Foreign/World Cinema

[Ashley]

Using the Blockbusters categories, as most cinema we watch is foreign (i.e. American) and comes from this world. So basically, non-English.

 

Anyway, I know we have some fans on here so what nationalities of cinema do you enjoy? Particular examples, directors, actors etc.

 

Personally I enjoy Italian, Japanese and French cinema although don't mind others but those tend to be my favourites.

 

Random Picks of Joy

 

 

The first hour is so joyous and wonderful and then...but a great film. And how I learned the word principessa.

 

 

Troubled sibling relationships? It hardly takes Freud to figure out why I'm drawn to this film. T'is good though, and has nice touches of history (namely political movements in Italy).

 

 

I think I appreciate this more because I watched the Americanification one (released a few years after) before this one, as well as obviously the ubershit one from the 90's/early 2000s in which they placed Godzilla in New York and got her up the duff. Obviously its cheesy in some regards (and I added my own dialogue at times, such as Godzilla saying "What up bitches?!" when appearing) but given its age its a good film, and one that proves "no film exists in a void".

 

I know I've watched more Japanese live action movies (I've purposefully, personally, avoided anime for this) but can't really think what at the moment. In the middle of watching Ikigami (watched a bit last night and watching the rest tonight) and watched Boku no hatsukoi wo kimi ni sasagu last week, and seen some J-horror along the way. Got copies of La Dolce Vita and Cinema Paradiso to watch but they're both long and I feel I need to watch them in company.

 

OH! And I'm looking forward to Norwegian Wood, whenever I finally get to see a subbed version.

 

Ramble ramble ramble. Over to you!

Edited September 5, 2010 by Ashley

[Daft]

World cinema, how absurdly broad. I don't have any preferences. Stunning films transcend geographical boundaries.

 

Here are two films that comes to mind.

 

 

It's essentially about women in Iran. It's ten scenes, each a taxi ride, with a back and forth between the female driver and her passengers. Really enjoyable.

 

And,

 

 

AT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON is Samira Makhmalbaf’s third feature film, and the very first foreign film to be made in Kabul since the Taliban ruled. Two years after her father, director/ producer Mohsen Makhmalbaf made the highly acclaimed KANDAHAR, it is now his daughter Samira’s turn to concern herself with the plight Afghan women. More specifically the plight of Noqreh, a progressive young woman played by a non-professional actor, trying to survive in post-Taliban Afghanistan.

 

We follow her as she goes about her daily life – girls’ schools have now been reopened, but frustrated by a strained relationship with a bigoted but loving father she dreams of becoming…President of the Republic!

 

A bitter political statement, a harsh and cruel tale, but an exquisitely moving, often comic depiction of life after the Taliban.

 

Stunning.

 

And another,

 

 

Stray Dogs [2004] (Persian: Sag-haye velgard) is an Iranian film written and directed by Marzieh Meshkini. Its a story about two orphaned children in post-Taliban Afghanistan.

 

I saw this at the London Film Festival. Loved it.

Edited September 5, 2010 by Daft

[gaggle64]

Two films that I love are City of God and Carandiru. Both Brazillian movies with a similar vibe, though I don't believe they share many cast or creative team members. Carandiru is about life in a Brazillian favela prison, focusing on an incredibly diverse and involving cast of characters in a highly pressurised world. From hardcore gangsters to petty crooks to hardcore gangsters who also happen to be transsexuals. It's just sublime. You come out of it feeling like you've lived several lives all at once. If you liked City of God (and if you didn't, I'm legally required to murder you) Carandiru is definitly worth hunting down. If you've not seen City of God, life itself is probably a far worse punishment then anything anyone can inflict upon you.

 

Edited September 5, 2010 by gaggle64

[Pookiablo]

I currently writing my dissertation on this the Red Army Faction terrorist group. There's a film that got released a couple of years ago based on the events of the group. It's a bit tricky to follow if you're not entirely sure of the back story, so if you do watch it, maybe read the Wikipedia article of the group first, but it's a compelling watch.

