Ancient Greco-Roman
Troy
2 hours, 43 min.
~1200 BC -- The Trojan War -- Greece; Turkey
An event dating this far back will inevitably be mired in debate on whether
it actually happened or not. The Trojan War is a big part of Greek
Mythology at the least and increasingly accepted as a story based on
actual events.
The War was between Greece and Troy and probably lasted for
ten years, according to the first accounts of it: The
Iliad and the Odyssey, both written by Homer, the ancient
Greek writer.
Ancient Greece was organized as a coalition of independent
city-states, such as Athens and Sparta. What happened here was that a
Spartan queen eloped with a Trojan prince. The Greeks united in a military
effort to get the queen back. Among the Greek forces were some of the
greatest warriors like Achilles, who was the greatest warrior
and invincible except for his weak heel. His mother dipped him in a divine
river (Styx) but held him by his heel and so that part did not get godly
powers.
This movie is about Achilles in the Trojan War, however, it changes up some
of the widely accepted version of events while keeping the overall "history"
of the conflict and the parties involved.
Starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, and Orlando Bloom.
300
1 hour, 57 min.
480 BC -- Battle of Thermopylae, Persian War -- Greece
This battle was a Greek attempt at stopping the Persian empire from invading
Greece. Once again, the Greek city-states joined forces. This time, at
this battle, about 7,000 Greeks fought against somewhere between 100,000 and
a million Persians. The Greeks were led by Spartan King, Leonidas. The
Greek forces were stationed at a narrow passage that funneled the Persians
and successfully blocked the Persian advance. Unfortunately for the Greeks,
there was a way around this narrow passage and the Persians discovered it.
This movie is about Leonidas and 300 Spartan soldiers that he led to
block the passage at Thermopylae. While this movie shows that the Spartans
were not the only Greeks here, the movie focuses on the 300 vs Persians
dynamic.
Starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, and David Wenham.
Recommended Watching Group:
- -300-
- 300: Rise of an Empire
300: Rise of an Empire
1 hour, 42 min.
480 BC -- Battle of Artemisium and Battle of Salamis, Persian War -- Greece
While Leonidas was fighting in the narrow passage at Thermopylae, the Greek
navy, also made of a coalition of city-states, was fighting the Persians at
sea in the Battle of Artemisium. This coalition of Greeks was led by the
Athenian general, Themistocles. Although the Greek navy proved to be a
formidable opponent and they were helped by weather and geography, this
coalition suffered a defeat as did Leonidas's forces at Thermopylae.
The Greeks regrouped and went to Salamis where the Persians followed and
sought the Battle of Salamis. This time, the Greeks were victorious and they
successfully fought off the Persian forces and prevented an invasion.
This movie is the sequel to 300 and it includes some events that
occurred before, during, and after the events of the first one. This movie
focuses on these two naval battles during the Persian War and the united
Greeks forces that fought in it, with a focus on Themistocles.
Starring Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, and Lena Headey.
Recommended Watching Group:
- 300
- -300: Rise of an Empire-
Alexander
2 hours, 55 min.
350 BC - 323 BC -- Alexander the Great -- Greece; Asia; India
Alexander was the son of the king of Macedonia, which was a region in
northern Greece. He was tutored by the famous philosopher, Aristotle,
and he became king of Macedonia at 20 years old. He is often regarded
as one of the greatest military commanders of all time. Alexander never
lost. In fact, he grew his kingdom into one of the biggest empires that
has ever existed and was stopped only by death. Alexander the Great's
empire stretched from Greece to India and encompassed everything in
between, including Egypt. He united various cultures and peoples under
one reign, which produced a new Hellenistic era in the world.
This movie follows Alexander the Great from the time he is a child being
tutored by Aristotle up to his death as one of the greatest military
minds who ever lived.
Starring Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, and Anthony Hopkins.
Rome (HBO Series)
2 seasons, 22 episodes.
50 BC - 30 BC -- Roman Republic -- Rome
While the Greek Empire began to decline and lose its prominence as the
dominant power in this part of the world, the Roman Republic began to
expand and grow in size and power. The Republic became unstable and saw
many civil wars including Julius Caesar's rise to dictator. His
dictatorship did not last long, and that end date is now known as the
Ides of March. Caesar's successors then continued the civil wars,
resulting in the last fights of the Republic, which were between Marc
Antony and Octavian. Octavian's victory at the Battle of Actium marked
the end of the Republic as the Senate renamed him, Augustus and he
became the first Roman Emperor of the Roman Empire. His reign, along
with the first two centuries of the Empire was so peaceful that it is
called the Pax Romana. The Empire expanded west all the way to the
British islands and Iberian Peninsula, and east almost into Asia.
This series focuses on fictional characters but it follows the events of
the end of the Republic from the civil wars to the final battle of the
Republic. The show includes real historical characters
such as Julius Caesar and real events like the Idea of March.
