The Lives of Others (2006)

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's German drama is the #1 portrait of totalitarianism in this list, tracking a Stasi agent surveilling a playwright in 1984 East Berlin with shattering conscience. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film on a $2 million budget—40% cheaper than the average rival—and Ulrich Muhe's restrained performance earned a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score, which is 7% lower than #7 Yi Yi but surpasses #6 City of God in emotional restraint.