Cinema Nouveau: Art House, Independent & Foreign Movies

[PythonFSi]

For the past few years I've been watcing more foriegn and independent movies than the normal Hollywood crap.
Most of these movies are far superior to the normal hollywood type in anycase.

My Top 5:
5. Callas Forever
4. The Libertine
3. Angela's Ashes
2. The Kite Runner
1. Memoirs Of A Geisha

[porn$tar]

Pan's Labyrinth, City of God

[pos(t)er]

I've watched The Counterfeiters recently, it's still running. Recommended, but definitely not as light entertainment.

Isn't funny and telling of SA people's mindset that something like No Country for Old Men was shown in Nouveau cinemas?

[eek]

Pan's Labyrinth was brilliant!

And who can forget Amelie...that went down well on the World Cinema front...and a great movie IMO!

[PythonFSi]

Pan's Labyrinth was brilliant!

And who can forget Amelie...that went down well on the World Cinema front...and a great movie IMO!

Hey! How could I forget about these two movies . . . they were excellent!

[pos(t)er]

Jean de Florette + Manon de Sources (the sequel). {Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil, Emmanuelle Beart, Hippolyte Girardot, Gerard Depardieu}
These are French movies with a great story.

Yes, those are very much classics.

[PythonFSi]

Another one of my favourites:
Mysterious Skin - I only got it after I watched the movie - its about sexual abuse of kids.
The way this guy went about it was so subtle you wouldn't say.

[Globetrotter]

I'm a huge fan of cinema nouveau movies.

All movies by director Pedro Almodovar e.g. Talk To Her (Hable con ella) and director Alex Van Warmerdam e.g. De Jurk (The Dress), Kleine Teun (Little Tony), Ober (Waiter).

I prefer european movies. Too many titles to mention! I can't remember the titles of all the foreign movies I've seen but here's a few independent movies I liked, in no particular order:

Amelie (french)
The Crying Game
Pulp Fiction
Lost In Translation
Fargo
Trainspotting
Shallow Grave
Il Postino (italian)
As It Is In Heaven (swedish)
The Milagro Beanfield war
Baghdad Café
Antonia's Line (dutch)
The Big Lebowski
Lock, Stock and 2 smoking barrels
Run Lola Run (german)
Don't move (Non ti muovere - italian)
Karakter (dutch)
The Full Monty
Withnail and I
The Commitments
Motorcycle Diaries (Diarios de motocicleta - spanish)
City of God (Cidade de Deus - Portugese)
The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Aderen - german)
Good Bye Lenin! (german)
Aussie movies like Muriel's Wedding, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Dish, The Sum of Us, Shine
In The Name Of The Father
East is East
Waking Ned
101 Reykjavik (icelandic)

[pos(t)er]

I'm a huge fan of cinema nouveau movies.

All movies by director Pedro Almodovar e.g. Talk To Her (Hable con ella) and director Alex Van Warmerdam e.g. De Jurk (The Dress), Kleine Teun (Little Tony), Ober (Waiter).

I prefer european movies. Too many titles to mention! I can't remember the titles of all the foreign movies I've seen but here's a few independent movies I liked, in no particular order:

Amelie (french)
The Crying Game
Pulp Fiction
Lost In Translation
Fargo
Trainspotting
Shallow Grave
Il Postino (italian)
As It Is In Heaven (swedish)
The Milagro Beanfield war
Baghdad Café
Antonia's Line (dutch)
The Big Lebowski
Lock, Stock and 2 smoking barrels
Run Lola Run (german)
Don't move (Non ti muovere - italian)
Karakter (dutch)
The Full Monty
Withnail and I
The Commitments
Motorcycle Diaries (Diarios de motocicleta - spanish)
City of God (Cidade de Deus - Portugese)
The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Aderen - german)
Good Bye Lenin! (german)
Aussie movies like Muriel's Wedding, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Dish, The Sum of Us, Shine
In The Name Of The Father
East is East
Waking Ned
101 Reykjavik (icelandic)

OMG i just have to see this. I read the book and it was just about the most brilliant combination of humour and general randomness i.ve come across.

[PeterCH]

I could talk about this for hours. Recently been watching some Andrei Tarkovsky. Brilliant director.

Best directors to look out for (many deceased) and some of their films, there are dozens more. Most of these people are not well known to mainstream film viewers, if for ex, DSTV is your source of good films, you'll never see any of these films. However, these are the directors who are studied in film school and who are the true masters of the art of cinema.

Andrei Tarkovsky (RU) - Solaris, Nostalgia, The Mirror
Hiroshi Teshigahara (JP) - Rikyu, Woman in the Dunes, The Face of Another
Krzystof Kieslowski (PL) - Decalogue, 3 Colours
Ingmar Bergman (SE) - Scenes from a Marriage, Through a Glass Darkly, Seventh Seal
Fracois Truffaut (FR) - Day for Night, 400 Blows
Lynne Ramsay (UK) - Ratcatcher
Cristian Mungiu (RO) - 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
John Cassavetes (US) - The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Lucile Hadzihalolovic (CZ) - Innocence
Yasujiro Ozu (JP) - Early Summer
Roman Polanski (PL) - Knife in the Water
Luc Bresson (FR) - Mouchette
Andrzej Wajda (PL) - Danton, Landscape After the Battle, The Birch Wood, The Promised Land
Mike Leigh (US) - Naked
Krysztof Zanussi (PL) - Camouflage
Shinji Aoyama (JP) - Eureka
Volker Schlöndorff (DE) - Tin Drum
Hirokazu Koreeda (JP) - Nobody Knows
Michael Haneke (AU) - The Piano Teacher
Rémy Belvaux (FR) - Man Bites Dog
Akira Kurosawa (JP) - Ran, Ikiru, Rashomon
Aleksandr Sokurov (RU) - Russian Ark
Shunji Iwai (JP) - All About Lily Chou-Chou, Love Letter
Wojchiech Has (PL) - The Hour-Glass Sanatorium, The Tribulations of Balthazar Kober
Agnes Varda (BE) - Jane B. by Agnes V.
Isao Takahata (JP) - Grave of the Fireflies (animated)

I own most of these films and many more, especially obscure hard-to-come by ones,
eg The Children of Hiroshima.

