MOVIE NIGHT-JAKOB THE LIAR

Jacob the liar (1999)

Screening on Wed. 4th of November 2009, 8pm, German House

Looking forward to seeing YOU!

 

 

In Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II, Jakob (Robin Williams), the owner of a long-closed café in the Jewish ghetto, accidentally overhears a forbidden radio news bulletin signaling Soviet military successes against the Germans. The next day, Jakob whispers his secret good news to two despondent friends. As the news spreads, so does a rumor-Jakob must have a radio, an offense punishable by death. Despite the danger, Jakob continues to relay fictitious news bulletins about Allied advances against the Nazis. These lies keep hope and humor alive among the inhabitants of the ghetto-the suicide rate drops, spirits are lifted and optimism is reborn. The Germans learn of the mythical radio, however, and begin a search for the resistance hero who dares operate it…

Movie Night Schedule

The German House hosts movie nights bi-weekly (every other Wednesday) at 8 pm in the Bice House.  Come by for an entertaining film with commentary as well as light refreshments and conversation.

Erkan & Stefan 23.09.09

Erkan & Stefan (a stand up duo from Munich) are assigned as bodyguards for the beautiful Nina. Having no training, they run from one comedic disaster to another as they come between the frontlines of the CIA and BND.

Die Blechtrommel 7.10.09

Oskar decides to stop growing when he is three years old as a protest against the absurdities of the world around him. Based on Gunter Grass’s celebrated novel which uses magical realism to capture the madness of war and the folly of the people who made it possible.

Schultze Gets the Blues 21.10.09

Schultze is a recently unemployed miner and a passionate Polka accordion player. After hearing a blues tune on the radio for the first time, he decides to journey to the heart of the blues: Louisana, though he has little knowledge of the English language.

Jakob, der Lügner 4.11.09

Trapped in a Polish ghetto with thousands of other Jews facing starvation or death camps, Jakob overhears a radio report about a nearby Russian victory. After passing on the good news, Jakob feels compelled to make up stories to keep up morale.

Raumpatrouille Orion 18.11.09

A 90 minute made-for-theater edit of the 1968 German SciFi show „The Adventures of the Spaceship Orion“ combines several of the 7 original episodes into one story line and gives a glimpse into the charm and cult factor of what is often referred to as the „German Star Trek.“

Feuerzangenbowle 2.12.09

On a bet, a well known author returns to school and poses as a schoolboy. Once there, he and his friends play many tricks on the teachers.

Movie Night: „Gegen die Wand“

Showing on Wednesday, 8 April, at 8 pm

About the movie:
40-year-old Cahit is brought into a psychiatric clinic after attempting suicide and sets out to start a new life, even as he longs for drugs and new alcohol to numb his pain.
Sibel is young, pretty, and, like Cahit, Turkish-German. She lives a lifestyle that is a bit too wild for her devout, conservative Muslim family, and fakes a suicide attempt to try and escape them. But the incident brings shame upon her family, who insist that only marriage can save her.
Sibel begs cahit to marry her and he reluctantly agrees, perhaps in an effort to save her and to find meaning in his own life. Initially the two share an appartment and little else as Sibel sees other men and Cahit continues to have flings with his on-again, off-again girlfriend. Gradually, however, Cahit begins to fall in love with Sibel and she, in turn, comes to realize that she loves him – but not before an incident of jealous violence tests this fledgling romance. When Cahit is sent to jail and Sibel flees to Turkey, her heart, mind, and soul remain with him – but for how long?

Movie Night: „Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei“

Showing on Tuesday, 24 March, at 8 pm.

About the movie:
Jan (Daniel Brühl from „Good Bye Lenin“) and Peter are the best friends behind the radical and mysterious group Die Erziehungsberechtigten (The Edukators), united by their passion to change the world. When the rich go on vacation, The Edukators break into their homes. They don’t steal, but simply rearrange everything, leaving the message „Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei“ (your days of plenty are numbered).
When Peter’s girlfriend Jule (Julia Jentsch from „Sophie Scholl“) moves in, she joins them in their subversive activities. But when a rich businessman catches them in the act, they rashly decide to kidnap him. Faced with the values of the generation in power, they will see what kind of revolutionaries they are, if their friendship can survive, and discover if they truly work in the interest of a greater good, or just in their own self-interest. Passions rage and loyalties shatter in this exciting film by director Hans Weingartner.

