NationStates Jolt Archive

I can guess how this poll is gonna go, but i just thought i'd ask, y'know.

East Asia got some good ones...but I'd have to go with the UK's.

Nobody does it better than Troma

I have to go with the europeans mainly because of jean-pierre jeunet and ealing. But it's a close one with Bollywood.

Viva la Bollywood

Japan makes the best movies ever.

Australian film is funny.......... the castle, the dish, the matrix ha ha.

Japan makes the best movies ever.

Japan has the market on anime, not sure about movies tho - I'd give it to either Hollywood, Bollywood, or Europe

Japanimation movies are good.

Let's see:
UK: When was the last time they made an original movie? It's all either Cockney gangster movies that aren't a patch on 'The Long Good Friday' or 'Get Carter', or they're rather boring and 'inspiring' stories about a kid growing up in a poor area who wants to do somethig different, or they're wet irritating unfunny romantic pap written by Richard Curtis, or those 'bittersweet comedies' about a feisty old woman or a bunch of eccentric Irishmen.
Apart from Mike Leigh, but his main purpose in life is raising the suicide stats I think.
Japan: They have a superb horror film department that makes some genuine creepy and scary movies. And they can put out some awesome Animated stuff. But aside from Beat Takeshi's awesome gangster movies, there's not much else there.
Bollywood: They're all too similar in style and plot to consider them seriously. I mean well-made, but when have they ever tried to make other genres?
French: I enjoy french movies. Their humour is much more sophisticated than anyone else's and Jean-Pierre Jeunet is a genius. However they can get a tad self-indulgent and smug. So quirky and stylish movies with sophisticated humour but not much substance here.
Italian: Same as French but less intelligent.
Australian: Aside from 'Fat Pizza' their attempts at comedies aren't. I'm not including 'Death in Brunswick' for the obvious reason that it was written by and starred two Kiwis. ;) And those dreadful 'feel-good' movies of the 90s ('Muriels Wedding' and the one about the trannies) have definitely got to give them a black mark. As well as the Matrix.
USA: Ignoring the crud pouring out of Hollywood, there's occasionally real independent gems that come out. It's just unfortunate they really are nuggets in a cesspit.
Scandanavia: If they could get over their incredible depressive streak, they make some good movies. 'The Vanishing','Insomnia','Zero Kelvin' anything by Lars von Trier, 'Run Lola Run', 'Anatomy'. But don't watch any if you're feeling a bit blue. I think only Mike Leigh would find them funny.
Kiwi: I find it strange that we give the world such great directors (Jane Campion, Peter Jackson, Lee Tamahori) and such lousy actors (Cliff Curtis and Sam Neil excepted obviously). I mean we need to apologise to the World for Russell Crowe. I mean, what a pompous asshole! Still 'Lord of the Rings', 'The Piano', 'Whale rider', 'Meet the feebles', upcoming 'King Kong'. I think we have a winner!

I like many Hollywood movies, but it usually ruins it when the movie ends very patriotic. Most of the stories take place in only America, even when the world is in danger. Always america, america, america. Many of those movies are used to sooth the people in war times, like Black Hawk down and Behind Enemy Lines. The US invades Iraq and suddenly you get a massive amount of patriotic movies about hero soldiers who save the poor people from some imaginary foreign enemy.
While in Europe one doesn't make movies to brag about their country or influence the people to follow the government, many of them take play in other countries, Auberge Espagnol for instance. I really liked that one. Anyhow, I hate patriotism in movies, unless it is really the core of the movie, for instance a movie about that tiny war in America between the North and the South, then you can afford to be a bit patriotic.

Anyhow, I really liked those recent Korean movies, Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Wonderfull. Its like a cross over in traditional theatre, a decent movie and a martial arts movie. The use of metaphores is wonderfull. Very poetic.

Scandanavia: If they could get over their incredible depressive streak, they make some good movies. 'The Vanishing','Insomnia','Zero Kelvin' anything by Lars von Trier, 'Run Lola Run', 'Anatomy'. But don't watch any if you're feeling a bit blue. I think only Mike Leigh would find them funny.


"Run Lola Run"... thats probably the English title for "Lola rennt"? That is a German movie. Germany isn't part of Scandinavia. Mmmmmm Franka Potente such a nice piece of ***, beautiful woman really.

Scandinavia has some really nice comedies like "Jalla jalla" for instance. That movie is wonderfull! And "Fucking Åmål", that's a classic. I also saw the Danish thriller "Nattevagten" before they remade it in Hollywood as "Nightwatch". "Nattevagten" is far scarier and better filmed, with better colors than the Hollywood remake.