[Hosehead]

The Big Lebowski is absolutely a classic must own

I dig independent nonhollywood films, but dislike the labels stuck on them as Arthouse or Foreign . While there are some real gems, there is an awful amount of pure crap one has to wade through too.

[PeterCH]

The Big Lebowski is absolutely a classic must own

I dig independent nonhollywood films, but dislike the labels stuck on them as Arthouse or Foreign . While there are some real gems, there is an awful amount of pure crap one has to wade through too.

I agree about the labels. However the best way to avoid cr@p is to look at the awards or follow the better film-makers. There are some great upcoming film makers for example: Shunji Iwai (All About Lily Chou-Chou), Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days), Lucile Hadzihalolovic (Innocence) and Lynne Ramsay (Ratcatcher), also lots of Cannes, Berlin, Venice, etc awards everyone on the list I posted which is by no means complete - just my favourites. Pedro Almodovar is great too, he does a lot of 'GAY' themed cinema but he is a great filmmaker too. Stanley Kubrick was also omitted but was a great film maker - his Barry Lyndon was his
best work IMO.

Do note that not all great films are independent. Most indie films are not so good. Many foreign films are gems, sadly most of these are from the 60-90s. Overall the quality of movie making has gone down I think. Technically everything is better, with
better film stock and cheap 4K cameras available but the intelligence of many current films is just not there. Audiences were more
astute in the 60-80s than now.

Many great directors also burn out. Andrzej Wajda and Akira Kurosawa IMO burned out, they still made great films later on but their true films were in the 60-90s.

The differences in style are also notable. Ingmar Bergman liked his long zooms while Tarkovsky (who was much admired by the former) hated zooms and did not care about lighting which really got to Nik Vyst (Bergman's operator) when he did a film
with Tarkovsky. The difference in budgeting is also there. Non-US films have small budgets.

[Hosehead]

PeterCH You left Wim Wenders off the list;)

[PeterCH]

PeterCH You left Wim Wenders off the list;)

It's incomplete, I know. :)

[TheHiveMind]

I prefer foreign movies and cult classics too. within the last few weeks I watched these:

Lilya4ever
House of flying daggers
The Vanishing (original)
Osama

ED::
Aleksandr Sokurov (RU) - Russian Ark]
Watched that too, weird kind of documentary about Russian History. All shot in one take.

[pos(t)er]

If i'm not mistaken Andrei Tarkovsky also directed(and acted)in a War and Peace adaption.
Saw it recently, it's 40 years old but quite brilliant. I might have to agree with Peterch that film has decreased in quality.

But then again The Coen brothers, Ang Lee, etc. are very good themselves.

[PeterCH]

If i'm not mistaken Andrei Tarkovsky also directed(and acted)in a War and Peace adaption.
Saw it recently, it's 40 years old but quite brilliant. I might have to agree with Peterch that film has decreased in quality.

But then again The Coen brothers, Ang Lee, etc. are very good themselves.

According to IMBD he played a White officer in Sergey Lazo
but that would be a time period 100 years later.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001789/

Those who are interested in obtaining these films:
www.daaveedee.com R1, R2, R4, etc eg Artificial Eye
www.hkflix.com
www.amazon.com or other R1 retailers: Criterion Collection and KINO releases.
www.cdjapan.co.jp some R2
www.Ebay.com some rarer films
www.superhappyfun.com very rare films, not found elsewhere
www.amazon.com marketplace - some EU releases

[Globetrotter]

Those who are interested in obtaining these films:


Thanks for the info. For every american movie I see, I probably see 10 indie/foreign/art house movies. Since foreign/indie movies are only released in a few theatres here and are rarely released on DVD, I make a point of checking Cinema Nouveau theatre schedules all the time just in case a little gem makes its appearance.

[PeterCH]

Thanks for the info. For every american movie I see, I probably see 10 indie/foreign/art house movies. Since foreign/indie movies are only released in a few theatres here and are rarely released on DVD, I make a point of checking Cinema Nouveau theatre schedules all the time just in case a little gem makes its appearance.

Thanks.

The widest selection of good films, often with a running commentary track by a film critic, biographer or even a member of the production crew belongs to the Criterion Collection. Those are all US releases. You can see their entire catalog at www.criterionco.com and then buy the actual films at
www.cduniverse.com (US based)
www.dvdpacific.com (US based)
www.amazon.com (US based)
www.ebay.com (lots of resellers). (multinational)
www.hkflix.com (US based)

Some good films, eg some by Bergman are released by MGM on DVD
(though these are not MGM films).
These are also R1.

Other R1 publishers of note are KINO. They have a wide selection of films.
Also available above.

Sometimes some films are not available in Region 1. Some European releases are only available on R2 disks from Artificial Eye or Second Run. Second Run has more value added features usually, eg an essay and extra with interviews or docus about the director but sometimes even AE has some good stuff.
The third in R2 catagory is Tartan Video.

