Dowdsy McDowds
Sally was here
Lately I've been on a binge of German films and have seen some fantastic films that I wish I could talk about with more people. However, even my friends who love their films are somewhat hesitant about foreign language films outside of a select group; Night Watch, Pan's Labyrinth, City of God and Battle Royale.
This frustrates me as the above mentioned films came with a lot of hype upon each of their releases and were/are well received, but there are many other films that have come out after these films which are strong films that showcase great actors and directorial skill.
So before I ramble on any further, what are your top 5 foreign language films of the last decade, and why?
I'll get mine out of the way first, though in no particular order:
1 - North Face - This is a German film set in 1930s Germany where a newspaper wants to attract european and global attention to the upcoming Olympic games by issuing an open challenge for the best mountaineers to try and scale the fearsome north face of the Eiger mountain. There are underlying tones of class and racial superiority which makes the story about more than just mountain climbing, although some of the shots and scenes are breath-taking.
2 - Rec - Spanish film set in Barcelona where a reporter is following a fire crew for the evening when they are called out to an apartment complex. The documentary style of filming allows for some intense shocks and amazingly tense moments where personally even I was holding my breath so as not to disturb what was happening on screen. It's sequel is worth a watch too and the third is on the way, so watching the first installment before the third appears would be recommended.
3 - 13 (tzatemi) - Well, this is maybe my favourite French film. Like the phenomenal La Haine, it is shot entirely in Black and White but has a narrower, simpler plot that cranks up the tension to unbelievable levels by the end. We follow a French/Georgian man, about 22 I think, who is doing a roofing job when he overhears a way to make a lot of money. He follows instructions to be picked up in the middle of nowhere and is then taken to a house where 12 other men have numbers designated to them and rich men betting on them as they play several rounds of a variant on Russian Roulette. Highly recommended.
4 - Ong Bak - Tony Jaa's breakout film, and rightly so. The sequels were horrible, but the first is a great martial arts film. Simple plot, funny supporting characters and some unbelievable action/fighting scenes, it's hard to go wrong with this film quite honestly!
5 - The Lives of Others - Another German film and one that won the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Set in East Germany in the 1980s, the main character is part of the secret police whose job it is to monitor certain individuals who may be reading illegal literature and writing articles criticizing the ruling powers. As the hero continues to monitor his targets, he begins to become disillusioned with the assignment and learns of ulterior motives as to why he has been assigned the task. An excellent film with a tremendous ending, worthy Oscar winner.
This frustrates me as the above mentioned films came with a lot of hype upon each of their releases and were/are well received, but there are many other films that have come out after these films which are strong films that showcase great actors and directorial skill.
So before I ramble on any further, what are your top 5 foreign language films of the last decade, and why?
I'll get mine out of the way first, though in no particular order:
1 - North Face - This is a German film set in 1930s Germany where a newspaper wants to attract european and global attention to the upcoming Olympic games by issuing an open challenge for the best mountaineers to try and scale the fearsome north face of the Eiger mountain. There are underlying tones of class and racial superiority which makes the story about more than just mountain climbing, although some of the shots and scenes are breath-taking.
2 - Rec - Spanish film set in Barcelona where a reporter is following a fire crew for the evening when they are called out to an apartment complex. The documentary style of filming allows for some intense shocks and amazingly tense moments where personally even I was holding my breath so as not to disturb what was happening on screen. It's sequel is worth a watch too and the third is on the way, so watching the first installment before the third appears would be recommended.
3 - 13 (tzatemi) - Well, this is maybe my favourite French film. Like the phenomenal La Haine, it is shot entirely in Black and White but has a narrower, simpler plot that cranks up the tension to unbelievable levels by the end. We follow a French/Georgian man, about 22 I think, who is doing a roofing job when he overhears a way to make a lot of money. He follows instructions to be picked up in the middle of nowhere and is then taken to a house where 12 other men have numbers designated to them and rich men betting on them as they play several rounds of a variant on Russian Roulette. Highly recommended.
4 - Ong Bak - Tony Jaa's breakout film, and rightly so. The sequels were horrible, but the first is a great martial arts film. Simple plot, funny supporting characters and some unbelievable action/fighting scenes, it's hard to go wrong with this film quite honestly!
5 - The Lives of Others - Another German film and one that won the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Set in East Germany in the 1980s, the main character is part of the secret police whose job it is to monitor certain individuals who may be reading illegal literature and writing articles criticizing the ruling powers. As the hero continues to monitor his targets, he begins to become disillusioned with the assignment and learns of ulterior motives as to why he has been assigned the task. An excellent film with a tremendous ending, worthy Oscar winner.
