(M) Z (French, 1969)
Grade: A+

This is a film based on the true story of the military take-over of the democratic government in Greece in 1963. This movie is really fast paced and you gotta keep up but it's amazing. Basically a senator is protesting against nuclear weapons world-wide. The right-wing democratic government views him as a leftist/communist, however he also opposed leftist/communist Russia for it's nuclear weapons just as much as he did of the U.S. When the senator is murdered it unleashes an investigation that reveals hidden corruption within the government. With fear of public outrage and the belief that a communist government will be elected due to outrage/protest, the military takes control of the government and installs a dictorial regime. It's fascinating, and worst of all, it's true.

Here are a list of awards the film won as well as nominations it received.
1970 Academy Award®: Best Film Editing
1970 Academy Award®: Best Foreign Language Film
1970 Academy Award®: Best Writing Adapted Screenplay nominee
1970 Academy Award®: Best Director nominee: Costa-Gavras
1970 Academy Award®: Best Picture nominee


(M) Death In Gaza (Documentary, 2004)
Grade: A+

Two documentary film-makers head over to Palestine/Israel to investigate the upbringing of the children in both countries. With hopes for peace in the future, the filmmakers turn their camera's upon the youth who will be the future leaders who can create this peace. After spending time interviewing the Palestinian children, the two filmmakers spend their last night there before heading over to Israel when the cameraman, James Miller, is killed by an Israeli. You never get to see the Israeli side of the story because filming ended with James' death but what you see on the side of the Palestinians is amazing and the hate is probably equally preached on both sides. You always hear of the horrible things going on between these two nations but watching this documentary really familiarizes you with what life is like over there, and it's not pretty.