The Lives Of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)

If you think the American way has lost its way as of late, then you are surely not alone. But no matter what the current state of affairs are: a trillion dollar war, denial of climate change, no universal health care, etc. Upon seeing "The Lives Of Others" you'll feel like pulling Old Glory out of the shed again for everyone to see.

In case you didn't know, living in East Germany whilst under "democratic" rule was not a gay old time. Enforcing this state of fear was the task of the Statsi or Secret Police, think the SS in Nazi German, except replace Lugers with microphones and reel-to-reel tape. When a slimy politician becomes obsessed with one of East Germany's most "loyal" playwrights and his actress girlfriend, the best interrogator in the Statsi is put on the case to try and expose the couple as being enemies of the state.

The film is captivating and tense, but I would expect nothing less from the Fatherland. The cast includes Germany's most famous acting couple, Sebastian Koch & Martina Gedeck, who along with Ulrich Mühe give stellar performances. I would definitely recommend catching this one at a cinema near you. By doing so you'll achieve your foreign culture exposure mitzvah for the year. Wow, a mitzvah for seeing a German film! What an amazing age in which we live!!

--M