Madeline Miller: "The Song of Achilles"

(novel)

Rating: 4.5/5

Achilles, son of a king and a goddess, is bursting with strength and charm and meets Patroclus, a young prince sent into exile, in his childhood. A special bond of friendship and love is forged between the two, which brings them ever closer together over the years.

The theft of Helen triggers a war between Greece and Troy, and all the heroes and their armies are called upon to join the battle. Achilles also makes the fateful decision to go to Troy as the "greatest of all Greeks" and take part in the campaign against the city.

This battle turns into a decades-long conflict and the love of Patroclus and Achilles will be confronted with the serious challenges of fate in Troy, which will require hard sacrifices...

The myth of Achilles is retold and both the legend and its characters are given a human, modern and approachable guise. The author manages to convey the extensive material in a captivating and extremely entertaining way and to create an emotional, multi-faceted story whose drama culminates in the Trojan War.

"All of Us Strangers"

(Melodrama)

Rating: 4.5/5

The lonely author Adam enters into a romantic relationship with the mysterious Harry. At the same time, visions and dreams of his deceased parents begin to haunt him. As the boundaries between reality and fiction become increasingly blurred, Adam must reconcile the traumas of his childhood with his present life and, above all, his aspirations for the future.

"All of Us Strangers" is an emotional and tragic character study that offers an intimate and authentic insight into the lives of its characters and the nature of grief. While the film explicitly deals with queer hostility in 1980s England, its surreal mood creates a timeless character that makes it a true masterpiece.

Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are unsurprisingly brilliant in the roles of Adam and Harry, proving once again why they are among the absolute best actors of our time. An outstanding work of art that should definitely not be missed.

"The Zone of Interest"

(historical movie)

Rating: 4.5/5

Director Jonathan Glazer almost completely dispenses with a conventional narrative and instead depicts the everyday life of Rudolf Höss, who was commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp from 1940 to 1943. However, the scene is never the inside of the camp itself, but the house of the Höß family located directly outside the walls.

While millions of people are systematically murdered just a few meters away, birthday parties, hiking excursions and summer festivals take place here. Or Höß sits in his office and talks to colleagues about the efficiency and logistics behind gas chambers, the expense of transporting prisoners and the financial profitability of concentration camps.

All of this is done with an 'unspectacular' and bureaucratic coldness and constant indifference that shakes you to the core. Glazer attempts to demystify the Nazi crimes and instead presents the "banality of evil" coined by Hannah Arendt.

A cinematically and thematically impressive and terrifying look at the forced maintenance of 'normality' in the face of the worst crimes against humanity. A view that could not be more important right now.

Anna Wiener: "Code broken. Power and decadence in Silicon Valley"

(novel)

Rating: 3/5

"Technology ate into relationships, identities, commons. Maybe nostalgia was just an instinctive reaction to the feeling that the material was disappearing from the world. I wanted to find my own way to protect myself from it, I wanted to find my own form of collective."

Silicon Valley, the cradle of the world's largest Technical companies and a symbol par excellence of technological progress and cutting-edge software solutions designed to make life better in every area, from transportation to interpersonal relationships. This is where the protagonist of Wiener's autobiographical novel ends up after years of struggling through the underpaid New York publishing industry.

In San Francisco, she gets caught up in the maelstrom of the start-up hype that prevails there. In a world of horrendous working hours, abstruse office spaces, multi-million dollar investments and omnipresent company logos, she finds her place, although she always has the feeling that she doesn't really belong among all the young and successful Technical gurus.

The young woman's experiences in Silicon Valley are elegantly linked with the image of an entire male-dominated, progress-focused industry, and themes such as sexism, idealism and the digital utopia (and its dark sides) are brought into focus.

"The allure of the new evaporated; the ubiquitous idealism of the industry became increasingly dubious. For the most part, the Technical industry was not about progress. It was about business."

A successful novel that shows that the propagated idea of a digital and carefree future is sometimes far removed from the reality in Silicon Valley. Linguistically, the author works skillfully with expressive images and manages to bring a certain lightness and self-irony to the novel despite the topics covered. Nevertheless, "Code kaputt" does offer deeper potential at one point or another, which is not fully exploited.

