In communist Poland, a police officer tasked with arresting gay men gradually gains sympathy for them and begins to question the brutal system in which he has played so pitiless a role. [ Operation Hyacinth credits: Dir: Piotr Domalewski/ Tomasz Zietek, Hubert Milkowski, Marek Kalita/ 112 min/ Drama, Foreign/ Sexual Liberty, Government as Bigot, Anti-Socialism/ Poland/ 2021/ … [Read more...]
The Closed Circuit | Film
Three businessmen in Poland are arrested for "organized crime," but as it turns out it's the government itself that's criminal. Based on a true story. [ The Closed Circuit credits: Dir: Ryszard Bugajski/ Janusz Gajos, Kazimierz Kaczor, Wojciech Zoladkowicz/ 120 min/ Action-Adventure, Drama/ Corrupt Government/ Poland/ 2013/ aka Uklad Zamkniety ] External Reviews "A … [Read more...]
Dear Comrades | Film
A communist party activist's faith in the communist system is shaken when she witnesses a government massacre of striking workers. [ Dear Comrades credits: Dir: Andrey Konchalovskiy/ AYuliya Vysotskaya, Vladislav Komarov, Andrey Gusev/ 121 min/ Drama, History/ Anti-Socialism/ Russia/ 2020] External Reviews "A knockout film about the Soviet nightmare.” --National … [Read more...]
Under the Sun | Documentary
A documentary filmmaker invited by North Korea to make a propagandistic film turns the tables on his instrusive minders by recording everything -- including the Orwellian lives of his fearful film subjects. [ Under the Sun credits: Dir: Vitaliy Manskiy/ 106 min/ Documentary, Foreign/ Anti-Socialism/ 2015/ aka V luchakh solntsa / Latvia ] External Reviews "Accompanied … [Read more...]
Balloon | Film
Two East German families make a daring escape to the West via a homemade hot-air balloon. Based on a true story. [ Balloon credits: Dir: Michael Herbig/ Friedrich Mücke, Karoline Schuch, David Kross/ 125 min/ Action-Adventure, Drama, Family, Foreign, Thriller/ Escape From Socialism/ Germany/ 2020] Now available on Amazon streaming. External Reviews "Balloon revels in … [Read more...]
Pad Man | Film Review
An heroic and independent entrepreneur creates a low-cost sanitary pad for the world’s poor, but must overcome cultural shame associated with menstruation to get his invention accepted. Based on a true story. [ Pad Man credits: Dir: R. Balki/ Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte, Sonam Kapoor/ 140 min/ Biography, Comedy, Drama/ Creator-as-Hero, Individualism/ India/ 2018/ aka Padman … [Read more...]
Shin Godzilla (2016)
Godzilla returns to attack Japan, but this time with an unlikely ally: a sclerotic Japanese government that is disastrously slow to respond. [ Shin Godzilla credits: Dir: Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi/ Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara/ 120 min/ Action-Adventure, Sci-Fi/ Incompetent Government, Individualism/ a.k.a. Godzilla Resurgence/ Japan] “This film … [Read more...]
Good Bye Lenin (2003)
A young man in newly liberated East Germany tries to hide the fall of communism from his enthusiastically socialist mother because doctors say the shock would kill her. [ Good Bye Lenin credits: Dir: Wolfgang Becker/ 121 min/ Comedy, Foreign/ Anti-socialism] “This thoroughly enjoyable film is also a sweet and honest one, that works in every respect (it won a slew of … [Read more...]
Mao’s Great Famine (2011)
Mao Zedong's "Great Leap Forward," a far-reaching program of forced modernization intended to transform China into a socialist paradise, instead results in the greatest holocaust in human history — with a death toll of 45 million. Also listed as La grande famine de Mao. [ Mao's Great Famine credits: Dir: Patrick Cabouat, Philippe Grangereau/ 52 min/ Documentary, History/ … [Read more...]
Herod’s Law (1999)
An innocent janitor appointed mayor of a small Mexican town gradually succumbs to the temptations of power and is transformed into a small-time despot. Also listed as La ley de Herodes. [ Herod's Law credits: Dir: Luis Estrada/ 120 min/ Comedy/ Corrupt government, Power corrupts/ Mexico] External Reviews "The title of Herod's Law refers to a governing principle of … [Read more...]