Starring Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Ciarán Hinds.
Pompeii
1 hour, 44 min.
79 AD -- Eruption of Mount Vesuvius -- Pompeii
One of the most well-known cities of the Roman Empire is Pompeii. The
city was destroyed when the volcano name Mount Vesuvius erupted and
covered the city in lava. Incredibly, the people in the city who were
burned and killed by the lava were also preserved on Earth. The lava
dried quickly and instead of the people burning and disintegrating into
ash, their bodies became statues, frozen in time.Although the statues
that are up today have been made by filling in empty space surrounding
skeletons with plaster. That empty space was previously filled by lava
encased bodies that have since decomposed. A lot of detail has been
uncovered by this plaster process.
This movie focuses on a love story in the middle of the eruption
of Mount Vesuvius. The movie shows what a disaster it was and, very
nicely opens and closes with the statues one can see in the ruins of
Pompeii today.
Starring Kit Harrington, Emily Browning, and Keifer Sutherland.
Centurion
1 hour, 37 min.
~120 AD -- Disappearance of the 9th Legion -- Britain
As Rome expanded, while a Republic and as an Empire, it needed to send
out its soldiers in large military units or legions all over the
continent. One of those legions, the Legio IX Hispana, or the Ninth
Legion, was sent west to Britain. Roman history loses track of this
legion after the year 120 AD and their disappearance has sparked much
debate about their fate. One theory is that the people of Britain
successfully fended off the Romans and defeated this legion.
This movie follows the Ninth Legion in Britain and explores what may
have ultimately been their fate.
Starring Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, and Olga Kurylenko.
Gladiator
2 hours, 51 min.
180 AD -- Roman Corruption and Society -- Roman Empire
Roman Gladiators were professional fighters who fought each other, slaves,
wild animals, and prisoners to the death for the entertainment of the
masses in the Roman Empire. The famous site in Rome, The Colosseum, was
one of the biggest arenas for these fights. Throughout the Empire's
history there were slave and gladiator revolts, such as the one of
Spartacus.
Marcus Aurelius was Emperor until his death in 180 AD. He was known as
the last of the 5 Good Rulers. There was much military conflict during
his reign, which is ironic because he was considered to be a philosopher
emperor. After he died, his son Commodus became Emperor and so ended
the Pax Romana golden age period of peace and Rome entered a period of
internal corruption, including Commodus's assassination. Commodus was
assassinated in real life by his wrestling trainer.
This movie focuses on a Roman general who is betrayed by Commodus who,
in this story, killed his father Marcus Aurelius. The general is forced
to become a gladiator and fight his way to revenge against Commodus.
Starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, and Connie Nielsen.
King Arthur
2 hour, 22 min.
5th Century AD -- Britain Independence from Rome -- Britain
King Arthur today is a legendary figure. His existence in history is
much debated and even if his existence is accepted, the era in which
he lived is then much debated. Most stories and movies put Arthur more
securely in the Middle Ages, clearly after the Roman Empire has retreated
from Britain. But, there are sources that describe Arthur as a Roman
officer in Britain during the end of Rome's reign over that part of the
continent. Rome first invaded Britain in 43 AD and Arthur would have
then become the first King of England in the 5th century.The legend of
King Arthur is associated with this time period that saw the decline of
the Roman Empire and beginning of the Middle Ages.
This movie is about King Arthur and follows the theory of him having been
a Roman officer and then becoming a British ruler.
Starring Clive Owen, Keira Knightly, and Ioan Gruffudd.
Middle Ages - Elizabethan era
Kingdom of Heaven
2 hours, 24 min.
12th Century -- Crusades -- France; Jerusalem
During the decline of the Roman Empire, the Emperor Constantine
made Christianity the Empire's religion. The Empire in the West
broke apart as was seen in Britain. The Eastern Empire survived
longer but the continent was still primarily of Christian faith. So
when the people of the Middle East, who happened to be Muslim, began
expanding their territory and their land stretched to the Eastern Roman
lands, conflict was inevitable. In addition, because the whole continent
was Christian, and the people that they saw as invaders were Muslim,
it wasn't difficult for the continent to organize militarily. The land
that was in dispute included what many religions consider "The Holy Land" -
Jerusalem. The military conflicts, or religious wars, became known as
the Crusades.
This movie is about a man from France joining the Crusades and fighting
in Jerusalem.
Starring Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, and Jeremy Irons.
Braveheart
2 hours, 58 min.
1280-1314 -- Scottish War for Independence from England -- Scotland
After the Roman withdrawal from Britain, various groups entered and
fought for control over the British Isles. The early Middle Ages saw
England become its own proper Kingdom, slowly expanding over the rest of
the British Isles. As with any conquest, there was a lot of pushback and
conflict in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
This movie is about Scotland fighting to be independent from England.
