-series. This mini-series is almost 5 hours in length and thereby around double the duration of the movie.
If you haven't seen either the 1981 movie or this 1985 mini-series, it is my recommendation to take the mini-series. - CreatorJohannes W. BetzTony SaintStarsFranz DindaTom WlaschihaRick OkonAn inexperienced U-boat crew has to survive a secret mission and a young German woman is torn between loyalty for her home country and the French resistance in this WWII drama.Rating: 9/10
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A first note that I want to make, is that this is a show that commenced in 2018 and is based in the same set of novels that the original "Das Boot" (1981) is based on. Currently (2023) running in its 4th season, this shows is also produced by the same company that was behind the 1981 original: i.e. "Bavaria Fiction".
This series is a mix of submarine warfare and storylines that involve resistance against the Nazi regime. Each season thereby builds upon the previous season, making it an altogether very interesting series. Actually, it is in my opinion one of the best fiction series about WW2 which is available.
Although it is a fictional storyline, large parts are still based on real events, like e.g. the "Wolfram Crisis" (season 2) or "Lebensborn" (season 4).
The acting is sublime. Many of the best and well-known german actors feature in this show. It further has stunning scenes with also extremely convincing submarine war action. As such, it is a gem to watch.
Concluding, I think this show deserves a score of 8.7/10, thereby making it a 9 star IMDb rating. And for a series to achieve such a high rating is not easy in my opinion. This since it requires a constant high level of entertainment and/or engagement to be delivered in practically every episode. And I must admit that this show is able to deliver this over the four seasons that have so far (2023) been released. - DirectorJack GoldStarsAlan ArkinJoanna PaculaRutger HauerGerman death camp in Sobibor, Poland, killed two hundred fifty thousand Jews. It had the most successful prisoner escape in World War II on October 14, 1943.Rating: 6/10
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMatt DamonTom SizemoreFollowing the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.Rating: 10/10
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsAdrien BrodyThomas KretschmannFrank FinlayDuring WWII, acclaimed Polish musician Wladyslaw faces various struggles as he loses contact with his family. As the situation worsens, he hides in the ruins of Warsaw in order to survive.Rating: 9/10
- CreatorPetter S. RosenlundStarsMarc Ben PuchRobert Hunger-BühlerAndreas DöhlerThe story behind Germany's attempt to develop an atomic bomb during World War II and the sabotage of the heavy water program in Rjukan, Norway from the points of view of the Germans, the Allies, the saboteurs, and the company.Rating: 8/10
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Known for being the most popular Nordic mini-series ever. Internationally it is pretty unknown, but a very recommendable watch.
An alternative version of the events is the movie "Heroes of Telemark" (1965), featuring a strong cast including amongst others Krik Douglas. This movie is also included in this list of WW2 movies and mini-series. - DirectorAnthony MannStarsKirk DouglasRichard HarrisUlla JacobssonNorwegian resistance tries to stop German efforts to produce an atomic bomb component during World War II.Rating: 7/10
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This movie is based on true events surrounding several WW2 sabotage and destruction missions on a norwegian production facility of so-called "heavy water".
It is an excellent watch that makes one think of James Bond movies that were made during the same period. The fact that the movie was produced 'just' 20 years after the end of WW2 also means that there were many excellent props available whilst all building etc, were also still very similar to the one during WW2.
It is my opinion that this movie is ageing very well, whereby it is still great to see almost 6 decades after which it was made.
I should note that a more modern production on the events is the 3-part mini-series named "Kampen om Tungtvannet". When you decide to watch both of them - which is a real recommendation since each has its own way of depicting the events - I suggest you leave at least a year between watching them.
