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Mr. Friday
Joined: 18 Nov 2006
Location: for now - WI, USA
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 Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:50 am Post subject: |
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random tangent:
Anyone seen Zinda, the bollywood Oldboy rip-off? It's freaking hilarious! Being Bollywood, they can sing and dance if they want, but what they can't do negates the impact of the story entirely. And the leading man is so not an Indian Choi Min-sik, or anybody's Choi Min-sik.
Seriously, watching Oldboy and Zinda back-to-back is a master class in good film-making. Zinda is at best competently made in technical a sense (except for that damn blue cast), but every choice it makes in all other aspects is the example of wrong to Oldboy's right. |
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Young FRANKenstein
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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Foreign stuff I watch isn't usually too high-falluting. More like popcorn cinema in most cases. Stuff I've liked over the years:
Seven Samurai
Versus
Hinokio
Doppleganger
Unagi
everything Takeshi/Beat Kitano has made
Spring Summer Autumn Winter Spring
Night Watch / Day Watch (Russian... anxiously waiting for the third movie!! Dawn Watch)
Avalon
Argento's Susperia
Like Water for Chocolate
Strictly Ballroom
Eat Drink Man Woman
El Santo's Mexican "superhero" movies were terrible in a rubber-necking carcrash way, especially "Samson the Silver Mask Man vs the Vampire Women" and "El Santo and the Blue Demon vs. Dracula and the Wolfman"
Early Jackie Chan, especially Armour of God, which I still consider to be his best movie even 20 years later. |
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zappalives
Joined: 15 May 2006
Location: Gyeongju
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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I forgot to mention the films of Wong Kar-Wai:
Days of Being Wild
Chungking Express
Fallen Angels
Happy Together
In the Mood for Love
2046
All have an incredibly strong visual style with storytelling and characters reminiscent of a Murakami novel. His next film, Blueberry Nights, is his first in America cinema. Should be interesting. |
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Xerxes
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Location: Down a certain (rabbit) hole, apparently
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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| ddeubel wrote: |
| Pelle the conqueror. Max von Sydow gives the performance of a lifetime...Historical and based on a novel. Full of humanity. |
Not that I have anything against ddeubel or against such genre, but to give balance to the opinions here given, I must disagree. I saw My Left Foot, and I thought that that movie sucked. If you like the Foot flick, then you would like the Conqueror film too, I guess.
I do like anything by Akira Kurosawa, but like Ridley Scott movies, they lack a compelling or a sophisticated script/pathos. What both don't have in that, they make up for in great cinematography: the view is just luscious. Ran is king in this category. But avoid "Dreams" like the plague. It sucked serious eggs.
(Can you tell that I'm just jawing off so that I can easily find this thread later in the "view your posts" feature of this web site? Well, I am. I'm bumping and jawing, so fire away with the good recommendations. Can someone do a service and list the movie suggestions threads that have been here in the history of Dave's so that I can peruse them all?) |
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Greekfreak
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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| I almost forgot: "Strawberry and Chocolate". Currently unavailable and brilliant. |
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ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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| K3G. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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I was bored stiff by "In the Mood for Love" but Japanese movies don't generally do it for me at all. They're so slow, gentle, subtle and symbolic that they just float over my head.
Chinese movies, on the other hand, knock me out. Zhang Yimou has been doing incredible work for years, and is one of the most painterly directors I've seen. I don't go for sentiment or melodrama, but Chinese drama is potent, heart-wrenching stuff. You've probably seen "House of the Flying Daggers" and "Hero" but he's been doing less ambitious, more family-centred movies for some time, usually starring the majestic Gong Li. "Raise the Red Lantern" is the jewel in his collection, in my opinion.
If you develop a taste for Chinese cinema, make sure you've seen Kaige Chen's work, especially "Farewell My Concubine." If you've seen that movie, you might be interested to note that the lithe, dashing Leslie Cheung committed suicide in 2003 (that's news to me, anyway.)
Taiwanese film is pretty groovy too-- "Eat Drink Man Woman" is a funny, sexy movie you won't mind watching over and over (Ang Lee directed this, and went on to make heaps of well-known Hollywood movies.) |
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re:cursive
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:30 am Post subject: |
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| Zoobot wrote: |
| Brain fart! I meant the guy who influenced them: Jan �vankmajer? |
That's more like it...love his stuff. |
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PimpofKorea
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Location: Dealing in high quality imported English
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| Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:50 am Post subject: |
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| My favorite foreign film would have to be Turbulence 3 Heavy Metal......that movies just kicks so much anus....it really does |
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Mr. Friday
Joined: 18 Nov 2006
Location: for now - WI, USA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:25 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I was bored stiff by "In the Mood for Love" but Japanese movies... |
Um, that is a Chinese/HK movie. As are it's director (Wong Kar-Wai), actors and crew. It's even set in Hong Kong. And they all spoke Cantonese (which sounds different than Japanese even to a western ear.) The exception is an Aussie named Christopher Doyle, famous as WKW's longtime cinematographer.
Maybe you were bored because you weren't paying any attention? 
