Grave of the Fireflies is perhaps the most famous of Studio Ghibli's movies and was directed by Isao Takahata.
While Miyazaki is famed for his depiction of war no Ghibli movie has tackled this issue with the graphic and emotional depth that Grave of the Fireflies looked at the negative consequences of war on society.
But what is so interesting about this movie is you never actually see a battle or an army, despite war being the enemy of the film, instead focusing on the effects on the countryside, which is far removed from the front line, showing the impact the war has on the ordinary person.
It's powerful message and imagery has most this movie away from merely being a cartoon but it is now considered an anti-war picture as well as one of the best war pictures to have ever been made.
- Apocalypse Now
The film was loosely based on Heart Of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and followed Captain Willard (Martin Sheen), a special agent sent into Cambodia to assassinate an errant American colonel (Marlon Brando).
Upon release the film was met by mixed reviews but it went on to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars however it did win the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or and is now considered a classic.
- Casablanca
It’s been almost seventy years since Casablanca graced cinema screens for the very first time and still the magic that surrounds this picture hasn’t diminished.
Released in 1942 this romantic epic starred Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman and went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
World War II Morocco springs to life in Michael Curtiz’s classic love story. Colourful characters abound in Casablanca, a waiting room for Europeans trying to escape Hitler's war-torn Europe.
But with the help of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman who created some of romantic cinemas brightest sparks as Casablanca became one of the greatest movies of all time.
It’s one of those very rare movies where every moment, every character and every line of dialogue matters, there really are no dead patches in this movie as it is filled with charm, wit and nostalgia.
But it’s not just the romantic aspect of the movie that makes it so popular it is also a war movie and a fight against the suppressive Nazi regime. Rick's Café is the point of intersection, the espionage centre, the background for Allied offensive, and the focal point as refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe.
From a script that wasn’t expected to do any better than any other Hollywood movie being released at the time the superb cast telling a story of love during a time of war has made Casablanca a timeless piece of cinema.
- Schindler's List
Over the years Spielberg has brought us movies about aliens and sharks but Schindler's List is possibly the most frightening movie that he has ever made as he delivers a movie that shows the brutality of the Nazi regime.
Despite being most famous for his blockbuster, big budget movies the director once again, after Empire of the Sun, has shown that he can handle controversial subjects with sophistication as well as sensitivity as he proves that he knew the line he was walking with such a delicate topic.
What is perhaps so interesting and troubling about this film is it's not about life during warfare it doesn't look at the experiences of soldiers on the front line but instead shows the impact that war had on the lives of so many people.
And the director doesn't shy away from the truth shot predominately in black and white the whole tone of the film oozes brutality and cruelty which, at times, is difficult to watch and is devastatingly emotional.
Schindler's List, which was a critical and commercial hit, was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Neeson, went on to win Best Picture and Best Director for Spielberg.
Other fabulous pieces of war cinema include The Killing Fields, The Bridge Over the River Kwai, The Great Escape, Full Metal Jacket and Dambusters.
The Hurt Locker is released 28th August
Helen Earnshaw