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Oscar-winning “Son of Saul” and “Sunset” director László Nemes takes a personal story to the Venice competition. In “Orphan,” he’s recalling the story of his father who, as a 12-year-old boy, had to face his family’s secret.

“He found out his father was not really his father. And the man who came knocking on their door was, well, not what he was expecting,” recalls Nemes. “My dad grew up with this personal trauma and on top of that, the Second World War shaped his life in such a dramatic way. It haunted him. Later, it haunted me too.”

“Orphan” is produced by Pioneer Prods., Good Chaos, Mid March Media and Ar Content. New Europe Film Sales co-sells the film with Charades.

He ended up finding universal themes in the story — “It’s almost archetypal” — comparing it to the dilemmas of Oedipus or Hamlet. But Nemes wasn’t just...

This year’s opening film of the Norwegian International Film Festival Haugesund might be about the “Battle of Oslo” – or rather, the sinking of German cruiser Blücher back in 1940 – but it has become “unpleasantly relevant,” says director Daniel Fahre.

“When they talk about foreign ships [showing up] in the Norwegian fjords, it doesn’t feel like a fairy tale,” he notes, admitting that the dilemmas voiced in the film start to sound very familiar again.

“Lots of civilians at Oscarsborg [fortress] were trapped in the shelters. When we shot those scenes, we had little children as extras, pretending they were afraid. I had tears in my eyes. I knew they were pretending – I also knew that right now, there are other children terrified of war somewhere in the world.”

He adds: “There’ve been many war films, but we need to remember our history. Especially when it tells us about the moments right before the war started.

What makes a movie hard to watch? A mixture of unpleasant imagery and taboo storytelling? No matter the answer, the fact that a movie is disturbing or difficult to endure doesn’t mean it isn’t without its qualities. Some of the most disturbing movies of all time are great works of art from auteur visionaries.

I hope you’ve got a strong stomach, because these are the 10 most disturbing movies that are hard to watch, but are actually great.

1. Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

Described by some as “irredeemably depraved,” Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom is the last film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, released three weeks after his tragic murder. Set in the World War II era, the film follows four libertines who kidnap eighteen teenagers and subject them to four months of unimaginable torture. It’s not a fun time at the movies,...

War films are horror films, aren’t they? Both genres explore inevitable death intertwined with moral quandaries and are full of suspense. Come and See is often hailed as one of the scariest films and Son of Saul almost plays like a found footage in Auschwitz.

There is a thin line between the two, but military horror goes further by blending the literal and figurative. This hybrid subgenre repeatedly uses the zombie as the antagonist of choice, a reason identified by Scholar Kevin Wetmore in Post-9/11 Horror in American Cinema: “Zombies cannot be reasoned with, cannot be negotiated with, they seek only to replicate themselves, which also makes them an excellent metaphor for terrorists.”

That said, in recognition of Memorial Day here are 14 military horrors to choose from that aren’t all just about the undead. The POVs range from civilians trapped in military culture, teen cadets, facing barriers as...

In collaboration with Los Angeles’ American Cinematheque, New York’s Paris Theater will be presenting the second annual “Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair” from June 8 to June 14. This beloved film series embraces the darker side of cinema with empathy, introspection, and unflinching honesty.

The series features a stellar lineup of special guests for post-screening conversations:

Kathleen Turner will be present for a screening of the dark comedy “The War of the Roses” (1989), which has recently been remade by Jay Roach starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. John Turturro discusses “Miller’s Crossing” (1990), one of his standout collaborations with the Coen Brothers. Writer/Director Kenneth Lonergan returns to the Paris for a Q&a following “Manchester by the Sea” (2016), starring Academy Award-winner Casey Affleck and Lucas Hedges. Hot off their success with “The Brutalist,” Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold, joined by actor Daniel London, will discuss their work on “Vox Lux” (2018). Closing the series,...

Alex Garland teams with war veteran Ray Mendoza to make an unsparing account of real-world conflict. Our review of Warfare:

Amid the dust, the smoke and the blood, we can scarcely distinguish one face from another. In the shock and numbness following the explosion, all we can hear is the voice of a soldier repeating, “Oh my god. Oh my god…”

This is Warfare, a forensic account of a real-world incident which took place in the Second Iraq War in 2006. In some respects, it’s a companion piece to 2024’s Civil War, and its making-of backstory is intrinsically linked to that film. Writer-director Alex Garland’s military advisor was Ray Mendoza, himself a veteran of the Iraq conflict. Garland and Mendoza got on so well that they decided to collaborate again, this time on a more equal footing; both are credited here as writers and directors.

