Movies like A Very Short War (2010)
The best movies like A Very Short War (2010) are Reach for the Sky (1956), The Battle of Midway (1942) and The Tuskegee Airmen (1995). If A Very Short War hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedWhen the Wind Blows (1986)7.5/10 from 361 votes
- NewestCivil War (2024)Released 2024
Reach for the Sky (1956)
The true story of airman Douglas Bader who overcame the loss of both legs in a 1931 flying accident to become a successful fighter pilot and wing leader during World War II.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Battle of Midway (1942)
The Japanese attack on Midway in June 1942, filmed as it happened. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive, in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, in 2006.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Tuskegee Airmen (1995)
During the Second World War, a special project is begun by the US Army Air Corps to integrate African American pilots into the Fighter Pilot Program. Known as the "Tuskegee Airman" for the name of the airbase at which they were trained, these men were forced to constantly endure harassement, prejudice, and much behind the scenes politics until at last they were able to prove themselves in combat.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Purple Plain (1954)
An RAF airfield in Burma in 1945, during World War II. Canadian bomber pilot Bill Forrester is a bitter man who lives haunted by a tragic past. He has became a reckless warrior, and is feared by his comrades, who consider him a madman. Dr. Harris, the squadron physician, is determined to help him heal his tormented soul.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Water Diviner (2014)
In 1919, Australian farmer Joshua Connor travels to Turkey to discover the fate of his three sons, reported missing in action. Holding on to hope, Joshua must travel across the war-torn landscape to find the truth and his own peace.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRed Tails (2012)
The story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots to fly in a combat squadron during World War II.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMr. Harrigan's Phone (2022)
Craig, a young boy living in a small town befriends an older, reclusive billionaire, Mr. Harrigan. The two form a bond over books and an iPhone, but when the man passes away the boy discovers that not everything dead is gone.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Bloody Hundredth (2024)
Meet the real-life airmen who inspired Masters of the Air as they share the harrowing and transformative events of the 100th Bomb Group.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBattle of Britain (1969)
In 1940, the Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle against the might of the Luftwaffe for control of the skies over Britain, thus preventing an attempted Nazi invasion.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFlyboys (2006)
The adventures of the Lafayette Escadrille, young Americans who volunteered for the French military before the U.S. entered World War I, and became the country's first fighter pilots.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPlaces in the Heart (1984)
In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spaulding struggles to survive with two small children, a farm to run, and very little money in the bank - not to mention a deadly tornado and the unwelcome presence of the Ku Klux Klan. Edna is aided by her beautician sister, Margaret; a blind boarder, Mr. Will; and a would-be thief, Moze, who decides to teach Edna how to plant and harvest cotton.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWhen the Wind Blows (1986)
With the help of government-issued pamphlets, an elderly British couple build a shelter and prepare for an impending nuclear attack, unaware that times and the nature of war have changed from their romantic memories of World War II.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe First of the Few (1942)
This 1942 fictionalized biopic chronicles the true story of how two of the most remarkable men in aviation history - visionary Spitfire designer R.J. Mitchell and his test pilot Geoffrey Crisp - designed a streamlined monoplane that led to the development of the Spitfire.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Kill Team (2019)
When Andrew Briggman — a young soldier in the US Army during the invasion of Afghanistan — witnesses the murderous behavior of fellow soldiers, under the direction of a malevolent Sergeant, he faces a moral dilemma. His increasingly-violent platoon becomes suspicious that someone in their ranks has turned on them, and Andrew begins to fear for his safety. A fictionalized dramatization based on a true story.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWings (1927)
Two young men, one rich, one middle class, both in love with the same woman, become US Air Corps fighter pilots and, eventually, heroic flying aces during World War I. Devoted best friends, their mutual love of the girl eventually threatens their bond. Meanwhile, a hometown girl who's the lovestruck lifelong next door neighbor of one of them pines away.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Ride (2018)
The story of John Buultjens, who has dedicated his life to the sport of BMX.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAces High (1976)
The first World War is in its third year and aerial combat above the Western Front is consuming the nation's favored children at an appalling rate. By early 1917, the average life-span of a British pilot is less than a fortnight. Such losses place a fearsome strain on Gresham, commanding officer of the squadron. Aces High recreates the early days of the Royal Flying Corps with some magnificently staged aerial battles, and sensitive direction presents a moving portrayal of the futilities of war.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisOn a Wing and a Prayer (2023)
After their pilot dies unexpectedly mid-flight, passenger Doug White must safely land a plane and save his entire family from insurmountable danger.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisHell's Angels (1930)
As the Great War breaks out in Europe, English brothers Roy and Monte enlist in the Royal Flying Corps to fight for king and country, while their Oxford College friend Karl is ordered back to Germany. As a love triangle develops involving Monte, Roy, and Roy's girlfriend, Helen, the brothers' disparate personalities, and Monte's cowardice in the face of war soon threaten to compromise a top-secret bombing mission over German territory.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCivil War (2024)
In the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like A Very Short War?
The closest matches to A Very Short War are Reach for the Sky (1956), The Battle of Midway (1942) and The Tuskegee Airmen (1995). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after A Very Short War?
Start with Reach for the Sky (1956), the closest match to A Very Short War.
What is the highest-rated movie like A Very Short War?
When the Wind Blows (1986), rated 7.5/10 by 361 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like A Very Short War?
Civil War (2024) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like A Very Short War?
Yes: Reach for the Sky (1956), The Battle of Midway (1942) and The Tuskegee Airmen (1995).
How are movies similar to A Very Short War chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside A Very Short War, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.