Animation is an amazing tool that filmmakers use to process their experiencesand touch upon some of the most emotional parts of life that can’t be expressed in live-action. These movies tackle some of the darkest and most interrogative explorations of war ever seen onscreen, and they do so through the lens of personal stories from the writers and directors. The art style of animation also has a significant impact on how audiences interact with the intensity of the violence and tragedy seen in so many of these works.
Taking a genre so often associated with magic and lightness immediately creates an interrogative juxtaposition within the narrative. These are allunique war movies that separate themselves from the genre, using unexpected story tools and formulas that have made them all critically acclaimed and unforgettable. Whilemany of them are about real, recent conflicts that are still impacting people today,others look at war as a larger concept for the purpose of spreading messages of nonviolence. It’s easy to feel the depth and gravity with which the filmmakers tackled the stories onscreen.
Mulanis a war movie that’s on the lighter side. As one of themovies of the Disney Renaissance,Mulanuses the legend it’s based on and the concept of war to further the personal development of its title character. However, because of the humorous songs and beautiful design,it’s easy to forget thatMulanhas a serious message.There are a few moments throughout the story when it seems more than likely that Mulan and her allies are in actual danger, and their way of life could change forever.
While there are some flaws within the movie, it’s a nostalgic project that encourages viewers to be themselves.
Since the film was set so long ago, the way war is waged looks very different from the modern concept of fighting, but this is intriguing for contemporary viewers. Though Mulan learns to fight and becomes more confident throughout the film, what she really discovers is how to love and trust herself, using her inherent skills and ingenuity to save the day. While there are some flaws within the movie, it’s a nostalgic project that encourages viewers to be themselves.
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The Polish animated documentary-dramaAnother Day of Lifechronicles the account of the journalist Ryszard Kapuściński from his autobiographical novel of the same name. In the film,Kapuściński travels to Angola from Warsaw in the mid-1970s,witnessing the country gain independence and go through the intense growing pains that always follow this change. It might be animated, butAnother Day of Lifepulls no punches in its depiction of the civil war that breaks out in Angola and Kapuściński’s interactions with the violence.
As an outsider, it’s impossible for Kapuściński to be fully objective,especially as he is brought deeper into the conflict and gets to know the leaders of the rebellion. ThoughAnother Day of Lifeuses motion capture to craft its animation, it intercuts the narrative with real interviews and archival footage, never letting the viewer forget just how true this story is. A lot of serious ethical dilemmas are posed to Kapuściński throughout the film, and it’s largely up to the audience to decide what they believe for themselves.
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The lead character ofThe Breadwinner, Parvana, is faced with a difficult decision after her father is wrongly arrested in 2001 Afghanistan. Having no male family member to support her and the rest of the family,Parvana disguises herself as a boy and enters the world,exposing herself to many dangers along the way. As the plot progresses, the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan begins, making the stakes even higher for Parvana to find her father in prison and help her family escape.
It’s not always easy to watch the harsher moments ofThe Breadwinner, but the film provides small comforts and moments of heart when it can.
The pressure put on a character so young is a large part of the emotional resonance ofThe Breadwinner, as it’s impossible not to connect with Parvana and wish desperately for her safety. Visually,The Breadwinneris just as immersive as the narrative, focusing on the details and vivid nature of Parvana’s world. It’s not always easy to watch the harsher moments ofThe Breadwinner, but the film provides small comforts and moments of heart when it can.
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The years leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima and the aftermath are told through the eyes of Suzu,a young woman growing up there, falling in love, and attempting to keep her family alive. Witnessing Suzu change and be affected by the war is just as intense and interrogative as the ways the landscape itself changes. Based on the manga of the same name by Fumiyo Kōno,In This Corner of the Worldis a reminder of the everyday lives of the people living during this period that were destroyed.
Suzu is an amazing protagonist, as she’s overall an ordinary young woman forced to grapple with circumstances beyond her control and grief that she can’t measure. The many quiet, idyllic scenes from the early moments of the film are harshly juxtaposed with the way the war hardens and alters her home forever.In This Corner of the Worldis honest and realistic about this immense tragedy without ever sensationalizing itor taking advantage of Suzu as a character.
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It’s impossible to discuss animated war movies without talking about Studio Ghibli,particularly the work of Hayao Miyazaki. A landmark filmmaker who’s spent much of his career grappling with the lasting effects of World War II on Japan and the ways humankind has waged war on the environment, he’s infused these topics into all his projects.Princess Mononokeis set in the Muromachi period, roughly the early 1300s to the late 1500s. However, it makes many enduring comments on humanity and our penchant for violence.