The movie focuses on William Wallace, one of the most famous leaders
of the Scottish forces who spent his life and gave his life fighting
for freedom.
Starring Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, and Angus Macfadyen.
Luther
2 hours, 4 min.
1505-1530 -- The Protestant Reformation -- Germany;
Politics during the Middle Ages was complicated. In addition to there
being independent nations and kingdoms, there were religious factions
and religious empires interwoven into it all with shared monarchs.
Religion was a big part of the era, and specifically Christianity as it
was the continent-wide faith. However, like the conflicts between the
many nations and kingdoms, there was conflict within the religion. This
conflict was mainly due to the fact that religious leaders were very
powerful and religion was almost like a kingdom in itself, trying to
control various forms of belief. And so came protest - rebellion.
This movie is about Martin Luther who disagreed with the Roman Catholic
Church and some of its customs and held firm in his beliefs about what
Christianity is even though his theological rebellion resulted in him
being exiled from the Catholic Church. Luther helped start the
Protestant Reformation and contributed to a type of democratization of
Christianity by translating the Bible from Latin to German so that many
more people could be able to read it.
Starring Joseph Fiennes, Alfred Molina, and Jonathan Firth.
The Other Boleyn Girl
1 hour, 55 min.
1520s-1530s -- King Henry VIII and The Church of England -- England
Many empires expanded and broke apart throughout European history, and
religious empires were no different. The Protestant Reformation saw
many people leave the Catholic Church, and the break of the Church of
England made England independent in monarch and in religion. This break
was done by King Henry VIII of England. The primary motivation for it
was that he wanted an divorce, or annulment, from his first wife,
Catharine of Aragon, who had not been able to birth him a male heir.
While married to Catherine, Henry had an affair with Mary Boleyn, and
then with Anne Boleyn whom he married after establishing himself as the
head of the Church of England. However, the king was still hoping for
a male heir. Anne birthed Elizabeth, who would later rise to the throne.
Unfortunately for Anne, the King back then always got his way and he
wanted to remove Anne for a new wife who might be able to give him a
son.
This movie is about King Henry VIII's relationships with the Boleyn
sisters and the events that defined those relationships.
Starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana.
Elizabeth
2 hours, 3 min.
1558-1570s -- Early Reign of Queen Elizabeth I -- England
Henry VIII's first daughter with Catherine of Aragon became Queen and was
known as Bloody Mary. She pursued a religious war against Catholics and
locked up her younger half sister, Elizabeth, in the Tower of London,
which is where Anne Boleyn was executed. After Bloody Mary died,
Elizabeth was released and rose to the throne as Queen of England. This
period of succession was full of conflict and Elizabeth fought many
opponents, even within her family, to secure her place as monarch.
This movie is about Elizabeth's rise to the throne and the beginning of
her famous reign that has been called England's golden age. Her problems
included the religious factions common to the whole continent; Scotland
favoring her cousin, Mary, as Queen of Scots; and maintaining a firm and
clear grasp in her place ruling England.
Starring Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, and Joseph Fiennes.
Recommended Watching Group:
- -Elizabeth-
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
1 hour, 56 min.
1585-1588 -- Queen Elizabeth Leading England's Golden Age -- England; Spain
This movie continues the story of Queen Elizabeth and focuses on her
accomplishments in global exploration, military achievements in defeating
the Spanish Armada, and wiping out her enemies that would only continue
to threaten her status as Queen and her life. Through her reign as one
of the most successful monarchs in history, she claimed to remain England's
virgin queen, loyal only to her people.
Starring Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, and Clive Owen.
Recommended Watching Group:
- Elizabeth
- -Elizabeth: The Golden Age-
Revolutions
Marie Antoinette
2 hours, 7 min.
1770-1789 -- Build Up to the French Revolution -- France
The 18th Century was the era of the people. All over the world, the masses
rose up and rebelled against oppressive rulers that were so far removed
from the people - geographically, socially, and financially. After the
British colonies in the Americas broke free and won their independence,
the French people did something more radical: the French removed their
monarchs and replaced them with a new government in the same country. The
period of government change in France is known as the French Revolution.
This Revolution produced the executions of the king and queen, constant
violence, and an impressive dictatorship under Napoleon Bonaparte.
But before the revolution, there was a traditional monarchy, with a king
and queen.
This movie is about the last Queen of France before the French Revolution
and the world that she grew up in, lived through, and dramatically
changed right before her eyes. The movie shows the Queen's life at the
incredibly lavish Palace of Versailles while the French people couldn't
even imagine such luxury.
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, and Judy Davis.
The Young Victoria
1 hour, 45 min.
