An East German Stasi agent becomes obsessed with the lives of a young couple he has been assigned to surveil. [ The Lives of Others credits: Dir: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck/ 137 min/ Drama, Thriller, Foreign/ Anti-socialism, Search & Seizure/ German] External Reviews "The Lives of Others is that rare thing: a best foreign language Oscar-winner that fully … [Read more...]
The Tunnel (2001)
After successfully escaping from East Germany, a young man constructing a tunnel to help his sister to get out finds that many more want to bolt to freedom as well. Based on a true story. [ The Tunnel credits: Dir: Roland Suso Richter/ Heino Ferch, Nicolette Krebitz, Sebastian Koch/ 150min/ Thriller, Action-Adventure, Foreign/ Escape from socialism] How to See It Amazon … [Read more...]
Das Experiment (2001)
WINNER: TOP 25 LIBERTARIAN FILMS A psychological experiment in which test subjects are divided into "prisoners" and "guards" spins out of control when the "guards" take their authority a little too seriously. [ Das Experiment credits: Dir: Oliver Hirschbiegel / Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Berkel, Justus von Dohnanyi / 120min/ Drama, Thriller, Foreign Language/ In German with … [Read more...]
Enemy of the State (1998)
A Washington D.C. lawyer inadvertently discovers that a Congressman was assassinated by a cabal of renegade NSA operatives, and is himself hunted by those assassins--via military satellites, electronic surveillance, tracking devices and every other spy apparatus now available to the Orwellian state. [ Enemy of the State credits: Dir: Tony Scott/ Will Smith, Gene Hackman, John … [Read more...]
Mercury Rising (1998)
When an autistic child inadvertently cracks the U.S. government’s ultra-secret communications code, the National Security Agency (NSA) tries to protect the viability of the code—by killing the child. [ Mercury Rising credits: Dir: Harold Becker/ Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Simon Lynch/ 108min/ Action-Adventure, Drama/ Individualism] “Libertarians especially will appreciate … [Read more...]
Thunderheart (1992)
A part-Sioux FBI agent turns against his superiors when he discovers a deadly operation by his agency to squelch Native American resistance to government control. [ Thunderheart credits: Dir: Michael Apted/ Val Kilmer, Sam Shepard, Graham Greene/ 118 min/ Thriller/ Government as Bigot, Second Amendment] “Thunderheart succeeds as both semi-factual exposé and fictional … [Read more...]
The Palermo Connection (1990)
WINNER: TOP 25 LIBERTARIAN FILMS A New York City politician who campaigns on a platform of drug decriminalization encounters deadly opposition from the Mafia. [ The Palermo Connection credits: Dir: Francesco Rosi/ James Belushi, Mimi Rogers, Joss Ackland/100 min/ Thriller/ France, Italy/ Filmed in English/ Legalize Drugs] “A film that correctly identifies drug prohibition … [Read more...]
Pacific Heights (1990)
A young couple’s dream of owning a rental property becomes a nightmare, as a dangerous con artist takes full advantage of the California rental code at their expense. [ Pacific Heights credits: Dir: John Schlesinger/ Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine, Michael Keaton/ 103 min/ Thriller/ Anti-Regulation] “A heart-pounding watch that focuses long-overdue attention on the … [Read more...]
White Nights (1985)
A plane crash in Siberia lands a Soviet defector in the hands of the KGB. Only with the help of an American defector will he escape. [ White Nights credits: Dir: Taylor Hackford/ Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Isabella Rossellini, Helen Mirren, Geraldine Page/ 135 min/ Thriller, Musical-Dance/ Escape from Socialism, Anti-War] “White Nights is one of my favorite … [Read more...]
Berlin Tunnel 21 (1981)
An American soldier and a German engineer team up to build a secret tunnel under the Berlin Wall to help those trapped behind the wall escape to freedom. [ Berlin Tunnel 21 credits: Dir: Richard Michaels/ Richard Thomas, Horst Buchholz, José Ferrer/ 141 min/ Thriller, Drama/ Escape from socialism] How to See Berlin Tunnel 21 Amazon (DVD) Amazon (DVD) Amazon (Instant … [Read more...]