Princess Mononokeincludes manyStudio Ghibli quotes that will make you see the world differently.The movie follows conflicts between people as well as their desire to tame and control natureto protect themselves from harm. However, it demonstrates that no life can exist without balance. It encourages the viewer to walk through the world without hate or judgment, only with truth and understanding. These messages, coupled with the unforgettably beautiful art style, makePrincess Mononokean instant classic.
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Before Brad Bird went on to be one of the most prominent filmmakers at Pixar, he directedThe Iron Giant, one of the most emotional movies of his career.Set during the Cold War, this sci-fi take on the period sees a lonely boy, Hogarth, find compassion and connectionwith the titular giant metal alien, the Iron Giant. As time has progressed,The Iron Gianthas only been further cemented as well ahead of its time, touching upon individual stories and relationships amid an uncertain period of history.
It’s a refreshing take on the Cold War, as so many projects tackle this time through the spy genre,exaggerating the espionage and secrecy that the opposing governments were so afraid of. Though it touches upon many subjects,The Iron Giantis, first and foremost, a story about tolerance and empathy, as the Giant helps Hogarth open himself back up to love during a vulnerable period. However,The Iron Giantalso explores the dangers of acting with force and violence first instead of communicating.
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It’s impossible to count the number of movies there are about nuclear disasters and the end of the world, as this has been on humanity’s mind since the beginning of time. However, more people should remember the 1986 addition to the genre,When the Wind Blows,the British drama that makes a searing commentary about these human-made catastrophes.The film revolves around the couple, Hilda and Jim, who survive a nuclear attack on England and try to remain hopeful that rescue will come, even as this likelihood fades.
It’s a heartbreaking story, and it’s difficult to miss the message ofWhen the Wind Blows, as Hilda and Jim face down the end of their days, losing the shreds of optimism that kept them going.
It’s a heartbreaking story, and it’s difficult to miss the message ofWhen the Wind Blows, as Hilda and Jim face down the end of their days, losing the shreds of optimism that kept them going. WhileWhen the Wind Blowswon’t leave the viewer feeling happy, it’s well worth watching and is a stark reminder of what the real results of a nuclear war would be and how there would be no return to normal after this. However, it also shines a light on the connection between Hilda and Jim and the love they share.
3Funan (2018)
Directed by Denis Do
Set in Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge seized power,Funanfollows Chou, the mother, desperately searching for her young son as she is forced into hard labor, starves, and watches her remaining family die around her. It’s a grueling, unforgiving story of desperation and unbelievable circumstances, and the director, Denis Do, doesn’t hold back from the horror of Chou’s experience. However,Chou fights to survive and does everything she can to keep all the dignity and hope she can,even when it seems impossible.
There’s no moment throughoutFunanwhen the characters come off as anything but irreversibly human, making mistakes and finding glimmers of salvation in the smallest moments. Though it’s not always easy to witness,Funanis a film well worth watching, especially for Western audiences unaware of this history, and who are looking for an entry point into learning more.The landscape and vivid setting ofFunanstarkly contrast with Chou’s story,but we can never look away from either.
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Marjane Satrapi, the author of the autobiographical graphic novelPersepolis, brought her work to life through the 2007 movieadaptation, which borrows the art style of her work. Chronicling Satrapi’s upbringing in Iran during the Iranian Revolution,Persepolissees the young character of Satrapi grapple with her desire to leave behind the strict confines of her upbringing and the intense homesickness she feels when she leaves. She witnesses the effects the fundamentalist regime has on her family and the way politics change every aspect of her life.
Persepolisis simultaneously a portrait of a changing Iran as well as a personal reflection from Satrapi,who reckons with what she’s seen and how she defines her identity as Iranian. It’s an epic story that sees the young Marjane go through more than she’s ready for at a young age. However, there’s little question thatPersepoliswill fail to draw audiences in, make them laugh, and prompt them to reflect on their own place in the world and their histories.
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It’s almost impossible to emotionally prepare to watchGrave of the Fireflies,one of the most realistically tragic and life-changing depictions of war, animated or otherwise. Following the story of Seita and his young sister Setsuko,Grave of the Firefliessees the pair flee their home in the wake of a bombing that destroys their home in Japan during World War II. After this, the siblings go on an odyssey to find peace and safety somewhere in the world, and Seita attempts to show Setsuko the joy still in the world.
One of the best projects Studio Ghibli has ever released,Grave of the Fireflies, will stay with you long after the credits roll, allowing its message and themes to endure to this day. There have been many explorations of World War II and the devastating effect it had on so many, butGrave of the Firefliesis made even more poignant because it narrows the scope.It demonstrates the unbelievable scale of the conflict through the individual stories of Seita and Setsuko,who eventually find peace, though it comes at a cost.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
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