"Fleabag"

(Dramedy)

Rating: 4.5/5

"I want someone to tell me what to wear every morning. I want someone to tell me what to eat. What to like, what to hate, what to rage about. What to listen to, what band to like. What to buy tickets for. What to joke about, what to not joke about. I want someone to tell me what to believe in. Who to vote for and who to love and how to tell them..."

As a viewer, the series follows the turbulent life of an unnamed woman affectionately known as "Fleabag". She leads a chaotic life in London, juggling complicated family relationships, friendships and romantic encounters...

The Amazon Prime series is distinguished by its clever and often blackly humorous approach to everyday situations. In addition, "Fleabag" sheds light on themes such as loss, grief, loneliness, self-discovery, love and the difficulties associated with human relationships.

Thus, "Fleabag" succeeds in combining sharp humor, emotional depth and an honest portrayal of human weaknesses. As the protagonist tries to come to terms with her past and personal losses, she simultaneously deals with her own flaws and challenges in finding her place in the world.

"... I think I just want someone to tell me how to live my life, Father, because so far I think I've been getting it wrong."

"Past Lives"

(Drama)

Rating: 3/5

A love story that isn't really a love story at all. Nora and Hae Sung have been attracted to each other their entire lives, but are repeatedly separated. Be it due to relocation, their jobs or simply different paths in life. And even when they meet, the question remains: is it really love that draws them to each other?

What sounds like a lot of kitsch at first - and seems that way in the trailer - looks very different in the actual film. In her debut film, young filmmaker Celine Song not only skilfully and clearly avoids clichés, but also directly addresses and rejects them. What remains instead is a multi-layered and charming film that offers a captivating story and atmosphere despite its lengthiness.

Joyce Carol Oates: "Blonde"

(novel)

Rating: 4.5/5

Marilyn Monroe - blonde hair, red lips, birthmark and high-waisted skirt. But who is Norma Jeane really?

Author Joyce Carol Oates portrays the life of the "blonde actress" in her 1022-page novel.

From Norma Jeane to Marilyn Monroe, from childhood to adulthood, from anonymity to global stardom. A life characterized by countless ups and downs from the very beginning.

The novel takes place in the uncomfortable beds in the children's home, in her mentally ill mother's far too hot bath, with her numerous and sometimes brutal husbands, in the bedrooms of her affairs and on the sets of major films. She is abused as a child and repeatedly raped, beaten and exploited as a young woman. Over the course of her life, she struggles with self-doubt, addiction problems and, above all, the experience of living in a patriarchal world.

She is intelligent, reads the works of numerous philosophers and yet is underestimated and considered stupid. She is a perfectionist and acts so well that her mostly male colleagues are convinced that she is not acting at all, but that she really is. She is sometimes Norma Jeane and sometimes Marylin Monroe - until at some point she can no longer be either.

Oates manages to make the Hollywood idol approachable for the reader and capture what she is really like on the inside. So believable that you have to keep reminding yourself that this is not a biography of Marilyn Monroe, but that reality and fiction are combined beyond recognition in this novel.

"Blond" is extremely varied and exciting, particularly due to the constant change in different first-person narrators, the vivid portrayal of her entire life, the authentic depiction of a wide range of experiences and the presentation of the most diverse people in Marilyn Monroe's life.

The author's unconventional, intelligent and sometimes brutal style captivates the reader. Even if the last part of the novel drags a little, as the events seem to repeat themselves, and Joyce Carol Oates' writing style is quite confused in places because she jumps wildly between individual thoughts, this book is a clear recommendation - whether for Marilyn Monroe fans or not.

"The Staff Room" (dir.: Ilker Çatak)

(drama/feature film)

Rating: 4/5

About the everyday life of a teacher who wants to do everything right & yet can do so much wrong.

From the very first second of the movie, the viewer is right in the middle of the action: Two schoolchildren are put under pressure by their teachers to betray their classmates. Because there is theft at school & nobody knows the real culprits. In her search for the truth and, above all, justice, the young teacher Carla Nowak ends up in the firing line of the accusations herself, so that as the escalating plot progresses, she threatens to break under the balancing act of meeting the demands of the pupils, colleagues and parents.