Their film is...

The question of whether it's actually possible to make a true anti-war film has, without hyperbole, hovered over the entire history of film, without ever quite being answered to satisfaction. What makes it a tricky imbroglio is that the very idea of anti-war filmmaking presupposes that a film will be going against one of the core tenets of commercial cinema: The mission to thrill, entertain, and satisfy viewers. To be truly anti-war, a movie can't stop at just paying lip service to the idea that war is a bad thing whose professed heroics are an illusion; it has to actually live that idea, inhabit it in its very emotional charge, making an active effort to not glorify combat or naturalize war's dehumanizing emotional logic by wringing catharsis from its trials and triumphs. And, by nature, any such movie will be some degree of unsatisfying, if not outright hostile to the viewer.

Whenever someone asks for a war movie, one name is always mentioned. Come and See is frequently recommended and prefaced with a veritable manifesto of content warnings. It’s brutal, violent, and all-around horrifying. It’s a gritty view of civilian suffering and hailed as one of the greatest anti-war films of all time, yet it’s also faced frequent censorship. Few films will ever achieve the same uncomfortably vivid results as this Soviet masterpiece. Of course, this power comes from some extremely disturbing content. Despite its brilliance, Elem Klimov’s award-winning final film is an unending barrage of downright upsetting material. It pulls no punches and leaves no room for ambiguity.

While some films may offer comforting platitudes or soothing optimism, Come and See has no such pretenses. Its content is as stark and coarse as its setting. There are no veneers of imperialism or retrospective buffer zones. The audience sees everything.

When film critics hold forth on war films that purport to deliver a realistic treatment of combat, they are most likely talking out of their hat. Most of my colleagues, including me, have never served in the military, and, thus, haven't the slightest clue as to what it feels like to have bullets whizzing by your head while ordinance explodes in your vicinity. Heck, many people who serve in the military don't get that experience.

So when it comes to determining what's realistic and what's Hollywood, all you can do is consult someone who's been in it. I've done this throughout my career as a critic, and the titles I hear most frequently as being the most realistic are probably "The Battle of Algiers," "Come and See," "Saving Private Ryan," "Das Boot," "Hamburger Hill," and "Black Hawk Down." And while François Truffaut once asserted that there's no such thing as an anti-war movie,...

Filmmaking is a form of self-expression: “The most personal is the most creative”. Remember that? Well, that’s quite true most of the time. This generation of filmmakers, such as Gasper Noe, Lars von Trier, and Michael Haneke, do not hesitate to leave their imprint and personal style on their film, irrespective of how that makes the audience feel. They’ve developed a warning system to offset any unwilling takers and keep their films limited to ‘their’ audience. Beyond these names, there are many films etched in movie history that are similarly eerie in tone. We’ve tried to make a list of such unsettling movies (while deliberately missing out on a few). Let us know in the comments the ones you feel should’ve made the cut.

Honorable Mention: The Skin I Live In (2011)

A Pedro Almodovar film can never feel empty. Even if the performances don’t live up to your expectations,...

Before things get too negative, one thing should be made clear: some of the best arthouse movies of all time can also be considered among the very best movies of all time. Avoiding art films or movies that can be called experimental/avant-garde is doing yourself a disservice, since it means missing out on groundbreaking films like La Dolce Vita, Come and See, In the Mood for Love, and The Conformist, to name just a few.

Despite the mixed reviews that Nosferatu has received from critics and audiences, there’s no denying the fact that it’s further cemented Rober Eggers’ reputation as a director who fully comprehends visual storytelling. It was a full decade ago when audiences were first made aware of Eggers’ ability to tap into visual presentation and atmospheric tone following the release of The Witch. Taking place in New England in the 1600s, a time period rife with religious piety where the concepts of god, the devil, and paranoia of those who made a pact with the latter of these two deities permeate every aspect of human life. The Witch tapped into folklore and a fear of the unknown that exists at the forefront of the human experience.

The Witch thrives on a combination of folklore and atmosphere not seen since Amando de Ossorio's Blind Dead films. Eggers’ narrative utilizes cinematic...

