NationStates Jolt Archive

I haven't watched too many non-American movies. Unfortunately since they don't get much airplay on US television, even cable, it's hard to get exposure to foreign films. Maybe this thread will help me find some new favorite movies.

Anyway, my current favorite non-American film is El Espinazo del Diablo. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0256009/

It's probably the best ghost movie I've ever seen, and one of the creepiest horror movies ever even though it's not entirely in the horror genre.

The Italian Job, Shaun of the Dead, Ringu, City of God or Battle Royale.

DVD is your friend.

Not nice but damn good.
http://www.lady-vengeance.com/lady_vengence.html

You've probably heard of this one.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403358/

This is "man of the year", which unforunately shares title with a Robin Williams outing.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312773/

DVD is your friend.

Not nice but damn good.
http://www.lady-vengeance.com/lady_vengence.html

You've probably heard of this one.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403358/

This is "man of the year", which unforunately shares title with a Robin Williams outing.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312773/

I've seen the second one. Video on demand is my friend too.

EDIT: No, now I remember. I didn't see it on video on demand, I bought a bootleg DVD.

whats with all these film threads we are having on NSG?

whats with all these film threads we are having on NSG?

It's just one of those things. NS goes through phases. Sometimes it seems every post is about religion, sometimes about Israel, sometimes about something else. Today it's film.

I quite liked "The Most Fertile Man in Ireland" and "Mickey Bo and Me" but mostly because I recognise the sights in them

It's just one of those things. NS goes through phases. Sometimes it seems every post is about religion, sometimes about Israel, sometimes about something else. Today it's film.

nah. nsg always has a wide variety of threads. and i can alway satart a new one.

Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain without a doubt.

I cant even explain how awesome it is, and the soundtrack is great too.

The second runner up would be Das Boot. That is real intense and claustrophobic. Plus I am a big U-boat fan.

Kuoi Ame

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097694/

Life in post bombed Hiroshima

The Seventh Seal, or whatever the title is in Swedish.

V for Vendetta, definately

IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434409/)

They don't make a lot of good movies outside of America, IMHO. Battle Royale is good (the first one; the sequel sucks more than SW Episode I). Everyone also loves Bond movies and Italian westerns.

If you like realistic war movies, I strongly recommend the Finnish movie Talvisota (Winter War). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098437/
It's the best war film I've ever seen (although to be honest, I think that the quality of a war movie is directly proportional to the amount of dead communists in it).

Spirited Away (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirited_away)
Grave of Fireflies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_of_fireflies)*
Endless Waltz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_waltz)
Dance Me Outside (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_me_outside)
Strange Brew (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Brew)

*My favourite, though, I also really like the others.

EDIT: added links so that you know what these are about.

King of Hearts/Le Roi de Cœur http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Hearts_%281966_film%29

Au revoir, les enfants

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092593/

Jean de Florette

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091288/

DVD is your friend.

Not nice but damn good.
http://www.lady-vengeance.com/lady_vengence.html

Heh, my girlfriend and I were trying to choose a DVD to watch last night and that was one of the choices. She commented that, out of the five DVDs we'd narrowed it down to, that was "the most realistic".

The others were:
2001: A Space Odyssey
Brazil
Twelve Monkeys
Gattaca

I prefer Oldboy to Lady Vengeance. LV is the third in the director's 'revenge' trilogy - Oldboy is the second. The first is Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, and is completely fucked up. But still good.

Other non-American films...hmmm...

District 13 (http://imdb.com/title/tt0414852/) is good (it's French) - otherwise known as 'The Free-Running movie'.
City of God (http://imdb.com/title/tt0317248/)
13 (Tzameti) (http://imdb.com/title/tt0475169/) is good, if a little amateurishly made, plus it's a little predictable.
Akira (http://imdb.com/title/tt0094625/) - one of the best manga films ever made.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (http://imdb.com/title/tt0092067/) - kid's film, but still great. Pure Metal loves this film as well.
Trainspotting (http://imdb.com/title/tt0117951/) - best British film since The Italian Job.

Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Fitzcarraldo

heck anything by herzog is worth a look

I like Korean horror films mostly, but the Japanese ones are good too.

Some of my favourites:

The Eye: Chinese, I think. Good movie, not that scary but some shocking bits. The sequel is really weird. Seriously.