Apart from the fact that the quite extreme everyday life of a teacher is brought into focus - which is characterized by various conflict situations, a very high workload & ultimately even panic attacks - topics such as everyday racism, classism & bullying are repeatedly & rather implicitly addressed.

Why is Ali of all people - a boy from a migrant background - suspected? Why is it important what his parents do for a living? Should grades still be written on the blackboard? Is a statement really voluntary if silence leads directly to suspicion?

Leonie Benesch's acting performance (The Swarm), the unusual picture format (4:3), the focus on one location (school) and one character's perspective (Carla Nowak) are the main reasons why this socially critical film captivates you from the very first second and leaves you with the feeling that teachers à la Carla Nowak deserve a lot of respect.

Douglas Adams: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

(Novel / Sci-Fi)

Rating: 5/5

"What would you do if you were manic-depressive robots? No-no, don't try to answer that. I'm fifty thousand times smarter than you, and even I don't know the answer."

When the day starts with you having to lie down in the mud in front of a bulldozer to prevent your house from being demolished, it can't really get any worse. Actually... because then the earth is blown up.

Arthur Dent then embarks on an adventurous journey through the galaxy, where one bizarre surprise follows the next, and the world of the former earthling is shaken up enormously. Mice as the secret rulers of the world, the bad (almost dangerous) poetry of the Vogons and a manic-depressive robot called Marvin as a traveling companion - to name just a few curiosities from Arthur's new reality.

Anyone who likes bizarre and wacky humor will get their money's worth with this sci-fi classic. Entertaining, grotesque (in a positive way) and simply good.

"There are, of course, many problems connected with life, some of the best known of which are: Why is man born, Why does he die? And why does he spend so much of the time in between wearing digital watches?"

Benedict Wells: "The End of Solitude"

(novel / fiction)

Rating: 4.5/5

"Later, we were decorating the living room with our aunt, chansons were playing on the radio, and for a moment it was like before, except that two people were missing. It was like before, except nothing was like before."

Jules, Liz and Marty - even though there are often arguments between them, they grow up sheltered with their parents in Munich. The family spends their vacations in Berdillac - a small village near Montpellier and the father's hometown. And it was there, during a family vacation, that the parents of the three siblings were killed in a car accident.

"Everything here is like a seed. The boarding school, the school, what happened to my parents. It's all sown in me, but I can't see what it does to me. The harvest will only come when I'm an adult, and then it will be too late."

After the loss of their parents, the three very different siblings grow further and further apart at their new boarding school - they all deal with their grief in different ways - whether they find a connection or not. Meanwhile, Jules gets to know Alva and a friendship develops between them that evolves in different directions throughout the novel.

As a reader, you follow Jules' story from his early childhood days, his parents' accident, to his late forties, showing, also through the lives of his siblings, how the stroke of fate they thought they had overcome catches up with them again and again and influences and guides them in their lives, actions and deeds.

"A difficult childhood is like an invisible enemy, I thought. You never know when it's going to strike."

Benedict Wells creates an incredibly quiet, at times poetic and yet poignant novel that proves to be a real page-turner, even without much fanfare, many plot twists and with a great linguistic style.

Jules' story - his relationship with Alva, who in a way shares his grief, the coming together and growing apart between him and his siblings, while the loss of his parents is omnipresent - is moving, touching and captivating at the same time.

"Life is not a zero-sum game. It owes you nothing, and things happen as they happen. Sometimes fairly, so that everything makes sense, sometimes so unfairly that you doubt everything. I pulled the mask off fate's face and found only chance underneath."

Yōko Ogawa: "Island of Lost Memory"

(novel / dystopia / science fiction)

Rating: 3.5/5

Perfume, birds and roses are just a handful of the things that first disappear from the island and then permanently from the memory of its inhabitants - as if erased, nothing remains to remind them of their former existence. Only a few are unable to forget and are therefore pursued by the memory police.

Although this puts her life in danger, a young writer offers her publisher protection when she discovers that he is under threat of arrest by the memory police. Determined, she sets up a hiding place in her house with the help of an elderly gentleman, looks after and cares for her publisher and continues to work with him on her latest novel, bringing them ever closer together.

While the synopsis suggests a gripping novel with ups and downs, the plot tends to ripple along - you wait in vain for a rebellion. As a result, some things remain unclear and open to interpretation for the reader.