Though the term “war movie” may evoke one-note images of guns, blood, and battlefields, in actuality, it’s a rather eclectic genre. Inglourious Basterds and Come and See, for instance, are both technically defined as war movies, though they couldn’t be more different. Whether they’re dramas showing the horrors of war like All Quiet on the Western Front and Saving Private Ryan or more satirical approaches like M*A*S*H and Stripes, the best have something new or interesting to say about experiencing such devastation and the larger political and global implications of military action. Atropia certainly offers both new and interesting commentary in a fresh way — especially considering it examines the Iraq War, which is severely underrepresented in the genre — but it takes on so many storylines and makes so few decisive statements that it simultaneously ends up feeling overambitious and overly tame.

Quick Links What is The Steel Helmet About? The Steel Helmet's Complicated Critical Reception

One of the best things about film as a hobby is that there is a seemingly endless supply of fantastic gems to discover. Hundreds of films are released in theaters every year, with thousands more floating around somewhere on streaming, hard drives, and television. Some cinephiles with thousands of films under the belt may feel like they've "seen it all," but that could not be further from the truth. If legendary filmmakers like Martin Scorsese are still on the quest of discovery at the age of 82, then there is undoubtedly something out there for everyone to discover. The sheer number of masterpieces that have yet to be seen is simultaneously a blessing and a curse because no one film fan can catch everything on their watch list before their time expires. Every subgenre has its fair share of hidden classics,...

The opening of Whiteout creates disorientation, mirroring the chaos the protagonist experiences. Derek Barnes tells the story with minimal background information, making the audience share Henry’s confusion. This approach matches survival’s unpredictable nature, as the plot develops parallel to the severe wilderness setting.

The story alternates intense action scenes—like the labor camp escape—with quiet, contemplative sequences where characters fight against the icy environment. Similar to Godard’s films, the calm moments build tension. Barnes grounds this experimental style through realistic survival elements, keeping viewers connected to Henry’s ordeals.

The final section shifts toward psychological horror. Fear and distrust spread among the escapees, building suspense and terror, showing how desperate humans behave unpredictably. The changed tone serves the story’s main idea: surviving requires both physical stamina and mental strength.

A Journey from Captivity to Chaos

Whiteout starts with a sudden drop into its stark premise.

"Coming to you, or you coming to us?" A24 has unveiled the official trailer for a war movie called simply Warfare, the latest project (co-)directed by Alex Garland following his big action movie Civil War earlier this year. Warfare is actually co-directed by Alex Garland and the real life Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza, telling his own stories (from memory) of what it was like to be there. A member of Seal Team 5, Mendoza came to partner with Garland on Warfare after serving as his military supervisor on Civil War. The huge ensemble cast features: D'Pharaoh Woon-a-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Taylor John Smith, Adain Bradley, Noah Centineo, Evan Holtzman, Henrique Zaga, Michael Gandolfini, with Joesph Quinn and Charles Melton. This looks like Black Hawk Down and Come and See – a brutally honest depiction of how war is hell and how terrible it is. Just...

Andrei Tarkovsky classics Solaris, Stalker, The Mirror and more besides are now available in full (and legally) on YouTube.

Celebrating its centenary in January 2024, Russian production company Mosfilm has spent the past few months quietly uploading many of its classic films to YouTube.

Among the additions are several works by Andrei Tarkovsky, including perhaps his most famous films, Solaris (1972) and Stalker (1979). Solaris, adapted from Stanislaw Lem’s 1961 novel, is a simmering masterpiece – the story of psychologist Kris Kelvin (Donatis Banionis), who’s sent to a distant space station to investigate some strange behaviour among its crew. Once there, he’s told that the planet the station orbits, the titular Solaris, may be sentient – and capable of somehow turning memories into physical reality…

Stalker’s a sci-fi piece of a very different sort. It’s loosely adapted from Arkady and Boris Strugatsky’s novel Roadside Picnic, and sees a group of scavenger,...

Soviet War films produce some of the most gritty and realistic films that shed a harsh light on the horrors and sacrifices made by those on the battlefields. Many of the works are retellings of conflicts on the Eastern Front during World War II, the intense warfare between German and Russian forces that saw untold casualties and deaths. The films tell a story of individual and collective struggles against a war machine that blends in larger cultural narratives and deeper themes about politics and the true cost of war.

Some of the best war films of all time, such as Ballad of a Soldier and Come and See, show everything about what it means to be a Soviet War film, with harrowing, accurate recounts and intimate stories that reveal the personal impact and graphic devastation of combat. Films that present a more Soviet viewpoint offer a deeper look into the...