Overall, I would rate it 7.3/10 and deem it a clear recommendation to watch for anyone having an interest in the history of WW2. - StarsJames Badge DaleJoseph MazzelloJon SedaThe Pacific Theatre of World War II, as seen through the eyes of several young Marines.Rating: 10/10
- StarsScott GrimesDamian LewisRon LivingstonThe story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord to V-J Day.Rating: 10/10
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Together with "The Pacific", I find this to be some of the best TV that has ever been made. This show learns you quite a lot about some of the most decisive battles of WW2, from the "Allied Landing", "Operation Market Garden", "The Battle for Bastogne", ... - DirectorJohn MaddenStarsColin FirthMatthew MacfadyenKelly MacdonaldDuring WWII, two intelligence officers use a corpse and false papers to outwit German troops.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorPeter BebjakStarsNoel CzuczorPeter OndrejickaFlorian PanznerA fictionalized tale of the escape by Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler, based on the novel by Wetzler called 'What Dante did not See.' They hide for 3 days and escape once the search for them is over. They report their experiences.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorPieter KuijpersStarsLisa ZweermanHuub SmitSigrid ten NapelThe story about Riphagen, a cunning Dutch traitor during WW2 who helped Nazi round up Jews, stealing their treasures for himself. He destroyed Resistance groups, making many who pursued justice after the war look like fools.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsCarice van HoutenSebastian KochThom HoffmanIn the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II, a Jewish singer infiltrates the regional Gestapo headquarters for the Dutch resistance.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorJoram LürsenStarsJacob DerwigBarry AtsmaFockeline OuwerkerkIn Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, banker brothers Walraven and Gijs van Hall face their greatest challenge yet when they decide to help fund the Dutch resistance.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorRudolf van den BergStarsJeroen SpitzenbergerKarl MarkovicsNyncke BeekhuyzenDuring WWII, a member of the Jewish Council of Amsterdam finds a way to spare children from deportation to the death camps.Rating: 9/10
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The true story on how the 'Jewish Council of Amsterdam' was involved in controlling the jewish population and deportation. - DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsBrad PittDiane KrugerEli RothIn Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same.Rating: 9/10
- DirectorJoseph VilsmaierStarsDominique HorwitzThomas KretschmannJochen NickelThe story follows a group of German soldiers, from their Italian R&R in the summer of 1942 to the frozen steppes of Soviet Russia and ending with the battle for Stalingrad.Rating: 9/10
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This is a must-see movie in my opinion. I personally think that this movie deserves to be amongst the best WW2 movies available. It shows events around one of the defining battles of WW2: i.e. the battle around Stalingrad after which the Nazi started to lose the war. - DirectorJean-Jacques AnnaudStarsJude LawEd HarrisJoseph FiennesA Russian and a German sniper play a game of cat-and-mouse during the Battle of Stalingrad.Rating: 8/10
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Another movie about the battle of Stalingrad, but this time as seen from the true story of a sniper whom becomes very famous for his kills. - DirectorMatthijs van Heijningen Jr.StarsGijs BlomJamie FlattersSusan Radder1944, the Second World War. A British glider pilot, a Dutch boy fighting on the German side and a Dutch female resistance member all end up involved in the Battle of the Schelde. Their choices differ, but their goal is the same: freedom.Rating: 8/10
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This movie is based on the true events that culminated in the strategically important battle that took place during November 1944 in the dutch province "Zeeland", which is located in the lower part of the Netherlands. The outcome of this battle gave the allied troops access to the strategically important harbour of Antwerp that is located in Belgium.
The movie is based on 3 distinct storylines of separate people that in the end all have life-defining impact on each other. The first person is a Nazi soldier of dutch decent. The second, a dutch family - most specifically a girl - aiding the resistance. And third, a group of english soldiers that were originally destined to fight in "Operation Market Garden" - i.e. the eventually lost battle by the allieds in the dutch city Arnhem - which delayed the end of WW2 by 6 months and resulted in the famine during the 1944-45 winter in The Netherlands.
The movie is produced in The Netherlands and shows pretty decent acting. More impressive are the action scenes that look very realistic and make you believe that you are witnessing real events that took place in the year 1944. The flooded villages and destroyed houses also look stunning.
The only thing that could have been improved, is to include more dialogue between people. I had the impression at some moments during the movie, that it was a bit slowgoing. But maybe this also has to do with how life looked like during 1944 occupied Netherlands. Maybe people just didn't have much to say to each other. This because of either fear of being snitched / betrayed or just out of lack of positive things happening in their lives.