As a result, the novel fails to impress with a grand and captivating plot. Nevertheless, the atmosphere and language created by Yōko Ogawa make it a good book to read in between.

Isabel Bogdan: "The Peacock"

(novel/comedy)

Rating: 5/5

What do you get when you put a group of investment bankers, an ambitious psychologist and a peacock gone mad together with a sudden onset of winter in a time-honored Scottish country estate far away in the Highlands? A grandiose, hilarious chain of events, misunderstandings & social phenomena.

"The Peacock" is a turbulent and very entertaining story that tells the (somewhat different) team-building exercise with British humor. Isabel Bogdan creates great characters who impress with their wit and stubbornness. Readers are sucked into this maelstrom of events & in the end, no one really knows what happened at all... Entertaining British comedy that will definitely make you laugh!

"Aftersun"

(Drama/Coming of Age)

Rating: 5/5

Eleven-year-old Sophie (Frankie Corio) goes on vacation with her father Callum (Paul Mescal) and records the trip with a video camera. 20 years later, she reflects on this time together with the help of the footage and gets to know her father from a completely new perspective.

"Aftersun" addresses the relationship between children and their parents in a unique and incredibly emotional way, as well as the different ways in which people remember the deceased. The film never needs to resort to cheap tricks of emotionalization, but instead convinces with its incredible and in parts brutal honesty and ruthlessness.

For a large part of the running time, the film is presented solely in the form of amateurish video footage of Sophie, which creates a look that is both nostalgic and surreal at the same time and fits in perfectly with the rest of the film.

Paul Mescal in particular shines in the role of Callum, lending the character an inimitable charm and a deep vulnerability. A performance that, just like the entire film, will go down in film history as a masterpiece.

Coco Mellors: "Cleopatra and Frankenstein"

(novel / fiction)

Rating: 4.5/5

At the age of 24, the artist and native Englishwoman Cleo now lives in New York. Shortly before her student visa expires, she meets Frank, a successful advertising expert twenty years her senior. The two marry - completely impulsively. Cleo is able to stay in New York and devote herself entirely to painting. At the time, nobody suspects the extent to which this will change not only the lives of the two protagonists, but also those of the people around them.

Depression, alcohol and drug abuse, toxic relationships and suicide - these are some of the topics Mellors deals with in her novel. Each chapter is written from a different perspective, either from Cleo's, Frank's or that of their acquaintances, friends and family members, which gives an intense insight into the respective wishes, hopes and fears of the characters.

The story of the novel is predominantly character-focused - there is no great and recognizable arc of suspense or a series of exciting happenings. The reader is shown what happens to Cleo and Frank, as well as their companions, after the possibly hasty wedding. At the same time, the author succeeds in creating real characters and the corresponding story.

Alongside the serious themes, amusing moments also creep into the story.

The last sentences of each chapter in particular are carefully chosen and summarize the past or what is to come - sometimes humorously.

Taylor Jenkins Reid: "Daisy Jones & The Six"

(novel / historical fiction)

Rating: 4/5

"Daisy and Billy had something that no one else had. And when they made an effort, when they really got into each other ... That's what made us great. That was one of those moments where you think the talent of those two is worth all the bullshit." Daisy Jones, young, attractive and actually a solo singer, joins the rock band "The Six" in the mid-seventies.

In addition to her talent, it was above all the chemistry between her and frontman Billy Dunne that captivated the audience at their gigs and gave the band its big breakthrough.

There is no question that Daisy and Billy look alike... Perhaps too much. And despite this undeniable connection between the lead singers, their relationship backstage is a game of fire. "I think people who are too similar ... don't get along well"

"They were ... Billy and Daisy together, it was like having to keep an eye on a small fire. If it stayed under control, it was fine, but you had to constantly make sure no kerosene got on it." Set in the USA in the 70s, "Daisy Jones & The Six" tells the story of a rock band à la Fleetwood Mac.

The feeling of the wild seventies with all its highs and lows - sex, drugs & rock'n'roll - is palpable throughout the book and gives the novel something very special and a certain credibility.

