A post-WWII war crimes official hunts down a little-known escaped Nazi: the man who secretly planned and managed the Holocaust. [ The Stranger credits: Dir: Orson Welles/ Orson Welles, Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young/ 95 min/ Drama, Thriller/ Democide] What makes Hitler’s extermination of six million Jews “The Holocaust” isn’t just the sheer number murdered, horrifying … [Read more...]
The Bleeding Edge (2016)
When a young tech wiz discovers that the heart transplant he got in China was taken from a prisoner in a forced organ "donation," he risks his life to save the next victims of China's organ harvesting program. [ The Bleeding Edge credits: Dir: Leon Lee/ Jay Clift, Anastasia Lin, Tony Bai, James Yi / 90 min/ Thriller/ Government as Torturer, Democide] The Bleeding Edge is … [Read more...]
Die Hard (1988)
When robbers seize hostages in an LA high-rise, an off-duty cop fights alone to save them, including among the hostages…his wife. [ Die Hard credits: Dir: John McTiernan/ Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia/ 131 min/ Action-Adventure, Thriller/ Individualism] Two lines in this film sum up its theme. When bad-guy Hans Gruber says to John McClane, the hero at the … [Read more...]
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)
When a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi is overwhelmed by Islamic militants, six security contractors risk all against impossible odds to save 31 Americans. Based on a true story. [ 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi credits: Dir: Michael Bay/ John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale/ 144 min/ Action, Thriller/ Incompetent Government] 13 Hours is not … [Read more...]
Snowden (2016)
When a National Security Agency (NSA) employee discovers the agency is routinely spying on American citizens, in violation of the US Constitution, he risks all to tell the American public. Based on a true story. [ Snowden credits: Dir: Oliver Stone/ Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo/ 134 min/ Biography, Drama, Thriller/ Search & Seizure, Working for … [Read more...]
The Lives of Others (2006)
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] Should the one be sacrificed for the … [Read more...]