1836-1840 -- Beginning of the Victorian Era -- England
19th Century Britain became the largest empire in the world. The United
Kingdom spanned the earth and truly fit the phrase, "the sun never sets
on the British empire." This era included dramatic social and economic
changes like the Industrial Revolution, Dickens novels, telegraphs,
slavery abolishment, and Darwin's science. The period of time is named
after Queen Victoria who reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901.
This movie is about Queen Victoria rising to the throne at the young age
of 18, her romance and marriage with Prince Albert, and the early
politics of one of the most popular monarchs in history.
Starring Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, and Miranda Richardson.
Oliver Twist
2 hours, 10 min.
1830s -- Industrial Revolution and Society -- England
In the 19th Century, technological advances revolutionized the economy
and brought mechanized high volume manufacturing, pollution, child labor,
and increased urbanization that produced high levels of inequity between
the rich and the poor.
This movie is based on the Charles Dickens novel of the same name and it
thoroughly explores and shows various aspects of the Industrial Revolution
in England. The movie follows a young boy on a journey from the work
house, where child labor was prominently exploited; to the streets of
London where living conditions were low and crime was up. The novel has
been made into many movies and is a powerful story about some of the
difficulties of that time.
Starring Ben Kingsley, Jamie Foreman, and Barney Clark.
The Man Who Invented Christmas
1 hour, 44 min.
1843 -- Victorian Age Literature -- England
The Victorian era was definitely an age of British global expansion and
cultural development. However, it was also an age marked by great
inequality in the name of progress. Among the cultural changes of the
time was the significance of Christmas. Queen Victoria's husband
brought many customs from Germany to England such as the Christmas tree.
In addition, great British writers played a big role on British culture
that spread around the world and still exists today.
This movie is about one of the great Victorian age authors, Charles
Dickens, while he worked on one of the most famous stories in the world,
A Christmas Carol. This story helped popularize Christmas
celebrations and the season into what we know it as today.
Starring Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, and Jonathan Pryce.
Michael Collins
2 hours, 13 min.
1916-1922 -- Irish Independence -- Ireland
European history is full of conquest. From Rome taking over England, to
England taking over Scotland and then Ireland. With the conquest of the
British Isles, United Kingdom was formed and expanded around the world.
However, as seen throughout history, the conquered rebel and Ireland was
no exception. This movement intensified during WWI and continued in
violence after the War. This period began with the Easter Rising, where
revolutionaries took over Dublin, but were then executed by the British.
Then, the Irish politicians chose not to go to Parliament
and instead formed their own Independent government. This declaration
was defended by guerilla warfare, the rise of the Irish Republican
Army (IRA), and then accepted by the U.K. by a treaty that split Ireland
so the Northern Ireland is still part of the U.K.
This movie is about the Irish Revolutionary leader, Michael Collins. He
was an integral part of the movement and the politics required for
Ireland to secure independence. Collins was a major driving force for
the violence that came with the Irish struggle. But, he also helped
negotiate with the British to resolve the conflict he helped cause.
Unfortunately for Collins, he led an army that would not compromise.
Starring Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, and Stephen Rea.
The Romanovs: An Imperial Family
2 hours, 15 min.
1917-1918 -- End of the Russian Monarchy -- Russia
The beginning of the 20th Century saw the military and societal effects
of the Industrial Revolution come to a world-wide explosion. In Russia,
the First World War seriously injured the Russian economy and depleted
its resources. The Russian monarchy - the Czar - was becoming increasingly
unpopular, as the French monarchy did in 1789. Inevitably, the people
rose up and began the Russian Revolution and ended the reign of the Czar.
This movie is about the final days of the Romanov family. During the
Russian Revolution, there was Civil War between factions that opposed and
favored the monarchy. The side that opposed were called the Bolsheviks.
The Bolsheviks won and ensured, in an incredibly violent act that is the
focus of the movie, that the Russian monarchy ended and the Soviet Union
began.
Starring Aleksandr Galibin, Lynda Bellingham, and Yuliya Novikova.
Doctor Zhivago
3 hours, 13 min.
1903-1953 -- Russian Revolutions, WW1, and Stalinist Era -- Russia
The First half of the 20th Century produced much political turmoil for
Europe, and Russia in particular. The economic strain caused by the First
World War alone caused two revolutions in a single year: 1917. After the
people rioted during the February Revolution, the Czar, Nicholas II,
abdicated his throne. Later that year, the Bolsheviks led by Vladimir
Lenin, overran the provisional government and established the Soviet
Union after a civil war between the Red Army and the White Army. The
Red Army won. The Soviet Union marked a period and region
where communism was the economic priority at the expense of all other
social and political freedoms. Anything problematic was censored and
blocked from the public. This continued and the repressiveness increased
during the Stalinist era.
This movie is a love story that takes place in a Russia that is going
through WW1 and its Revolutions and Communism. Although the focus
of the film is not the historical events of the time, these events are
very much part of the story and they affect the characters living through
them.
