Others?

We saw The Lives of Others before Four Hours, and it may have been because it was so good that we were tempted to try another German film. But that’s besides the point. The film is full of wonderful little touches, like the reappearance of the junior Stasi officer who dared to make a joke about Erich Honecker. And there are moments, like Wiesler’s dreadful decision not to alert the border guards, or his interrogation of the actress with its thousands of layers of meaning, that I’ve scarcely seen bettered. I would add only that, having seen it, my enjoyment was made even deeper by two brilliant articles. Anthony Lane's review in The New Yorker, and Timothy Garton Ash's in the NYRB. Both added immeasurably to my feeling for the film. And both are beautifully written.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5