The lives of others

So there I was with Tarantino's Death Proof in one hand and a lil flick called The Lives of Others (Leben der Anderen, Das) in the other. I just wasn't in the mood for a Quentonized Kurt Russell this eve, so I went with the Oscar winner from Germany. Wow. Great film; and I'm often too lazy for subtitles. But I figured if it beat Pan's Labyrinth for best foreign flick...

It's a story of oppression, intolerance, personal growth and the seeds of revolution. Jeez, that sounds like one of those cheesy voiceovers. Well, it's tale of state-sponsored voyeurism in mid-80s Germany before the wall came down and follows an artist under surveillance. The pace is a little slow to start with but it really picks up. Now there will never be any Die Hard action, but the movie has its conflict and layered themes. Ones that makes you think.

The cinematography alone is worth it for the way they create a unique palette to convey a bleak time. But what I really enjoyed was that you don't often see characters question their judgement and change significantly and believably on the screen in front of you. I'm being intentionally vague so nothing is spoiled. But a pleasant surprise.