# What foreign cinema do you recommend and why?



## Comic Book Guy (Mar 24, 2008)

Some off the top of my head:

FRANCE
- *Amelie*
One of the best feel-good movies I've ever seen. Absolutely enchanting.

CHINA
- *Hero*
Stunning colourful costumes and coloured-narratives. A wuxia-film with an all-star cast too, to boot.
- *Shaolin Soccer*
Kung-fu + soccer + Matrix-like special effects. . . + Stephen Chow humour. Instant win.
- *Iron Monkey*
A classic 90s HK martial arts film, easily one of the finest of its era. Donnie Yen in all his glory.

KOREA
- *My Sassy Girl*
A romantic comedy complete with entertainment, some parody, feel-good stuff, and the "IT ALL GOES TO HELL" drama bit. Actress Jeon Ji-Hyun makes the movie watching alone -- sassy.

THAILAND
- *Ong-Bak*
Great, bone-crushing extreme martial arts sequences you rarely see these days. Just watch it for the fights alone -- Tony Jaa doesn't disappoint with beatings.


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## Keyser S?ze (Mar 24, 2008)

I suggest you watch City of God. Great movie. but it's 3 hours long.


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## Deleted member 84471 (Mar 24, 2008)

I don't watch much foreign cinema, but I have seen _City Of God_ and it's a brilliant film. I posted this in your (Comic Book Guy's) other foreign cinema thread, but I like some Hong Kong cinema and I enjoyed John Woo's _Bullet In The Head_ with Tony Leung and Jacky Cheung. I've also made threads on some Japanese films that caught my eye, _Audition_ - a very well-made thriller/horror, and Yoji Yamada's 'Samurai Trilogy' with _The Twilight Samurai_, _The Hidden Blade_ and _Love & Honour_. 

I've not seen much European cinema, and I'm probably missing out because the critic's top ten in the paper is always littered with those films. Hopefully someone in this forum will take the duty of recommending some good stuff. :/


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## Rock Lee (Mar 25, 2008)

Japan:Yo-Yo Girl Cop
I think the visuals and fight scenes are excellent.

South KorealdBoy
The story in this gore movie is so good it will have you saying WTF.


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## jinjue (Mar 25, 2008)

Here is a very, very small sampling of some of my personal favourites, in no particular order.

ENGLAND
- *Lawrence of Arabia*
A hallmark of epic cinema about a specific person in a specific place during a specific time that resonates even today. Magnificent in its scenery, epic in scale, sweeping in music, script and cast, yet even without all of that it stands as a wonderful character study of one of England's most controversial military figures. Simply put, they don't make 'em like this anymore.
- *Withnail and I*
A jaunty and sometimes bizarrely comedic portrayal of two destitute, out of work actors from Camden during the ^ (not the meaning of the word "respect".)-end of the 1960s looking for some quiet relaxation while on holiday in the English countryside. Hilarious but ultimately somewhat sad, this is an excellent character driven piece and a fine example of English postmodernism and cult cinema.

FRANCE
- *Les Yeux sans Visage*/*Eyes Without a Face*
Haunting, visceral and eerie. But be warned, it is a horror film. Atmospheric, surreal, grotesque and macabre in a way that horror films rarely are anymore, to be sure, but a horror film all the same.
- *Les Quatre Cents Coups*/*The 400 Blows*
Cin?ma v?rit? at some of its most groundbreaking, very best. Candid, gritty and at times mundane, it's a dirty but all too real look at the darker side of the City of Lights, as seen through the eyes of an alienated Parisian youth. The first in a series of films featuring the life and times of the protagonist, Antoine Doinel, and the best out of the lot in my personal opinion.

GERMANY
- *M*
Fritz Lang's first sound film and a classic of film noir that predates the typical period of the genre by nearly a decade. A stunningly crafted visual drama about a child murderer and the people, police, criminal and otherwise, that want him captured and stopped at all costs. Even after nearly eighty years this film remains a suspenseful and dark foray into the fearful, tormented mind of a murderer, as was excellently portrayed by Peter Lorre in one of his finest screen performances.
- *Das Boot*/*The Boat*
This is a movie that is not only an impressive war film, but is an impressive film overall. Arguably one of the finest war movies ever made, this often hauntingly claustrophobic film tells the story of the crew of a single German U-Boat during WWII, and does it with such aplomb and authenticity that I cannot help but to sing its praises. I highly recommend the director's cut; it's a bit long, but well worth it.

