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.