All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) – Edward Berger

I missed All Quiet on the Western Front when it screened at TIFF. I just couldn’t make it work with my schedule, so when it dropped on Netflix, you can be assured it went to the front of my viewing queue. Berger’s film, based on the iconic novel by Erich Maria Remarque, is a stunning…

Murderers Among Us (1946) – Wolfgang Staudte

The Directory of DK Canada’s The Movie Book continues to provide exemplary titles, despite the fact that they didn’t make the cut for the main body of the text. And Murderers Among Us is a moody, brilliant watch that reminds us of the horrors of war, humanity, and the cost of terrible events. A German…

Ashes and Diamonds (1958) – Andrzej Wajda

Post War Poland is the setting for the next big title in DK Canada’s The Movie Book, as I delve into Ashes and Diamonds from director Andrzej Wajda. Marrying a love story with a post-war thriller, and mixing in some drama, this film is a fantastically made film that delves into the horrors of war…

Life is Beautiful (1997) – Roberto Benigni

Walking away with Oscars for Best Foreign Film, Best Original Score, and Best Actor in a Leading Role for Benigni, Life is Beautiful is the next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Schindler’s List. In this partly whimsical tale that touches on true humour while facing…

Schindler’s List (1993) – Steven Spielberg

The next title on the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film as I return to the historical section of the book is Spielberg’s heart-wrenching, anguish filled look at the Holocaust through an adaptation of a true story. Over the course of three hours, this black and white film, with only significant and poignant uses…