Overall, I think that this movie deserves a score of 7.5/10, resulting in an IMDb rating of 8 stars. - DirectorMartin KoolhovenStarsMartijn LakemeierJamie Campbell BowerYorick van WageningenIn German-occupied Netherlands, a teenage boy gets involved in the Dutch resistance after coming to the aid of a wounded RAF pilot.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsAndrew GarfieldSam WorthingtonLuke BraceyWorld War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, serving during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.Rating: 9/10
- DirectorJames B. HarrisStarsRichard WidmarkSidney PoitierJames MacArthurAn American destroyer Captain is determined to confront a Soviet submarine caught violating territorial waters. Perhaps too determined.Rating: 8/10
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A black-and-white movie that is a totally worthwile watch! This movie centers around a destroyer vs submarine battle. It also raises the issue of racial tensions - in the USA - between black and white people, which is pretty daring for a movie that is released in 1965. It is a very memorable watch and a clear recommendation. - DirectorErik PoppeStarsJesper ChristensenAnders BaasmoKarl MarkovicsApril 1940. Norway has been invaded by Germany and the royal family and government have fled into the interior. The German envoy to Norway tries to negotiate a peace. Ultimately, the decision on Norway's future will rest with the king.Rating: 6/10
- DirectorMichael Caton-JonesStarsMatthew ModineEric StoltzTate DonovanIn 1943, the crew of a B-17 based in the UK prepares for its 25th and final bombing mission over Germany before returning home to the USA.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorOliver HirschbiegelStarsChristian FriedelKatharina SchüttlerBurghart KlaußnerIn November 1939, Georg Elser's attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler fails, and he is arrested. During his confinement, he recalls the events leading up to his plot and his reasons for deciding to take such drastic action.Rating: 8/10
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Also known as "Elser", this movie shows the true story of the assassination attempt on Hitler by George Elser. - DirectorBryan SingerStarsTom CruiseBill NighyCarice van HoutenA dramatization of the July 20, 1944 assassination and political coup plot by desperate renegade German Army officers against Adolf Hitler during World War II.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorFrank PiersonStarsClare BullusStanley TucciSimon MarkeyAt the Wannsee Conference on January 20, 1942, senior Nazi officials meet to determine the manner in which the so-called "Final Solution to the Jewish Question" can be best implemented.Rating: 9/10
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This movie shows the true and shocking 'Wannsee Konferenz', in which the SS - guided by Heydrich and Eichmann - chose to systematically deport and gas the jewish people in concentration camps. - DirectorJoachim RønningEspen SandbergStarsAksel HennieAgnes KittelsenNicolai Cleve BrochThe true story about one of the most brilliant saboteurs during World War II and his battle to overcome his inner demons.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorMarco KreuzpaintnerStarsElyas M'BarekAlexandra Maria LaraHeiner LauterbachA young lawyer stumbles upon a vast conspiracy while investigating a brutal murder case.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorVadim PerelmanStarsNahuel Pérez BiscayartLars EidingerJonas NayA young Jewish man in a concentration camp has his life saved when executioners realize he owns a Persian book. Brought before a camp officer who wants to learn Farsi, Gilles agrees to teach him despite not knowing a word of the language.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorStephen DaldryStarsKate WinsletRalph FiennesBruno GanzPost-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Berg re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorChris WeitzStarsOscar IsaacBen KingsleyMélanie LaurentA team of secret agents sets out to track down the Nazi officer who masterminded the Holocaust.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorMichael BayStarsBen AffleckKate BeckinsaleJosh HartnettA tale of war and romance mixed in with history. The story follows two lifelong friends and a beautiful nurse who are caught up in the horror of an infamous Sunday morning in 1941.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsBen FosterBilly MagnussenVicky KriepsAfter World War II, Harry Haft is a boxer who fought against his peers in concentration camps. Haunted by memories, he tries to use fighting legends as a way to find his love.Rating: 8/10
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This movie did not immediately draw my attention because it is about a boxer. But after watching it, I was left very impressed! So don't hesitate to watch this one because it is about a boxer! It will be better than you think! - DirectorLars KraumeStarsBurghart KlaußnerRonald ZehrfeldLilith StangenbergThe story of the man who brought high-ranking German Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann to justice.Rating: 8/10
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A movie that will show you that many Nazi war criminals got away without even ever being charged for their crimes. - StarsVolker BruchTom SchillingKatharina SchüttlerFive friends go out to war and promise each other to be back for Christmas.Rating: 8/10
- CreatorSabine Thor-WiedemannJakob HeinChristine OttoStarsAlicia von RittbergMala EmdeNina GummichThe series describes the accomplishments of several famous German physicians and scientists at the prestigious Charité hospital in Berlin during its history.Rating: 8/10
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Season 2 is about the famous Charité hospital in Berlin during WW2. Excellent show overall. - DirectorPetter NæssStarsFlorian LukasDavid KrossLachlan NieboerWorld War II: After an aerial battle over Norway, British and German airmen find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Finding shelter in the same cabin, they realize the only way to survive the winter is to set aside the rules of war.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorRenat DavletyarovStarsPyotr FyodorovAnna PeskovaValeriy GrishkoDuring a mission in WWII, the plane of Nikolai Komlev is shot down. He manages to bring his plane down in a remote forest clearing, but far from friendly territory, he faces a relentless test of physical and mental endurance.Rating: 7/10
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This russian-made movie is also known as "The Pilot". It is not only excellently produced, but in my opinion also deserves to be more popular and have a better rating. It shows very well - like the movie "Into the White" - what a struggle it must be for a pilot that is shot down and stranded in enemy territory.