Films about war will always show graphic scenes of violence and carnage, as the conflict is at the very nature of the story. Some of these films will present it in such a way as to find some glory and heroics in the heat of combat, with exciting gunfire and sweeping battlefield sequences that have been beautifully choreographed. The most harrowing war films that define this genre will go beyond the surface to reveal the horrifying and nightmarish aspects of war that are deeply unsettling and show the true evil that affects the soldiers and civilians throughout the war.

The best war films of all time are the ones that don't shy away from the cruel and heinous realities of battle and its aftermath. Films like Come and See and Threads are renowned for their bleak and disturbing portrayal of the breakdown of humanity during the war, while films such...

War is arguably the most powerful genre in cinema. While at a fundamental level, movies are designed to entertain, they can also offer commentary and perspective on real-world issues. Whether current or historical, films can provide education and insight into the horrors of war in ways that no other forms of media can. Movies like All Quiet on the Western Front and Come and See had a profound impact on audiences, contextualizing war and opening a discussion on its futility.

War movies have been produced almost since the inception of Hollywood. There is something just so alluring about the war genre, maybe because war is, by and large, the worst thing that has ever happened and continues to happen throughout humanity's history. Thus, movies like Saving Private Ryan and Come and See showcase the tragedy of war without their viewers having to risk their lives by experiencing war firsthand.

Released in 2009, City of Life and Death ranks alongside Elem Klimov's Come and See as one of world cinema's most powerful war films. A brutal account of the 1937 Nanjing massacre, in which the Japanese military besieged and occupied one of China's most prominent cities, Lu Chuan's black-and-white historical dramatization pulls no punches in recreating a horrifying chapter of the 20th century. While City of Life and Death is far from comfortable viewing in its depiction of inhumane atrocities, including widespread sexual assault, graphic violence, and the mass murder of thousands, the film manages to strike a semblance of balance between its shocking content and impressive technical craft, with every bit of its $13 million budget making it onto the screen in service of assured cinematic storytelling. Before it hit theaters, however, Lu's film generated considerable controversy due to its sensitive subject, resulting in spats with the Chinese government over...

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ premiered today, and while most viewers will have to wait until Friday to see the movie if they missed the early screening, you’ll have a different challenge: avoiding spoilers.

The social media embargo on early reviews has been lifted, and both fans and critics are flocking to X to share their thoughts on the film.

The general consensus is that the movie is outstanding, with no negative or mediocre reviews among the initial reactions. Critics and audiences are praising everything from the story and humor to the emotional impact and cinematography. It appears that Disney may have secured the biggest R-rated box office hit of the year.

The film is being compared to ‘Endgame’ and ‘No Way Home,’ signaling a return to the fun and stylish era of the MCU.

#DeadpoolandWolverine is No Way Home on Steroids. It takes elements from Boss Baby and Come and See...

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ premiered today, and while the majority of the viewers will have to wait for Friday to actually watch the movie if you hadn’t managed to score a ticket for the early premiere, you have a different fun activity ahead of you, dodging the spoilers.

The social media embargo has been lifted today when it comes to the early reviews and fans and pros alike are flocking to X to share their opinions of the movie.

The general consensus is that the movie is excellent as I’ve failed to find a single bad or lukewarm review among the first reactions. Everything is being praised from the story to the vulgarity of the movie, to the overall emotional impact and camera work, it looks like Disney truly does have the biggest R-rated box office success this year.

The movie is being compared to ‘Endgame’ ‘No Way Home...

War movies offer a unique look at real history, adding weight to the action and exploring ethical questions of violence for mass audiences. Influential war films like Sergeant York and Paths of Glory challenge propaganda and bureaucracy in wartime narratives, advancing the genre. Movies like The Hurt Locker and Come and See reframe modern conflicts, while Grave of the Fireflies uses animation to depict the harsh truths of war.

War movies have been popular since the early days of cinema, but there are a few movies which have helped to shape the genre into what it is today. War movies offer things which no other genre can deliver, since they show real chapters from human history that are more extreme and more shocking than most fiction. The real-world context adds extra weight to the action of war movies.

The war genre has been fairly controversial. There has always been a...

One of the hottest tickets in the Great Lakes region this fall might be for the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point men’s basketball team. Not only will fans get to see the Pointers compete in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but they may also get a chance to meet forward Josiah Gillie, a.k.a. J.P., the rising Milwaukee rapper known for his hit “Bad Bitty,” who released his mixtape, Coming Out Party, on Friday. The gregarious nature he displayed throughout his time in our Manhattan office earlier this...

NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.

Film Forum

Films by David Lynch, Tony Scott, David Cronenberg, and Jim Jarmusch play in “Out of the 80s,“ which includes Do the Right Thing on 35mm this Sunday; The Neverending Story plays on Sunday.

Museum of the Moving Image

Rumble in the Bronx and The Straight Story play on 35mm as part of “See It Big at the ’90s Multiplex” which also includes Boomerang and Trainspotting; an Agnieszka Holland retrospective begins; Mothra screens on Saturday.

Roxy Cinema

Altered States plays on 35mm this Friday; Saturday brings Knight of Cups; George Cukor’s It Should Happen to You plays on 16mm this Sunday.

Paris Theater

Seven, Old Joy, Come and See, and The Conformist all screen on a despair-inducing Sunday.

Metrograph

Films by Gus Van Sant and Alain Resnais play in an mk2 retrospective; retrospectives of Obayashi and Dieudo Hamadi...

Quick Links The Origin of the Sound Effect Come and See Revolutionized Sound in Film Saving Private Ryan Popularized the Neverending Trend New and Innovative Ways of Using Tinnitus in Film The ear-ringing shot in films popularized by Saving Private Ryan has become an overused trope in cinema. Steven Spielberg drew influence from earlier films like Come and See in using sound to immerse viewers in war experiences. Despite its impact, the repetitive use of the tinnitus effect in films has become a tired and unoriginal cinematic clich.

We've all been there sitting in the movie theater. A bomb explodes within feet of the protagonist. The film's sound goes silent. A nearby soldier clutches a detached limb as though it can be easily bolted back on. The film moves into a lower, skippy frame rate, and then the buzz begins: "Eeeeee" The sound, sometimes in glorious Thx, tests a few rarely-used frequencies in our ears.

For the past three years, the American Cinematheque has presented “Bleak Week,” an annual festival devoted to the greatest films ever made about the darkest side of humanity. This year, the festival will not only be unspooling in Los Angeles June 1 – 7 — with special guests including Al Pacino, Lynne Ramsay, Charlie Kaufman, and Karyn Kusama — but will travel to New York for the first time with a week of screenings at the historic Paris Theater starting June 9.

“We are honored to co-present ‘Bleak Week: New York’ in partnership with one of the most beautiful movie palaces in the world,” Cinematheque artistic director Grant Moninger told IndieWire. “This year, over 10,000 people will attend ‘Bleak Week: Year 3’ in Los Angeles, proving that audiences are hungry for such powerful and confrontational cinema. Many people thought they were alone in their desire to explore films with uncomfortable truths, but the truth is that they are part of a large community,...

Introducing The Damned at its world premiere, Roberto Minervini stated that the film began from a desire to “deconstruct the precepts in war cinema,” e.g. good versus evil, “hyper-masculinity” and heroism. In the press kit interview, Minervini goes further, stating that there’s never been a war movie “that I would call humane […] Even films that depict tragedy and self-destruction emphasize martyrdom and sacrifice.” Has there really never been a true anti-war film? The existence of Come and See seems to contradict that, and noting that “good versus evil” isn’t real isn’t a breakthrough either, which may be why The […]

The post Cannes 2024: The Damned, The Invasion first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Introducing The Damned at its world premiere, Roberto Minervini stated that the film began from a desire to “deconstruct the precepts in war cinema,” e.g. good versus evil, “hyper-masculinity” and heroism. In the press kit interview, Minervini goes further, stating that there’s never been a war movie “that I would call humane […] Even films that depict tragedy and self-destruction emphasize martyrdom and sacrifice.” Has there really never been a true anti-war film? The existence of Come and See seems to contradict that, and noting that “good versus evil” isn’t real isn’t a breakthrough either, which may be why The […]

The post Cannes 2024: The Damned, The Invasion first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Following Raw and Titane, Julia Ducournau has set her third feature with Alpha. Though no plot details have been unveiled this far, Golshifteh Farahani and Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) will lead the film, Deadline reports. “Alpha is Julia’s most personal, profound work yet, and we are looking forward to a global audience discovering the story with as much excitement as we did,” said Filmnation and Charades, while the producers added, “Alpha is a new page in Julia Ducournau’s corpus that is both very consistent with the previous ones and entirely new in its tone.”

Following All of Us Strangers, Andrew Haigh is stepping up to a major studio project with a Leonardo da Vinci film set up at Universal Pictures. The film is based on Walter Isaacson‘s 2017 biography, which showed “how Leonardo’s genius was based on skills we can improve in ourselves, such as passionate curiosity,...

