16. The White Ribbon
FilmladenMichael Haneke's boldly challenging movies are often something of a litmus test for the patience and endurance of an audience, with movies such as Funny Games and Cache dividing critics and the general public alike with their confrontational approach to the way in which we absorb cinema. The White Ribbon still seeks to challenge, but it does so within a more conventional framework whilst still retaining his trademark potency and vitality. Set in the early 20th century in a fictional German village, Haneke again delves into the nature of evil, but this time with a sensibility which recalls some of the best work of Ingmar Bergman. A number of increasingly sadistic events rock the small village of Eichwald and the evidence increasingly points towards the involvement of the children, but a collective blindness - exaggerated by the puritanical zeal which permeates throughout the village - prevents the culprits from being exposed. The exceptional performances and wonderful monochrome cinematography enhance the chilling implications as to the nature and origin of German fascism which was to come.