Starring Geraldine Chaplin, Julie Christie, and Tom Courtenay.
World War I
The Trench
1 hour, 38 min.
1916 -- Life in the Trenches and the Battle of the Somme -- France
World War I, often called The Great War, lasted from 1914 to 1918. Most
of the war was fought between the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance.
The Triple Entente consisted of France, Russia, and Britain, Italy in
1915, and the U.S. in 1917. The Triple Alliance was Germany, the
Ottoman Empire and
Austria-Hungary. There were many causes, such as alliances and
nationalism, but the infamous spark was the assassination of the Archduke
Franz Ferdinand of Austria Hungary by a Serbian. This set off all the
alliances that had been made between the major powers like dominoes, and
so began the Wat to End All Wars and the military advancement that it
brought. A
major mark of WWI was trench warfare where soldiers were stationed in
long lines dug up on the battle fronts.
This movie is about British soldiers in the trenches in the days leading
up to the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest battle for the British army
and one of the largest of the Great War.
Starring Paul Nicholls, Daniel Craig, and Julian Rhind-Tutt.
1917
1 hour, 57min.
1917 -- The Western Front -- France
With less than two years left in the War to End All Wars, the year 1917
was full of determining events. Germany declared unrestricted submarine
warfare; the U.S. entered on Britain and France's side; and Russia went through internal revolutions.
This all made the Western Front in France more dangerous and more important.
Germany even moved its troops back in order to have a more stable defensive
position. This German move is known as Operation Alberich.
This movie is about WWI messengers in the British forces journeying through
the Western Front and into enemy territory to inform a British battalion
that the Germans were not retreating, but were becoming better positioned.
The movie shows the horrors of the War, including trench life and warfare,
and the destruction that came with it all.
Starring George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Mark Strong.
Lawrence of Arabia
3 hours
1916-1918 -- The Ottoman Empire and the Arab Revolt -- Middle East
After the Greeks and Persians, after the Romans, and then after the Eastern or
Byzantine Empire, there was the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans were from
the Middle East and took over the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, which
is now Istanbul. The Empire expanded and controlled much of the Middle
East, Northern Africa, and Eastern Europe. It lasted for over 500 years
and made great advancements in science and art, as well as committed
terrible atrocities such as the Armenian Genocide. As all empires in history,
the Ottoman Empire stretched too wide and its edges broke off and its
power declined. The Empire was over with its defeat in WWI that it shared
with Germany and Austria Hungary. The internal
revolutions sealed its fate and officially ended it. The victorious
European powers (U.K.; France) then carved their spheres
of influence in the Middle East. Turkey is what's
left of the Empire.
This movie is about a British officer's experience in the Ottoman Empire
and the major role he played in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman
Empire. His name was T.E. Lawrence.
Starring Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, and Anthony Quinn.
World War II
The King's Speech
1 hour, 59 min.
1934-1939 -- King George VI and the U.K.'s Entry into WWII -- England
The Victorian Age ended with the death of the Queen in 1901. Then came
the Edwardian era: the reign of Victoria's son, King Edward VII; followed
by the reign of George V, his son, during WW1 and the global economic
depression until his death in 1936. Also during the 1930s, Germany, the
former Holy Roman Empire and German Empire and defeated in WW1, was
becoming more of a dictatorship under the rule of Adolf Hitler. Hitler's
Nazi party took over Germany and he began invading other European
countries. War was imminent. Then Germany invaded Poland; War began again
in 1939.
This movie is about the rise of George VI, the younger son of George V.
George VI was born Albert, after his great-grandfather. Albert became
king because his older brother, Edward VIII, chose to marry a divorced
American who was going through another divorce, and the British
government would not allow the king to do that. Also among the issues
was the couple's possible Nazi sentiment. So he abdicated the
throne. That left George VI to deal with Hitler and a stutter. The
movie really focuses on his speech therapy sessions, culminating in the
king speaking to the British people about the war they are about to enter.
Starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter.
Darkest Hour
2 hours, 5 min.
1940 -- Winston Churchill Becoming Prime Minister During WWII -- England
After Hitler became leader of Germany he began invading neighboring nations.
The international response was shock and disdain of course, especially
during the global economic depression. But no one wanted another global
war and so the policy of Appeasement was followed. However, Hitler was never
satisfied and there were many politicians who knew he would not stop unless
he was forced to. Then Hitler invaded Poland, and that was the end of
Appeasement. After World War II began, Germany continued to invade and
the war hit Britain hard. After a year, it was clear that the U.K. needed
a new leader, and in came Winston Churchill.
This movie is about Winston Churchill becoming Prime Minister and shows
the magnificent effect that he had on the British people and the war. He
gave inspiring speeches and was against appeasement and negotiating with
Hitler from even before the war. But as inspiring as he was, he needed
to deal with extremely difficult situations as the U.K. was increasingly
alone as the war waged on.
