November 2024: Favourite war films

1917 (2019) | Directed by Sam Mendes | Reviewed by Aiden Beatty

When I used to work at a movie theatre, I was extremely excited to get free tickets. After my first shift, I took a look at what we were showing and decided to go see 1917. I didn’t really know what it was but there was the fun. I ended up enjoying it so much that I went and saw it again the next day, after I had such an emotional reaction to the film that I hadn’t expected the first time. 1917 deploys a false “one-take” style of cinematography and editing which creates fantastic immersion like no other war film I’ve seen. We follow two soldiers during World War I sent on a mission to deliver a message across enemy occupied territory, in order to stop their allies from walking into a deadly trap. The film is constantly keeping you on the edge of your seat and is equally fun and thrilling. The score is magical and sticks with you once the film is over. 1917 remains one of my favourite war films and has such a memorable theatre experience I will never forget.

The Zone of Interest (2023) | Directed by Jonathan Glazer | Reviewed by Lucy Schwindt

I remember going to see The Zone of Interest in the theatres and being absolutely devastated and feeling hollow by the time I left. There is no other way to describe it. Despite the fact that you see very little of the horrors of the German concentration camps, the ever looming presence it has over the lives of Glazer’s characters is crushing. This movie feels less like a study of the intricacies of war and leans towards a study of evil. A study of how cruelty infects an individual/population and their behaviour. 
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Glazer puts the viewer into the shoes of the Hoss family. Isolated and relatively ignorant (by choice or not) to the horror happening behind the wall. The blissful and simple scene is simply disturbing. You can’t help but become conflicted between the anger of internal values and the emotions one experiences while being shown a scene that feels nostalgic for many individuals. The Zone of Interest is a study of tension and the darkest sides of the human experience, and gives a unique perspective on the minds behind war.

1917 (2019) | Directed by Sam Mendes | Reviewed by Cooper Hartlen

1917 is a war film that excels in how fully it transports you into the perspective of a soldier. Like All Quiet on the Western Front, the movie primarily uses the perspective of a singular soldier to show the exact mindset of being in a war and how the gruesome events you see affect your psyche. We feel every moment of danger as protagonist Will Schofield navigates through no man’s land. We feel the impact of being shot and waking up alive, next to the corpse of another man who nearly ended your life, rather than the reality of what act you committed in self defence. But whereas All Quiet on the Western Front showed as much gruesome violence as possible to show the horrors of war, 1917 uses a constant tracking shot throughout the movie to have every second experienced be felt by the viewer. 
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The focus on cinematography giving more of the story than the dialogue is an excellent artistic choice, when showing an event where emotions were concealed. The visual horror of feeling the claustrophobia of the trenches and the impending horror of seeing a plane crash right next to you can only be shown with their full impact visually.

Starship Troopers (1997) | Directed by Paul Verhoven | Reviewed by Lucy Schwindt

I will never get sick of this movie. It is so nostalgic to me. It was one of the first movies that sent me down the rabbit hole of loving film, and more specifically my interest in war films (despite it not being the same kind of genre as say, Saving Private Ryan). Starship Troopers is not only a clear analogy of anti-facist ideals, but it is a great critique of war propaganda and the absurdity of war mentality.
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 Verhoven has this uncanny ability to create playful and textured worlds that leave the viewer filled with this sort of heavy whimsy. As strange as that combination may sound. Starship Troopers is a great example of this though. The characters are exaggerated and enthusiastic, and have this certain charm that makes this movie just such an enjoyable watch. And even with the lightheartedness, Verhoven still leaves room for his viewers to stop and think about what is being said. 

I truly believe this movie has a little something for everyone. Plus, who doesn’t love epic spaceship fights and crazy alien creatures? I truly cannot recommend this movie enough.