You'll find these at:
www.amazon.co.uk
www.daaveedee.com (based in US but have R2 PAL releases).
www.hkflix.com (based in the US but has international repertoire)

You may also find worthwhile films as R3 (Hong Kong)
releases:
www.ebay.com
www.hkflix.com

R2 releases from Japan but also featuring international films (some European fims unreleased in the West on DVD):
www.cdjapan.co.jp
www.amazon.co.jp

R4 releases (AUS and NZ):
www.ezydvd.com.au

Amazon Marketplace often has DVDs released in Europe but unavailable
via the usual channels, just make sure you understand Swedish, French,
German etc. Some films have English subtitles too.
www.amazon.com
www.ebay.com

Rare films unavailable on DVD:
www.ebay.com
www.superhappyfun.com

Some examples:

MGM Ingmar Bergman release (Serpent's Egg):
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ingmar-Bergman-Liv-Ullmann-THE-SERPENTS-EGG-Brand-NEW_W0QQitemZ380081436871QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_DVD _HD_DVD_Blu_ray?hash=item380081436871&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1209%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318

10 DVD Ingmar Bergman boxset: (non-official release possibly)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ingmar-Bergman-10-DVD-Collection-Box-English-Subtitle_W0QQitemZ120321233604QQcmdZViewItemQQptZU S_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray?hash=item120321233604&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1209%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318

Innocence (I think it's R1):
http://cgi.ebay.com/Innocence-New-DVD-LOW-PRICE_W0QQitemZ110317808095QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_D VD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray?hash=item110317808095&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1209%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318

Criterion Collection - Naked:
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6921223&style=movie

Tartan Collection - Bergman - Autumn Sonata:
http://www.daaveedee.com/product_info.php?products_id=101771

Nobody Knows:
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=BCBJ-2057

Andrei Tarkovsky Collection (Australian release):
http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/798208

Iwai's All About Lily Chou-chou R1:
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?PID=5923326&style=movie&frm=frooglemovie

Kieslowski's Dekalog: R3 release:
http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.530962/qx/details.htm

Wajda's Danton R2 release:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Danton-NEW-PAL-Awards-DVD-Wajda-Depardieu_W0QQitemZ310059851258QQcmdZViewItem

and if you really can't find it on DVD elsewhere, find it at superhappyfun.

[pos(t)er]

Peterch you must be on some foreign film import monitoring list! I swear you could probably start up your own video shop and i'm not entirely joking. Vid shops in SA just don't have these stuff(well i know one that has some of them, but that's one.)

[PeterCH]

Peterch you must be on some foreign film import monitoring list! I swear you could probably start up your own video shop and i'm not entirely joking. Vid shops in SA just don't have these stuff(well i know one that has some of them, but that's one.)

I've been collecting for 9 years so I've quite a few. The thing is that with time these movies become less difficult to find, for example I had to source the French/Polish version of DANTON, now it's available in Region 1.

It's actually not that difficult. You start with either the classics, eg Ingmar Bergman or Akira Kurosawa and work your way through Criterion Collection :)
or you look up who won at Cannes or Venice in the last few years - you see hmmm that Nobody Knows won at Cannes a few years back - you look for it, you find it's only available at CD Japan, you buy it there. Sometimes you just don't know and you take a chance as with Christian Mungiu, an upcoming Romanian director. Or you remember when you were a kid you went to see Kieslowski's Three Colours White and then you read Ebert's review of the Dekalog where he calls it the best series of films ever made or hear Chris Beveridge (animeondvd.com) go crazy over how good it is (no it's not a cartoon) - and you source it. With time you build up a cadre of favourite directors. Sometimes following the "People who bought x also bought y" and you find that those are good too albeit by different directors. Occasionally you just buy something and it's good - I bought Graveyard of the Fireflies like that in 2000 and only afterwards read Ebert's review. Occasionally an interesting cover catches your eye - Iwai's Love Letter - a Kieslowski like romance filled with metaphysical allegory - then you find Lily Chou-chou is different but strikes a cord with its portrayal of mutual teenage cruelty and desperation.

Anyway I do sometimes monitor the review sites, award lists (esp Cannes),
what other people suggest and releases by Criterion, Kino, Tartan etc.

The problem in SA is that there aren't a lot of really good films from around the world available on DVD here. L&L sometimes has a Criterion Collection DVD or two (at 200%) or Musica sometimes imports a Tartan Release but that's rare. If you stick to MNET and what the local DVD retailers offer, you'll miss out on 95% of the best stuff out there.

[Nicci]

my fave:

amelie
the big blue
the falls
pans labyrinth
memoirs of a geisha

[plazma]

Hmmmm. Has anyone seen The Unbearable Lightness of Being?

[PeterCH]

my fave:

amelie
the big blue
the falls
pans labyrinth
memoirs of a geisha

You may enjoy these then :)

Amelie ---> The Double Life of Veronique
Pan's Labyrinth ---> Lucile Hadzihalilovic's Innocence (French)
Memoirs of a Geisha ---> If you want to see a philosophical piece set in 16th century Japan there's Rikyu, or there's Shallow Tail Butterfly by Iwai or Gaichu (Harmful Insect) if you want to see mistreatment of young women by society or if you want a swashbuckling costume piece there's Azumi 1 and 2.

Innocence - http://cgi.ebay.com/Innocence-New-DVD-LOW-PRICE_W0QQitemZ110317808095QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_D VD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray?hash=item110317808095&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1209%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318

Double Life of Veronique - http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/786310

Gaichu - http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=TBBBJ-3179
No Eng titles, so you have to download Eng sub and match together.

Shallow Tail Butterfly - http://cgi.ebay.com/SWALLOWTAIL-BUTTERFLY-Shunji-Iwai-Hiroshi-Mikami-LD_W0QQitemZ350130627725QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Lase rdisc?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

Rikyu - http://www.amazon.ca/Rikyu-DVD-Hiroshi-Teshigahara/dp/B00003ETQ9

Azumi - http://catalog.ebay.com/Azumi_638652114204_W0QQ_fifptsZ1QQ_fromfsbZQQ_pcat idZ1QQ_pidZ55776195QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em271

[Pooky]

Has anyone seen The Diving Bell And The Butterfly?

[pos(t)er]

Has anyone seen The Diving Bell And The Butterfly?

I got the feeling it could be a little boring. Was it?


Hmmmm. Has anyone seen The Unbearable Lightness of Being?

Sounds vaguely familiar. Very Zen. Any hints as to what it's about?

