Das Leben der Anderen

English title: Lives of Others (The)

Genre: political suspense

With: Sebastian Koch (Georg Dreyman), Martina Gedeck (Christa-Maria Sieland, his girlfriend), Ulrich Mühe (Capt Gerd Wiesler), Ulrich Tukur (Lt-Col Anton Grubitz, Wiesler's boss), Thomas Thieme (Bruno Hempf, the Minister of Culture), Hans-Uwe Bauer (Paul Hauser), Volkmar Kleinert (Albert Jerska), Charly Hübner (Lt Udo Leye), Herbert Knaup (Gregor Hessenstein)

Direction and screenplay: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Release: 2006

Studio: Wiedemann & Berg Filmproduktion, Bayerischer Rundfunk et al. 

Rating: 14A

MBiS score: 8.5/10

The Spy Who Came In from the Attic

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Story-line: THE LIVES OF OTHERS takes us back to 1984 when East Germans were subjected to continuous monitoring by Stasi, the country's secret police. As the story begins, Captain Wiesler, a zealous Stasi operative, gleefully accepts to spy on the ‟arrogant” Dreyman, one of the country's best-known writers for the stage.

Pluses: a strong cast of thespians (in particular Ulrich Mühe, who manages to convey his character's emotions while mostly stone-faced), able direction, a cold, methodical and increasingly potent screenplay that weaves political and personal issues into a formidable payoff in the last 15 minutes, well-made dialogues and an effective musical score by Stéphane Moucha and Gabriel Yared.

Minuses: one may be tempted to condemn East German authorities in the harshest manner for the excesses depicted here but, in truth, abuses are also committed in the West (via social media, among other channels) for the purpose of information gathering.

Comments: in some ways – and in one striking scene near the end – THE LIVES OF OTHERS pays tribute to another great surveillance film, Francis Ford Coppola's THE CONVERSATION, but without being a copycat. Don't miss this intelligent and memorable movie that bears witness to freedom everywhere.

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Martha Marcy May Marlene 

Genre: psychological drama 

With: Elizabeth Olsen (Martha), Sarah Paulson (her sister Lucy), Hugh Dancy (Ted, Lucy’s husband), John Hawkes (Patrick), Maria Dizzia (Katie), Julia Garner (Sarah), Louisa Krause (Zoe), Christopher Abbott (Max), Brady Corbet (Watts)

Director: Sean Durkin

Screenplay: Sean Durkin

Release: 2011

Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures, Maybach Cunningham et al.

Rating: 14A

MBiS score: 8.0/10



‟Marcy! Marcy May! Where ya goin'?”


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Story-line: Martha, who lives in a commune with 20 or so other people, quietly leaves one morning carrying a knapsack. For some reason, she seems nervous, maybe even frightened. What is she planning to do?

Pluses: convincing performances by Elizabeth Olsen (notice her emotional range), Sarah Paulson, Hugh Dancy and John Hawkes, Sean Durkin’s unsettling screenplay and irreproachable helming, an astute storytelling style consisting of pertinent flashbacks and present-day events, attractive cinematography, consistent production values and a minimal but appropriate musical score.

Minuses: none… except for those panic-inducing phone calls.

Comments: MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE tells the story of a disoriented young woman who has found her place neither in our status-obsessed society nor in the alternative world she has chosen instead. As it reassembles the pieces of Martha’s shattered life, this fine film manages to make her all the more human and engaging. What Sean Durkin has crafted here is a very personal work, an original, unpredictable movie he can rightly be proud of. Let’s hope Martha can chase away her fears… and help us dispel our own.   

MBiS

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