Phone: Quite scary, been a long time since I watched it but it was good to try and figure out what happens before the end. Also some really gory parts.

Into the Mirror: A little more poetic than horror based, but still a good film. almost philosophical.

Whispering Corridoors: Not sure if that was the name. People get killed in a Korean school in various ways, but it's hard to keep track of what's happening. Quite a good storyline though, and the people who die really deserve it.

Dark Water: Brilliant, scary, good mystery. Similar to Phone in genre but one hell of a lot better than the American screw-up version.

Pulse: Another Korean horror movie. Found this one extremely intense all of the way through. Don't watch the American version though, because it's dog shit in comparison, and doesn't even make that much sense.

A Tale of Two Sisters: OK, the mystery element is good but the horror is not so apparent as in some of the others.

There were 2 Japanese horror films I really enjoyed. My favourite I think was called 'corner shop' or something, and despite the name it was REALLY scary. There were ghosts crawling everywhere. There was another one where the title was the name of the Island in which it was set, but I don't remember it suffice to say it meant something like 'The island of four/death' depending on how they pronounced it in the movie.

Also, for Japanese action movies: Battle Royale 2 is very good, but a little too philosophical towards the end. Also it makes little sense unless you've seen the prequel recently.

I'll post more later if I think of any.

Also the single weirdest movie I have ever seen was a chinese film called 'Dumplings'. Seriously fucked up in a major way. Still fairly good though, if you get over the on-screen abortions (well almost), constant sex scenes and eating of human fetuses.

la strada by fellini. starry anthony quinn, richard basehart and giulietta masina

its available on netflix. put it on your list, it wont cost you anything. its a great movie.

its OK to see the english version, fellini dubbed the final print into both english and italian so its not like its someone else's translation.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047528/

Battle Royale. That was awesome.

Battle Royale. That was awesome.
I adored the manga. I really want to get my hands on a copy of that.

Water, (Indian Drama) and Kitchen Stories. (Swedish Comedy)

The Seventh Seal, or whatever the title is in Swedish.

"Sjunde Inseglet."

Meh, if you want actual good Bergman, you'd be better of with Viskningar och Rop (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069467/) (my fave) or Fanny och Alexander. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083922/)

As for other nations' films, I'll go with Cidade de Deus (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317248/) and Y tu mamá también (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245574/), with special notes to La mala educación. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275491/)

I can't believe that nobody has so much as mentioned this one.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/

I can't believe that nobody has so much as mentioned this one.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/

Nobody mentioned it because it is stuffed with sickening clichés.

Nobody mentioned it because it is stuffed with sickening clichés.

Well, I did watch it in 1999, when I was only eleven. If I see it again, I'll most likely notice that fact, eh?

Nobody mentioned it because it is stuffed with sickening clichés.

Every now and again I love cliche ridden films

Haven't seen many.. but of the few I have ... Das Boot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Boot)(wiki)/ Das Boot (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082096/)(imdb) was the best of them.

Well, I did watch it in 1999, when I was only eleven. If I see it again, I'll most likely notice that fact, eh?

Hmm, it's a bit disappointing you didn't notice back then, either, but I guess I can recommend you take two Dramamines in advance of your next viewing.

Every now and again I love cliche ridden films

They can be fun when the intent to do that is there, as a sort of meta-hint, but in this case, it's just schmaltz to take away from lack of actual substance.

Hmm, it's a bit disappointing you didn't notice back then, either, but I guess I can recommend you take two Dramamines in advance of your next viewing.

I don't think I noticed it, because I wasn't a big film/television viewer back then. The only cliches I really noticed were the ones in videogames and internet humor.

Though I'll take your advice and pop some pills before viewing the movie again. :p

Kuoi Ame

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097694/

Life in post bombed Hiroshima

I'll have to check that out.

Almost forgot -

Great laugh
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126344/

Der Untergang
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/
The Third Man
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/

Though I'll take your advice and pop some pills before viewing the movie again. :p

Be sure to have the popcorn/snack bowl empty in preparation for your gastric emanations.