Starring Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Lily James.
Recommended Watching Group:
- -Darkest Hour-
- Dunkirk
Dunkirk
1 hour, 46 min.
1940 -- The Dunkirk Evacuation -- France
The U.K. and France, allied once again, both declared war on Germany after
Poland was invaded. Germany fought back against both and the Western Front
was a warzone again. However in the Second World War, this became the
Battle of France as Germany invaded and won that battle. The Nazis
occupied France and the Allied forces were forced all the way to the
French coast of the English Channel. These soldiers were trapped. On
one side was a large body of water and on the other were German forces.
This movie is about the rescue mission that was known as Operation Dynamo
in which the forces trapped at Dunkirk were evacuated and saved. One of
the amazing aspects about this mission was that the soldiers weren't
saved by just military boats, but also my many civilian boats and
private yachts. The war affected everyone and everyone contributed to
saving not just an incredible amount of Allied soldiers, but also the
hope of winning the war.
Starring Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Jack Lowden.
Recommended Watching Group:
- Darkest Hour
- -Dunkirk-
The Pianist
2 hours, 30 min.
1939-1945 -- The Holocaust -- Poland
Since before WWII began, Germany's Nazi government made prejudiced
policies against Jews and spread anti-semitic sentiment throughout the
Germany. This became intense discrimination, which led
to horrible living conditions in ghettos where the Jews were forced to
live, and then came genocide. Nazi Germany horrendously killed about
six million Jews in the European lands that Germany invaded. This
atrocity involved locking Jews up in concentration camps where they
would be put to death in many terrible ways including gas chambers. This
atrocity is known as the Holocaust.
This movie is about Władysław Szpilman, a Polish Jew, piano player,
and Holocaust survivor. The movie follows Szpilman as the Nazis begin
the oppressing Jews and forcing them into ghettos, and then concentration
camps. The movie also shows the tension in Poland throughout the war as
Germany and Russia invaded from the opposite sides. Russia also fought
against Germany in WWII. The movie is based on Szpilman's memoirs of his
experience during the WWII Holocaust.
Starring Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, and Frank Finlay.
Defiance
2 hours, 17 min.
1941-1942 -- Bielski Partisans: Jews Escaping and Fighting Back -- Belarus
While Nazi Germany was simultaneously trying to take over Europe and
conduct a mass genocide on the Jews in Europe, the Nazis faced very
resilient opposition on both fronts. Germany and Italy were fighting against the
U.K., France, the Soviet Union, and eventually the U.S. The planned
genocide was met by strong resistance by Jews in Europe as well. One of
the well-known Jewish resistance movements was led by the Bielski
brothers, who fled to the forests after their parents were killed by Nazis
in a ghetto. These brothers saved many Jews from the Nazis.
This movie is about the Bielski brothers, or Bielski partisans and their
acts of heroism during World War II. Although the group was sometimes
violent, it was war time after all, their priority was to save Jews from
the Holocaust. This movie shows their mission and their efforts to
survive in Eastern Europe.
Starring Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell.
Conspiracy
1 hour, 36 min.
1942 -- The Wannsee Conference: Nazis Decide to Murder All the Jews -- Germany
The anti-semitic policies growing in Nazi Germany reached an unimaginable
point during WWII. Above the discrimination and increasingly violent
oppression and relocations, the Nazi regime formally decided to commit
a genocide and murder every Jew in lands under their control. That
decision is known as the Final Solution to the Jewish Question.
This movie is about the meeting in which high ranking members of the
Nazi government all basically agreeed to the genocide. Many atrocities
of the Holocaust were already occurring when the meeting was held, but
this meeting made it more of an official government policy. After the War,
there was barely any evidence of the meeting, but one copy of the
minutes of the meeting were found.
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Stanley Tucci, and Colin Firth.
Schindler's List
3 hours, 17 min.
1939-1945 -- Private Efforts to Save Jews -- Poland
During the Holocaust the Jews in Nazi occupied territory were being
persecuted and murdered. But across Europe, there were numerous efforts
to resist the genocide and fight back. Among the resistance were
some individuals who were not Jewish and not being oppressed. These
people protected Jews from certain torture and death.
This movie is about a man named Oskar Schindler who saved over one
thousand Jews during the Holocaust. The movie shows how the
Holocaust was increasingly a part of German life and it focuses on
a non-Jew who knew that he needed to do everything in his power to
save innocent people.
Starring Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes.
Days of Glory
2 hours, 8 min.
1943 -- North African Soldiers -- French North Africa; Southern Europe
Like WWI, the Second World War was a global conflict due to the
extensive territorial control and colonies held by the major powers
fighting in the war. Much of Northern Africa was controlled by France
at this time. France fell and Germany occupied it for much of the War.
