What It's About:

Chronicling one German U-Boat's perilous search-and-destroy mission as the tide has turned toward the Allied cause, Wolfgang Peterson's brilliant "Das Boot" has a claustrophobic immediacy. We observe the tense faces of young, inexperienced men doing their duty, most of whom realize that even if they cheat death, Germany's defeat is inevitable.

Why I Love It:

Originally a 210-minute German mini-series edited down to feature length, "Boot" is haunting and works as an anti-war piece precisely because it is seen from the losing side. German actor Jurgen Prochnow turns in an intense portrayal of the boat's desperate captain. The film's other star - Peterson's camera - roves through the sub fluidly, never allowing the viewer a breath of escape or boredom.