(yes, it is a slow-paced movie, but it's supposed to be - and it's one of my favorites of all time, frankly.) |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
ddeubel wrote:
Pelle the conqueror. Max von Sydow gives the performance of a lifetime...Historical and based on a novel. Full of humanity.
Not that I have anything against ddeubel or against such genre, but to give balance to the opinions here given, I must disagree. I saw My Left Foot, and I thought that that movie sucked. If you like the Foot flick, then you would like the Conqueror film too, I guess. |
Hey, I think that indeed makes it a "great" foreign film. A film that is liked by everyone, scripted to appeal to all is truly "Hollywood" and that wouldn't be "foreign". I think a great film takes risks (beyond going for applause all around) and especially in just plain storytelling , without all the technical obfuscation and all the need to keep things going only through action, busting up, shooting and shouting.......
But I mentioned Pelle not only because it is a film I've seen many times and always can take something from (a sign to me of a good film) but also because it did get an academy award (so is recognized by those that aren't just pure cineophiles) and is a good , clean story, well told. Also mentioned it because the OP is looking for films to watch. I only recommend those that I don't think appeal only to me personally. For example, I love Satjayit Ray. Panther Panchali would top the list and show that Indian film is more than Bollywood. He IS the greatest IMhonestO. But I would never for example, expect others to be so enamoured. So I didn't recommend him.
To conclude, I guess a great film is not only those that have mass appeal. They say something to someone somewhere, in a profound fashion.
Also, has anyone here ever seen the Aussie film, "Chant of Jamie Blacksmith"? I'd love to know the directors name........tour de force of a film.
DD
PS> I liked My Left Foot and have been waiting for the sequel, My Right Foot... |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. Friday wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I was bored stiff by "In the Mood for Love" but Japanese movies... |
Um, that is a Chinese/HK movie. As are it's director (Wong Kar-Wai), actors and crew. It's even set in Hong Kong. And they all spoke Cantonese (which sounds different than Japanese even to a western ear.) The exception is an Aussie named Christopher Doyle, famous as WKW's longtime cinematographer.
Maybe you were bored because you weren't paying any attention?
(yes, it is a slow-paced movie, but it's supposed to be - and it's one of my favorites of all time, frankly.) |
It came highly recommended, and I really tried to like it, but I just couldn't. I don't think I even finished. I can distinguish Cantonese from Japanese, but I must have remembered that movie as Japanese because it was so excruciatingly slow.  |
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oni
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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Chungking Express is wonderful!
I love singing California Dreamin reminds me of that movie. |
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zappalives
Joined: 15 May 2006
Location: Gyeongju
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| Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:43 am Post subject: |
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| kermo wrote: |
| Mr. Friday wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I was bored stiff by "In the Mood for Love" but Japanese movies... |
Um, that is a Chinese/HK movie. As are it's director (Wong Kar-Wai), actors and crew. It's even set in Hong Kong. And they all spoke Cantonese (which sounds different than Japanese even to a western ear.) The exception is an Aussie named Christopher Doyle, famous as WKW's longtime cinematographer.
Maybe you were bored because you weren't paying any attention?
(yes, it is a slow-paced movie, but it's supposed to be - and it's one of my favorites of all time, frankly.) |
It came highly recommended, and I really tried to like it, but I just couldn't. I don't think I even finished. I can distinguish Cantonese from Japanese, but I must have remembered that movie as Japanese because it was so excruciatingly slow. |
Yeah, unless it's a Warhol film of a single subject for god-knows how many hours, I never get bored of something, anything onscreen. I can see how it would appear sluggish to others. But do Japanese films tend to be slow then?
And whenever I hear California Dreaming, I think of Chungking Express as well. It's a good feeling. |
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Delirium's Brother
Joined: 08 May 2006
Location: Out in that field with Rumi, waiting for you to join us!
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| Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:27 am Post subject: |
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| Hollywoodaction wrote: |
| jinju wrote: |
Double Life of Veronique
Three Colors: Red, Blue, White
Decalogue |
I like your taste in movies. |
Yes, when it comes to things visual (including movies), Jinju has good taste. I especially like Three Colors, too.
Another movie to recommend: "Raise the Red Lantern"--Zhang Yimou (dir) has an incredible visual style, and a knack for choosing a gripping story. It features a young Gong Li. He was dating her at the time. It's the story of a newly arrived 4th wife in a traditional Chinese merchant's home, and all the internal politics she faces. It is a riveting narrative masterpiece with a devestating ending. Anything by him is good, but I highly recommend this one.
Another good one by him is "Red Sorghum"--also with Gong Li.
Recently, he has branched out into Chinese martial arts magical realism, including "House of Flying Daggers" and "Hero." "House of Flying Daggers" is an under-appreciated classic, but watch "Raise the Red Lantern." It has nothing to do with martial arts--it's a visual and narrative masterpiece (Yes, I know I said that already).
peace,
ps. If we could only get Jinju past that whole Jessica Alba thing....
pps. I just read the rest of the thread and see that Kermo also recommends "Raise the Red Lantern." Good on her too, for having such good taste. It really is a gem (and so is she). Now I ask you, "Can Kermo be wrong?" (Don't answer that!) |
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