Do they "dub" or subtitle foreign movies in the US (if they show foreign movies in the US, that is)? I hate dubbed movies. It sucks. Even Korean or Japanese movies you have to see in their original language (with subtitles of course). I find "dubbing" to be very decadent, but I have a rather strong opinion about almost everything... :p Unless one dubs something for children who can't read yet of course. For instance a Disney cartoon or something.

Let's see:
UK: When was the last time they made an original movie? It's all either Cockney gangster movies that aren't a patch on 'The Long Good Friday' or 'Get Carter', or they're rather boring and 'inspiring' stories about a kid growing up in a poor area who wants to do somethig different, or they're wet irritating unfunny romantic pap written by Richard Curtis, or those 'bittersweet comedies' about a feisty old woman or a bunch of eccentric Irishmen.
Apart from Mike Leigh, but his main purpose in life is raising the suicide stats I think.
Japan: They have a superb horror film department that makes some genuine creepy and scary movies. And they can put out some awesome Animated stuff. But aside from Beat Takeshi's awesome gangster movies, there's not much else there.
Bollywood: They're all too similar in style and plot to consider them seriously. I mean well-made, but when have they ever tried to make other genres?
French: I enjoy french movies. Their humour is much more sophisticated than anyone else's and Jean-Pierre Jeunet is a genius. However they can get a tad self-indulgent and smug. So quirky and stylish movies with sophisticated humour but not much substance here.
Italian: Same as French but less intelligent.
Australian: Aside from 'Fat Pizza' their attempts at comedies aren't. I'm not including 'Death in Brunswick' for the obvious reason that it was written by and starred two Kiwis. ;) And those dreadful 'feel-good' movies of the 90s ('Muriels Wedding' and the one about the trannies) have definitely got to give them a black mark. As well as the Matrix.
USA: Ignoring the crud pouring out of Hollywood, there's occasionally real independent gems that come out. It's just unfortunate they really are nuggets in a cesspit.
Scandanavia: If they could get over their incredible depressive streak, they make some good movies. 'The Vanishing','Insomnia','Zero Kelvin' anything by Lars von Trier, 'Run Lola Run', 'Anatomy'. But don't watch any if you're feeling a bit blue. I think only Mike Leigh would find them funny.
Kiwi: I find it strange that we give the world such great directors (Jane Campion, Peter Jackson, Lee Tamahori) and such lousy actors (Cliff Curtis and Sam Neil excepted obviously). I mean we need to apologise to the World for Russell Crowe. I mean, what a pompous asshole! Still 'Lord of the Rings', 'The Piano', 'Whale rider', 'Meet the feebles', upcoming 'King Kong'. I think we have a winner!

Actually... the UK movie scene has produced some pretty good Horror genre movies recently... almost back to the Hammer House days. "The Bunker", "Deathwatch" and "Dog Soldiers" are all pretty good examples. "Trainspotting" and "Shallow Grave" are also (loosely) in this geography.

Japan seems to be serving as an inspiration for western cinema... Nobody who has seen "Ghost in the Shell" will have any problems finding the roots of much of the Matrix story. "Ringu" is also one of the most innovative Horrors of recent years.

Staying in the East - as someone else mentioned... "Hero" and "Crouching Tiger" are both sumptuous feasts of visual spectacle.

Bollywood: It would seem you haven't seen much 'Bollywood' cinema. Sure, "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" and "Dil to Pagal Hai" are modern day Bollywood interpretations of Romeo and Juliet (perhaps), but "Asoka" shows that Bollywood can make an awesome Epic when they want to.

France: Jeunet is still the weakest link in the "Alien" quadrilogy.
If you look at the crossover between Hollywood and French cinema, you get "Leon" ("The Professional", in America) and "The Fifth Element" from Luc Besson - who also 'created' the original "Nikita", "Subway" and "The Big Blue". The original French version of "Taxi" was far superior to the Hollywood remake - if the movie trailers are anything to go by.

Germany: Run Lola Run is excellent.

Australia - trying too hard to BE Hollywood: "Reign in Darkness" and "Invincible" are both classic examples.

Hollywood does produce a lot of crap. But it is also the (nominal) outlet for David Fincher ("Seven", "The Game", "Panic Room" and "Fight Club"), David Lynch ("Blue Velvet", "Mulholland Drive", "Lost Highway", the original "Dune", and "Eraserhead"), Terry Gilliam ("Twelve Monkeys" and "Brazil")...