This made the French government and forces heavily rely on their Allies
and colonies for secure home bases. The French also relied on
soldiers drafted from the population of its African territory to fight
against Germany and help reclaim France.
This movie is about French African soldiers and their efforts to help
the Allies win the War. This movie also shows the discrimination that
many non-European soldiers faced even though they were fighting on the
same side and for the same cause as Europeans.
Starring Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri, and Roschdy Zem.
The Great Escape
2 hours, 53 min.
1943-1944 - Prisoner of War Camps in Nazi Germany - Poland
During any war, there are prisoners. During WWII, the Nazis took many Allied
prisoners representing many nationalities and they placed them all in
various prisoner camps. One prisoner camp in particular has been the subject
of multiple movies because of the escapes and attempted escapes that took
place. The Stalag Luft III had sandy soil, which made tunnelling very difficult.
However, this didn't stop Allied forces from planning and performing escape
operations.
This movie focuses on the second escape, which took place in 1944. The movie
overplays the American role, as no American actually participated in the
actual escape because the Germans moved the Americans out before the tunnels
were completed. But the movie does show the POW camp and the effort that went
into this famous Allies escape.
Starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough.
Valkyrie
2 hours, 4 min.
1944 -- German Soldiers Attempt to Kill Hitler -- Tunisia; Germany
Before Germany was ruled by Hitler and the Nazis, it was a country with
rival political parties and elections like most other countries. One
of those political parties was the Nazi party and they won over enough
Germans to put Hitler in charge and the Nazis in power. However,
the Nazis did not have unanimous support, even among the German soldiers
during the War.
This movie is about an attempt by German soldiers to assassinate
Hitler and remove the Nazis from power. This has become known as the
July 20 Plot. It was a highly secretive plan that required perfection
for success. Perfection is an extremely rare thing and incredibly
difficuly to achieve, especially in war time.
Starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, and Bill Nighy.
Downfall
2 hours, 36 min.
1945 -- Hitler's Defeat -- Germany
Like every empire in European history, Nazi Germany grew to the point
of instability and could only shrink. This fall was largely due to
the fact that Germany was fighting WWII in the East and the West of
Europe. Fighting Britain, the U.S., and France in the West, and
the Soviet Union in the East, Germany had less hope of victory every
year. The war eventually closed in and was finally brought to Hitler's
home in Berlin.
This movie is about the fall of Berlin and the Allied victory in
WWII. The movie focuses on Adolf Hitler's last days when he had to accept
the reality that he had lost. That was it; the war was over and the
Nazis lost.
Starring Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, and Corinna Harfouch.
Post War
Judgment at Nuremberg
3 hours, 8 min.
1948 -- Nuremberg Trials -- Germany
After all of the horrors of the Second World War and the Holocaust, the
victorious nations were compelled to punish the Nazis beyond just
military defeat. The war crimes and inhumane atrocities needed to be
answered for. The U.S., Soviet Union, U.K., and France established
an international court made up of judges and prosecutors from each of
the countries. These trials resulted in convictions and serious
sentences for members of the Nazi party. The trials lasted a few
years and included prosecutions of Nazis from the surviving leaders to
the doctors and judges who contributed to the overall Nazi regime.
This movie is about the prosecution of Nazi judges and prosecutors who
played a part in allowing the Nazi party to completely control Germany
and carry out the Holocaust. The movie shows how the strong feelings
from the War were still prevalent but there were mounting tensions due
to the oncoming war between the victorious powers. Although the film
isn't about the Nazi leaders, it's still very interesting in how it
explores the reasons behind regular Germans' support of the Nazi party.
Starring Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, and Richard Widmark.
The Death of Stalin
1 hour, 47 min.
1953 -- Internal Soviet Union Political Power Struggle -- Russia
After the Russian Revolition in the early 20th Century, Joseph Stalin
was basically the dictator of Russia for 30 years through WWII and until
his death in 1953. Russia became a communist nation and took over
other Eastern European countries to form the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR). Stalin's government controlled the nation with an
absolute authority. Stalin has been credited for many good and bad
things about the Soviet Union. He was very much admired by many in the
USSR, but he is also credited with many atrocities and economic
failures. He did, however, hold the USSR together made it a real
threat to the U.S. during the Cold War.
This movie is about the power struggle between the people at the
highest level of the governmentthat occurred after Stalin's death.
After 30 years of stable power and control, the USSR needed
to quickly organize and establish a new leader. The issues with that
stemmed from the fact that the USSR was a dictatorship and there was
no appointed successor; no elections; and no trust between the people
in the highest level of the government.
Starring Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, and Paddy Considine.
The Tunnel
2 hours, 47 min.
