Foreign flicks...

[AOII_LB93]

I did a search and didn't find a particular thread dedicated to foreign movies, so...what foreign films would you recommend (old and new)?

I just saw "A very long engagement" (good movie, by the same director as Amelie(also a great film), and while I was staying in France this summer I saw a movie that will soon be released here called "Les Choristes" (english title The Chorus) which is one of the most endearing films I've seen in ages.

Other good films-(and yes a lot of them are French films, I am a French student/teacher)

L'auberge espagnol
Cyrano de Bergerac
Life is beautiful
Camille Claudel
Ridicule
Les Comperes(an American remake was Father's Day, but the French version was much funnier)
Hero(really enjoyed this)
Crouching Tiger


I'm also down to watch other foreign language(non French) films, so let me know if there are any in particular that I should rent.

[ShyViolet]

Ooh, I love foreign films! Here's my list of good French/francophone films.

~Jesus de Montreal (From Quebec, rather controversial regarding religion, but very very good).

~La Reine Margot (French, a historical drama)

~Bleu (French, part of a three film series of vignettes "Rouge, Blanc et Bleu)

~Au Revoir les Enfants (French, a war-time tear-jerker)

~Asterix et Obelix contre Cesar (It's really hilarious if you can find it - with Gerard Depardieu as Obelix)

[AlethiaSi]

what about run lola run? i watched it the other night at like 3 am and had tripped out dreams lol

i loved hero, too... can't think of any more though

[Rudey]

Ugh, ugh, ugh at some of those movies.

-Rudey

[AOII_LB93]

Originally posted by Rudey
Ugh, ugh, ugh at some of those movies.

-Rudey

Then recommend some instead of making a ridiculous ugh.

[valkyrie]

I love anything by the Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Raise the Red Lantern, To Live and Not One Less are especially good.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by AOII_LB93
Then recommend some instead of making a ridiculous ugh.

Well for example I don't understand how anyone can like Hero. The first reason for this is simply the story. I hated it. This was evident in the theatre and also talking with people afterwards. The reason was that I felt the same scene was replayed, over and over again because the story kept changing like that. The cinematography on the other hand was actually amazing and very beautiful. But I saw this a while ago as well since it was released in China earlier and I had a DVD from a chinese friend. She said in China it didn't get a great reception. But anyway that's just opinion.

Now here is my favorite foreign movie because it is so simple and beautiful. Cinema Paradiso. They actually released a new directors cut. But there are quite a few other movies I've seen so it's hard to recommend just one. Osama which was the first movie out of post-Taliban Afghanistan is great. Monsieur Ibrahim was also simple and fun. The Triplets of Belville had no talking really but was incredibly well created. An old, but classic, is Ran. And I just remembered, a good movie I saw was Yi Yi.

There are lots of movies that come out of Iran that have incredible reviews but they are so incredibly sad that I can't watch them anymore. Some don't even really flow well to me. The Circle was one of those movies. I believe it was banned in Iran and Canadians loved it when they saw it.

-Rudey

[AOII_LB93]

Originally posted by Rudey
Well for example I don't understand how anyone can like Hero. The first reason for this is simply the story. I hated it. This was evident in the theatre and also talking with people afterwards. The reason was that I felt the same scene was replayed, over and over again because the story kept changing like that. The cinematography on the other hand was actually amazing and very beautiful.

Well, for me it was about the cinematography in Hero...I thought the film was visually stunning, and while the story wasn't the best ever told, I did enjoy it as well, but maybe that's because I only paid 3.99 for the rental. I never said the thread has to include good story movies.

Another couple of movies I liked: The city of lost children, and Delicatessen. Oddly enough I'm noticing a trend with my like of Jean-Pierre Jeunet films, with the extreme exception of Alien Ressurection...that was just bad.

[CutiePie2000]

Amelie
Bhoot (a Bollywood ghost story movie - highly recommend it!)
Swimming Pool

I've seen a few but it's been a while that I don't remember the titles.

Run Lola Run (mentioned already in the thread) was great.

[epsilon99]

Mototcycle Diaries is really good.

[moe.ron]

Arisan! (Indonesian flix)
Osama is very good.

[lauralaylin]

Sex and Lucia and Talk to Her were both wonderful!

[Rudey]

I just find it funny that certain "foreign" films are created to be marketed to an American population now. Some just plain up suck.

AOII, as for films like Hero and the good cinematography and bad stories...well Pearl Harbor had great cinematography and lens work but was sooooooo awful I contemplated suicide with a plastic knife.

Anyway, check out www.wellspring.com anyone who likes foreign films.

-Rudey

[AOII_LB93]

Originally posted by Rudey
I just find it funny that certain "foreign" films are created to be marketed to an American population now. Some just plain up suck.

AOII, as for films like Hero and the good cinematography and bad stories...well Pearl Harbor had great cinematography and lens work but was sooooooo awful I contemplated suicide with a plastic knife.

Anyway, check out www.wellspring.com anyone who likes foreign films.

-Rudey

I agree with your comment on marketing of FFs. I just hate the fact that there are so many good ones from other countries that never make it over here at all because they just aren't "happy ending" enough for the general population or for other reasons.

Pearl Harbor is up there on my worst movies ever list...I am so thrilled I didn't waste my money at the cinema for that one. I am just not a fan of Ben Affleck. His only good roles have been in Kevin Smith films.

[honeychile]

Europa, Europa
The Nasty Girl
agree with Au Revoir les Enfants!