Blood Diamond
Edward Zwick
Set during the Sierra Leone Civil War (1996–2001), the film depicts the journeys of a diamond smuggler, a fisherman and a journalist in the backdrop of a country torn apart by the struggle between government soldiers and rebel forces. Essentially a non-fiction story, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou. It throws the spotlight on the ugly atrocities of war, and how diamonds mined in African war zones are sold to finance conflicts across the world.
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David Fincher
Starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter, Fight Club is an American thriller based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. Released in 1999, Fight Club failed abysmally at the box office at that time. However, it enjoyed commercial success with its DVD release, which established Fight Club as a cult film. Holding true to that, once you have been through this unrestrained, and thoroughly entertaining ride, you will find yourself enlightened.
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Green Zone
Paul Greengrass
Green Zone is probably one of the best war films ever made. Based on the events of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, director Paul Greengrass exposes the reasons behind the decision of the U.S. and Britain to prosecute war on Iraq. This Matt Damon-starrer has done what countless newspaper articles, Government statements and public inquiries have failed to do when it came to the war in Iraq.
Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino
If you were impressed by Col. Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds, then you are definitely going to love Dr. King Schultz in Django Unchained, with Christopher Waltz throwing in yet another mesmerizing performance. Along with the seasoned Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson and a remarkably fine Jamie Foxx, Waltz sets the spurs clinking in this American South flavoured film.
Munich
Steven Spielberg
One of the finest films ever by Steven Spielberg, Munich is about the Israeli government’s secret retaliation against the Black September group after the Munich massacre during the 1972 Summer Olympics. Based on true incidents, the performance by the cast including Eric Bana and Daniel Craig, effectively projects heart-wrenching emotions.
Films that almost made it:
Escape to Victory: John Huston
Defiance: Edward Zwick
Inglourious Basterds: Quentin Tarantino
The Hurt Locker: Kathryn Bigelow
The Great Escape: John Sturges
Sushant Sharma is a student of fine arts based in Delhi. He loves watching thought-provoking films especially those related to war.