1961 -- The Berlin Wall -- Germany
After WWII, the Cold War began between the USSR and the U.S. It was
capitalism vs communism; East vs West; Berlin vs Berlin. The
victorious nations split up Berlin after the War. The most prominent
effect of this was the construction of the Berlin Wall, which symbolized
the Iron Curtain that divided Europe during the Cold War. The city of
Berlin was physically split into East and West sides; the city was also
split culturally and economically with West Berlin being part of
Western Europe and the free market, while East Berlin was part of the
Eastern Bloc of communist countries. This barrier was designed to
keep Western influences out and keep people in the East from leaving.
It went up in 1961 and didn't come down unil 1989.
This movie is about some of the many people who tried to escape from
East Berlin after the Wall starting going up. Sneaking people across
the border was not only practically challenging but it was also
life threatening. People were killed trying to get across. The movie
focuses on a group of people who build a tunnel to try to escape and
help others escape from East Germany.
Starring Heino Ferch, Nicolette Krebitz, and Alexandra Maria Lara.
Bloody Sunday
1 hour, 50 min.
1972 -- British-Irish Conflict -- Northern Ireland
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) did not stop fighting after the violence
of the 1920s. The IRA persisted and continues its goals for complete
Independence to this day. This increased the tension between Ireland
and the U.K. and has hurt the relationships between the govvernments,
authorities, and the people on both sides.
This movie is about the Bogside Massacre where British soldiers shot
about 30 unarmed civilians in Northern Ireland. This was a heavily
criticized act of violence and it only added to the mounting tensions
and worsened any chance of peace.
Starring James Nesbitt, Tim Pigott-Smith, and Nicholas Farrell.
Munich
2 hours, 44 min.
1972-1973 -- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict -- Europe; New York
Throughout history people and nations and ethnic groups have fought
over land all over the world. This list of movies clearly shows that.
The longest conflict of this type is undoubtedly the most notorious in
the Middle East: the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Two different
religions, ethnicities, and nationalities have been involved in a
conflict with violence that has gone beyond the land in dispute.
This movie is about two covert operations by Palestine and Israel
against each other. The first was the massacre of Israeli athletes at
the Munich Olympics; the second was the hunt for the Palestinians
responsible for the massacre. The movie shows the burden that this
long conflict has on everyone involved.
Starring Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, and Ciarán Hinds.
The Lives of Others
2 hours, 17 min.
1984-1991 -- The End of East Berlin -- Germany
The Berlin Wall kept residents of East Berlin in place and also in a
constant state of paranoia. The government of East Germany, the
German Democratic Republic (GDR) followed common communist tactics
and heavily monitered their people to prevent any loss of control.
Residents of East Berlin were not free to leave and they were not
free to live until the Wall came down in 1989.
This movie is about life in East Berlin. The movie shows how regular
people were under surveillance by the GDR's secret police who tried
to keep a forced order in society by exercising extreme censorship.
Starring Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, and Sebastian Koch.
Modern
The Iron Lady
1 hours, 45 min.
1940s-2000s -- First Female Prime Minister of the U.K. -- England
The U.K. has always had a monarch, and its politics have been full of
succession disputes and the monarch's role in the nation and society.
The U.K. has also had a Parliament for much of its history. Parliament
has been the main governing body and is made up of two houses: the
House of Lords, consisting of hereditary ministers who have a mostly
traditional ceremonial role; and the House of Commons, consisting of
elected ministers who make much of the policies and select the head of
the government, the Prime Minister.
This movie is about Margaret Thatcher, the U.K.'s first female Prime
Minister, who was in office from 1979 to 1990. The movie follows Thatcher
through her life and career and retirement. She was a hard-lined leader
whose influence still affects the U.K. today. She governed over
difficult times for the U.K. at home and abroad, and her tenure as
Prime Minister included many controversial decisions. One thing that
can be widely agreed on is that she was a major part of British and
European history.
Starring Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, and Olivia Colman.
The Queen
1 hour, 43 min.
1997 -- The Death of Princess Diana -- England
Queen Elizabeth II rose to the throne in 1952, succeeding her father,
King George VI who reigned during WWII. Although the British monarchy
has become a largely ceremonial and symbolic establishment, it is a
powerful symbol. Elizabeth II has four children with her oldest,
Charles, being the heir to the throne. Charles married Diana Spencer in
1981, who is the mother of Charles's sons and heirs. Diana was
immensely admired by the public and she was famous for her work and
support of various humanitarian causes. She was so popular that her
divorce from Charles and Royal Family didn't remove her from the
spotlight or the hearts of the people.
This movie is about the Royal Family's reaction to Diana's death. The
movie especially focuses on Queen Elizabeth's interactions with the
Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair. The two had very different
opinions about many things, especially about how the Queen should've
reacted to Diana's death. The Royal Family and Diana had many issues,
but Diana was still regarded as the People's Princess.
Starring Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, and James Cromwell.