Company K

A timeless parable about the nature of war, this low-key character piece concerns a World War I veteran (Ari Fliakos) who struggles to deal with the horrors he saw while fighting in Europe. The film is based on a well-regarded novel by William March (The Bad Seed) and boasts an effortless mix of good acting and straightforward scripting.

Shelf Talk: Somber war films have always been a harder sell than ultra-violent commando movies—look at the lukewarm reception that greeted Clint Eastwood’s Iwo Jima pictures—but viewers looking for a smarter, more emotional view of the situation should be pointed toward Company K.