Is Alex Garland’s new film “apolitical”, or does it just take politics seriously? We take a look at the debate surrounding Civil War.

“Some are already calling it the greatest victory in the history of military campaigns”.

According to the actor that plays him, the unnamed President who opens Alex Garland’s Civil War with a TV address isn’t based on anyone in particular.

“Honestly, [the Trump comparison] didn’t even come up”, Nick Offerman somewhat implausibly told the Hollywood Reporter on a red carpet this month.

“It would be so easy to make this movie and lay in some easter eggs… but you would lose half your audience one way or another”.

Throughout Civil War’s press tour, Garland and the cast have been keen to stress the film’s bipartisan credentials. This, as you might imagine, hasn’t been easy. With a President seeking an unconstitutional third term, disbanding...

Reviews are out for “Civil War,” the controversial thriller from Oscar-nominated writer-director Alex Garland. Critics who saw the film’s premiere at South by Southwest are mostly impressed by the politically charged A24 film. It has an 81% “Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes and a “generally favorable” score of 72 on Metacritic. While the trailer drew some derision for U.K. native Garland’s apparent misunderstanding of American politics for suggesting a separatist alliance between California and Texas, critics say that the film itself is much more “politically astute and plausible” than reactions for the trailer gave it credit for. And they emphasize that the film, which follows four journalists as they travel across America during a rapidly escalating civil war in the near future, is something very different than what it appears to be on the surface.

In a rave review, Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com calls “Civil War” “a...

War movies don't always stick to realism; some embrace psychedelia and surrealism for a trippy experience. Directors like Coppola and Kubrick use experimental approaches to depict the horrors of war in unique ways. Movies like "Apocalypse Now" and "Come and See" offer nightmarish, unsettling views on war that defy traditional storytelling.

While war movies are often acclaimed for their realism, some of the genre’s greatest achievements utilize psychedelia and surrealism, leading to some trippy moments. It is tough to bring the horrors of war to life onscreen. Some directors, like Platoon’s Oliver Stone, drew from personal experience to illustrate the realities of war. Others, like Saving Private Ryan’s Steven Spielberg and Redacted’s Brian De Palma, used visceral violence, suspense, and relentless editing to provide their movies with an appropriately thunderous atmosphere and intensity that mirrored war’s worst realities. Still others, like Full Metal Jacket’s Stanley Kubrick,...

The following contains descriptions of intense and graphic scenes.

While it may not appear so on the surface, war movies and horror films share many similar elements. The essence of a horror film is to elicit fear within its audience. Cinema's most haunting war movies tend to accomplish this same feat as they horrify audiences with images of humanity's bleakest moments. One can argue war movies can be more terrifying than horror films because, in many cases, war movies depict events that have occurred in reality.

The scariest war movie scenes in film history linger in the minds of audiences long after the final credits roll. One simply does not ever forget Saving Private Ryan's Omaha Beach sequence or Come and See's barn church scene. The most horrifying war movie scenes are among the most powerful in the history of cinema.

Private Pyle Snaps In Full Metal Jacket...

Military historian Dan Snow breaks down a battle scene in 2014's Fury between four Sherman tanks and a German Tiger tank. The sequence features the Sherman tanks trying to get behind the Tiger to penetrate its weaker armor, but Brad Pitt's tank in the scene has a 76mm gun that would have been able to penetrate the Tiger's armor from anywhere. While Fury features visceral combat sequences and a compelling exploration of World War II tank warfare, the characters, themes, and story hold it back from being a truly iconic war film.

One of Fury's big tank battle sequences makes a crucial mistake that makes the whole thing pointless, an expert reveals. Released in 2014, Fury is directed by David Ayer, with Brad Pitt starring as a grizzled tank commander leading his crew across Germany in April 1945. The film presents a violent portrayal of tank warfare during World War II,...

The Deer Hunter received critical acclaim for its powerful performances and realistic portrayal of the horrors of war, but it also faced backlash due to historical inaccuracies and a seemingly pro-war message. The film's success at the Oscars helped mitigate some controversies, but many still find its scenes, themes, and elements problematic and controversial. The Deer Hunter is debatable as an anti-war film, as it focuses more on the consequences of war rather than the war itself, and justifies American soldiers' brutality through portrayals of even more callousness from Vietnamese soldiers.

