Posted October 21, 2016
victorchopin
Laika's man
Registered: May 2011
From Congo, Republic of
Telika
Registered: Apr 2012
From Switzerland
victorchopin
Laika's man
Registered: May 2011
From Congo, Republic of
Posted October 21, 2016
amok
FREEEEDOOOM!!!!
Registered: Sep 2008
From United Kingdom
Posted October 21, 2016
Leroux
Major Blockhead
Registered: Apr 2010
From Germany
Posted October 21, 2016
I've seen Festen, Adams Aebler, Pan's Labyrinth, Vals im Bashir, Papurika, The Secret of Kells, Persepolis. La vie d'Adèle / Blue is the Warmest Color has been on my list for quite some time, but I didn't get a chance to watch it yet. Thanks for all the suggestions!
Post edited October 21, 2016 by Leroux
fronzelneekburm
I'm back!
Registered: Apr 2012
From China, People's Republic of
Posted October 21, 2016
Since coming-of-age stories are your thing, I'll just go ahead and recommend...
Spetters - Described as a modern-day fairy tale by its writer, this is the story of three princes (or rather: three motorbike-crazed working-class Dutch youths) and their quest to win the heart of a princess (the opportunistic town mattress who is sick of her job at a fries stand). Transgressive, crude, vulgar, unremittingly bleak and cynical, with director Paul Verhoeven's trademark touches of black humor, this was so heavily attacked in the director's native Netherlands that he chose to try his luck in Hollywood instead. And yet, somewhere underneath layers upon layers of cynicism, there seems to be a deep sympathy for the ill-fated protagonists. I found it profoundly moving.
Two other early works by Verhoeven well worth a watch are Turks Fruit and The Fourth Man.
Spetters - Described as a modern-day fairy tale by its writer, this is the story of three princes (or rather: three motorbike-crazed working-class Dutch youths) and their quest to win the heart of a princess (the opportunistic town mattress who is sick of her job at a fries stand). Transgressive, crude, vulgar, unremittingly bleak and cynical, with director Paul Verhoeven's trademark touches of black humor, this was so heavily attacked in the director's native Netherlands that he chose to try his luck in Hollywood instead. And yet, somewhere underneath layers upon layers of cynicism, there seems to be a deep sympathy for the ill-fated protagonists. I found it profoundly moving.
Two other early works by Verhoeven well worth a watch are Turks Fruit and The Fourth Man.
DeepSpaceMatt
InsertTitleHere
Registered: Aug 2010
From United States
Posted October 21, 2016
Hunt for the Wilderpeople. A great movie from New Zealand. Funny and touching. Fairly new.
Black Lightning. From Russia. Pretty predictable but it's fun superhero/flying car stuff.
Grave of the Fireflies. Not just one of my favorite anime movies, but one of my favorite movies period of all time.
Black Lightning. From Russia. Pretty predictable but it's fun superhero/flying car stuff.
Grave of the Fireflies. Not just one of my favorite anime movies, but one of my favorite movies period of all time.
wbmatic
New User
Registered: Mar 2014
From United States
Posted October 22, 2016
Everyone knows Oldboy, but this one is my favorite:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/im_a_cyborg_but_thats_ok/
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/im_a_cyborg_but_thats_ok/
rampancy
Think Different.
Registered: Sep 2008
From Canada
Posted October 22, 2016
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/im_a_cyborg_but_thats_ok/
Some more great Korean films:
A Company Man (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2371486/): A very typical, "Hitman Develops a Conscience" movie, but with a very Korean twist: here, our (anti)hero works in a group of assassins that also doubles/is disgusised as a lowly building supplies firm, where everyone -- even down to the pretty middle-aged secretary at the front counter -- is an elite, highly-trained professional assassin. The result is a pretty good Jason Bourne-esque action movie that also doubles as a very incisive critique of corporate business culture (especially Korean work culture).
Memories of Murder (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0353969/): A procedural police story/whodunit, but set across the chaotic politics of mid-1980's South Korea. Based on a true story (the killer was never found), this movie features some fantastic cinematography and direction from Bong Joon-Ho (who also did Snowpiercer). It's one of my favorite Korean movies -- hell, it's one of my favorite movies, period. A great watch for anyone who's interested in mystery/police stories, and in movies showcasing great directorial artistry. The fact that the actors all perform beautifully also helps, too.
Train to Busan (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5700672/): While it's not as genre-defining as say, Shaun of the Dead, Train to Busan is still a very well-acted and well-made zombie movie, and it's a definite must-see for any fans of the genre. There's a nice little scene with two homely old ladies that really made this film for me. Oh yes, and it's got a healthy dose of social commentary about the sociopolitically conservative older generations of Koreans, vs. younger Koreans who've grown up in a post-1990's Korea.
Post edited October 22, 2016 by rampancy
atoning
New User
Registered: Sep 2011
From Australia
Posted October 22, 2016
Infernal Affairs - A Hong Kongese movie that The Depahted was based on. I actually haven't watched it, but people say it's better than The Depahted, so if that's true, it should be pretty good.
Van Dieman's Land - This is from Tasmania, an island cut off from the mainland of Australia, modern day inhabitants have names such as Black Bob and there's some questionable genetic material floating around (this makes it International to me). It's a harrowing tale of convicts escaping and having to survive the brutal winter.
Van Dieman's Land - This is from Tasmania, an island cut off from the mainland of Australia, modern day inhabitants have names such as Black Bob and there's some questionable genetic material floating around (this makes it International to me). It's a harrowing tale of convicts escaping and having to survive the brutal winter.