Der Untergang
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/
The Third Man
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/


Might have to check that one out as well. But is Hitler a main character in it? I find I have a hard time believing the character when someone like Hitler is being played. It's easier for me to get it, if the main guy is in the background and not the main focal point. Like George C. Scott(great actor!) playing Patton. Damn good job, but it took me a while to get past Scott as Patton. Meh.. either way.. I'll check it out.

Bicycle Thief (http://imdb.com/title/tt0040522/), Rashômon (http://imdb.com/title/tt0042876/), and, a more recent peice, Princess Mononoke (http://imdb.com/title/tt0119698/).

I haven't watched too many non-American movies. Unfortunately since they don't get much airplay on US television, even cable, it's hard to get exposure to foreign films. Maybe this thread will help me find some new favorite movies.

Anyway, my current favorite non-American film is El Espinazo del Diablo. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0256009/

It's probably the best ghost movie I've ever seen, and one of the creepiest horror movies ever even though it's not entirely in the horror genre.

No Man's Land

Its About the Yugoslav Civil War. Great Movie.


So either that, or Before the Rain.

Easily my favourite non-American movie is:
Grave of the Fireflies http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/

Might have to check that one out as well. But is Hitler a main character in it? I find I have a hard time believing the character when someone like Hitler is being played. It's easier for me to get it, if the main guy is in the background and not the main focal point. Like George C. Scott(great actor!) playing Patton. Damn good job, but it took me a while to get past Scott as Patton. Meh.. either way.. I'll check it out.
Yeah Hitler is pretty central all the way through, but what I found when I watched it is that at the start you do see the actor, simply because Hitler's image is just so recognisable that the person you're watching clearly isn't him. But Bruno Ganz's performance is so convincing of what Hitler must have been like in pretty much every way, that you soon can't imagine you're watching anybody but Hitler.

No Man's Land

Its About the Yugoslav Civil War. Great Movie.

It is a very good film. Not sure I'd say great, but it's good.

Can't believe I forgot about Downfall (Der Untergang). That is a great film. Another German film I like - Das Experiment (http://imdb.com/title/tt0250258/). It's based on the Stanford Prison experiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment).

I don't really have a favourite [non-American] movie, but my favourite non-American movie that I've seen in the last couple of weeks is Warrior King (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrior_King).

I have a massive love for both Delicatessen and Ran.

Shaun of the Dead, or Cidade de Deus, or Ghost in the Shell.

Maria Full of Grace (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390221/) - Not sure whether it fully counts, as production was joint Colombian and American.

If English language films count, then The Constant Gardener (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387131/) would probably be on there.

However, for foreign films in foreign languages you need:

Hable con ella (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287467/) (Talk to Her)

Goodbye Lenin! (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301357/)

Thought of another one...

Ondskan (http://imdb.com/title/tt0338309/)

No doubt I'll think of more later. I'll post them as I remember them.

Thought of another one...

Ondskan (http://imdb.com/title/tt0338309/)

No doubt I'll think of more later. I'll post them as I remember them.

I spent that entire film with a constant erection for the main character and the other dorm guys. Good choice, even if do hate everything by the man who wrote the book the film was based on.

I kinda liked Gingersnaps for the storyline. But other than that, the visual effects were quite cheesy.

I spent that entire film with a constant erection for the main character and the other dorm guys. Good choice, even if do hate everything by the man who wrote the book the film was based on.
That's certainly not what my reaction to the film was...

He was vaguely attractive, I guess, though I'm hardly the expert on attractiveness in men.

Easily my favourite non-American movie is:
Grave of the Fireflies http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/
Yay! I'm not the only one who liked this.

Yay! I'm not the only one who liked this.

...considering the fact that it's regarded as one of the best works of anime ever, I'd say you're far from the only one who liked it.


My personal favorite non-american film would probably be Snatch.

...considering the fact that it's regarded as one of the best works of anime ever, I'd say you're far from the only one who liked it.
I meant of the people here. ;)

As always I will refuse to play favourites, but will put in the good word for Spirited Away and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

Strictly Ballroom by Baz Luhrmann
I want to say an anime title too but I prefer anime as a tv series instead of a movie.

Has anyone here seen American Cousin?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089647/

...considering the fact that it's regarded as one of the best works of anime ever, I'd say you're far from the only one who liked it.
{snip}
.

