The Lives of Others (2006)

What a great flick. I wasn't sure if I would like it, given all the great reviews. Good reviews=high expectations and the higher the expectations, the greater the chance of disappointment. However, this is a case where the description of the film is so uninspiring that it's hard to raise expectations too high. The plot revolves around the state police--the Stasi--in East Berlin in the 1980's, right before the wall came down. The Stasi begin monitoring the activities, via surveillance equipment installed in their apartment of a couple: an actress and a director. The film is simple, understated and quite powerful. This one actually deserved the Academy Award--it won for Best Foreign Language Film in 2007.