In 1942, young Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara) lands her dream job — secretary to Adolf Hitler (Bruno Ganz) at the peak of his power. Three years later, Hitler’s empire is now his underground bunker. The real-life Traudl narrates Hitler’s final days as he rages against imagined betrayers and barks orders to phantom armies, while his mistress, Eva Braun (Juliane Köhler), clucks over his emotional distance, and other infamous Nazis prepare for the end.

Does Oliver Hirschbiegel’s The Downfall” (2004, 154 min) “humanize” Hitler and his henchmen, as its critics have complained? Yes, and it should: to pretend these villains were less than human is to let ourselves off the hook, to take the easy and dangerous exit of demonology. Most impressive of all is how, with the world closing in on the ranting, paranoid monster, lead actor Ganz ratchets down his performance from towering to cowering in minute increments.

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From April to June, Meta screens the best films set in Germany’s capital, from the 1920s up until today. Sunday’s Berlin Film Series at Meta House is presented by “Berlin Bar” @ Meta House. All films are screened in English language versions and / or with English subtitles.