Sure, you have to wade through a whole load of wasted celluloid to get to some of it, and their batting average isn't great - but MOST of the really good cinema is still coming from 'Hollywood', one way or another.

I guess it's the same in any movie industry... you just have to look for the good stuff - and there IS a lot of it out there, in ALL of the markets.

My opinion...

France:
If you look at the crossover between Hollywood and French cinema, you get "Leon" ("The Professional", in America) and "The Fifth Element" from Luc Besson - who also 'created' the original "Nikita", "Subway" and "The Big Blue". The original French version of "Taxi" was far superior to the Hollywood remake - if the movie trailers are anything to go by.

Yes, well have you ever seen a US remake of a French movie that was better in any way? (think 3 men & a baby). Taxi (I & II) were quite funny movies, but very shallow and plotless. Definitely aimed at the: 'I want some mindless, enjoyable and funny escapism for the next two hours'. And it certainly fulfils that a priori. Which makes you wonder how you could possibly screw it up, but I'm guessing the Yanks will.
As I said, French movies invariably are all style and no substance. Like anything Luc Besson does. I view him as the Fench equivalent of Spielberg or Lucas: Great ideas, wonderful cinematograpgy, but the plots and stories almost ruin the movie.
BTW I thought Aliens 3 was the worst one, but that was because it was written by committee. I would have loved to have seen Vincent Ward's script made, but studio execs didn't like it and trashed it. Actually there's another Kiwi director, which furthers my case for NZ dominance on the film industry (at least when it comes to directing).

I make the best movies ever!

Ya'll have obviously never encountered the sheer joy of National Safety Council films. Not to mention the growing Esthonian film industry.

Actually... the UK movie scene has produced some pretty good Horror genre movies recently... almost back to the Hammer House days. "The Bunker", "Deathwatch" and "Dog Soldiers" are all pretty good examples. "Trainspotting" and "Shallow Grave" are also (loosely) in this geography.


I agree. Wasn't 28 days later also a UK production? I loved it! Two of my favorite UK movies are those two of Guy Ritchie, Lockstock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. They are very much alike, I saw Lockstock first, I think its the best one too. Others who saw Snatch first found this one to be the best. If you saw one, you saw the other, but they are both very amusing.

Yes, well have you ever seen a US remake of a French movie that was better in any way? (think 3 men & a baby). Taxi (I & II) were quite funny movies, but very shallow and plotless. Definitely aimed at the: 'I want some mindless, enjoyable and funny escapism for the next two hours'. And it certainly fulfils that a priori. Which makes you wonder how you could possibly screw it up, but I'm guessing the Yanks will.
As I said, French movies invariably are all style and no substance. Like anything Luc Besson does. I view him as the Fench equivalent of Spielberg or Lucas: Great ideas, wonderful cinematograpgy, but the plots and stories almost ruin the movie.
BTW I thought Aliens 3 was the worst one, but that was because it was written by committee. I would have loved to have seen Vincent Ward's script made, but studio execs didn't like it and trashed it. Actually there's another Kiwi director, which furthers my case for NZ dominance on the film industry (at least when it comes to directing).

I liked Alien 3 best, actually. I thought it had the best character work, and the most appealing 'look' of the 4.

I guess that is what I look for in a film... good characters and (hopefully) a very 'aesthetic' look. "Stigmata" - for example.

I agree. Wasn't 28 days later also a UK production? I loved it! Two of my favorite UK movies are those two of Guy Ritchie, Lockstock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. They are very much alike, I saw Lockstock first, I think its the best one too. Others who saw Snatch first found this one to be the best. If you saw one, you saw the other, but they are both very amusing.

I saw "Lock, Stock" first, and didn't care much for it, but I did like "Snatch"...

28 Days Later was certainly an English location movie... and would qualify as another good English Horror movie, I guess.

I like Canada's film industry. They take all that money that they don't spend invading people and invest it in film. I'm still waiting for Zep and Steph to make me Canadian....I know you guys can do that. Don't tell me you can't........

I've got to vote for Hollywood. Yes, they put out a lot of crap for the millions of Americans who just want some mindless entertainment, but it's not as high a proportion of Hollywood films as many people believe. I really enjoy the higher-end productions. They're thought-provoking, but the fact that they still need to appeal to a fairly wide audience means they lack the pretentiousness common in independent films.