Well, even among anime fans, not everyone loves it :P Partly because it makes people cry, and some don't care for that :P

Stuff should be happy! No sad movies in my favourites list! I don't care if it's really powerful and full of Great Stuff, it made me cry on the inside!

Well, even among anime fans, not everyone loves it :P Partly because it makes people cry, and some don't care for that :P
I liked it because it didn't shy away from the harsh reality that is war, nor di it try to sugar coat it.

Enemy at the Gates
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215750/
Jin-Roh
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193253/

Well, even among anime fans, not everyone loves it :P Partly because it makes people cry, and some don't care for that :P
If someone says they dislike something because it is sad, I'll never listen to their opinion again. And, if it's said by a fan of Naruto, I probably disagree. :D

If someone says they dislike something because it is sad, I'll never listen to their opinion again. And, if it's said by a fan of Naruto, I probably disagree. :D
I find that Naruto fans have never watched real anime.

Maybe Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels or Les Visteurs or something else (I'm not that great at remembering films on demand).

Infernal Affairs

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338564/

The film "The Departed" (staring Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon) is based on this.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/

Chinese:
A Chinese Ghost Story - one of my favorite actresses in a great role
Eat Drink Man Woman - great foodie movie

Japanese:
Tonari no Totoro - Miyazaki at his best
Tampopo - the ramen western
Seven Samurai - the basis for one of the great westerns, a great movie in it's own right
Yojimbo/Sanjiro - the originals for the greatest spaghetti westerns
Tora-san, Our Lovable Tramp - the first in the worlds longest running series
Weather Woman - how to get ahead in the world of Japanese TV by flashing your underwear... ;)
Gojira - the one and only, the best of the Japanese monster movie genre
Yakuza Graveyard - Battle Royal fans should check it out - Kinji Fukasaku's besty flick, IMHO

Weather Woman - how to get ahead in the world of Japanese TV by flashing your underwear... ;)

I'd have thought this was an equally good candidate for the 'weirdest film' thread. :p

Akira.

Bah, I knew I'd forgotten my favourite when I posted earlier.
Run Lola Run.

I really liked the original Vanilla Sky...Abre Los Ojos.

And then the usual suspects...Downfall, Grave of the Fireflies, Das Boot etc etc

I'm also looking forward to that Richthofen movie. Should be interesting to see Germans make an international war movie about a German 'hero' and how they handle it.

I haven't watched too many non-American movies. Unfortunately since they don't get much airplay on US television, even cable, it's hard to get exposure to foreign films. Maybe this thread will help me find some new favorite movies.

Anyway, my current favorite non-American film is El Espinazo del Diablo. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0256009/

It's probably the best ghost movie I've ever seen, and one of the creepiest horror movies ever even though it's not entirely in the horror genre.

Just some I can think of now...

*Fucking Åmål

*28 Days Later

*Big Girls Dont Cry

*Amelie

Bah, I knew I'd forgotten my favourite when I posted earlier.
Run Lola Run.

Agreed...

I'd have thought this was an equally good candidate for the 'weirdest film' thread. :p

Come live in Japan as long as I have, and it won't seem weird at all.

No one mentioned Lola Runs/Run, Lola, Run (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/) yet?

I haven't watched too many non-American movies. Unfortunately since they don't get much airplay on US television, even cable, it's hard to get exposure to foreign films. Maybe this thread will help me find some new favorite movies.


Fucking Amal (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0150662/) (US title: Show me Love :rolleyes: :p) (Swedish)
The Full Monty (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119164/) (British, of course)
Italian for Beginners (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243862/) (Danish)
Kamchatka (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0320042/) (Argentinian)
Beau Travail (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209933/) (French)
Divided We Fall (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0234288/) (Czech)
Good Bye Lenin! (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301357/) (German)
The Other Final (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379419/) (Dutch)
Rivers and Tides (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307385/) (British/German)
The Taste of Others (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0216787/) (French)
Spirited Away (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245429/) (Japanese)
Hero (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/) (Chinese)
Run, Lola, Run (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/) (German)
Central Station (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140888/)
The Other Side of the Street (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402417/)
House of Sand (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0456875/)
-> the last three are all Brazilian, all starring Fernanda Montenegro, one of my favourite actresses.


