Charly Hubner Movies
- 2008
A vulnerable doctor discovers that fate can push you in a new direction at the drop of a hat when he succumbs to the advances of a strong, self-assured woman in this soul-searching drama from cinematographer-turned-director Jan Fehse. Dr. Fricke has grown accustomed to caring for others; his patients at the hospital are constantly crying out for help, and his daughter back home is suffering through a grueling terminal illness. Meanwhile, a woman named Sarah has just dumped her coke-addicted in a desperate attempt to pull her life together. Falling in love with Ben, Sarah believes senses a real chance to get a fresh start. But for all of loves brightness, it can also burn. When the married Dr. Fricke senses an opportunity to relinquish his all-consuming role of caretaker in both his personal and professional lives, he grabs hold without considering that the consequences could scald him in ways he never anticipated. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sebastian Koch, Mina Tander, (more)
- 2007
Four insecure men just trying to hang on to their pride find their lives intersecting on the highways of the German Ruhr region in this drama from director Bastian Guenther. For soccer coach Georg, tonight's game will dictate the outcome of his future career. Likewise, bathroom equipment salesman Jorg also stands to lose his job if sales don't perk up, and given that his personal life is currently in shambles he struggles to keep his numbers up. Freelance television reporter Dieter, on the other hand, may not fear for losing his job as he chases his latest sensational story, though he would like to spend a bit more time with his young son. Unfortunately in order to do so, Dieter has to contend with his embittered ex-wife Rita. Meanwhile, out at the local mall, ageing pop star Heinz greets his many adoring fans. Despite the fact that he is still viewed as a superstar by the public at large, Heinz is beginning to feel like the product of a bygone era. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charly Hubner, Wolfram Koch, (more)
A battle for gay rights is fought on a small-time football field in this comedy drama from Germany. Ecki (Maximilian Brückner) is a talented soccer goalie who plays with a semi-pro team in a small German town, but he finds himself on the outs with his teammates when he fails to block a kick that costs the team the league championship. Ecki's relationship with the team goes from bad to worse when they discover he's gay, and they give him his walking papers. Furious, Ecki challenges his former team to a special match in which they'll face off against an all-gay team he'll assemble for the occasion. The homophobic team agrees to the match, but Ecki soon discovers finding ten capable gay footballers is no easy task, and making them into a competitive team is even harder. Making matters a bit easier for Ecki is his sister Susanne (Lisa Maria Potthoff), who introduces him to one of her co-workers, Sven (David Rott), a good-looking male nurse who can play soccer...and happens to find Ecki attractive. Männer Wie Wir (aka Guys and Balls) was written for the screen by Benedikt Gollhardt; it was his first theatrical film after establishing himself in television. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maximilian Brückner, Lisa Maria Potthoff, (more)
- 2009
Julie Delpy directs and stars in this biography of Erzebet Bathory, the 17th century countess whose love of a younger man drove her to madness and beyond. At the dawn of the 17th century, Countess Bathory was the most powerful woman in Hungary. At the age of 14, she married a powerful warlord twice her age and bore him four children. While her husband was away fighting wars, Countess Bathory maintained their estate with the help of her one true confidant, a powerful witch named Anna Darvulia. Over time, Countess Bathory's gained great influence, even holding sway over decisions made by the King. But she was unwilling to accept a world in which men were able to break the rules without consequence while women were expected to be unquestionably subservient, and after her husband died, Countess Bathory fell deeply in love with a young nobleman named Istvan (Daniel Brühl), whom she encountered at a lavish feast. Istvan too was smitten, though his relationship with the countess was cut short when his father, Count Thurzo (William Hurt), forced him to break off the romance. Meanwhile, as Countess Bathory becomes obsessed with the prospect that age was a factor in the failure of the relationship, Count Thurzo begins crafting an elaborate plot against her. Eventually Countess Bathory's blinding sadness gives way to irreversible madness, and she becomes convinced that she can maintain her youth and beauty forever by bathing in the blood of virgins. Her dementia and obsession flowing like the virginal blood she bathes in every night, Countess Bathory eventually realizes that she has become the victim of a vast political conspiracy hatched by the father of her beloved. But by now it's already too late, Countess Erzebet Bathory's downfall had already been set into motion. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julie Delpy, Daniel Brühl, (more)
A man who has devoted his life to ferreting out "dangerous" characters is thrown into a quandary when he investigates a man who poses no threat in this drama, the first feature from German filmmaker Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. It's 1984, and Capt. Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe) is an agent of the Stasi, the East German Secret Police. Weisler carefully and dispassionately investigates people who might be deemed some sort of threat to the state. Shortly after Weisler's former classmate, Lt. Col. Grubitz (Ulrich Tukur), invites him to a theatrical piece by celebrated East German playwright Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch), Minister Bruno Hempf (Thomas Thieme) informs Weisler that he suspects Dreyman of political dissidence, and wonders if this renowned patriot is all that he seems to be. As it turns out, Hempf has something of an ulterior motive for trying to pin something on Dreyman: a deep-seated infatuation with Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck), Dreyman's girlfriend. Nevertheless, Grubitz, who is anxious to further his career, appoints Weisler to spy on the gentleman with his help. Weisler plants listening devices in Dreyman's apartment and begins shadowing the writer. As Weisler monitors Dreyman's daily life, however (from a secret surveillance station in the gentleman's attic), he discovers the writer is one of the few East Germans who genuinely believes in his leaders. This changes over time, however, as Dreyman discovers that Christa-Maria is being blackmailed into a sexual relationship with Hempf, and one of Dreyman's friends, stage director Albert Jerska (Volkmar Kleinert), is driven to suicide after himself being blackballed by the government. Dreyman's loyalty thus shifts away from the East German government, and he anonymously posts an anti-establishment piece in a major newspaper which rouses the fury of government officials. Meanwhile, Weisler becomes deeply emotionally drawn into the lives of Dreyman and Sieland, and becomes something of an anti-establishment figure himself, embracing freedom of thought and expression. A major box-office success in Germany, Das Leben der Anderen (aka The Lives of Others) received its North American premiere at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Mühe, (more)
