A fantastically smart film

Rating: Null/10 (25 March 2008)

"The Lives of Others" (German, 2007): Directed with great intelligence by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck  and who received an Oscar for Best Foreign Film as a result  this is the story of East Germany during it's most paranoid, Communist period before The Wall came crashing down. It focuses on only a few characters, and takes its own slow, painful time to make transitions in thinking or feeling. It's a fantastically smart film, and well done at EVERY level. In terms of clear-minded formalism, it reminds me of "One Hour Photo". Artists will perhaps appreciate this film on more technical and formal levels, but don't be mislead by my comments  this IS Art  and the Art is there to create an even stronger story.