ETA: Oh, and a couple older ones:

Goodbye, Children (http://imdb.com/title/tt0092593/) (French)
Life Is Beautiful (http://imdb.com/title/tt0118799/) (Italian)

Cant believe I forgot Transpoitting. There was also another good movie which Ewan McGregor starred in, about some stolen money....

Cant believe I forgot Transpoitting. There was also another good movie which Ewan McGregor starred in, about some stolen money....
Do you mean Shallow Grave?

Do you mean Shallow Grave?

Yes that's it, I loved the end, was similar to Transpoitting (sp?) for Ewan McGregor...

I've seen a pathetically small number of foreign films. AFAIK, the first foreign film I saw was Cinema Paridiso (Italian), and I really liked it then, but I haven't watched it in years.

They don't make a lot of good movies outside of America,.

:p :p :rolleyes:

a clockwork orange

trainspotting

l'haine

the battle for algiers

la vite e bella

il postino

to name but a few.

They don't make a lot of good movies outside of America, IMHO.
They don't make a lot of good movies in America.

Amilée (sp?) or A Clockwork Orange. Both are pretty good.

Just to name one amongst many: Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (http://imdb.com/title/tt0060196/)

:p :p :rolleyes:

a clockwork orange

trainspotting

l'haine

the battle for algiers

la vite e bella

il postino

to name but a few.
Anything by Miyazaki if you like anime or can get past an irrational disposition towards it.

I'm never very good at remembering films, and even when I do I find it hard to play favourites. Two that I'm remembering now are -

-Volver
and
-Rabbit Proof Fence

Someone's mentioned this, but the US has an affinity for copying East Asian films, like Infernal Affairs and the Ring. Battle Royale probably got copied in some incarnation.

One films that I saw recently that I like and is American.
- The Squid and the Whale
Another that I would like to see is
- Little Miss Sunshine

Spirited Away (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirited_away)
Grave of Fireflies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_of_fireflies)*
Endless Waltz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_waltz)
Dance Me Outside (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_me_outside)
Strange Brew (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Brew)

*My favourite, though, I also really like the others.

EDIT: added links so that you know what these are about.

Grave of the fireflies has to be without a doubt one of the single most beautiful movies I've seen in my entire life. Sad, but beautiful.

Other than that, my favourite movies would be
Whale Rider (http://www.whaleriderthemovie.com/)
Goodbye Lenin (http://www.sonyclassics.com/goodbye/)
The Cup (http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800352693/info)
and Black Cat, White Cat (http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=173456)

Come to think of it, most of my DVD collection consists of movies not made in the USA... I've rarely seen really good movies from there. Althought "Little Miss Sunshine" was ok.

They don't make a lot of good movies outside of America, IMHO. Battle Royale is good (the first one; the sequel sucks more than SW Episode I). Everyone also loves Bond movies and Italian westerns.



They don't make many good ones inside, either. :rolleyes:

Maria Full of Grace

Maria Full of Grace

Always wanted to see that one...

Pasqualino Settebelleze (which is also a conteder for my favorite movie, period)

La dolce vita, Roma citta aperta, nochnoi dozor, hable con ella, el mariachi

Maybe Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels or Les Visteurs or something else (I'm not that great at remembering films on demand).

Snatch was even better then Lock, Stock.....

Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind
My Neighbour Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service

Japanese classics.

Always wanted to see that one...

You should go get it!

-Rabbit Proof Fence Oooh, yes.

Always wanted to see that one... It's really good.

You should go get it!

Well, it'll be christmas soon enough. Might be a present from me for me. Cause I been a good girl. :D

Well, it'll be christmas soon enough. Might be a present from me for me. Cause I been a good girl. :D

:p

Well merry christmas then.

Raise the red Lantern

I think that most of the American films can't match the real good non-American ones. Hollywood films don't have a special "charm". Often a good story is ruined by adding unnecessary romances, flat characters, happy ends, etc.

An example of this is "The man with the iron mask". The idea of the story was great, the actors were really good, but the end was so elevated, it ruined the whole film. :mad:

Two of my favorite German films are Das Boot und Goodbye Lenin. Not to forget the great English humour - No Hollywood movie reaches the level of Monty Python.

And I like French movies, too. Like Nikita or the Taxi series. Well, Hollywood seems to like the French films, they have copied a lot of them.