What makes the book unusual is that it is written entirely in interview style and so the band, as well as their entire entourage, tell the story themselves, which gives the reader exciting insights into the different perceptions of the characters. With the unusual presentation of the novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid succeeds in creating a veritable reading pull, which firstly makes it almost impossible to put the book down and secondly makes you wonder again and again whether "Daisy Jones & The Six" is a real story. The novel also features strong and inspiring female characters.

"I had absolutely no interest in being anyone's muse.

I'm not the muse.

I am the someone.

Period."

Alois Prinz: "The life of Simone de Beauvoir"

(Biography)

Rating: 4/5

In this biography, Alois Prinz tells the life story of the writer, feminist and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir: from her beginnings as a religious "daughter from a good home", to her path as a teacher, to her lifelong relationship with Jean-Paul Sartre. A life story characterized by the struggle against norms and prejudices - and the constant striving for freedom.

The biography is a particularly successful first encounter with Simone de Beauvoir, as the work approaches her life in a well-structured and not overloaded with information. It provides interesting and in-depth insights into the writer's life and thoughts. This life story is interwoven with that of Jean-Paul Sartre, who is vividly described and extremely present in the book - as is existentialism as a philosophical movement that connects the two.

"The Banshees of Inisherin"

(Historical tragicomedy)

Rating: 4/5

In the midst of the Irish Civil War of 1923, musician Colm (Brendan Gleeson), frustrated by his long-time friend Padraic (Colin Farell)'s simple-minded nature, suddenly terminates his friendship and threatens to cut off his own fingers if Padraic tries to contact him any further. What at first glance seems like a highly strange and confusing premise for a story very quickly leads to one of the funniest, most intimate and at the same time most tragic films of the year. The way in which Colm and Padraic's relationship with each other, as well as with their home and the other people there, is portrayed is highly engaging and emotional throughout the length of the story. Even the most abstruse characters and actions - such as cutting off their own fingers - are deeply human and believable and give the whole movie a very unique charm. The setting of a small Irish island also contributes to this, with the beauty of its green pastures, mountains and coastline. All facets of the production itself, from the acting and direction to the music, are also absolutely fantastic. It is therefore hardly surprising that "The Banshees of Inisherin" is one of the biggest favorites at this year's Academy Awards with a total of nine nominations, with the wonderful performances by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in the leading roles deserving special praise.

"Clark"

(Miniseries, Netflix)

Rating: 4/5

"After truths and lies."

Narcissistic, sex addict, criminal and probably Sweden's first celebrity gangster:

Clark Olofsson never had time for a real job, you end up missing out on all the fun. For this reason, he specialized early on in robbing banks. The Swedish mini-series by director Jonas Åkerlund depicts a section of Clark Olofsson's life over the course of six episodes, which later gave rise to the term "Stockholm Syndrome".

The typical depiction of a criminal portrait is omitted. Instead, the viewer is treated to a light-hearted, humorous and sometimes exaggerated portrayal of the (alleged) facts. For example, there is a lot of play with color, sound, voice-overs and animations. The images from Clark's current life, which mainly consists of bank robberies, prison escapes and women, are also repeatedly supplemented with flashbacks from his childhood, shaped by an alcoholic and violent father.

"Clark" succeeds in portraying the criminal's story in a continuously exciting and unusual way. In addition, Bill Skarsgård, who recently impressed as Pennywise in "It", scores particularly well with his acting talent.

Tom Barbash: "My father, John Lennon and the best year of our lives"

(novel)

Rating: 4/5

New York City, 1979

Show business is booming. In the middle of it all: the famous late-night show host Buddy Winter, who suffered a nervous breakdown on camera. Now his career needs to be revived, and his son Anton is there to support him. Together they want to get the talk show legend back on his feet and none other than neighbor and friend John Lennon could help. A Beatles comeback on Buddy's new show would be the breakthrough. But the more Anton becomes involved in his father's path, the more he questions his own. About family, career and failure.

Tom Barbash creates a complex and interesting father-son relationship, set in the midst of the flourishing television business. Real-life characters are added to the plot with wit and levity, adding a pleasant confusion and verisimilitude to the book. The story is told from the perspective of 23-year-old Anton, whom the novel accompanies not only in his attempt to get his father back into TV, but also in his own identity development.