And yes - as is typical for many a russian-made movie - there is a tendency to make it a "hero movie", whereby a russian soldier performs the unthinkable. But honestly said, the 'heroics' were at an acceptable level (i.e. not annoying), whereby the viewer gets to see some pretty good acting combined with quite impressive scenery, props, vehicles...
Overall, I deem this to be one of the better russian-made movies. As such, I score it at 7.1/10, which results in an IMDb rating of 7 stars. - DirectorMichael PolishStarsMeadow WilliamsAl PacinoCarsten NorgaardAmerican Traitor follows the life of American woman Mildred Gillars and her lawyer who struggles to redeem her reputation.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorMartin ZandvlietStarsRoland MøllerLouis HofmannJoel BasmanIn post-World War II Denmark, a group of young German POWs are forced to clear a beach of thousands of land mines under the watch of a Danish Sergeant who slowly learns to appreciate their plight.Rating: 7/10
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Bit of a strange movie, but is shows how badly some German POW's were treated just after WW2 ended. - DirectorChristian SchwochowStarsGeorge MacKayJannis NiewöhnerJeremy IronsA British diplomat travels to Munich in the run-up to World War II, where a former classmate of his from Oxford is also en route, but is working for the German government.Rating: 7/10
- CreatorDiederik Van RooijenStarsMatthijs van de Sande BakhuyzenSallie HarmsenGijs Scholten van AschatThe story of Alexander Münninghoff who is forced to dive into his dark family Nazi-history when convincing the love of his life Ellen to stay with him.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorDennis GanselStarsMax RiemeltTom SchillingDevid StriesowFriedrich's boxing skills gets him in an elite Nazi high school in a castle in 1942. He enrolls against his dad's wish as it promises a brighter future. It's not what he expected.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorAmma AsanteStarsAmandla StenbergTom Goodman-HillAbbie CornishA rites of passage story of a bi-racial teen struggling for survival in Nazi Germany.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorMark HermanStarsAsa ButterfieldDavid ThewlisRupert FriendThrough the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a German concentration camp, a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorJonathan JakubowiczStarsJesse EisenbergClémence PoésyMatthias SchweighöferThe story of mime Marcel Marceau as he works with a group of Jewish boy scouts and the French Resistance to save the lives of ten thousand orphans during World War II.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorDick PowellStarsRobert MitchumCurd JürgensDavid HedisonDuring WWII an American destroyer discovers a German U-boat, and in the ensuing duel the American captain must draw upon all his experience to defeat the equally experienced German commander.Rating: 7/10
- StarsJannis NiewöhnerMalgorzata MikolajczakSebastian Urzendowsky1944. Walter Proska is a young Wehrmacht soldier who begins to question the purpose of the war, who the real enemy is and whether his real duty should be to his fatherland or his own conscience.Rating: 7/10
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A mini-series that was broadcasted on German Public TV in 2020. Internationally, it is known as "The Turncoat". - DirectorGiulio RicciarelliStarsAndré SzymanskiAlexander FehlingFriederike BechtA story that exposes the conspiracy of prominent German institutions and government branches to cover up the crimes of Nazis during World War II.Rating: 7/10