Movie Night: „Der Tunnel“

Showing on Wednesday, 11 March, at 8 pm

About the movie:
Inch by harrowing inch, DER TUNNEL tells the incredible story of a massive underground escape attempt from East to West Berlin in 1961. Anti-communist East German swimming champion Harry Melchior narrowly escapes the Communist regime just after the Berlin Wall is completed, and is determined to rescue his beloved sister, whom he was forced to leave behind.
This international award-winning drama is a gripping and suspenseful thriller in the tradition of THE GREAT ESCAPE.

Movie Night: „Herr Lehmann“

Showing on Tuesday, 17 Feb. at 8 pm

Herr Lehmann’s name is actually Frank, but as he will turn thirty soon, everybody simply calls him „Herr Lehmann“. Herr Lehmann is the patron saint of all those barkeepers, beer-consumers, and lovers of absurd conversations who have ensconced themselves in Berlin-Kreuzberg in the year 1989. While great social upheaval is advancing in the Eastern part of the city, unexpected things also enter into Herr Lehmann’s life: A pushy dog, his parents’ visit, his love for the beautiful cook Katrin, his best friend Karl and a strange drinker of Kristallweizen cause a lot of trouble in no time at all, and Herr Lehmann has his hands full to master these challenges. And then, thirtieth birthday of all days, the Berlin Wall comes down as well …

Movie Night: „Sophie Scholl – Die letzten Tage“

Showing on Wednesday, Feb. 4th, at 8 pm.

About the movie: 2005 Academy Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, Sophie Scholl – Die letzten Tage is the true story of Germany’s most famous anti-Nazi heroine brought to thrilling, dramatic life. The movie stars Julia Jentsch (of recent cult fave Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei) in a luminous performance as the fearless activist of the underground student resistance group Die Weiße Rose (The White Rose). Armed with long-buried historical records of her incarceration, director Marc Rothemund expertly re-creates the last six days of Sophie Scholl’s life: a heart-stopping journey from arrest to interrogation, trial and sentence in 1943 Munich. Unwavering in her convictions and loyalty to her comrades, her cross-examination by the Gestapo quickly escalates into a searing test of wills as Scholl delivers a passionate call to freedom and personal responsibility that is both haunting and timeless.

Movie Night: „Goodbye Lenin“

The German House invites you to join us for our first Movie Night this semester. On Tuesday, Jan. 20th, at 8 pm, we will be showing the movie „Goodbye Lenin“.

About the movie: In 1989, Christiane Kerner has lost her husband and is completely devoted to the Socialist East German state. A heart attack leaves her in a coma, and when she awakens eight months later, the Berlin Wall has fallen and it’s a whole new world. To protect her from shock, her son Alex hatches a plan to keep her in the dark. It’s easy … all he has to do is turn back the hands of time.

Keinohrhasen

Showing on Wednesday, Dec 3rd at 8:30pm

About the movie: Ludo is a textbook yellow press reporter: Easy-going and ruthless, bold and devoid of a moral conscience. Together with photographer Moritz he chases stars and starlets and even fabricates stories if the real ones are not interesting enough. But when he is sentenced in court to do 300 hours of community service in a day nursery, he has to bear the consequences of his behaviour. At the day nursery Ludo has to face tough Anna who knew him already as a child – and already hated him back then.

Warning: This movie contains nudity, sexual content and harsh language.

Das Experiment

Showing on Wednesday, Nov 19th at 8 pm.

About the movie: Based on a chilling true story, Das Experiment is an intense, high-energy thriller about a human behavior study in a controlled environment that gets wildly and horribly out of control.

An undercover reporter (Moritz Bleibtreu of Lola rennt) signs up to be a paid volunteer in a two-week scientific research project designed to test the psychological effects of prison life. Joining a group of eleven volunteer „prisoners“ in a makeshift prison, the inmates are monitored by eight volunteer „guards“ and an elaborate system of surveillance cameras. Now, the watched and the watchers find themselves drawn into a twisted nightmare where vulnerability is weakness, power is intoxicating and the experiment becomes a terrifying reality that will change their lives forever.

Warning: This movie contains heavy violence.