World War II has spawned some of the most interesting and important movies. It's a period and an even in world history that captivates so many audiences and filmmakers. Some of my favorite movies are about the Second World War. Perhaps it was that it's still fresh in our minds and it is the architect of much of how the world ahs been in the years since the war ended.

Doing a search for plots including World War II at the Internet Movie Database turns up with 400 movies either about the war, events on the eve of the war and stories of just after the war and people who were in the war. Clearly there are a lot of stories to tell. Here are a few of my favorites:

Europa, Europa: Incredible tale of a Jewish boy forced to hide his identity in a bid for his survival. Mr. Showbiz

Saving Private Ryan: An honorable salute to the vetrans of the war through a tale of ordinary, but thusly extraordinary, man heroism punctuated by realistic, horrific, scary scenes of war. Mr. Showbiz

Operation Petticoat: They don't make a lot of comedies about the war now, but this movie is fun and funny, without being too disrespectful. Mr. Showbiz

Father Goose: I have fond childhood memories of watching this movie and it's just cute and funny and it's nice to see the dapper Cary Grant ruffled up. Mr. Showbiz

U-571: Sure it was the British who mostly did this stuff, but I found this film really intense and a few swell plot twists. A solid kinda by the numbers war movie, but good. Mr. Showbiz

Au Revoir, Les Enfants: I've seen this movie once, but remember it vividly. A touching, painful story about a Jewish boy and his friendship in a Catholic school. Mr. Showbiz

Life Is Beautiful: A comedy about a concentration camp? Well, it only works if you accept humor as a survival strategy for the Holocaust, and it sort of works here. Mr. Showbiz

Memphis Belle: Sure it's a typical ensemble war movies with all the usual suspects--the serious captain who's all about duty, the confiddent radioman, the cute bombardier, the drunk scared guy, but it's a good movie on the right day.Mr. Showbiz

The Engligh Patient: A sweet, tragic, epic movie (it just felt like the kind of movie that wins Oscars) that you can tell is really long, but don't mind. Mr. Showbiz

Schindler's List: A movie with brilliant performances and a story of pure and inexplicable self-sacrifice and altruism. Mr. Showbiz

The Wackiest Ship in the Army: Okay, this I love largely because I adore Ricky Nelson and Jack Lemmon's funny, too. Mr. Showbiz

Other WWII (have not seen, but want to):
Das Boot, Mr. Showbiz; Catch-22, Mr. Showbiz; The Thin Red Line, Mr. Showbiz; Enemy at the Gates, Mr. Showbiz; etc.

Other War Movies:
All Quiet on the Western Front, Mr. Showbiz; Platoon, Mr. Showbiz; Apocalypse Now, Mr. Showbiz; etc.