The lives of others - film!

Heineken Helen

Anyone else seen it? I went to see it last night and I have to say, if you can put up with subtitles, it's fantastic... really really good storyline and well worth seeing.

Hitch-Hiker

What a coincedence. I went to see it last night too.
Superb film. Very sad in a way. I really felt sorry for Wiesler from the start. And of course the historical aspect was very interesting too. Nice ending - it gave me a great sense of hope. I'm being careful not to post spoilers by the way. I'll wait for more people to post before I go into it more.

Heineken Helen

Hitch-Hiker wrote:

What a coincedence. I went to see it last night too.
Superb film. Very sad in a way. I really felt sorry for Wiesler from the start. And of course the historical aspect was very interesting too. Nice ending - it gave me a great sense of hope. I'm being careful not to post spoilers by the way. I'll wait for more people to post before I go into it more.

:eek: Were you in Screen cinema? Cos that would be just too fucking weird. Well it was dark when I went in and I was maybe the first to leave so I didn't see anyone.

It really was very sad and it was a kinda nice ending... I kinda hoped for it to end the way it looked like it was going to end but they played it down a bit and that was more suitable for the film... if that makes sense trying not to spoil too.

It's quite scary though to think that we used to 'save' countries like that... but now we're going down the exact same route.

polaris

i saw it and have to say that i considered it ok only ... i really liked the characters but the movie played at a stagnant pace ... you could almost foresee everything being played out ...

it was interesting to see this film after visiting berlin earlier this year - how did they get such a nice apartment?

Heineken Helen

polaris wrote:

i saw it and have to say that i considered it ok only ... i really liked the characters but the movie played at a stagnant pace ... you could almost foresee everything being played out ...

it was interesting to see this film after visiting berlin earlier this year - how did they get such a nice apartment?

I didn't find it too slow at all... and I normally would. My one criticism was the Christa character... I didn't really connect with her and that could have made it MUCH better.

Hitch-Hiker

Nah, I was in Cineworld Helen.

It was slow in some parts, and it's true it wasn't hard to see where it was going, but I don't think it took away from the film at all. It was never the intention to keep you on the edge of your seat with exciting happenings. It was, to me, a story about human kindness and how much of a difference it can make.
If it was written as a thriller with all the happenings presented as big twists it may have been more entertaining to the masses but the central point would have been completely lost.

Heineken Helen

Hitch-Hiker wrote:

Nah, I was in Cineworld Helen.

It was slow in some parts, and it's true it wasn't hard to see where it was going, but I don't think it took away from the film at all. It was never the intention to keep you on the edge of your seat with exciting happenings. It was, to me, a story about human kindness and how much of a difference it can make.
If it was written as a thriller with all the happenings presented as big twists it may have been more entertaining to the masses but the central point would have been completely lost.

Ooohh... good analysis there

I thought the final interrogation scene was particularly well done.

It's weird though cos even though it was subtitled I actually forgot until they'd show a book or writing in German or something and then you remember it's a foreign film or maybe that's just me.

polaris

Hitch-Hiker wrote:

Nah, I was in Cineworld Helen.

It was slow in some parts, and it's true it wasn't hard to see where it was going, but I don't think it took away from the film at all. It was never the intention to keep you on the edge of your seat with exciting happenings. It was, to me, a story about human kindness and how much of a difference it can make.
If it was written as a thriller with all the happenings presented as big twists it may have been more entertaining to the masses but the central point would have been completely lost.

i wasn't looking for suspense or a thriller but to me every good story has an ebb and a flow ... i found the drama lost in its rhythm ...

i think another thing was i heard so many good things about this film and maybe my expectations were a bit high ... in the end - it was a good character piece and nothing more for me ...

Heineken Helen

polaris wrote:

i wasn't looking for suspense or a thriller but to me every good story has an ebb and a flow ... i found the drama lost in its rhythm ...

i think another thing was i heard so many good things about this film and maybe my expectations were a bit high ... in the end - it was a good character piece and nothing more for me ...