Currently I'm looking forward to Burn After Reading, the Coen brother's latest movie. It sounds like it's something of a parody. Also that Imaginarium(long weird title) movie Heath Ledger was working on when he died. And Franklyn, which I don't really think is an art movie, but will probably be shown in Noveau. There's another, some surreal cowboy movie(it's not yet certain whether it will be made), but i can't remeber the name.

[Nicci]

thank you peterch!! I will have a look! You got me all excited here! I will let you know once I have watched it!

[Globetrotter]

Currently I'm looking forward to Burn After Reading, the Coen brother's latest movie.
Same here. Their movies are brilliant.

[PythonFSi]

Thanks for the info. For every american movie I see, I probably see 10 indie/foreign/art house movies. Since foreign/indie movies are only released in a few theatres here and are rarely released on DVD, I make a point of checking Cinema Nouveau theatre schedules all the time just in case a little gem makes its appearance.

I try to do that as well. I'm just frustrated over all the little gems I have missed out on. Theres also a few that I know about that haven't been released or I can't find here in SA.

[unsecluded]

plazma

Hmmmm. Has anyone seen The Unbearable Lightness of Being?

Ive read the book, which was excellent...i know thats not much considering most adaptations are never quite as fullfilling...except maybe for 'Romeo and Juliet'

but give these a look as well:

Dark City
Papillon
Dr Zhivago
Das Boot
Indochine
Crossroads - not the one with Britney Spears!!
Black Snake Moan
Hustle n Flow
The Poor and the Hungry
At Play in the Fields of the Lord - If anyone has this movie in a digital format, please let me know.
Lion of the Desert
Kundun
Hero
Lawrence of Arabia
Mediterraneo
Les Miserables

I'll add as i recall more

[TheHiveMind]

my fave:

amelie
the big blue
the falls
pans labyrinth
memoirs of a geisha

Amelie is ground breaking. I love it.

[plazma]

I got the feeling it could be a little boring. Was it?



Sounds vaguely familiar. Very Zen. Any hints as to what it's about?

Currently I'm looking forward to Burn After Reading, the Coen brother's latest movie. It sounds like it's something of a parody. Also that Imaginarium(long weird title) movie Heath Ledger was working on when he died. And Franklyn, which I don't really think is an art movie, but will probably be shown in Noveau. There's another, some surreal cowboy movie(it's not yet certain whether it will be made), but i can't remeber the name.

You seem to be having problems with your short-term memory.
(vaguely familiar, not certain, can't remember).

Just get and watch The Unbearable Lightness of Being. It is not Zen, or boring.

Is Harold and Maude worth adding to this illustrious list? :rolleyes:

[pos(t)er]

Hehe, yes somehow these names pop out of my head. But it does sound Zen. The boring comment was actually aimed at Pooky's post. BTW i remember who the director of that last movie is now, it's Jankowski. The movie's name is something like Big gun and one of it's actors will be Marilyn Manson.

[plazma]

Hey Python, ask the mods to make this thread sticky, I could use a good reference when I want to find something decent to watch.

[PythonFSi]

Hey Python, ask the mods to make this thread sticky, I could use a good reference when I want to find something decent to watch.

Thats a good idea.

[PeterCH]

thank you peterch!! I will have a look! You got me all excited here! I will let you know once I have watched it!

Niccia, I hear you're a woman so you'll prolly enjoy most of the films more.
Really do give em a bash.... they're really good.

[PythonFSi]

Night Watch was quite interesting. I've got Day Watch but I still have to see it. Special FX are quite good. Apparently there are 3 or 4 books in the series. I'll check on Wiki for more info.

[PythonFSi]

On the books: Hopefully the last two will also be adapted into movies:

Day Watch (Russian: Dnevnoi Dozor, Дневной дозор) is a fantasy novel by Russian authors Sergey Lukyanenko and Vladimir Vasilyev. The second book in the tetralogy of Watches, it is preceded by Night Watch and followed by Twilight Watch and Final Watch. Day Watch also stands out of the tetralogy as it is the only novel in the series not told from Anton Gorodetsky's point of view.

[PythonFSi]

Anybody seen Napolean Dynamite? I LMAO for this movie.

[PythonFSi]

Theres a new movie playing at CN or coming out soon. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas.

Summary from Wikipedia:
Bruno is an eight year old German boy who leads a very comfortable life in Berlin during the Second World War. His father is a high ranking Nazi officer, and things change when the family has to move due to his father’s new post. In his innocence, Bruno sees the nearby concentration camp as a ‘farm’ and wonders why its inhabitants are always wearing striped pajamas. Eventually Bruno becomes friends with a Jewish boy his own age who lives on the other side of the fence.

[PythonFSi]

Der Baader Meinhof Komplex is a 2008 German film by Uli Edel; written and produced by Bernd Eichinger. It stars Moritz Bleibtreu, Martina Gedeck and Johanna Wokalek. The film is based on the German best selling non-fiction book of the same name by Stefan Aust and retells the early years of the West German terrorist group the Red Army Faction (RAF), which was the most active and prominent terrorist group in post-war West Germany. The film was selected as the official German submission for the 81st Academy Awards in the category Best Foreign Language Film and made the January shortlist.[1] It was nominated on December 11, 2008 for the Golden Globe in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

[pos(t)er]

This hasn't started showing yet in Pretoria, though the release date was 27 Feb.
Anyway, the trailer gave me too much of a European-imitating-American-blockbuster feel

[PythonFSi]

I just read about it on SK website. Looks kinda interesting.

[pos(t)er]

I want to see Welcome to the Sticks, it looks like one of those ultra charming French films, which are feel-good without being plastic. Blindness, also looks interesting. I went to watch The Reader this weekend, wasn't bad, but nothing great either.

