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What Americans Are Missing Out OnApr 15 '03 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Go and see movies from different countries, it will do you good! I find it incredible that in most other countries, they play foreign movies all the time in big theaters, whereas in the United States, it is difficult to watch foreign films in a theater, unless their is a specialized theater. Other countries make absolutely wonderful movies, and they are done quite differently than American movies. Of course, some of the most popular ones have come through, like Life is Beautiful and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but most don't. So here is a list of my favorite foreign films. I hope you check them out. Although their are some fantastic I am not including British movies in this list, they are not that foreign and are as popular in the States. In no particular order: 1) Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain or Amelie (2001): French. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Audrey Tatou and Mathieu Kassovitz. The wonderful story of a young girl who wants to help others and forgets about herself. She finds love along the way. Very interestingly shot, you get a real idea of the beauty of Montmartre in this film. 2) La Vita e Bella or Life is Beautiful (1997): Italian. Directed by Roberto Benigni, starring Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi. A very touching story about the Nazi invasion and how a father tries to keep his son and wife happy during the concentration story. I don't cry easily at movies, but this is one of them. 3) Festen or The Celebration (1998): Danish. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg, starring Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Paprika Steen, Birthe Neumann, Trine Dyrholm, Helle Dolleris, and Therese Glahn. A very disturbing movie about a family, come together for the father's 60th birthday. At first it is very boring and everything seems normal, and then arise the complications and the secrets. 4) Ma Vie en Rose or My Life in Pink (1997): Belgiun/French. Directed by Alain Berliner, starring Michele Laroque, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey, Helene Vincent, Georges du Fresne. A sweet movie about a little boy that wants to be a little girl. Witness his trials and tribulations as he tries to be accepted as a girl. 5) Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996): Indian. Directed by Mira Nair, starring Indira Varma, Sarita Choudhury, Ramon Tikaram, Naveen Andrews. Set in the 16th century about two girls who were brought up together, one becoming a princess, the other her servant. A very interesting story, that is not that sexual. 6) Wo Hu Chang Long or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000): Chinese. Directed by Ang Lee, starring Yun-Fat Chow, Michelle Yeoh, and Ziyi Zhang. Another touching story of love, with tons of action and amazing special effects and choreographing of fights. 7) Les Visiteurs or The Visitors (1993): French. Directed by Jean-Marie Poire, starring Christian Clavier, Jean Reno, Valerie Lemercier, Marie-Anne Chazel, Christian Bujeau, and Isabelle Nanty. A very funny adventure about two men, one a knight, the other his footman, thrown into the present day. See how they fumble around the future. By the way, this version (the first) is a lot funnier than the American version that just came out. 8) Lola Rennt or Run, Lola, Run (1998): German. Directed by Tom Tykwer, starring Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup, and Nina Petri. A very confusing story about all the "what ifs" that could happen and their conclusions. 9) Chong Qing Sen Lin or Chungking Express (1994): Chinese. Directed by Kar-wai Wong, starring Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Faye Wong, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Valerie Chow. There are two different stories in this movie, it gets a little confusing because nothing is very much explained, but they are both hopeless love-stories, of course. 10)Johnny Stecchino or Johnny Toothpick (1991): Italian. Directed by Roberto Benigni, starring Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi. A hilarious movie that will make you fall on the floor about a non-importent man who is mistaken for a huge mafia guy whom everyone wants dead. Great fun. Although their are some fantastic British (Monty Pythons, Sliding Doors, Bridget Jone's Diary, Pride and Prejudice, etc) and Australian movies (Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, Strictly Ballroom, Muriel's Wedding, etc), I am not including them in this list as they are not as foreign to us. Also, if you noticed, I tried not to go back too far in history. I also know that there are a lot I have missed and as soon as I get a tv, I will try to catch up on my foreign-film watching. For now, I am stuck with movies that appear in the theater in France. Go and see movies in a different language!  |
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