ITALY
- *8?*
My favourite of the Maestro's films, this is a unique, highly surrealist film that serves as both a fantastic foray into Fellini's cinematic excess and as a commentary on the nature of art, creativity and personal identity. You may need to watch it more than once to absorb the film in its entirety and the imagery may be overwhelming at times, but that visual and thematic complexity only adds to its appeal, in my opinion.
- *Ladri di Biciclette*/*Bicycle Thieves*
A veritable masterpiece of neo-realism that belies it's humble plot about a man and his stolen bicycle. It's tale of morality and human nature in the wake of post-WWII Italy, accessible and utterly human at its core.

JAPAN
- *Rashomon*
Another cinematic, jidaigeki masterpiece from the critically acclaimed and highly influential Akira Kurosawa, starring the often imitated and iconic Toshirou Mifune. This is a film so influential, so groundbreaking and so universal in content that a psychological effect has actually been named after the movie because of its theme of the subjectivity of truth and perception.
- *Wild Zero*
Zombies. Aliens. Lasers. Superheroes. Explosions. Drug runners. Gangsters. Arms dealers. Things that randomly shoot fire. Rock and Roll. Guitar Wolf. Need I say more?

KOREA
- *Oldboy*
A dark, stylish, wonderfully filmed and superbly acted psychological mystery/thriller and the second in Park Chan-Wook's celebrated "Vengeance Trilogy". At times surreal, at other times gritty, and entertaining for both the casual movie goer as well as those who look for something more in their films. Plus, it has one seriously badassed fight scene. The entire trilogy is excellent, but this one is my favourite out of the three.
- *Bin-jip*/*3-Iron*
Moving and visual with limited dialogue, this is a surprisingly touching story of an odd romance between a strange young man with a bizarre habit and a woman trapped in an unloving marriage to a domineering husband. It's starkly minimal in both film and script, but despite that it loses nothing in the story or characterisation.

RUSSIA
- *Bronenosets Potyomkin*/*The Battleship Potemkin*
An experimental silent film composed of a variety of episodic montages, each one filled with vivid imagery and organized chaos. It's a propaganda film and one that has perhaps been too analysed over time, but don't let that deter you from watching this cinematic landmark.
- *Andrei Rublev*
A beautiful, epic, immersive and profound film about a medieval Russian iconographer, which is about so much more than art or religion. It's a hulking, plodding beast of a film that is just as much about Russia and its history as it is about Andrei Rublev himself. Unfortunately, it had been banned by the Soviets for years.

SWEDEN
- * Det Sjunde Inseglet */*The Seventh Seal*
One of Ingmar Bergman's most famous and respected films. At times tragic, at other times humorous, and intensely iconic and profound throughout. The chess game between Antonius Block and Death has branded itself as a cinematic and metaphorical convention to last the ages, even among those who have never experienced the film. If you must watch just one Bergman film, I am hard pressed to think of any other than this.
- *Utvandrarna*/*The Emigrants*
A harsh yet straightforward tale of the hardships of emigrating to a foreign land, as told from the perspective of a small but varied group of Swedes in the mid-nineteenth century. Max von Sydow is, as always, amazing in his portrayal of a man trying to do what he can to simply survive. If possible, try to watch the uncut version.


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## Grrblt (Mar 25, 2008)

USA.
They make some good movies there.


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## keiiya (Mar 25, 2008)

Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro
Mexico/Spain

The Devil's Backbone
Guillermo del Toro
Mexico/Spain


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## Pink Floyd (Mar 25, 2008)

*China/H.K:*

Anything by Stephen Chow


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## Parallax (Mar 25, 2008)

China/Hong Kong
Hard Boiled

Japan
Seven Samurai

Spain/Mexico
Amorres Perros


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## Ennoea (Mar 25, 2008)

*Hong Kong Cinema:* HongKong have by far have the best foreign movies there are. Theres no competition, the amount of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Steven Chow and Sammo Hung classics that have come out of Hong Kong is amazing. And there are no foreign film (personally) that even compare to SPL, Infernal affairs, Drunken Master or Fong Sai yuk.

*Korean Cinema:* Not as great as Hong Kong but theres some great movies that I've seen from Korea. Theres the obvious Bittersweet life, The Host, Crying Fist and City of Violence, all fantastic movies. And then theres the great Volcan High and Arahan which any anime fan would love. Overall Korean Cinema only falls behind Hong Kong because its only become great in the last few years, but its getting much better than Hong Kong of lately.