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A movie that will show you that many Nazi war criminals got away without ever being charged for their crimes. - DirectorJohn GuillerminStarsGeorge SegalRobert VaughnBen GazzaraAs the Allied armies close in, the Germans decide to blow up the last Rhine bridge, trapping their own men on the wrong side. But will it happen?Rating: 7/10
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Like many movies in this list, it is based on true facts. This 'oldie' is more than worthwile the watch. - DirectorRose BoschStarsJean RenoMélanie LaurentGad ElmalehA faithful retelling of the 1942 "Vel' d'Hiv Roundup" and the events surrounding it.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorAndy GoddardStarsNigel LindsayJudi DenchEddie IzzardUK, Aug. 15, 1939: 17 days before WWII, an English teacher and his camera disappear from a coastal boarding school with 20 German teen girls. Miller gets the job six days later, secretly trying to find out what happened.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorMario Van PeeblesStarsNicolas CageTom SizemoreThomas JaneDuring World War II, an American navy ship is sunk by a Japanese submarine leaving 890 crewmen stranded in shark infested waters.Rating: 6/10
- DirectorVincent PerezStarsLouis HofmannEmil von SchönfelsKatrin PollittAfter a Nazi German working class couple loses their son in World War II, they decide to retaliate by secretly leafletting handwritten cards in Berlin denouncing their government.Rating: 8/10
- StarsDamian LewisSophia MylesTom HardyWhile WWII Allied officer Jack Rose is held prisoner in Germany's notorious Colditz Castle, he recruits a band of fellow escape artists in the ultimate break-out only to discover that the greatest betrayal awaits him on safe ground.Rating: 7/10
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Please note that this is not the famous BBC show that carries the same name. I think this is what causes many people from being confused. Because whilst I am not a fan of BBC's "Colditz", this 2015 show from iTV is instead an excellent mini-series! - DirectorBrian G. HuttonStarsRichard BurtonClint EastwoodMary UreAllied agents stage a daring raid on a castle where the Nazis are holding American brigadier general George Carnaby prisoner, but that's not all that's really going on.Rating: 8/10
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A classic with Clint Eastwood which is a gem to watch! The props and surroundings are just breathtaking. - DirectorAaron SchneiderStarsTom HanksElisabeth ShueStephen GrahamSeveral months after the U.S. entry into World War II, an inexperienced U.S. Navy commander must lead an Allied convoy being stalked by a German submarine wolf pack.Rating: 8/10
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In this movie, Tom Hanks plays the main role as captain of a submarine destroying that is accompanying a fleet of ship across the atlantic ocean during WW2.
This movie - like "The Enemy Below" - is unfortunately one of the rare examples on how it must have been to be on a destroyer during WW2. I want to emphasize the word "unfortunate", because this task was of critical importance in being able to win WW2. Without the atlantic convoys, Great Brittain would not have had the resources available to not only successfully defend itself against the Nazi Empire, but without them an Allied Invasion would have been impossoble.
It shows the complexity of guarding a large convoy of merchant ships during its crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. Especially during the period that no air cover could be given, i.e. the so-called "black pit".
As we can expect from Tom Hanks, the acting is of a high level. He very well shows how a destroyer can be successful in defending a large group of other ships, and that is by being great in teamwork.