And I like French movies, too. Like Nikita or the Taxi series. Well, Hollywood seems to like the French films, they have copied a lot of them.

Hollywood even copied Mike Krueger movies... :p ;)

Any movie by the following directors, expecially the named ones.
Fritz Lang (Metropolis - Der Golem)
Francois Truffault (Farheneit 451)
Jan Jacques Annaud (The bear - The enemy at the gates)
Akira Kurosawa (Seven samurai)
Takeshi Kitano (Dolls - Zatoichi)
Federico Fellini (La strada - La città delle donne)
Bernardo Bertolucci (L'ultimo imperatore)
Jan Sverak (Kolja)
Jiri Menzel (Ostre sledovane vlaky - Skrivanci na niti - Zivot a neobycejna dobrodruzstvi vojaka Ivana Conkina)
Zangh Jimou (Red lanterns - Hero)
Emir Kusturica (Underground)

And then:
Akira
Nocnoi dozor
Skritek
The hitchiker's guide to the galaxy
Il Mostro
Musime si pomahat
Je treba zabit Sekala
Train de vie

Actually it is easier for me to name non-hollywood movies than the other way around ;)

Oh... I almost forgot Mad max

Hollywood even copied Mike Krueger movies... :p ;)

German culure at its best - the nose of Mike Krüger! ;)

I think that most of the American films can't match the real good non-American ones. Hollywood films don't have a special "charm". Often a good story is ruined by adding unnecessary romances, flat characters, happy ends, etc.

An example of this is "The man with the iron mask". The idea of the story was great, the actors were really good, but the end was so elevated, it ruined the whole film. :mad:

Two of my favorite German films are Das Boot und Goodbye Lenin. Not to forget the great English humour - No Hollywood movie reaches the level of Monty Python.

And I like French movies, too. Like Nikita or the Taxi series. Well, Hollywood seems to like the French films, they have copied a lot of them.Goodbye Lenin? I loved that film. I also remember the lead actor and being quite cute. *ahem*

I think the problem you have is that when you think of American movies all you think of is Hollywood. But there's a substantial movie industry that operates outside of hollywood that has to rely on good script writing rather than huge budgets. It's just hard to find when Hollywood pumps out so much mulch.

German culure at its best - the nose of Mike Krüger! ;)

Piratensender Powerplay FTW!

But seriously... making a copy of Seitenstechen? And putting Arnie (I think it was) in the lead role? How pathetic is that? :rolleyes:

LOTR The Two Towers.

So many movies...

(Italy)
Federico Fellini (La strada, Amarcord, I clown)
Mario Monicelli (I soliti ignoti, I compagni, La grande guerra)
Vittorio De Sica (Ladri di biciclette, Umberto D)
Roberto Benigni (Il mostro)
Alberto Lattuada (Cuore di cane, Il mulino del Po)
Dino Risi (Il sorpasso, Le mani sulla città)
Elio Petri (La classe operaia va in paradiso)
Sergio Leone (Per un pugno di dollari, Il buono il brutto il cattivo)
Pino Zac (Il cavaliere inesistente)
Luchino Visconti (Ludwig, La caduta degli dei, Rocco e i suoi fratelli, Le notti bianche)
Pierpaolo Pasolini (Il Decameron, Il Vangelo secondo Matteo, Salò o le 120 gironate di Sodoma)


ok, tired of thinking about movies, going for directors only

(France)
Georges Méliès
François Truffaut
Jean-Luc Godard
Roman Polanski

(Spain)
Pedro Almodovar

(Greece)
Costa Gavras

(Germany)
Werner Herzog
Edgar Reitz (Heimat)

(Britain)
Stanley Kubrick
the Monty Python

(Russia and former CCCP)
Sergej Mihajlovic' Ejzenstejn
Andrej Arsenevic' Tarkovskij
Nikita Mihalkov
Ivan Gonc'arov

(Jugoslavija and former-jugoslav countries)
Emir Kusturica

(Japan)
Akira Kurosawa
Kon Itikawa

....


going on for ages...


added: No one ever remembers Bollywood: Aamir Singh (Lagaan). If a movie can make an italian enjoy cricket, it is a great movie!

The Bicycle Thief


Film nerdy, sure, but compared to the lists I'm doin' okay.