*Bollywood:* Yes I said Bollywood. They might not make great action movies but theres some great comedies and epic love films that have come out India. Not to mention some great tear jerkers and some great songs

*Japan:*Not a great industry but overall the kings of horror. Theres also some great extreme movies like BR and Versus which make it stand out. But we all know, even tho their industry isn't the best, Japan excels in the animation area

Not a fan of European cinema, theres some great French and Spanish movies but they tend to be arthouse, verging on Porn half the time. Eastern Cinema is where its at for me. And Obviously Hollywood, but we all know thats become sucky of late


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## jinjue (Mar 25, 2008)

Grrblt said:
			
		

> USA.
> They make some good movies there.


They do, actually. Some of my favourite films are from the US, though I must admit that I'm not particularly fond of its current mainstream cinema.

*keiiya* - _Black Books_! Dylan Moran!  



			
				Oreogasm said:
			
		

> Anything by Stephen Chow


_Sixty Million Dollar Man_ cracks my ass up, totally.

Some additions:

AUSTRALIA
- *Rabbit-Proof Fence*
The most amazing thing about this film is how it's a cinematic portrayal of something that actually happened. It's a story of three half-Aboriginal girls who were kidnapped from their family as part of the Stolen Generation and taken to a residential home, but managed to escape and walk nearly 1,500 miles back home through the Outback along Australia's rabbit-proof fence. While the film itself suffers from some glaring historical inaccuracies, mostly to add to the drama and suspense of the story in the movie, it's still a worthwhile watch.
- *You Can't Stop the Murders*
A bizarre little comedy that is as dry as it is seemingly random, yet I find it to be completely hilarious. It features a variety of oddly quirky, sometimes obsessive characters whose normally not-quite-so-normal lives are interrupted by a string of grisly serial murders, which leads to both comedic and unexpected ends. It's rather laconic in style and pacing and the humour is far drier than what would be expected from an American cop/buddy movie, but it's excellent for what it is: a light, laid back comedy about two rural constables and the usually quiet little town that they live in, which has been besieged by an oddly themed serial killer that has upset the usual day-to-day normalcy of their lives.

NEW ZEALAND
- *Once Were Warriors*
A deeply personal tale about a Maori family, their life, the pride of their culture, and the trauma that equally binds and destroys them. It's a starkly brutal film that doesn't shy away from showing the reality of domestic violence at the hands of a tyrannical patriarch, yet at the same time somehow manages to show that despite this, they're still something akin to a loving family. At it's core it's a character drama with each flawed character learning to cope and come into his or her own in their own way, which it does so brilliantly.
- *Brain Dead*
I love this movie, seriously. One of Peter Jackson's finest works before he became all famous and respected and stuff, this film is a celebration of cheesy excess that revels in itself in the way that only a ghastly b-movie can be. Hilarious, random, bizarre and sometimes disgusting, it's a fun romp and a great film to watch with friends and copious amounts of drink. It also uses more fake blood than any other movie I've ever seen, though it isn't particularly gorey. In fact, it's more silly than anything else.

SPAIN
- *Tras el Cristal*/*In a Glass Cage*
A disturbing portrait of a cycle of abuse between a former Nazi doctor with a fetish for torturing young boys and one of his erstwhile victims. This film is frank, unflinching, fearless and bold despite its highly controversial and extreme nature, and just graphic enough that it's not something that I could recommend to everyone, particularly to those of a more delicate constitution. If you like your films on the darker side, definitely give this one a try. If not, it would probably be better to pass.
- *El Esp?ritu de la Colmena*/*The Spirit of the Beehive*
Tense, immersive and charming, this is a film exploring the innocence of childhood set in the backdrop of post-Civil War Spain. Blending fantasy with reality, as befits any insight into the mind of a child, it's intensely atmospheric and sometimes eerie, albeit incredibly slow paced. To some this film about a little girl in search of monsters may be dull and obtuse, particularly given the overt political commentary and plodding pace, but I found it to be a beautiful and enchanting film all the same.


