The Lives of Others

Pros: Story, acting, and direction are very good
Cons: Reminds me a bit of The Conversation

In 1985, the people of East Germany saw freedom from communism as an idea that might never become a reality. Although the breaks were already happening in the Iron Curtain, the Stasi, or East German secret police, were still on the job. In The Lives ...

Pros: Great screenplay, excellent acting, great film.
Cons: Many won't see this great film because of fear of subtitles.

Germany 1984, only 5 years before the Wall came down, the German Democratic Republic was a state that truly was 1984. All you do, everyone you see, everything you read, everything you write, the State is watching you. Hauptmann Gerd Weisler (Ulrich ...

Pros: A gripping study of characters who rise and fall
Cons: This is an artistic film not general entertainment

The year is 1984 and Orwell's nightmare is alive and alert in the German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.). Well oiled with almost 100,000 employees and 200,000 honorary snitches, the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Stasi) under the tutelage of Lieutenant ...

Pros: Good look at recent history
Cons: None

Not for nothing is "The Lives of Others" set in the year 1984. The timing is too good to pass up, with its references to Orwell's fictional masterpiece and the all-too-real nightmare of East Germany--where nothing was private, no one was safe ...

Pros: Fascinating and moving story, brilliant acting by Ulrich Mühe, outstanding direction
Cons: Still looking for some…

Even a broken clock will indicate the right time twice a day, and this time Hollywood got it right, anointing writer-director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's extraordinary feature directorial debut, The Lives of Others (Das Leben der ...

Pros: An all-around fabulous movie, compelling, powerful, well done.
Cons: May not be for every taste.

The other review deftly captures the time and sense of this movie but I want to add that the writing, directing and acting is stellar, all coming together to create your sense of a real experience, not simply a dramatic event. You're put into the time ...

Pros: An unforgettable film
Cons: None

The Academy got it right in awarding this the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. It's wonderfully done. Great acting, direction, and story. Wholly absorbing; kept me on the edge of my seat. Such a bittersweet, unforgettable ending. This is one you've got to see. It's on my all-time favorites list.
In German with English subtitles.

Pros: Amazing script, cinematography, and acting.
Cons: None at all.

Wow. This movie is a MUST see. It won best Foreign Film at the Oscars. I first saw this movie at an International Film Festival in Portland, Or. I was able to talk to the director and tell him how much this film touched me.
This movie takes place in Germany when they were doing blacklisting. The cinematography is remarkable and the acting alone is a good enough reason to see this.

Pros: acting story directing
Cons: slow, expectations too high

this was very well acted. the characters made the story go and they did it very well. some of the best acting in film this year. but the story was slow to develop. sometimes this works well in the film, but often i kept waiting for something huge but then the film would pull back. in the end it ended up feeling like technically excellent foreplay, with only a mildly rewarding climax. but i'd see it.

Pros: dialog, story
Cons: long

This is an excellent movie! it seems a little long in the beginning, but you get hooked and dont notice it after about 20 mins.