Phoenix (2014)

 

A disfigured Holocaust survivor sets out to determine if the man she loved betrayed her trust.

Intelligently plotted Vertigo-like post-war melodrama with excellent period detail and good cast explores on several levels the effects of Nazism and the war on German society.

Barbara (2012)

 

A doctor working in 1980s East Germany finds herself banished to a small country hospital.

Finely directed character study draws a well-observed, realistic depiction of Eat German society and life in the 1980s, a somber melodrama with a touching ending; Nina Hoss is fully convincing in the title role as a woman trapped in the restrictions, but also silently fighting against them.

Maltin***: "Quietly absorbing story...Not every questioned is answered in Petzold's intriguing character study, which also evokes the oppressive atmosphere of life under the watchful eye of the secret police at that time." 

Jerichow (2008)

 

Trouble brews when a war veteran has an affair with a married woman.

Interesting variation of the The Postman Always Rings Twice story brings the tragedy realistically into a modern-day German setting, is suspenseful with a good cast, and comes up with its own new kind of twist) ending. 

 

Undine (2020)

 

Undine works as a historian lecturing on Berlin's urban development. But when the man she loves leaves her, the ancient myth catches up with her. Undine has to kill the man who betrays her and return to the water.

Creative and intriguing take on the Undine myth takes its time to unravel its mystery, but keeps one intrigued by Paul Beer's alluring performance and some good underwater cinematography. 

 

Yella (2007)

 

Yella is estranged from her possessive and violent husband; but he can't quite bring himself to give her up. When their fraught interaction finally comes to dramatic conclusion, Yella's life takes an odd shift.

Coolly atmospheric reimagination of Carnival of Souls in a contemporary German setting shifts its focus onto a world of surreal business dealings and ambiguous personal relationships; Nina Hoss is excellent in the title role as a woman torn between escape and new entanglements.

Maltin***: "Cryptic account...Remake of CARNIVAL OF SOULS is effective as a psychological study and an acute reflection of contemporary business practices." 

Gespenster (2005)

 

Francoise sees Nina, an orphan with mental problems, and thinks she is her kidnapped daughter.

Peculiar psychological drama portrays two girls and a woman who, due to different circumstances, have become estranged and isolated from society (or even the real world) - hence 'ghosts' - but encounter each other; intelligently made, but elliptical in its narrative, there's an overall otherworldly atmosphere throughout the film. 

Die innere Sicherheit (2000)

 

Clara and Hans are left-wing terrorists who have been sought by police for almost fifteen years. Their increasingly rebellious daughter Jeanne begins to pose a threat to their security when she falls in love with a boy she meets on the beach.

Intense and perceptive study of a young girl (Julia Hummer in a perfect performance) forced into an existence outside of any social system; although embedded in clear and realistic locations and envisioning a comprehensible political background of the parents, there is a sense of irreality throughout.