German Films

In honor of Oktoberfest, here is a list of German films to enjoy with your beer.

Das Boot (1985) Rated R

At the height of World War II, a young submarine crew heads out to sea on a top-secret mission that all but ensures most will never make it home alive. Ordered to patrol the Atlantic and destroy an allied armada bringing supplies to Britain, these raw recruits must band together, bracing themselves against a depth-charge assault from an unseen enemy. Can the captain and his crew summon the strength to escape their watery grave?

Goodbye Lenin (2002) Rated R

Alex’s proud, socialist mother falls into a coma for eight months. When she wakes, her heart is weak, so Alex has to keep the secret that the Berlin Wall has fallen and capitalism has triumphed. What begins as a little white lie turns into a major scam.

The Lives of Others (2006) Rated R

Set in East Berlin in 1984, a secret service agent assigned to monitor a playwright and his girlfriend begins to question his assignment and his loyalty to the government.

Run Lola Run (1998) Rated R

 Time is running out: Lola has just received a frantic call from her boyfriend Manni, who’s accidentally lost a small fortune he was to deliver to his mobster boss. If they cannot find a way to replace the money within twenty minutes, Manni will surely suffer severe consequences.

Wings of Desire (1987) Rated PG-13

A romantic fantasy about an angel who wishes he were mortal and is willing to fall from the sky if it means a chance to fall in love. Set in modern day Berlin, the film follows angel Damiel’s path from heavenly flight to earthly delight in a manner that’s comical, touching and entertaining.

The Conspirator (2010) (via What to Watch.)

Rated PG-13 Based on the true story of Mary Surratt the mother of a conspirator to the assassination of President Lincoln. It follows her trial though the eyes of her lawyer, Frederick Aiken. I was a little disappointed with the film. As the film opens we get a little background to the lawyer and the assassination, none of that was explored and felt rushed through. Then we hit the trial which was great, loved the pace. Then we get to the story be … Read More

via What to Watch. The content and opinions expressed in this review do not necessarily reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the Rice Lake Public Library.

Labor Day Films 2011

Clerks (1994) Rated R

A deadpan comedy about a day in the life of two nowhere-bound convenience and video store clerks and the two eccentric drug dealers who constantly loiter outside the stores.

Erin Brockovich (1999) Rated R

Erin Brockovich is a feisty young mother who convinces attorney Ed Masry to hire her and promptly stumbles upon a momumental law case against a giant corporation. Erin’s determined to take on this powerful adversary even though no law firm has dared to do it before. The two begin an incredible and sometimes hilarious fight that will bring a small town to its feet and a huge company to its knees. Based on a true story.

North Country (2005) Rated R

Josey Aimes needs a job and goes to work at a Minnesota steel mine after splitting with her violent husband. But the job proves to be almost as harrowing as her marriage. The male miners are resentful of women taking their jobs, so the men verbally abuse and play humiliating pranks on the female miners. After being physically assaulted by a coworker, Josey tries to fight against the harassment, but none of the other women will join her case for fear that things will only get worse. A fictionalized account of the first class action sexual harassment case in the U.S.

Office Space (1999) Rated R

Unable to endure another mind-numbing day at Initech Corporation, cubicle slave Peter Gibbons gets fired up–and decides to get fired. Armed with a leisurely new attitude and a sexy new girlfriend, he soon masters the art of neglecting his job, which quickly propels him into the ranks of upper management.

Tommy Boy (1995) Rated PG-13

Party animal Tommy Callahan is definitely a few cans short of a six-pack. But after seven years, Tommy’s finally earned his diploma–and a cushy job at Callahan Auto Parts. Returning home, Tommy gets some more great news: his dad is marrying a real “10,” and Tommy will get the stepbrother he always wanted. But when his father dies, the business starts tanking–and his stepmother starts scheming. Now Tommy’s got to hit the road with his dad’s right-hand man, a smug numbers-cruncher. And what these two don’t know about salesmanship could fill a book.