I score this movie at 8.4/10, resulting in an IMDb rating of 8 stars. - DirectorTaika WaititiStarsRoman Griffin DavisThomasin McKenzieScarlett JohanssonA young German boy in the Hitler Youth whose hero and imaginary friend is the country's dictator is shocked to discover that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsFionn WhiteheadBarry KeoghanMark RylanceAllied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorJoe WrightStarsGary OldmanLily JamesKristin Scott ThomasIn May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsBrad PittMarion CotillardJared HarrisIn 1942, a Canadian intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.Rating: 7/10
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I personally think that it has some parallels with the famous and iconic movie "Casablanca". More action packed with some 007-like elements, it is way more commercially oriented, but a worthwile watch nevertheless. - DirectorAngelina JolieStarsJack O'ConnellMiyaviDomhnall GleesonAfter a near-fatal plane crash in WWII, Olympian Louis Zamperini spends a harrowing 47 days in a raft with two fellow crewmen before he's caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.Rating: 8/10
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This movie contains two - almost inbelievable - WW2 stories. The first one is about long-term survival at sea and the second about survival in a japanese POW camp. A very recommendable movie. - DirectorMorten TyldumStarsBenedict CumberbatchKeira KnightleyMatthew GoodeDuring World War II, the English mathematical genius Alan Turing tries to crack the German Enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians while attempting to come to terms with his troubled private life.Rating: 8/10
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It is about cracking the code of the Enigma machine: i.e. the encryption device used by the Nazi during WW2 that looked like a big typing machine. This movie focusses on the life and role of the famous mathematical genius Alan Turing in all this. - DirectorGeorge ClooneyStarsGeorge ClooneyMatt DamonBill MurrayAn unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from German thieves and return them to their owners.Rating: 6/10
- DirectorBrian PercivalStarsSophie NélisseGeoffrey RushEmily WatsonWhile subjected to the horrors of World War II Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. In the basement of her home, a Jewish refugee is being protected by her adoptive parents.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorHarald ZwartStarsThomas GullestadJonathan Rhys MeyersMarie BlokhusThey were 12 saboteurs. The Nazis killed 11 of them. This is the true story of the one that got away.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorEdward ZwickStarsDaniel CraigLiev SchreiberJamie BellJewish brothers in German-occupied Eastern Europe escape into a Belorussian forest, where they join Russian resistance fighters, and endeavor to build a village, in order to protect themselves and about one thousand Jewish non-combatants.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorSean EllisStarsJamie DornanCillian MurphyBrian CaspeBased on the extraordinary true story of Operation Anthropoid, the WWII mission to assassinate SS General Reinhard Heydrich, the main architect behind the Final Solution and the Reich's third in command after Hitler and Himmler.Rating: 8/10
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A movie about the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, whom is responsible for the genocide commited in the concentration camps. - DirectorAnthony HemingwayStarsCuba Gooding Jr.Gerald McRaneyDavid OyelowoA crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard.
- DirectorJonathan MostowStarsMatthew McConaugheyBill PaxtonHarvey KeitelA German submarine is boarded by disguised American submariners trying to capture their Enigma cipher machine.Rating: 8/10
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I score this movie at 8.5/10, making it a 9-star IMDb rating. One of the reasons that I score this movie this high, is that I am not only interested in WW2 movies, but also a big fan of submarine movies. And U-571 is a great movie in both categories. - DirectorDavid AyerStarsBrad PittShia LaBeoufLogan LermanA grizzled tank commander makes tough decisions as he and his crew fight their way across Germany in April, 1945.
- DirectorKaren ShakhnazarovStarsAleksey VertkovVitaliy KishchenkoValeriy GrishkoGreat Patriotic War, early 1940s. After barely surviving a battle with a mysterious, ghostly-white Tiger tank, Red Army Sergeant Ivan Naydenov becomes obsessed with its destruction.Rating: 7/10
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A russian made WW2 tank movie, that is very worthwile to watch! I personally think it is better than the other russian made WW2 tank movie named "T-34", which is also a nice watch. - DirectorAleksey SidorovStarsAlexander PetrovIrina StarshenbaumViktor DobronravovAn SS Panzer Division uses a T-34 manned by Soviet POWs as a training target, but the prisoners plot a daring maneuver.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorStefan RuzowitzkyStarsKarl MarkovicsAugust DiehlDevid StriesowThe story of the Operation Bernhard, the largest counterfeiting operation in history, carried out by Germany during World War II.
- StarsAku HirviniemiAndrei AlénJussi VatanenThe story of a Finnish Army machine gun company operating in the Karelian front during the Continuation War from mobilization in 1941 to the Moscow Armistice in 1944.This show is about the Finland - Russia battle which was part of WW2.
- DirectorVicente AmorimStarsViggo MortensenJason IsaacsJodie WhittakerJohn Halder, a German literature professor in the 1930s, is initially reluctant to accept the ideas of the Nazi Party. He is pulled in different emotional directions by his wife, his mother, his mistress, and a Jewish friend.Rating: 7/10
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I personally think that this movie is not only underrated, but deserves also to be more popular. It is an good portrayal of how the SS recruited and used people amongst the academic world. - CreatorPeter BowkerStarsJonah Hauer-KingZofia WichlaczLesley ManvilleWorld War II-era drama centered on the lives of ordinary people affected by the war.