Although it’s been widely praised as one of the greatest war movies ever made, The Deer Hunter generated its fair share of controversy when it was released in 1978. The Deer Hunter revolves around three American steelworkers – played by Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and John Savage – whose lives are irreparably destroyed after being sent to fight in the Vietnam War.

When it comes to the most realistic war film ever made, Steven Spielberg fans are likely to praise Saving Private Ryan while foreign film buffs often think of Come and See, though the reality is that Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers was so revolutionarily realistic in its depiction of the Algerian War that movements as prominent as the Black Panthers and the Ira actually studied its guerrilla tactics. While Pontecorvo is an Italian filmmaker (and the film no doubt benefits from its neorealist style), the film is actually a depiction of conflict stemming from France’s occupation of Algeria, acting as a fundamental text on decolonization without glorifying the participants or perpetrators of the violence portrayed. It’s no surprise then that the film was not only banned in France but even screened by multiple official military groups, including even the Pentagon.

Making a top ten list of your favourite movies can be difficult, but is it any easier when you narrow that list down to a single decade? IndieWire asked dozens of filmmakers to put together a list of their favourite 80s movies, and the results are as widely varied as the decade itself. Which 80s movies does Bill Hader hold dear to his heart? What are some of Nia DaCosta’s favourites? Can Edgar Wright actually contain himself to just ten movies? What horror movies of the 80s top Eli Roth’s list?

Bill Hader’s (Barry) Favourite 80s Movies:

Thin Blue Line Road Warrior Blood Simple Evil Dead 1&2 Raging Bull Naked Gun The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On The Hit Raising Arizona Crimes and Misdemeanors Blue Velvet Where is the Friends House Pee Wees Big Adventure Midnight Run Come and See Do the Right Thing My Neighbor Totoro Die Hard Paris,...

War movies can realistically depict warfare by focusing on the perspectives of soldiers themselves or by using handheld cameras for a documentary-like feel. Realistic war movies capture the horrors of war while still being cinematically engaging, such as Hacksaw Ridge, Lone Survivor, and Saving Private Ryan. Directors like Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg have successfully recreated war with a sense of realism, immersing the audience in the harrowing experience.

From the evacuation in Dunkirk to the burning of the church in Come and See, some of the best scenes from war movies have a harrowing sense of realism. The inherent spectacle of cinema means that it’s difficult to make a war film that accurately depicts the horrors of warfare without turning the firefights and foot chases into action-packed Hollywood entertainment. But the very best filmmakers, from Stanley Kubrick to Steven Spielberg to Ridley Scott, have managed to present scenes...

The war movie genre is a packed roster of films, full of some of the greatest movies ever made. 1917, Come and See, and Saving Private Ryan are not only golden standard's of the genre, but also cinema as a whole. Now, director and writer Michael Akkerman enters this expansive genre guns blazing, with his award-winning, immersive, character-driven war drama, Reveille.

Reveille follows a group of wounded German soldiers who, after a skirmish with some Americans, are dragged into a cave to survive an extensive bombing raid from above. Here they learn the harsh realities of war as unimaginable questions arise and their moral beliefs are tested.

MovieWeb recently sat down with filmmaker Michael Akkerman to discuss his award-winning feature film debut, and his love for the war genre.

Michael Akkerman's Feature Film Debut

"It was insane, it was awesome, it was nerve-wracking, and extremely rewarding," Akkerman expressed of his...

There was no escaping “Red Rooms” at Fantasia.

Awarded the Cheval Noir Award for best feature at the 27th edition of the fest, Pascal Plante’s film also took honors for screenplay and Dominique Plante’s haunting score, as well as an outstanding performance award for Juliette Gariépy.

“The ultimate effect a film can achieve is to implant a significant and lasting emotional memory. ‘Red Rooms’ masterfully accomplished that goal,” said jurors David Hewlett, Brenda Lieberman, Jourdain Searles, Virginie Sélavy and Gary Sherman.

“With incredible skill and artistry, without resorting to gore or violence, this film delivers not only an extremely disturbing and frightening experience but introduces you to characters and situations you may never forget.”

Produced by Nemesis Films, it takes on the trial of a man accused of murdering teenage girls and selling videos of his crimes online. But Plante wanted to focus on women who follow him.

Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival has announced the opening film of its 27th edition: Pascal Plante’s “Red Rooms,” about a high-profile case of a serial killer and the woman (Juliette Gariépy) obsessed with him.

