Your Best World Cinema Recommendations, Please?

[mash]

No longer able to stomach the US fims that are constantly churned out I recently switched to world cinema after the seeing The Weeping Camel at our local cinema which bucks the trend of big brand films and a friend loaned me Cinema Paradiso. I now buy 1 or 2 DVD's every month and would welcome your views on any great world cinema films you have seen (from any country, genre or rating). Thanks.

[auntiebertie]

I was recently learning Spanish and went to the cinema to see 'El Perro' - a lovely story about a man and a dog [turned out to be in Argentian dialect Spanish but it was not a lot of help!].

Also would recommend the Oscar winning Italian film "Life is Beautiful" and the French "Jean de Florette" and "Manon des Sources". There is another wonderful French film about boys in a boarding school during the war but afraid I cannot remember the name.

[paddy_36]

mash - know exactly what you mean! Got a few suggestions for you: (agree with auntiebertie about Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources, btw).

1. City of God - Brazilian film about life in the slums of Rio. Violent, insightful - great film. 2. Amelie - French film about a young woman and the relationships with the people aroud her. Funny and heartwarming. 3. Goodbye Lenin - set in East Germany, story revolves around the fall of communism. Don't let that put you off, though, this is a comedy and there are some hilarious moments! 4. Pedro Almodovar's films are highly rated, so might be worth seeing a few of those.

Once you have watched a film you like, search for it on amazon then scroll down to the part of the page where it says 'customers who bought this film also bought...' This is great for getting ideas, and you can read the reviews of the films before you buy. Good luck!

Just read auntiebertie's post again - I think the film about French boys at boarding school during WW2 is Au revoir, les enfants. I've been trying to buy that for ages, but it's not available. Have never forgotten it - very powerful, dramatic and emotional.

[mattfox]

paddy_36 mentioned City of God which is certainly a good movie! As are Central Station and Carandiru - two other very good Brazilian movies.

The Sea Inside is an excellent Spanish true story about a man that fought to end his own life after becoming paralysed from the neck down.

Io Non Ho Paura (I'm Not Scared) is an Italian unconventional thriller.

A good source of reviews once you find a film you'd like to watch is www.imdb.com

[jon1968]

This came up a while back...........

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Film-and-TV/Question19867 4.html

[paddy_36]

mattfox - I'm a recent convert to world cinema and particularly like Brazilian films! Loved Central Station and City of God. Have got Carandiru but haven't watched it yet, so glad to hear it's another good 'un.

There are another two Brazilian ones on the harsher side of life - 'Man of the Year' and 'Bus 174'. The former is a thriller about a guy who becomes a neighbourhood hero after killing a baddie, and to say he gets a bit carried away is an understatement. The latter is an unbelievable piece of media coverage - a documentary covering a hostage situation on a bus in Rio.

mash - you are definitely doing the right thing getting away from the Hollywood muck! ;o)

[xabialonso]

Agree with mattfox and Paddy_36, central Station is amazing... it really creeps up on you and has more of a lasting effect than you would expect.

There's another French film about Boys in a boarding school that I really liked, Les Choristes (The Choir)

[patc7641]

I agree with all these suggestions,another couple for you are Pelle the Conqueror, I film I seen years ago but still haunts me, The Virgin Spring, which was a template for a number of modern revenge/ horror movies, La Balance, a great french thriller in the stlye of the French Connection and A Bout de Souffle, a hip 50's frecnh movie.

[mattfox]

paddy_36 - my wife is from Rio and remembers the Bus 174 incident for real!

Xabialonso - I've been meaning to watch "The Choir" for ages but haven't got around to it - thanks for reminding me!!

[paddy_36]

Blimey, mattfox, was she there at the time? I don't want to give anything away, but it's almost impossible to comprehend what happens in front of your eyes. And then you remember it's actual footage from the event itself.