Top Five Movies of Alexandra Maria Lara

I?ve definitely seen English comedies, and rank many of them among my favorites. I?ve seen French comedies, and I know the French like comedy to some degree because of their renowned fascination with Jerry Lewis. Spanish director Pedro Almodovar has made me laugh. Roberto Benigni makes me think there are some comedies in Italy, though I may approach them with caution. But, in my immediate recollection, I don?t think I know of a German comedy.

The amount that I know about Germany could probably fit into a thimble or the remaining part of a shot glass mostly filled with whiskey, but I feel compelled to learn more after rediscovering Alexandra Maria Lara. I know the guys behind Monty Python learned German words to sketches so they could perform an episode in German. Oh, just thought of a German comedy. ?Goodbye Lenin.? Hmmm, I guess they do exist in my mind. Ok, then I won?t subject you to just a list of Alexandra?s comedies as part of a ?theme.? I will weave dramas into my list as well. Still, to start me on the road to learning more about German film and this fantastic actress, I?m going to take this list to a number that rhymes with eleven, seven and much to the dismay of those rule-loving Germans, pretend it equals five. Rule-loving. I do know something about Germany!

7. If It Don?t Fit, Use a Bigger Hammer

I have to let you know, I picked this entry strictly on the basis of the title. I would have assumed someone would have sounded the comedy klaxon if there were a German Tim Allen or German Jeff Foxworthy. I therefore feel safe that the power of bad comedy won?t compel me to poke out my eyes and eardrums while watching this.

6. I Really Hate My Job

Of course, I can?t resist seeing Alexandra in an English movie or two. This one made the list because of Neve Campbell (?Scream?) and Shirley Henderson (?Doctor Who? episode, ?Love & Monsters.?)

5. The Baader Meinhof Complex

I know nothing about The Red Army Faction, much like I didn?t know much about the Weather Underground until I saw a documentary about the members of that radical group. This movie isn?t a doc, but the presence of Alexandra will help to pique my interest for further investigation later.

4. Youth Without Youth

Wait a second, I?m not sure that I can quantify the nationality of this movie. It?s directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and per IMDB, it contains English, Russian, Romanian, German, French and a few other languages. I guess when you make a movie about the time leading to World War II, it pretty much involves the whole continent.

3. Control

As a fan of the song ?Love Will Tear Us Apart,? I want to see this movie about Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Division who committed suicide. That it also has Alexandra and Samantha Morton moves it up in my queue even further.

2. The City of Your Final Destination

Yes, I like a good English period piece, so the fact that I like James Ivory should come as no surprise. He directs this movie that adds Laura Linney and Charlotte Gainsbourg to the lovely Alexandra.

1. Downfall

It?s not a cheery movie, but it gives a captivating version of the last days of World War II in Europe with information from the non-fiction book ?Inside Hitler?s Bunker? as well as a few other historical books. I want to extol its virtues and celebrate its achievements, but it has been way too long since I saw it.

Agree? Disagree? Which movies would make your Alexandra Maria Lara top five?