“It’s a film of enormous emotional force, unbelievably controlled and smart, with a staggering performance from Gariépy. Pascal is one of the greatest talents of his generation in Quebec cinema and among the strongest filmmakers in the country right now,” says festival’s artistic director Mitch Davis.

“In a sense, it’s an unconventionally grim note to open a festival on. It’s a profoundly disturbing film. But I know the audience is going to be left completely breathless by it.”

“As a Montrealer, I have been a regular festival goer of Fantasia for years now, but it’s the first time one of my features will be screened in their lineup. I...

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is officially the best-reviewed film on Letterboxd.

The title of highest-reviewed film on Letterboxd was announced by the platform on Twitter on June 5, only two days after Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's theatrical release. Per Letterboxd, Across the Spider-Verse is the fifth film to hit the number one spot, succeeding The Godfather, Parasite, Come and See, and Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Related: Across the Spider-Verse Promo Teases Gwen and Miles' Lethal Romance...

The 27th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival is set to run from from July 20th through August 9th at the Concordia Hall Cinema in Montreal, with additional screens at the Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée – and today the festival announced the first wave of titles that will be screening there this year! The festival runners promise this edition of the show will deliver “a whiplashing program of screenings, workshops, and launch events”, with a spotlight on South Korean cinema, a Canadian trailblazer Award being presented to Larry Kent, and World Premiere screenings of new films from the likes of Larry Fessenden, Xavier Gens, Jenn Wexler, The Adams Family, and Victor Ginzburg. They’ll also be hosting the International Premieres of Tsutomu Hanabusa’s blockbusters Tokyo Revengers 2 – Part 1 & 2.

2023 marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea, so Fantasia is teaming up with the Korean...

Bleak Week just got a whole lot bleaker.

The American Cinematheque in Los Angeles has set the second edition of its “Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair” series, and this year’s guest of honor will be none other than Béla Tarr, Hungarian master of plumbing the nadirs of the human experience from his last feature “The Turin Horse” to his beloved epic “Sátántangó,” about a farming village in crisis. IndieWire can announce that Tarr will make a rare appearance in the U.S. beginning June 6 at the Aero Theatre for a series of Q&As.

“Hi LA! It will be nice to see you again, after a very long time. I am curious how you are now and what is going on in the town! I hope we will have a good meeting and we will spend a good time together. See you there!” said the filmmaker in a statement shared with IndieWire.

Filmmakers had called for a boycott over the rule change.

The organisers behind Thailand’s Suphannahong National Film Awards have dropped a rule that would effectively disqualify independent features from nomination following a major backlash.

A recent rule change by the National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations (Mpc) stated that theatrical releases in five regions of Thailand and a minimum of 50,000 cinema admissions were required for a film to be considered for nomination. These regions include Bangkok, Chiangmai (the north), Chonburi (the east), Nakhon Ratchasima (the northeast) and Nakhon Si Thammarat (the south).

It meant that, earlier this week,...

War is a living nightmare, wreaking its destruction on innocent lives and civilizations. It casts deep wounds that shape our history, present circumstances, and potential prospects for the future.

War has been a central theme in all of human history since its inception. It inspires both captivation and terror, with stories of bravery, resilience, and courage, as well as violence and death. It is the peak of danger – where any semblance of safety or security ceases to exist for those who fight. All that remains are humanity’s yearning for survival against insurmountable odds.

Hollywood has no shortage of war films meant to both awe and educate. Some promote the best humanity can offer as people come together for a common cause. Others reveal the horrific truth behind conflict’s brutality and man’s capacity for harm on an unimaginable scale.

Here is the ultimate fan selection of the top...

NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.

Film Forum

The Conformist screens in a new 4K restoration; Fly Away Home plays on 35mm this Sunday.

Film at Lincoln Center

Jordan Peele has curated a rather robust series of movies that inspired Nope, including King Kong tonight, The Wizard of Oz tomorrow, and Sunday’s psychosis-inducing offer of The Wiz, Come and See, and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter.

Museum of Modern Art

A Guillermo del Toro retrospective brings 35mm prints of his features, as well as a rare presentation of Hermosillo’s Donna Herlinda and Her Son, starring his mother Guadalupe del Toro.

Roxy Cinema

Saturday and Sunday offer Spielberg’s rarely screened Amistad on 35mm, as well as The Draughtsman’s Contract.

Metrograph

Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Millennium Mambo, newly restored in 4K is now playing, alongside more films from Taipei.

IFC Center

The second-greatest film of all-time,...