J: What are your top three favorite foreign-language films?
Mira:
The Classic (Korean, 2003) - Really cute story about girl reading love letters between her mom and her mom's first love. Only confusing thing is the same actress plays the mom and the daughter. A happy ending, of course. :)
Indochine (French, 1992) - Saw this for the first time in high school French class. It's about colonial French Indochina and Catherine Deneuve stars in it. It's a crazy epic kind of story that I enjoyed in the same way I love Les Miserables.
Amelie (French, 2001) - I think the first time I watched this movie I was simply really confused. I thought Audrey Tautou looked odd rather than gorgeous. However, on subsequent watchings I grew to love the quirkiness of the storytelling style and the characters; I started to notice the little connections being made throughout the movie; and the shipper in me grew to really appreciate the beauty of the relationship being built in the movie.
Jennifer: There are many classics I haven't seen...all of these are relatively recent.
Pan's Labyrinth (Spanish, 2006) - Unique and scary and beautiful all at the same time. One of the most imaginative original films I've ever seen...I now want to rewatch it!
Run Lola Run (German, 1998) - Just FUN. Loved the punky look and feel and techno soundtrack.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (French, 2007) - The true story behind the film (and the book it's based on) is remarkable on its own: Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor of French Elle when he suffered a stroke and awoke from his coma with locked-in syndrome, a condition where his body is completely paralyzed except for the eyes but his mind is awake and active. Thanks to some very patient nurses and assistants, he manages to write a book by blinking. It's a story that could have easily become overly sentimental translated to the screen but the film avoids this and is instead moving and fascinating and quite beautiful.
3 comments:
1) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Chinese, 2000) - i have to list it first because it's the one i've watched most. it's beautiful to watch, and fun, and a great love love story. two love stories, really, but one of them is great.
2) Life Is Beautiful (Italian, 1997) - a movie that i can't bring myself to watch very often. as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. a really great film.
3) Terror Taxi (Korean, 2000) - i'm kidding!!! :)
real #3) Like Water For Chocolate (Spanish, 1992) - before there was Chocolat, there was Like Water For Chocolate. another beautiful film, about love and the magic of chocolate. i don't remember a lot of the details, but i remember being somewhat distracted because the lead actress looked like a mexican marcia brady. ((in all honesty, it probably isn't #3, but i didn't want to choose another chinese film and mira already said Amelie, which i also enjoyed very much.)
as for one of your choices, jenn, well...i've decided that we can still be friends :)
Oh, which choice?
http://pooryorickspub.blogspot.com/2009/01/run-lola-run.html
i seem to be in the minority on this one. yeah, i have issues :)
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