"The Menu"

(Black comedy/thriller)

Rating: 2/5

A famous chef (Ralph Fiennes) invites a group of pretentious snobs (including Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicolas Hoult) to his restaurant on a desert island. There he has prepared an elaborate and lengthy menu, which soon causes shock and despair among the guests. While the film's exciting premise, great directing and fantastic cast are still convincing at the beginning, this construct falls apart more and more as the movie progresses. The background to the story and the motivations of the characters remain too vague, which is why the resolution of the mystery in question has no impact whatsoever and is more likely to make you shrug your shoulders. The whole thing is wrapped up in a satirical framework, which is also not very convincing. The topics dealt with are too obvious, but at the same time they are approached with far too little determination. Nevertheless, the film remains entertaining thanks to the great actors and the eccentric humor.

Lea Kampe: "The Angel of Warsaw"

(Historical novel)

Rating: 5/5

Irena Sendler - She risked her life to save the children."

A book based on a true story that recounts what was probably one of the most courageous rescue operations of the time: A social worker named Irena Sendler makes it her mission to smuggle children out of the Warsaw ghetto set up by the Nazis.

established by the Nazis. In doing so, she is able to save a total of 2,500 Jewish children from certain death. Lea Kampe has the right writing style for such a sensitive subject. For the most part, she sticks to historical facts and fills in the gaps with fiction without becoming implausible or pathetic. In an impressive, touching and yet clear manner, she not only portrays Irena and her helpers in the novel, but also National Socialists who plan unbelievable crimes in their casual-sounding dialog. A book against forgetting and for the memory of such heroic stories, which may take a few chapters, but then draws you in. "Ten steps. Twenty. The doors swung open. Ten steps. Twenty. The first corner of the house, then the second. It was done. [...] That was June 1, 1942. The baby in her bag was now called Helena, and today her new life began."

Kate Elizabeth Russell: "My Dark Vanessa"

(novel)

Rating: 5/5

#metoo

At fifteen, Vanessa sleeps with her English teacher for the first time. At that moment, she is certain that he is the only person who truly understands her.

Years later, Jacob Strane is accused of sexual abuse by another former pupil, who asks Vanessa for her support.

But Vanessa is still certain: in her case, it was love!

... Or was it?

As readers, we follow Vanessa as she gets to the bottom of her relationship with Strane. The novel jumps between Vanessa's school days and the accusations against the English teacher around seventeen years later, which impressively depicts Vanessa's reinterpretation and suppression of the actual events.

Vanessa is adamant: she is not a victim!

"My Dark Vanessa" is a significant, unforgettable but also grueling and disturbing novel, with painful descriptions that must definitely be preceded by a trigger warning. The narrative pull that Kate Elizabeth Russell creates within her debut novel is gigantic.

Tove Ditlevsen: "Childhood"

(novel)

Rating: 5/5

In "Childhood", Tove Ditlevsen tells the story of growing up in Copenhagen in the 1920s. The family lives in humble circumstances and the young girl doesn't seem to fit in. Neither in the family with the unapproachable mother and the father who loses his job, nor at school and with the other children. She has her very own ideas about life, immerses herself in the world of books and dreams of leaving the path that has been laid out for her.

In her novel, Tove Ditlevsen paints an expressive picture of a childhood full of worry and fear, which is touching and brought to life today - some 50 years after the publication of the Danish original - through clear and at the same time overwhelming language.

"Someday I want to write down all the words that flow through me. Someday other people will read them in a book and be surprised that a girl could become a poet after all."

"A Thousand Lines"

(drama/media satire)

Rating: 3.5/5

Based on a true story, two journalists meet:

One writes a thousand lines of lies and everyone wants to read them, the other is on the trail of the truth, but no one wants to hear it.

If a journalist writes that he has accompanied private border guards who shoot at refugees, then it's true...isn't it?

This is exactly the question Bully Herbig explores in his latest film & refers to a true story: 2018 - Reporter Juan Moreno exposes one of Germany's biggest journalistic media lies. The award-winning reporter Claas Relotius lied in his articles for Der Spiegel or even completely invented them.

In "Tausend Zeilen", journalistic truth-checking is therefore inevitably addressed, but not necessarily dealt with in depth. Instead, the reporter's family history comes a little too much into focus.

