Remember

Canadian director Atom Egoyan offers his best work in ages with this quietly observant drama. Paying special attention to sounds, places, and tones, the movie turns unexpectedly moving and powerful. REMEMBER recalls Egoyan's best films, Exotica, Felicia's Journey, and the Oscar-nominated The Sweet Hereafter; like those, it's an exploration of unsettling things simmering under the surface. A lesser director could have played this like a cheap thriller, with more suspense, but Egoyan explores the deeper meanings.

The mood here is incredibly vivid. The noises of a train station -- or a pause at a passport checkpoint -- create a strange chill, while the sounds of a nearby demolition site, accompanied by a barking dog, cause tense agitation. And as the story unfolds, Egoyan gives us plenty to think about -- from the plight of a gay German during the Holocaust to the various motivations and justifications of the Nazi guards -- without preaching, showing gruesome flashbacks, or making his points too obvious.