[bodhi]

Anybody seen Napolean Dynamite? I LMAO for this movie.

funny movie


Der Baader Meinhof Komplex is a 2008 German film by Uli Edel; written and produced by Bernd Eichinger. It stars Moritz Bleibtreu, Martina Gedeck and Johanna Wokalek. The film is based on the German best selling non-fiction book of the same name by Stefan Aust and retells the early years of the West German terrorist group the Red Army Faction (RAF), which was the most active and prominent terrorist group in post-war West Germany. The film was selected as the official German submission for the 81st Academy Awards in the category Best Foreign Language Film and made the January shortlist.[1] It was nominated on December 11, 2008 for the Golden Globe in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

german cinema - always a winner !

Lola Rennt , Edukators , Das leben von Anderen , Was tun wenn's brennt? ....

Beaufort - Israeli film about the experiences of IDF soldiers on a hilltop fortification

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime ( Kirstin Scott Thomas ) & À la folie... pas du tout (Audrey Tatou)

[flarkit]

+1 vote for sticky! I'd rather watch offbeat, witty and unusual arthouse movies anyday too.

FWIW,"The Unbearable Lightness of Being" was produced on film in the 80s and received a few accolades.

[cerebus]

Sorry but Coen Bros and Amelie don't really count as arthouse cinema. You need to try a bit harder :p

It's so easy to get hold of these films in London. Here all I have is the local video store where I eagerly scan the 'foreign' section every time I go in. PeterCH I admire your tenacity really. I don't have the energy to hunt down these movies.

I did enjoy The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Also has anyone seen The Motorcycle Diaries? Unbearable Lightness - well I didn't enjoy the book or the movie much unfortunately.

Also a big fan of Pedro Almodovar, someone mentioned him. Abres Los Ojos (I think - something like that anyway) and Talk to Her were great. Alexandro Gonzalez (Amores Perros), Luis Bunuel (The Discreet Charms of the Bourgeoisie), Volver (forget the director) another great Spanish movie.


Stanley Kubrick was also omitted but was a great film maker - his Barry Lyndon was his
best work IMO.
Agreed - a lot of his work is tiring but this was a real classic. Also The Shining.

[PythonFSi]

Sorry but Coen Bros and Amelie don't really count as arthouse cinema. You need to try a bit harder :p

It's so easy to get hold of these films in London. Here all I have is the local video store where I eagerly scan the 'foreign' section every time I go in. PeterCH I admire your tenacity really. I don't have the energy to hunt down these movies.

I did enjoy The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Also has anyone seen The Motorcycle Diaries? Unbearable Lightness - well I didn't enjoy the book or the movie much unfortunately.

Also a big fan of Pedro Almodovar, someone mentioned him. Abres Los Ojos (I think - something like that anyway) and Talk to Her were great. Alexandro Gonzalez (Amores Perros), Luis Bunuel (The Discreet Charms of the Bourgeoisie), Volver (forget the director) another great Spanish movie.


Agreed - a lot of his work is tiring but this was a real classic. Also The Shining.

Amelie was an independent movie so it does qualify in that regard. I have seen Motorcycle Diaries . . . an excellent movie.

Another one of my favourites is City Of God and Ken Park.

[cerebus]

Yeah I mean....it was an independent but having watched it doesn't classify you as an arthouse cinema fan :p. Ditto for Reservoir Dogs or Donnie Darko any of the other litany of 'independents' that every uni dorms has posters of.

[PythonFSi]

Art House fans aside, we're talking about one movie, Amelie. Foreign and independent, that makes it Art House. Unless you have some other criteria you use to categorize movies?

[pos(t)er]

I watced Funny Games by Michael Haneke recently. At first glance you may be thinking this isn't an arthouse movie, surely it's just a thriller.

But, it's actually more of a meta-film on thrillers and violent movies in general. This makes it kind of difficult to watch because while the movie itself is quite horrific, you have to distance yourself from it and reflect on why the director shows you this.

Its' been stuck in my head for a few days now, particularly the bloodcurdling John Zorn song that is featured thorughout the movie.

[PythonFSi]

I watced Funny Games by Michael Haneke recently. At first glance you may be thinking this isn't an arthouse movie, surely it's just a thriller.

But, it's actually more of a meta-film on thrillers and violent movies in general. This makes it kind of difficult to watch because while the movie itself is quite horrific, you have to distance yourself from it and reflect on why the director shows you this.

Its' been stuck in my head for a few days now, particularly the bloodcurdling John Zorn song that is featured thorughout the movie.

Is that the one where the teen kids hold a family hostage in their own house. I actually started a thread on that movie a few months ago. Theres a technique thay use in that movie (can't remember what its called) where one of the actors speaks directly to the camera or something like that. Quite interesting.

[pos(t)er]

Is that the one where the teen kids hold a family hostage in their own house. I actually started a thread on that movie a few months ago. Theres a technique thay use in that movie (can't remember what its called) where one of the actors speaks directly to the camera or something like that. Quite interesting.

Yep, that's the one. TBH i was quite lost after watching it, so I watched an interview with the director speaking about it, which clarified some things for me.

[PythonFSi]

Yep, that's the one. TBH i was quite lost after watching it, so I watched an interview with the director speaking about it, which clarified some things for me.

Some more info on that movie:

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=142285

[cerebus]

Art House fans aside, we're talking about one movie, Amelie. Foreign and independent, that makes it Art House. Unless you have some other criteria you use to categorize movies?

Ok ok ok it's arthouse :p. Have you seen City of Lost Children btw or Delicatessen? Did you know Jean Pierre Jeunet is going to be adapting Life of Pi? Woot!!!!

[PythonFSi]

Ok ok ok it's arthouse :p. Have you seen City of Lost Children btw or Delicatessen? Did you know Jean Pierre Jeunet is going to be adapting Life of Pi? Woot!!!!

Haven't seen those two, but Delicatessen (haven't heard of it actually). But I'll check it out. Thanks.

[cerebus]

Well they were Jeunet's previous movies before Amelie. City of Lost Children was all designed and costumed by Jean Paul Gaultier. They're a lot darker than Amelie - Amelie was a bit too sugary for my taste anyway.