On the other hand, the film is visually strongly staged: The different variations of the tall tales are presented in impressive repetition sequences and the 4th wall is broken by the actors:inside addressing the viewers directly, while the rest of the scenery often stands still in a Frozen moment. The film thus tells a story worth seeing in an aesthetic way.

"Amsterdam"

(Historical crime movie)

Rating: 1.5/5

A doctor, a lawyer and an artist must solve the murder of an old general and stumble upon a fascist conspiracy that is trying to overthrow the president of the USA.

An entertaining movie in parts, but one that lives mainly from its fantastic cast full of acting greats. The story often lacks focus, the dramatic moments mostly fall flat and the humor seems rather awkward and misused most of the time. Without the main cast of Christian Bale, John David Washington and Margot Robbie, who manage to portray their characters believably and really breathe life into them, "Amsterdam" would probably be a failure all along the line.

Susanna Clarke: "Piranesi"

(Mystery/Fantasy)

Rating: 4.5/5

An ocean on the first floor, a sky in the attic, endless mystical spaces in between that Piranesi and "the Other" explore. One day, however, Piranesi meets another person, which shakes his assumptions and beliefs about the house, the Other, and thus the only world he knows.

"The Watcher"

(Miniseries, Netflix)

Rating: 4/5

Hoping for a safer environment, the Brannock family flees New York for the suburb of Westfield, investing their entire savings in an admirable house. But the longed-for idyll does not materialize here either:

Instead, neighborhood disputes ensue, which are triggered primarily by the anonymous letters from the "Watcher." Along with these, the mysterious occurrences in the house also increase, putting family life to the test and causing mistrust, fear and panic within it.

The mini-series, which can be categorized in the mystery, thriller and horror genres, manages to maintain the tension over seven episodes.

The fear, despair and anger that arise from the fact that the enemy is prowling around in your own four walls, remaining invisible and therefore intangible, is conveyed credibly, which is why the viewer is captivated by the story and literally drawn into it.

"Simply something beautiful"

(Romantic comedy)

Rating: 4.5/5

Karla, 39, single: I've decided to have a child.

Father: Do you have a boyfriend now?

Karla: Uh, no, I'm doing it alone.

After "Wunderschön", Karoline Herfurth once again manages to shine a spotlight on relevant topics & women in particular.

It quickly becomes clear that this is not a classic romantic comedy: In addition to a somewhat different love story & really funny scenes, it especially shows unvarnished truths with depth.

It is about the desire for a child & the ticking of the biological clock, about classic family models & getting pregnant alone, difficult parent-child relationships & sibling relationships, social conventions & how to deal with them, it is about life dreams & in particular how they are shattered.

Despite the typical RomCom clichés, the film can make you laugh, cry & think & courageously shows that real life is often not like the movies.

"Cruel Summer"

(Amazon Prime, thriller series)

Rating: 4/5

An innovative game with victim & perpetrator roles: A teenager disappears & a schoolgirl is not supposed to have saved her. A familiar story, but told in an original way & that's what makes it so good: It repeatedly jumps between storylines in three different years & switches to different narrative perspectives, so that the audience:inside only gradually receives all the pieces of the puzzle & the tension is maintained until the last second.

"Chloe"

(Amazon Prime, psychological thriller series)

Rating: 4.5/5

Between the search for truth & inventing new lies: To find out why Chloe killed herself, Becky starts living a double life. What happened to Chloe is a question that Becky can't let go of. With her clever but dark nature, she gradually takes over the life of the dead and increasingly loses herself in her own masquerade. A captivating series that manages to make you think the protagonist is insane one moment and then watch her with complete fascination the next.

Sally Rooney: "Beautiful world, where are you"

(novel)

Rating: 2.5/5

Alice & Felix, Eileen & Simon - two couples in their mid-twenties, early thirties grappling with issues of love, sexuality, and social inequality, questioning their current lives during a general search for meaning, creating a supposed connection between them. In contrast to Rooney's other novels, the characters and dialog here lack depth, which is why the relationships depicted do not seem tangible.

Cho Nam-Joo: "Kim-Jiyoung, born 1982"

(novel)

Rating: 4/5

A feminist novel that describes everyday scenes from Kim-Jiyoung's life in four epochs, in which young girls and women can find themselves and thus quickly forget the fictional nature of the novel.