The Wall

WALLS -- REAL AND IMAGINED?
Directed by Julian Pölsler, award-winning German actress Martina Gedeck stars in this riveting, allegorical tale of survival set in the spectacular Austrian countryside. Exquisite cinematography propels this puzzling and thoughtful story of isolation and its impact on the human spirit as it is forced to rejoin the breathtaking but indifferent natural world.

Naturally I thought of Stephen King's "THE DOME" (both the book and the cheap looking, seemingly endless CBS series with the god-awful music) as the movie began. But this is a different take on a similar premise with superior satisfaction and rewards for the viewer.

Gedeck delivers a tour-de-force performance as she endures all kinds of physical and psychological challenges when she discovers, to her horror, that she is trapped behind an invisible, impenetrable wall in a remote mountain area. This compelling, mind-bending adventure that's seasoned with philosophical, psychological and sci-fi elements...

Martina Gedeck is Brilliant
"Die Wand" is a 2013 Seattle International Film Festival entry from Germany (in English). It is directed by much-admired Julian Pölsler (many awards and nominations throughout Europe) whose work is primarily seen on German television. Adapted from the classic novel by Marlen Haushofer, this is a masterful performance done almost in solitude by a wonderful actress.

A woman is going to visit some friends who drop her off at their cabin, then go back into town to buy some more supplies. Their dog Lynx stays with her, even though there is no love lost between her and the dog.

We are enthralled by:
* Martina Gedeck ("Mostly Martha" and "The Lives of Others") is the poor gal who, after taking the dog for a walk in the woods, finds herself trapped by an invisible wall and neither she nor the dog can get out. Her friends are nowhere to be seen and she is now absolutely alone except for Lynx.

This tour de force shows us what Ms. Gedeck can do with...



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