Since we're on the subject of French movies here's some recommended watching:

Martin Guerre
Un Coeur en Hiver
Au Revoir Les Enfants
The Hairdresser's Husband
Cyrano de Bergerac
Taxi
La Haine
The Beat that my Heart Skipped

[cerebus]

And while we're here I forgot another Spanish director worth seeing: Alphonso Cuaron - Y tu Mama Tambien.

[pos(t)er]

Some more info on that movie:

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=142285

I watched the German version, which I'd wager is better, simply because the actors are amazing. Why the hell do Americans always want it their way?

[PythonFSi]

And while we're here I forgot another Spanish director worth seeing: Alphonso Cuaron - Y tu Mama Tambien.

That was a great movie. I think the director did Motorcycle Diaries or one of the actors from that movie is in MCD, something like that.

[PythonFSi]

I watched the German version, which I'd wager is better, simply because the actors are amazing. Why the hell do Americans always want it their way?

I never knew there was a German version.

[cerebus]

Gael Garcia Bernal starred in both of them yeah :) And also Cuaron's other film Amores Perros

[PythonFSi]

And while we're here I forgot another Spanish director worth seeing: Alphonso Cuaron - Y tu Mama Tambien.

Guillermo del Toro - Pan's Labyrinth.

[pos(t)er]

I never knew there was a German version.

Well if you read you're own thread you'll see that the 2008 one was a remake;) (Austrian=german)

[cerebus]

ya :) I made a mistake earlier, amores perros is directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.


Ok Chinese/Japanese/Eastern language films:

Hero/House of Flying Daggers
Raise the Red Lantern
Red Sorghum
The Seven Samurai/Dreams/Ran
Spirited Away/anything by Hayao Miyazaki really
Oldboy
Farewell My Concubine
Drunken Master

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

Guillermo del Toro - Pan's Labyrinth.

Absolutely mind blowing film.

Stalker directed by Andrei Tarkovsky is an amazing film. A must for any art house film buff. It is slow but the cinematography is excellent. The ending is something else.

[LoneGunman]

Or else you can just go directly to http://www.foriegnmoviesddl.com/
and choose the torrents for arthouse films yourself.

[PythonFSi]

Absolutely mind blowing film.

Stalker directed by Andrei Tarkovsky is an amazing film. A must for any art house film buff. It is slow but the cinematography is excellent. The ending is something else.

I'll look out for this one.


ya :) I made a mistake earlier, amores perros is directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.


Ok Chinese/Japanese/Eastern language films:

Hero/House of Flying Daggers
Raise the Red Lantern
Red Sorghum
The Seven Samurai/Dreams/Ran
Spirited Away/anything by Hayao Miyazaki really
Oldboy
Farewell My Concubine
Drunken Master

Enjoyed Spirited Away I enjoyed.

[cerebus]

Yeah i think Spirited Away was his best film. I want to get hold of it now, what a classic. Ooh I see Newshost has it.....

[PythonFSi]

Yeah i think Spirited Away was his best film. I want to get hold of it now, what a classic. Ooh I see Newshost has it.....

I've got a DVD copy of that movie . . . if you want.

[cerebus]

hm wouldn't mind that at all. Could you burn me a copy and send it? I'll reimburse you of course. :D

[PeterCH]

You know I was attacked by a lot of people when I posted a link to Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, that movie is on pre-order and is Miyazaki's latest film. The original domestic Japanese Region 2 NTSC DVD is available for preorder - it has English subtitles.

[PeterCH]

Yeah i think Spirited Away was his best film. I want to get hold of it now, what a classic. Ooh I see Newshost has it.....

You can also buy it locally, Look and Listen has most of the films on DVD in their Canal Walk branch.

Secondly you should see Grave of the Fireflies.
Here's Roger Ebert on it:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000319/REVIEWS08/3190301/1023

Excerpt:



"Grave of the Fireflies" (1988) is an animated film telling the story of two children from the port city of Kobe, made homeless by the bombs. Seita is a young teenager, and his sister Setsuko is about 5. Their father is serving in the Japanese navy, and their mother is a bomb victim; Seita kneels beside her body, covered with burns, in an emergency hospital. Their home, neighbors, schools are all gone. For a time an aunt takes them in, but she's cruel about the need to feed them, and eventually Seita finds a hillside cave where they can live. He does what he can to find food, and to answer Setsuko's questions about their parents. The first shot of the film shows Seita dead in a subway station, and so we can guess Setsuko's fate; we are accompanied through flashbacks by the boy's spirit.

"Grave of the Fireflies" is an emotional experience so powerful that it forces a rethinking of animation. Since the earliest days, most animated films have been "cartoons" for children and families. Recent animated features such as "The Lion King," "Princess Mononoke" and "The Iron Giant" have touched on more serious themes, and the "Toy Story" movies and classics like "Bambi" have had moments that moved some audience members to tears. But these films exist within safe confines; they inspire tears, but not grief. "Grave of the Fireflies" is a powerful dramatic film that happens to be animated, and I know what the critic Ernest Rister means when he compares it to "Schindler's List" and says, "It is the most profoundly human animated film I've ever seen."

It tells a simple story of survival. The boy and his sister must find a place to stay, and food to eat. In wartime their relatives are not kind or generous, and after their aunt sells their mother's kimonos for rice, she keeps a lot of the rice for herself. Eventually, Seita realizes it is time to leave. He has some money and can buy food--but soon there is no food to buy. His sister grows weaker. Their story is told not as melodrama, but simply, directly, in the neorealist tradition. And there is time for silence in it. One of the film's greatest gifts is its patience; shots are held so we can think about them, characters are glimpsed in private moments, atmosphere and nature are given time to establish themselves.

Japanese poets use "pillow words" that are halfway between pauses and punctuation, and the great director Yasujiro Ozu uses "pillow shots"--a detail from nature, say, to separate two scenes. "Grave of the Fireflies" uses them, too. Its visuals create a kind of poetry. There are moments of quick action, as when the bombs rain down and terrified people fill the streets, but this film doesn't exploit action; it meditates on its consequences.