Post edited October 22, 2016 by atoning
wbmatic
New User
Registered: Mar 2014
From United States
Posted October 22, 2016
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/im_a_cyborg_but_thats_ok/
Some more great Korean films:
Nirth
GFN / VR / Switch!
Registered: Oct 2010
From Other
Posted October 22, 2016
That sounds very similar to this one: <span class="bold">A Bittersweet Life</span>
I didn't really like the excessive action, predictable plot or half-attempt at a romance (although far better than most in Hollywood) but the way it was filmed was very cool. I remember one scene, without using obvious CGI the main character outlined his targets and makes the audience see it through body language and looks, almost like a video game but without a HUD or support tools.
I've been meaning to watch that for months, mystery police movies always reminds me of this one:
Black Coal, Thin Ice - A weird movie about a cop who chases some murderers but who cares about such a boring plot. The interesting part here is how it is filmed, it's very curious. In some places mundane but the next moment it's like, wow even if it's not too action-oriented. Another I want to rewatch without subtitles to see things I missed. Not the kind of movie to watch if you want to fall asleep, this requires attention to be enjoyed in my opinion.
<span class="bold">Castaway on the Moon</span> - Something is wrong with me. I'm drawn to people want to leave this life willingly. It begins with a man who wants to leave life and fails. Ends up in a no-mans-land and then just weird stuff happens. Too much Hollywood ending but otherwise a superb movie about the difference between surviving and living and being self-aware enough to know where you are.
<span class="bold">Cìkè Niè Yinniáng</span> - Or The Assassin. Another slow, almost boring movie that I enjoy only because the director uses a different filming technique. In retrospect after I had watched it things actually happened but I really liked the fact that I had read that nothing happened so I had zero expectations.
I didn't really like the excessive action, predictable plot or half-attempt at a romance (although far better than most in Hollywood) but the way it was filmed was very cool. I remember one scene, without using obvious CGI the main character outlined his targets and makes the audience see it through body language and looks, almost like a video game but without a HUD or support tools.
I've been meaning to watch that for months, mystery police movies always reminds me of this one:
Black Coal, Thin Ice - A weird movie about a cop who chases some murderers but who cares about such a boring plot. The interesting part here is how it is filmed, it's very curious. In some places mundane but the next moment it's like, wow even if it's not too action-oriented. Another I want to rewatch without subtitles to see things I missed. Not the kind of movie to watch if you want to fall asleep, this requires attention to be enjoyed in my opinion.
<span class="bold">Castaway on the Moon</span> - Something is wrong with me. I'm drawn to people want to leave this life willingly. It begins with a man who wants to leave life and fails. Ends up in a no-mans-land and then just weird stuff happens. Too much Hollywood ending but otherwise a superb movie about the difference between surviving and living and being self-aware enough to know where you are.
<span class="bold">Cìkè Niè Yinniáng</span> - Or The Assassin. Another slow, almost boring movie that I enjoy only because the director uses a different filming technique. In retrospect after I had watched it things actually happened but I really liked the fact that I had read that nothing happened so I had zero expectations.
Leroux
Major Blockhead
Registered: Apr 2010
From Germany
Posted October 22, 2016
Very interesting suggestions all around, thanks! I've only seen I'm A Cyborg But That's OK, Grave of the Fireflies and, possibly, Infernal Affairs.
darthyip: Hunt for the Wilderpeople. A great movie from New Zealand. Funny and touching. Fairly new. I'm a fan of Taika Waititi's work but hadn't heard of his latest movie yet, thanks for bringing it to my attention!
PaterAlf
Cookie Monster
Registered: Apr 2012
From Christmas Island
Posted October 22, 2016
Another movie from New Zealand:
Scarfies - Some students find an abandoned marijuana plantation in the basement of their house. They decide to sell the pot, but when the original owner returns the problems start and things get out of control.
I've seen this movie when I visited New Zealand in 1999. Don't think it was ever released in Germany (but in the USA it was released as Crime 101).
Scarfies - Some students find an abandoned marijuana plantation in the basement of their house. They decide to sell the pot, but when the original owner returns the problems start and things get out of control.
I've seen this movie when I visited New Zealand in 1999. Don't think it was ever released in Germany (but in the USA it was released as Crime 101).
babark
Pirate Mullah
Registered: Dec 2010
From Pakistan
Posted October 22, 2016
Some good ones that I don't think have been mentioned (but are quite good, so likely quite famous already, so you probably know them, so they haven't been mentioned):
Attack the Block (english, but from the UK)
Let Me In (the original, not the Hollywood remake)
Red Cliff I & II
Valhalla Rising
Le Samouraï
And with much more serious subject matter (I guess you have to be in the proper mood to watch them):
The Battle Of Algiers
The Lives of Others
Vals Im Bashir
And if you want something from this neck of the woods, perhaps you could look out for Zibahkhana. I'm not much of a horror/slasher fan, so my recommendation wouldn't be helpful, but it seems well received, and I was almost part of the movie! :D
Attack the Block (english, but from the UK)
Let Me In (the original, not the Hollywood remake)
Red Cliff I & II
Valhalla Rising
Le Samouraï
And with much more serious subject matter (I guess you have to be in the proper mood to watch them):
The Battle Of Algiers
The Lives of Others
Vals Im Bashir
And if you want something from this neck of the woods, perhaps you could look out for Zibahkhana. I'm not much of a horror/slasher fan, so my recommendation wouldn't be helpful, but it seems well received, and I was almost part of the movie! :D