See that could be the problem... I was expecting it to be crap

I was wrecked yesterday but didn't want to go home yet but didn't think I could focus on a foreign film so it was a pleasant surprise for me.

polaris

Heineken Helen wrote:

See that could be the problem... I was expecting it to be crap

I was wrecked yesterday but didn't want to go home yet but didn't think I could focus on a foreign film so it was a pleasant surprise for me.

it won the oscar for best foreign language film! ... although that doesn't say much ...

i should know better then placing undue expectations on a film ... although i am soooo looking forward to pirates 3 ... it better be good ...

Heineken Helen

polaris wrote:

it won the oscar for best foreign language film! ... although that doesn't say much ...

i should know better then placing undue expectations on a film ... although i am soooo looking forward to pirates 3 ... it better be good ...

I haven't seen the 2nd one so I'm not overly bothered. Well I went not sure what I was going to see... the other two choices were 'night of the sunflower' which I've never heard of and the guy working there didn't know anything about it either, and 'the painted veil' which just looks boring

polaris

Heineken Helen wrote:

I haven't seen the 2nd one so I'm not overly bothered. Well I went not sure what I was going to see... the other two choices were 'night of the sunflower' which I've never heard of and the guy working there didn't know anything about it either, and 'the painted veil' which just looks boring

my friend said the painted veil is great ... love story - if you're into that kind of thing ...

caifan82

polaris wrote:

it won the oscar for best foreign language film! ... although that doesn't say much ...

I might be a little biased, but I really think Pan's labyrinth should have won that...

polaris

caifan82 wrote:

I might be a little biased, but I really think Pan's labyrinth should have won that...

i would have agreed if she hadn't eaten that grape or whatever it was ...

seriously, how hard could it be to NOT eat something with that thing there ... frig ...

caifan82

polaris wrote:

i would have agreed if she hadn't eaten that grape or whatever it was ...

seriously, how hard could it be to NOT eat something with that thing there ... frig ...

Haha, I completely agree.
I was cursing at her when that happened.
Still, I loved the movie.

Heineken Helen

polaris wrote:

my friend said the painted veil is great ... love story - if you're into that kind of thing ...

Some times... but I don't like those kinda period dramas

Caifan, I've never seen pans labyrinth, I'm not much into fantasy films... have you seen the lives of others?

polaris

caifan82 wrote:

Haha, I completely agree.
I was cursing at her when that happened.
Still, I loved the movie.

spanish/mexican directors is where its at these days ...

caifan82

Heineken Helen wrote:

Caifan, I've never seen pans labyrinth, I'm not much into fantasy films... have you seen the lives of others?

Oh, you still should check it out. It has this weird juxtaposition of violent reality with fantasy. It's not at all a fantasy movie for children.
Yep, I also saw the lives of others. It's a good movie too. Pretty interesting and well made.

Hitch-Hiker

I wouldn't consider Pan's Labyrinth a fantasy movie really, although it was marketed as such. Great movie.

soulsinging

caifan82 wrote:

I might be a little biased, but I really think Pan's labyrinth should have won that...

i think i had the same reaction to pan's labyrinth that polaris had to lives of others. i'd heard so much my expectations were just too high. it was a good movie but vastly different from what i'd expected.

anyway, resurrected this becos i finally saw the lives of others. we got it from netflix in AUGUST and becos of class and whatnot, hadn't been able to watch a long movie with subtitles. other films kept coming and going but it sat there. many times we thought about just sending it back.

i am so glad we didnt.

it was a great movie. it was not an edge of your seat thriller, but i got so involved with the characters. it was less about plot and twists and more about watching these characters struggle against a system that seems invincible. watching their faith collapsing and their humanity struggle against authority was fascinating. the ending was perfect too. i havent been that affected by a movie in a long time.

The Champ

We rented this a few days ago and thought it was a very good film. Little slow to start, but definitely grabs you along the way. I can relate as my family fled Hungary in 1987. I was only seven, but through various stories told by my parents and sister, the film depicts the hopeful/hopeless mood accurately...Also, I have the same name as the main dude..

gregkitefan

Great movie.
I enjoyed it a lot.

Better Dan

Heineken Helen wrote:

Anyone else seen it? I went to see it last night and I have to say, if you can put up with subtitles, it's fantastic... really really good storyline and well worth seeing.

I rented it about two years ago on Netflix. It was really a well done film and the ending really affected me as well. I would recommend this to anyone who likes good film.