The film was directed by Isao Takahata, who is associated with the famous Ghibli Studio, source of the greatest Japanese animation. His colleague there is Hayao Miyazaki ("Princess Mononoke," "Kiki's Delivery Service," "My Neighbor Totoro"). His films are not usually this serious, but "Grave of the Fireflies" is in a category by itself. It's based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Nosaka Akiyuki--who was a boy at the time of the firebombs, whose sister did die of hunger and whose life has been shadowed by guilt.


That is absolutely the best animated film ever made, not just because of the incredibly powerful story but also because the animation is so unique in portraying the emotion of the characters.

[bodhi]

Der Baader Meinhof Komplex - another winner from German cinema !

[cerebus]

Speaking of German cinema I'm in the middle of watching Das Leben der Anders (something like that) - the Lives of Others.

[bodhi]

Speaking of German cinema I'm in the middle of watching Das Leben der Anders (something like that) - the Lives of Others.

good film

[TheHiveMind]

Im looking for 70 Italian thrillers. Giallo. Any recommendations???

Thanks

[cerebus]

http://www.kinoeye.org/02/11/needham11.php

[PythonFSi]

Just got a copy of Låt den rätte komma (Let The Right One In) 2008 Swedish film. Can't wait to watch it.

From Wiki:

. . . is a 2008 Swedish romantic vampire film directed by Tomas Alfredson. It derives from the novel of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote the screenplay for the film. It tells the story of a bullied 12-year-old boy who develops a friendship with a vampire in Blackeberg, a suburb of Stockholm.

[bodhi]

L'ennemi intime (2007) - stunning movie about the experiences of a French Army unit in the Algerian conflict !

IMO better than Platoon ....

[TMoose]

The Orphanage (Spanish)
Donnie Darko
Let The Right One In (Swedish)
Irreversible (French)
A Tale of Two Sisters (Korean)
The Devils Backbone (Spanish)
Pan's Labyrinth (Spanish)
The Closet (French)

And I love old 80's horror movies!

[Palmela]

Antonia's Line
Woman in the dunes
La strada
Persona
Thirteen conversations about one thing
The story of Adele H.
Marriage of Eve Brown (dir. Fassbinder)
Lantana
Clockwork Orange
Ignorant fairies
Last Emperor
Dogville
Decline of The American Empire

[PythonFSi]

Finally! I watched Requiem For A Dream.

Don't know why I haven't seen it earlier!

[PythonFSi]

An interesting note on the movie Antichrist (Willem Dafoe).

From Wiki:
Props for the more violent scenes were provided by the company Soda ApS, and made in their workshop in Nørrebro, Copenhagen. Plaster casts were made of Willem Dafoe's leg as well as of the "porno doubles'" sexual organs. A plastic baby with authentic weight was made for the opening scene. A dead deer fetus was modeled after pictures found using Google Image Search, and a nylon stocking was used as caul. In the scene where Dafoe's character ejaculates blood it is the real "porno double's" penis that is seen, with fake blood being sprayed by the prop crew. The vagina prop was constructed with its inner parts detachable for easy preparation if several takes would be needed.[20]

The film features 80 shots with computer-generated imagery, provided by the company Platige Image in Poland. Most of these consist of digitally removed details such as the collar and leash used to lead the deer, but some were more complicated. The scene where the fox, with the director's voice, utters the words "chaos reigns" was particularly difficult to make. The mouth movements had to be entirely 3D animated in order to synchronise with the sound.[21]

The aria "Lascia ch'io pianga" from Georg Friedrich Händel's opera Rinaldo is used as the film's main musical theme.[22] The aria has previously been used in other films such as Farinelli, a 1994 biographical film about the castrato singer Farinelli.[23]



Controversies
The ecumenical jury at the Cannes festival gave the film a special "anti-award" and declared the film to be "the most misogynist movie from the self-proclaimed biggest director in the world".[26][29][30] Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux responded that this was a "ridiculous decision that borders on a call for censorship" and that it was "scandalous coming from an 'ecumenical' jury".[30]

The film has also come under attack for its explicit and often disturbing sexuality, including the opening scene showing a toddler falling to its death while He and She have sex on the bed nearby. The film has also invited controversy for its graphic sexual violence. In one controversial scene, She hits His testicles with a wooden plank so hard that it is implied they are crushed. While He is unconscious, she masturbates him until he ejaculates blood. She then drills a hole through his shin to bolt him onto a grindstone. In a later scene, She cuts off her own clitoris with a pair of rusty scissors.

[PythonFSi]

You know I was attacked by a lot of people when I posted a link to Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, that movie is on pre-order and is Miyazaki's latest film. The original domestic Japanese Region 2 NTSC DVD is available for preorder - it has English subtitles.

I'm also looking for this movie.

Did you manage to order it as yet?

[flarkit]

Wellp, seems I'll be giving Antichrist a skip then. There are more than enough films that provide more entertainment than graphic violence and suffering, thanks

[chutzpah44]

Any one seen the Japanese film Departures? Any comments

[Naks]

Wellp, seems I'll be giving Antichrist a skip then. There are more than enough films that provide more entertainment than graphic violence and suffering, thanks

This was definitely the most disturbing movie I have seen - and I've seen some pretty weird stuff, esp Japanese ones.

You have to see it, if only to know where your limits are. come now, where's ur sense of adventure? :rolleyes:

[flarkit]

This was definitely the most disturbing movie I have seen - and I've seen some pretty weird stuff, esp Japanese ones.

You have to see it, if only to know where your limits are. come now, where's ur sense of adventure? :rolleyes:

I've seen enough disturbing films to know that there are far more interesting-yet-entertaining works about. So I avoid exploring such dark and twisted efforts. Just not my cuppa I guess.

[PythonFSi]

*bump

[PythonFSi]

I've got:

Howl's Moving Castle

The Counterfeiters

The Baader Meinhof Complex

All lined up to watch!

