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Created Apr 07, 2012 07:21PM PST • Edited Apr 07, 2012 07:21PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   A fascinating accounting of Hitler’s last 12 days, from the recollections of Traudl Junge, his final secretary. Bruno Ganz is a shoe-in for the maniacal and increasingly psychotic and out of touch Fuhrer. As Berlin crumbles all around him, there’s barely more than teenagers defending the turf, and the scene becomes more and more hopeless. Ironically, as every good film accomplishes, you begin to bond with the evil ones — but of course, that’s of no concern of the Russians, who pursued their demise mercilessly. Some of the best scenes are near the very end, when the last loyalists start to exit their denial phase and begin to deal with their own personal grand finales. How did they do? Well Der Fuhrer and Eva shot themselves, and the infamous Goebbels’ wife Magda killed her 5 kids with cyanide. Gruesome stuff. The movie doesn’t end there, and continues a bit beyond that to show surrenders and a glimmer of hope for a few, including Traudl.

4. Acting

   Really Great 4.5

   As mentioned, I’ve never seen a more accurate rendition of a historical figure than Bruno Ganz’ Hitler. If accurate, it is incredibly insightful. Bouts of melancholy, wisdom, than maniacal and nonsensical paranoia and anger. The guy was all over the place. Julianne Kohler was wonderful as Eva Braun – seemingly wise, yet also inexplicably involved with Adolf. The full cast was all great.

5. Male Stars Really Great 4.5

6. Female Stars Really Great 4.5

7. Female Costars Really Great 4.5

8. Male Costars Really Great 4.5

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    The movie was more about the people than the facts happening around them. When it focused more on events, I became less interested.

11. Direction Very Good 3.5

12. Play Very Good 3.5

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Very Good 3.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.7

17. Sex Titillating 1.7

18. Violence Fierce 1.7

19. Rudeness Salty 1.7

21. Reality

    Glib 1.1

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.1

23. Biological Glib 1.1

24. Physical Glib 1.1