Two Oscar-winning British war movies are on BBC Two this Remembrance weekend

Darkest Hour (Saturday 6pm on BBC Two)

Hundreds of films have been made about every aspect of the global conflict over the decades since the end of World War 2. Winston Churchill depictions had always proven popular, and none more so than when Gary Oldman starred as the British Prime Minister in 2017's Darkest Hour. Critically acclaimed for his performance, the chameleonic actor won the Best Actor awards at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, SAG Awards and, of course, Oscars. The film's synopsis reads: "May 1940. As the Nazis advance against Britain's European allies, newly elected prime minister Winston Churchill must decide whether to leave neighbouring countries to their fate by striking a peace deal with Hitler, or fight on against terrifying odds for the greater good." The title Darkest Hour refers to how Churchill described the earliest days of World War 2, when the Nazi's had their upper hand after conquering much of Europe. Oldman has previously teased how there might be a sequel set at the Yalta Conference with FDR and Stalin.

1917 (Sunday 10:50pm on BBC Two)

Back in 2020, Sir Sam Mendes released his World War 1 epic 1917. The Oscar-winning movie, nominated for 10 Academy Awards, follows two British soldiers (led by George MacKay) on a mission to deliver a message to call off an attack the Germans were prepared for. Featuring cameos from stars like Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch, the film was shot in a distinctly unique way. Acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins filmed the movie in long takes to make the whole two hour spectacle look like just two continuous shots.

Both Darkest Hour and 1917 will also be streaming on BBC iPlayer for a limited time after broadcast.