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## DominusDeus (Mar 25, 2008)

OldBoy
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Audition
House of Flying Daggers
Memoirs of a Geisha


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## Captain Pimp (Mar 28, 2008)

*HK*: Anything with Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and any other action films (Invisible Target, Hard-Boiled, etc)

*Spain*: [REC] - pretty good horror film with a big twist at the end

*Japan*: Only good ones I've seen are Azumi, Survivor Style 5+, and Battle Royale (Minus its crappy sequel)

*Germany*: Run, Lola, Run - A must-watch film. That's all I'll say.

*UK*: Simon Pegg. What else?


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## jinjue (Apr 2, 2008)

*CrimemasterGogo* - you're free to your opinion, just like everyone else, but I think it's a bit of an overgeneralization to say that European cinema verges on porn half the time. All facetiousness aside, most European films are not artsy fartsy indies with questionable content bordering on porn, just like how most Japanese films are not overly exploitative pinky violence or kaijuu movies.

Also, I'm somewhat loathe to say this because it really makes me sound like an elitist bitch, but if you truly think that Japan is the king of horror films you really don't know much about or haven't seen very many horror films. Japan has absolutely nothing on Italy when it comes to horror movies, and that's a fact, not an opinion.

*DominusDeus* - _Memoirs of a Geisha_ is an American movie. But then even movies from the US are foreign, depending on who you ask.

*Captain Pimp* - Simon Pegg is great, but there's a lot more to UK cinema than _Shaun of the Dead_ and _Hot Fuzz_, you know. A hell of a lot more.


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## Batman (Apr 2, 2008)

Since OldBoy's already been mentions (in all of it's brilliance),

I'd like to Add 

*9iron*
I believe it's a Korean film (I could be wrong) about a young man who breaks into peoples homes to fix things. He mends broken toys, straightens pictures, even does the peoples laundry. Thats the hook and it progresses from there. Check it out to see something different.


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## WILD CARD (Apr 2, 2008)

*Japan*
-7 Samurai is the crown jewel of Japanese cinema and heavily influenced the action genre. 
-Rashomon
-Movies by Akira Kurosawa

*Brazil*
-City Of God (btw its only 2 hours long)

*Korea*
-The host (A worthwile monster movie)

@ CrimemasterGogo 
Japanese cinema is more than just simple scare movies, they have great directors like Akira Kurosawa that influenced american cinema(Starwars anyone?).


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## Ennoea (Apr 2, 2008)

Am I the only one who thinks Oldboy is utter shit?

@jinjue: I watched my fair share of European cinema and the most acclaimed and highly rated films tend to be arthouse and quite sexually explicit. Not that all European Cinema is arthouse but the best ones are, its a fact.

And Italy was king of horror in the 70's, the Japanese pretty much reinvented the genre in the late 90's and have come out with some of the best ones in recent memory.


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## RAGING BONER (Apr 2, 2008)

Emmanuelle


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## Niabingi (Apr 2, 2008)

As this is an anime forum it was obvious that most people were going to recommend films from asia some of which are good films others less so. I will however say that most countries eat asia up (sometimes even hollywood) when it comes to producing GOOD films. Films with interesting and intellectual storylines, moving characters, passion, intelligence, wit, comedy, cinematography and the like. Not just a good action film or a good scary film or a good funny film but good films full stop.

Pan's Labyrinth
City of God
La Haine
Cinema Paradiso
Life is Beautiful
Amelie
Taxi
All About My Mother

Those were just the ones that jumped  into my head straight away.

Having said that I have been a hardcore fan of Bruce Lee, JAckie Chan and Jet Li since I was about 12. Stephen Chow films crack me up big time and Infernal Affairs is brilliance pure cinematic brilliance.



			
				CrimemasterGogo said:
			
		

> I watched my fair share of European cinema and the most acclaimed and highly rated films tend to be arthouse and quite sexually explicit. Not that all European Cinema is arthouse but the best ones are, its a fact.


Some of the best films ever made have been "art house" films hell even spirited aways is considered to be art house. I don't get why that automaically makes a film bad and I Really don't get what type of european cinema you have been watching names please or else I'm just going to believe that you were watching well shot porn and mistook it for european art house.


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## Spanish Hoffkage (Apr 2, 2008)

theres nice films in every country if you try hard to find them


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## Niabingi (Apr 2, 2008)

Agreed... with exception to anything made in Nollywood, I tried I really did but they just make my brain feel like it is rotting from the indisde out.


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## raxor (Apr 2, 2008)

There's one swedish film I would highly reccomend:

Smala Sussie (Slim Susie)

It's an awesome comedy, don't know if the humour would work if you don't speak swedish though:/


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## Ennoea (Apr 2, 2008)

I never said Arthouse was bad, read my comment again.