- DirectorVicente FerrazStarsDaniel de OliveiraFrancisco GasparJúlio AndradeThe unusual meeting between three deserters from different nationalities (Brazil, German and Italy) during World War II.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorCharles ChaplinStarsCharles ChaplinPaulette GoddardJack OakieDictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.Rating: 8/10
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The movie in which Charlie Chaplin famously mocks and ridicules the Nazi party and Hitler in particular. - DirectorCédric JimenezStarsJason ClarkeRosamund PikeJack O'ConnellAs Germany expands its borders, scorching Europe from end to end, two brave Czechs of the Resistance prepare to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, the mastermind behind the hideous "Final Solution" to the "Jewish Question".Rating: 8/10
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A great example of how some movies deserve to be more popular and are also underrated. This movie is just excellent and is about Reinhard Heydrich - known amongst others for organizing the mass killing of people in camps. This movie focusses on the assassination mission on him. - DirectorRoland EmmerichStarsEd SkreinPatrick WilsonWoody HarrelsonThe story of the Battle of Midway, told by the leaders and the sailors who fought it.Rating: 8/10
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Based on historical accurate events and also based on real people, this movie shows an important sea battle of WW2: i.e. the battle of Midway, in which the Japanese and U.S. naval fleet attacked each other. This movie is especially interesting since it shows the considerations before the battle from both the japanese and american side.
As can be expected from a movie directed by Emmerich, the action scenes are stunning! And if you have a decent audio system, you will be totally immersed in all explosive events! I found it even better than the movie Pearl Harbor.
I score this movie 7.6/10, thereby making it an 8-star IMDb rating. - DirectorTom RobertsStarsVera FarmigaThomas KretschmannJohn MalkovichIn 1946, a group of German POWs are mistakenly sent to a Soviet female transit prison camp and must cope with the hostility of the Soviet female inmates and guards, under the orders of cruel camp commander Pavlov.Rating: 6/10
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By far not the best movie on the list. But this movie shows how german POW's were treated in Russia. I doubted a bit on whether to include it or not, but I in the end think it is a worthwile watch. - DirectorGregory HoblitStarsBruce WillisColin FarrellTerrence HowardA law student becomes a lieutenant during World War II, is captured and asked to defend a black prisoner of war falsely accused of murder.
- DirectorMick JacksonStarsRachel WeiszTom WilkinsonTimothy SpallAcclaimed writer and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt must battle for historical truth to prove the Holocaust actually occurred when David Irving, a renowned denier, sues her for libel.Rating: 7/10
- DirectorAgnieszka HollandStarsSolomon PerelMarco HofschneiderRené HofschneiderA boy in Nazi Germany, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth.Rating: 8/10
- DirectorTim Blake NelsonStarsDavid ArquetteVelizar BinevDavid ChandlerA Nazi doctor, along with the Sonderkommando, Jews who are forced to work in the crematoria of Auschwitz against their fellow Jews, find themselves in a moral gray zone.Rating: 9/10
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This movie - which is not for the faint of heart - is an underrated gem. It gives you an idea of how inhumane the conditions in an Auschwitz crematorium were. - DirectorPeter KassovitzStarsRobin WilliamsHannah Taylor GordonÉva IgóDuring World War II, an ordinary inhabitant of a ghetto fakes news about Allied offensives to inspire hope for other victims of the Nazi regime.Rating: 6/10
- DirectorLászló NemesStarsGéza RöhrigLevente MolnárUrs RechnA Jewish-Hungarian concentration camp prisoner sets out to give a child he mistook for his son a proper burial.Rating: 9/10
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Takes place in concentration camp Auschwitz and involves the so-called 'Sonderkommando', i.e. the prisoners working in the gas cambers and crematorium. - DirectorNiki CaroStarsJessica ChastainJohan HeldenberghDaniel BrühlKeepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, must save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion in WWII Poland.Rating: 6/10
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Based on a true story, this movie is a bit of a 'strange' one amongst the rest of the list. I nevertheless recommend watching it. - DirectorCosta-GavrasStarsUlrich TukurMathieu KassovitzUlrich MüheDuring WWII SS officer Kurt Gerstein tries to inform Pope Pius XII about Jews being sent to extermination camps. Young Jesuit priest Riccardo Fontana helps him in the difficult mission to inform the world.True story of Kurt Gerstein whom was involved in the method to murder handicapped people in the german 'T4 euthanasia program'. Those methods were also the basis for the systematic murder of people in gas chambers in concentration camps. This movie also shows his latter involvement.