Ponies review: A terrific Cold War spy thriller that also has a lot of fun

This engaging comedy-drama flips the typical spy story in two interesting ways. First, it’s set in Moscow, meaning Americans are the ones in danger of being discovered and punished by the Russians, a reversal of the usual scenario. Second, instead of disguising themselves as ordinary citizens, the spies simply try to act like they aren’t spies at all.

Fatherland review: Sandra Hüller is stupendous in a narratively slight but thematically rich drama

This film focuses on Thomas Mann, the famous German author and Nobel laureate, who left Germany before World War II. In 1949, he returned to receive the Goethe Prize. The story follows Mann and his daughter, Erika, as they travel through Germany. His decision to accept celebrations in both West Germany (Frankfurt) and East Germany (Weimar) is controversial, as both sides of the divided country want to claim him as a symbol of their culture.