My personal taste is more towards the action genre thus my love for Eastern cinema.

I mostly watch European movies on Film4, and they all either revolve around sexual gratification,  sexual exploration, sexual freedom or just plain i*c*st.

And Y Tu Mamá También is one of the most overrated movies I've seen in a while, it was mediocre at best. I don't get why people regard it so highly.



> theres nice films in every country if you try hard to find them



Yeah you should watch Lollywood movies


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## Niabingi (Apr 2, 2008)

CrimemasterGogo said:


> I never said Arthouse was bad, read my comment again.


You very strongly implied it! 





> theres some great French and Spanish movies *but* they tend to be arthouse,


This implies that the fact that they are arthouse is a problem.



> My personal taste is more towards the action genre thus my love for Eastern cinema.


Which is what I meant before about eastern cinema producing good action films or good martial arts films or good extreme/horror films, but lacking in just plain good films. Films that are at the level of good where they transcend their genre.



> I mostly watch European movies on Film4, and they all either revolve around sexual gratification,  sexual exploration, sexual freedom or just plain i*c*st.


Again I'm just thinking porn... all I can say is if you don't go out of your way to watch the classics or the good stuff then you don't really have freedom to comment.


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## Ennoea (Apr 2, 2008)

> then you don't really have freedom to comment.



Discussion boards: if you don't like other peoples opinions then don't visit them.


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## Lestat Uchiha (Apr 3, 2008)

Here are some I've watched:

*Tailand/Japan:* "Last life in the universe", Ruang rak noi nid mahasan (Original name). Very Good Movie. Drama.
*
Hong Kong:* Kung Fu Hustle. Absolutly love it. Very good action Film.

*France:* "Le Père Noel est un ordure" (I LOVED this movie). Dark Comedy.


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## Kira U. Masaki (Apr 3, 2008)

asian cinema is good, and every know and then france has a good movie come out, especially luc besson


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## Comic Book Guy (Apr 4, 2008)

HONG KONG
- *A Chinese Odyssey*
A two-part film, but a cult-classic in HK. It's actually more than a Stephen Chow comedy or a Monkey King story. On the whole, it's actually a compelling sad love story. A bit slow in the first film, but the second film wholly makes up for it. Available on YouTube. One of the favourite films of all time.


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## plox (Apr 4, 2008)

well i would say bollywood for its comedy movies 

and a vos marques Party from France
its the first french moviei watched ever and i really liked it

im intressted in watching more french movies now


Lol lollywood 
i dont think anybody watches that
my parents are from there and they never talk about even in the country no one talks about


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## Comic Book Guy (Jan 6, 2009)

Bump.

HONG KONG
- *Chungking Express*
Not only Wong Kar-Wai's best film, but one of the best Hong Kong, and even Asian films of all time. Words fail me in describing it, so watch it.


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## Vonocourt (Jan 6, 2009)

Comic Book Guy said:


> Bump.
> 
> HONG KONG
> - *Chungking Express*
> Not only Wong Kar-Wai's best film, but one of the best Hong Kong, and even Asian films of all time. Words fail me in describing it, so watch it.



Rule of the thumb: if Criterion releases it on DVD, it's awesome.


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## Para (Jan 6, 2009)

France - La Haine



I was made to watch this in college and I ended up loving it.


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## SmackyTheFrog (Jan 7, 2009)

Comic Book Guy said:


> HONG KONG
> - *A Chinese Odyssey*
> A two-part film, but a cult-classic in HK. It's actually more than a Stephen Chow comedy or a Monkey King story. On the whole, it's actually a compelling sad love story. A bit slow in the first film, but the second film wholly makes up for it. Available on YouTube. One of the favourite films of all time.



You sir have my utmost respect.

*Out of the Dark*
Horror comedy with Stephen Chow.  Steve plays a ghost hunter that resides in a mental asylum.  Occasionally Steve escapes the asylum to deal with ghosts that terrorize humans.  If you know Stephen Chow, you know this movie is absolutely hilarious.  Another cult favorite in hong kong.

*From Beijing with Love*
Stephen Chow parody of James Bond.  It's silly, but it actually has a good story and touching moments.  Of course, the main purpose is to be funny, and it doesn't disappoint.  Stephen Chow just has that charm that makes him loveable and you always feel for his character.


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