Which movie did you think was the best out of these three? I have only watched City of Life and Death and although it was a great movie it was also horrifying, so it would be a while before I would reconsider watching the other two titles, so it would be cool to hear what your opinions are on all three movies.
shareEvent though it shows a lot more the horrible things that Japan did, I prefer City of life and death. It's a very well done film and can help you understand both history and the value of peace and life.
John Rabe doesn't show a lot of this stuff (the crimes are more implied, not shown) and it tells the story more from the point of view of John Rabe and the other foreigners that were in Nanking at the time. Totally recommended.
And about Flowers of war, well, I haven't seen it.
Each films have their own plus and negative.
If you looking for almost historic based. City of Life and Death will be the one. I find this movie even crueler than Schindler's List. If you consider hunting Jews in ghetto liquidation animals, this is BEAST. It got me haunted for days. Real and without any sugar coating. I like the Kadokawa's character. He is one of the prove that not all people like wars or enjoy the cruelty. In every story and article I read regarding Nanjing Massacre, they always portrayed the Japaneses as the mad killing machine and someone or something that capable to do cruel things to their enemies.
John Rabe is more on the foreigner's perspective. I kinda regret this tittle. It has so many potential to be a great movie, but the director is to soft to filmed the whole tragedy. Too many un-filmed censored. And the romance ingredient isn't necessary. I still wonder why the director forced this plot. I hope there will be a script writer and director that film John Rabe's or dr. Wilson's experiences truly from the diary they wrote.
The Flowers of War is great one. I find this as one of good movie of Sion-Japanese occupation of China. The stories flows naturally and the aspect that there is still humanity left stain the movie and bring it to a new level of self-sacrifice.