 

 

Another great German film is The Lives of Others - really, really, really good film! About East German Stasi police and a very compelling watch.

 

 

My all-time favourite French film is Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (Welcome to the Sticks). Absolutely brilliant film that broke all the box office records in France. A very funny comedy that plays on the whole North/South elitist divide in France (kinda similar to here in England). It's very hard to find a version with English subtitles although I have been told that it exists.

[mcj metroid]

Hm I may be pushing it here, You might only be thinking of "non-english speaking" movies?, but there are a few Classic irish films that need to be mentioned. I believe these are all primarly irish made perhaps with the exception of Michael Collins.

 

based on a french novel I believe. Sadly never released on dvd yet but you can find a good quality vhs-rip if you know where to look. It's one of the best I feel, that isn't a comedy.

 

Good enough movie. Probably one of the bigger budget ones. You can't really go wrong with alan rickman. It's not a comedy by any means but the guy cracks me up.

 

Another one of those "You British are teh devil movies" types i'm afraid This one is quite difficult to watch at times actually. It's quite gruesome.. but Cillian Murphy is terrific.

 

We have a lot of comedies. I'm trying to avoid them to be honest This feels like a real-life documentary about a band.

 

and more recently

Had never seen this one. Must get on it.

Edited September 5, 2010 by mcj metroid

[Paj!]

Always up for some good foreign cinema.

 

Anyone else seen this? :

 

lol. My mum bought me it, thinking it wholesome. I loved though.

 

 

Also loved Sylvain Chomet's (guy who did Belleville Rendez-vous) recent film, L'Illusioniste, set in Edinburgh! So creepy though...I was sitting in the cinema the main character walks into during the film. Bizarre/famousindependantcinemainEdinburgh

[jayseven]

The Wind That Shakes The Barley is on my watch-soon list ^_^

 

I'm utterly novice at 'world cinema'. I did go through a phase of renting every Tartan Cinema dvd my local video store had. My housemate last year was very much into his french 'best-seller' movies but I am very bad at remembering any of the titles.

[Ganepark32]

I had been toying with creating this exact same thread for weeks but wasn't sure whether a general discussion/recommendation thread would stay that way or simply deteriorate into people rating the world cinema they've seen. So thank god someone else made it :P

 

Not watched a lot of world cinema. I find myself wondering where to start really as I have no clue about movies I should watch. Kind of why I had toyed with the idea of coming up with a similar thread so I could get recommendations or something.

 

Anyway, of the films I've seen, The Motorcycle Diaries was great. People had been saying I should watch it for ages and I'm glad I finally did as I found it to be a very enjoyable piece of cinematography, and miles better than some of the Hollywood crap I've seen.

 

However, most of the other stuff I've watched has been of an Asian flavour. I quite like the now cliched Chinese (sometimes martial arts) films set within one of the dynasty eras as I find the culture interesting. Chocolate, a Thai martial arts film, is pretty good. Very strange as the lead is a young girl with a mental disability of sorts but some awesome fight sequences in there. And Mongol is a fantastic film. All about how Genghis Khan became who he was and its a rather stark portrayal of how we as humans can still be quite unforgiving in our inability to accept certain people into the general clique of our populus.

[Ashley]

Thought of some more:

 

 

Of course. I'd imagine not much needs to be said about it really.

 

 

A fun movie with a great 70's soundtrack (and normally I'm indifferent to the 70's). Plus I love the little moment when they reveal what the title of the film means, other than

.

 

Has anyone seen Le premier jour du reste de ta vie? Was going to go watch it at the cinema in London but Virgin Trains fucked up and ruined that plan.

 

I've seen Kells its pretty good, and visually amazing. Think I've seen part of The Wind that Shakes the Barley too as I used to live with an Irish family. Rings a bell.

[Daft]

I thought Mongol was toss. Primarily because of it's pacing.