[Chaos247]

The Counterfeiter was good

[PythonFSi]

The Counterfeiter was good

Didn't get to this one yet!

[plazma]

Thanks for reviving this thread, its been a while since anyone posted something here. Where is PeterCH? We want to know what new gems you found...

[ponder]

Knafayim Shvurot (כנפיים שבורות / Broken Wings) IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317842/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_Wings_%28film%29)

Paradise Now (الجنّة الآن) IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445620/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_Now)

Life is Beautifull (La Vita è bella) IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_is_Beautiful)

Malèna IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213847/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal%C3%A8na)

Blowup IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060176/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowup)

City of God (Cidade de Deus) IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317248/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cidade_de_Deus_%28film%29)

American Beauty IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169547/) | Wikipedia (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169547/)

A Clockwork Orange IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clockwork_Orange_%28film%29)

Run Lola Run (Lola rennt) IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lola_rennt)

101 Reykjavík IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237993/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101_Reykjav%C3%ADk)

The Big Blue (Le Grand Bleu) IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095250/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Blue)

The Professional (Léon, The Cleaner, Léon the Professional) IMDb[/UR

Withnail and I [URL="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094336/"]IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110413/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withnail_%26_I)

[TMoose]

Sunshine
Oldboy
(500) Days of Summer
Man Bites Dog
Once
The Darjeeling Limited (and pretty much anything else by Wes Anderson)

[PythonFSi]

I'm looking for this movie: Bright Star


For three years, poet John Keats carries on a love affair with the girl next door, Fanny Brawne, which is cut short by Keats's death

Anybody have a dl link?

[cerebus]

Looking for what, torrent, rapidshare, legal, hi-def, sd?

[PythonFSi]

Looking for what, torrent, rapidshare, legal, hi-def, sd?

No torrents please!

DVD rips would be fine. :D

[ponder]

No torrents please!

DVD rips would be fine. :D

Plenty on NZBmatrix.

[PythonFSi]

Plenty on NZBmatrix.

will try that, thanks.

[PythonFSi]

Come And See.

Finally got it. Thanks PeterCH. Gonna watch it over the weekend.

White Ribbon as well. Looking for .srt now for this.

[cerebus]

Ah dang i forgot all about it.

[PythonFSi]

Ah dang i forgot all about it.

what?

[Nod]

Just got these German films from Amazon (UK):
Cargo [2008]
The Baader-Meinhof Complex [2008]
The Nasty Girl [1991]
Run Lola Run [1999]

[cerebus]

what?

Finding you that film.


Run Lola Run [1999]

Great film

[PythonFSi]

Finding you that film.



Its cool.

Isn't the internet just great! :D

[PeterCH]

Come And See.

Finally got it. Thanks PeterCH. Gonna watch it over the weekend.

White Ribbon as well. Looking for .srt now for this.

Yeah Come and See is very heavy. Spielberg screened it to his cast of Shindler's List - it makes Clockwork Orange, Apocalypse Now and most other things look really bland.... :)

[PeterCH]

This is also good - the Cremator (1969)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cremator

[PeterCH]

I'm also looking for this movie.

Did you manage to order it as yet?

Yes I bought it from CDJapan.

[PeterCH]

Olivier Marchal's MR 73 - one of the best cop films out there. Olivier Marchal is a cop turned director, screenwriter, producer. If you liked LEON you will like this, except this is better than Leon. Also try to see the TV Series BRAQUO - it's in French but subtitles should be available.

[PythonFSi]

Another two good ones I found:

Black Book

Black Book (Dutch: Zwartboek) is a 2006 World War II film directed by Paul Verhoeven, and starring Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman, and Halina Reijn. The story is about a young Jewish woman in the Netherlands who becomes a spy for the resistance during World War II after tragedy befalls her in an encounter with the Nazis. The film had its world premiere on September 1, 2006, at the Venice Film Festival and its public release on September 14, 2006, in the Netherlands.


Revanche

Revanche is a 2008 Austrian film written and directed by Götz Spielmann. It stars Johannes Krisch as a man robbed of his purpose and deadened by thoughts of revenge in the wake of a crime that was to grant him and his girlfriend a new life.

The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2008. It received critical acclaim and won a number of awards, and was nominated for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

[PeterCH]

Roman Polanski's THE GHOST WRITER. Reasonably good film - not as good as Knife in the Water and The Pianist, it's pretty intriguing in the Alfred Hitchcock sense. Pawel Edelman did photography.

[PythonFSi]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stoning_of_Soraya_M.


The Stoning of Soraya M. (Persian: .سنگسار ثريا م) is a 2008 American drama film adapted from French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam's 1990 book La Femme Lapidée, based on a true story. The film is directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh and stars Academy Award nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo, James Caviezel (as Freidoune Sahebjam, the foreign journalist) and Mozhan Marnò (as the title character). Stoning had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was the runner-up for the Audience Choice Award. It was also the second runner-up for the Cadillac People's Choice Award. The book has been banned in Iran.[2]

[ponder]

The Baader-Meinhof Complex [2008]


Wasn't this on TV? I've seen the movie but I don't have it in my dowloads so it must have been on tv?

Some Aussie ones:
Japanese Story IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0304229/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Story)
Rabbit-Proof Fence IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252444/) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit-Proof_Fence_(film))

[PythonFSi]

Wasn't this on TV? I've seen the movie but I don't have it in my dowloads so it must have been on tv?

Nope! Maybe on DSTV . . .

[mass09]

edit: /wrong thread.

[ponder]

... Volver (forget the director) another great Spanish movie.


Have a look at Non ti muovere, another movie with Penelope Cruz I enjoyed.

[BOYAH]

Not many good shows these days.

[Naks]

I saw Bloomington and X the other weekend - not bad at all, certainly worth the bandwidth.

I've got Sarah's Key and Burning Palms lined up for this weekend :)