I was hesitating between rating this an 8 or a 9 and then I remembered the scene where [spoiler] a naked young woman bangs the edge of a thick plate against her head and says, "I'm composing a song for the führer," while blood trickles down her face.[/spoiler]

_Never Look Away_ (_Werk ohne Autor_) is why I go to the cinema every day. Without this imposition, I surely would've let this long German film pass by unseen but, as it is, I witnessed this masterpiece unfold on the big screen in front of me, and now I'm imbued by its magic. German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (_The Lives of Others_, 2007) continues to prove he is a master of his craft, and that English speaking countries haven't totally cornered the market on brilliant directing. Some of his scenes are so poignant they're tattooed inside of me like poems I've committed to memory.

Inspired by a true story (there's an informative, spoiler-ridden Wiki page about the film and its origins), _Never Look Away_ has strong acting, tight plotting and breathtaking directing. I can't guarantee you the same experience as mine if you watch it on your laptop, but I can assure you that, cinematically, _Never Look Away_ is a film in the truest sense of the word.