Spread it!
Blowing dust off my inbox, I’m answering an old question from a Funky Brown Chick reader. A few months ago, someone asked: “I seem to like your taste in films. I was wondering if you could do a blog about top foreign films that are a ‘must see’ or that you’ve just plain ol’ enjoyed.” Of course I can! It’s hardly a “Best Foreign Films EVER” list; nevertheless, in alphabetical order and off the top of my head, here are 25 of my personal favorite romantic comedies, dramas, indie flicks and other films from other countries. Click links to see trailers. If you’ve seen any of the movies — or, if I’ve left a flick off the list and you’d like to recommend it to me — feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
- 2 Days in Paris (Similar: Broken English)
- Bend It Like Beckham
- Better Than Sex
- Buddy (Tiny Norwegian film about fame & friendship)
- Karakter
- Cinema Paradiso
- City of God
- Europa Europa
- Farinelli
- Flirting
- La Femme Nikita
- Late Marriage
- L’Auberge Espagnole
- Love and Other Catastrophes
- Love Serenade (Tiny Australian flick about dating)
- Moolaadé
- Muriel’s Wedding
- Priceless
- Rudo y Cursi
- Run Lola Run
- Stranded: I’ve Come from a Plane that Crashed on the Mountains (Similar: Touching the Void)
- The Bubble
- The Edukators
- The Vanishing
- Y tu mamá también
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
ooh! co-sign on y tu mama tambien, bend it like beckham, and city of god. i’m partial to city of men. it’s which is based on a brazilian tv series of the same name. i think the “city of god” folks did the movie and the series. i’d add “amelie” and “delice paloma” to that list. i also loved “trainspotting” and “tsotsi.”
oh and one more: “the lives of others” was intense, but slow moving.
(anyone who sees this comment and knows me will be really really amused by it. i am so not a movie person.)
i’d add 3 films:
“mandabi” or ‘the money order’, a senegalese film by ousmane sembene, super cute.
“underground”, serbian film by emir kusturica (gotta have a balkan film in there)
“mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios’, almodovar!!
and my all time fave, the most life affirming film EVER:
“italian for beginners”, a danish dating and death flick…
okay. that was 4. oh, dude 5!! “fast runner”, a film about adultery in a tribe of indigenous peoples in canada. it’s like ethnography meets “unfaithful”. beautifully shot, indigenous language, rituals, igloos… greatness.
Hey! Thanks for the list Twanna!!
I’ve seen and love Muriel’s Wedding, La Femme Nikita, and 2 Days in Paris.
What, you got a problem with what’s-his-name’s live-action “Pinocchio”?
I’m just kidding. That movie sucked balls.
i second “the lives of others.” it’s a very honest portrayal of the human condition. it’s soooo good! Also, “Once” is a cute irish musical/romantic tale. It’s pretty short- but very sweet, and the music is quite enjoyable
I have seen pretty much all those movies. I LOVED 2 Days in Paris. Two neurotic people in love it’s just amazing to watch their relationship play out. It’s hilarious and I recommend everyone see that movie.
tiffany: y tu mama tambien = my favorite movie :) I haven’t seen City of Men. Sounds like it’s worth renting. Amelie. Good one! OMG, how the fuck did I forget TRAINSPOTTING! I’ve seen that movie so many times it’s ridiculous. Gotta add “delice paloma” and “tsotsi” to my “Movies To Rent” list. Seems like we have similar taste. (Have “Lives of Others” at home from Netflix right now.)
ieishah: Thanks for the suggestions!! I should do posts like this all the time! :) Saw Italian for Beginners but haven’t seen the others. They sound great!
Lady_m: If you’ve seen 2 Days in Paris, you soooooo have to watch Broken English. Great flick!
Baba Doodlius: What’s wrong with sucking balls? :)
Sam: Okay, looks like I should REALLY watch “Lives of Other.” Saw Once. LOVED it!
Bonnie: 2 Days in Paris is one of my top favorite romantic comedies!! :)
I love this list and seen and love over half of them but the one that i love the most is ‘Flirting’.
A young Thandie Newton and Noah Taylor…. that movies made my teenage years I tell you. Innocent young love …..
Also I need to shout out to: Muriel’s wedding( the first Toni Collette movie I ever saw and have been a fan ever since)
and
La Femme Nikita. saw every verison possible of this story ( the TV show and American film verison) and blame this on me wanting to be a spy when I was a kid.
Good picks :)
Some more to add:
The Bicycle Thief – Cinematic classic about the ethical challenges of survival in the devastated economy of post-WWII Italy.
Persepolis – An excellent, often funny animated feature about an Iranian girl whose childhood extends from the period of the Shah’s government, through the Islamic Revolution, and into exile in Europe.
Children of Men – Not sure if this qualifies as “foreign” or not, since it may have some U.S. involvement in the production. The director is the guy who made Y Tu Mama Tambien, and most of the actors are foreign. It’s a dystopic sci-fi movie about a future in which the entire human race has become infertile and is dying off. Clive Owen is an emotionally broken man who finds a purpose in life when he encounters a young woman who is, miraculously, pregnant. He decides he must protect her and her child from the many political forces that would use her for their own ends.
Good picks, Tom. Persepolis and Children of Men both oozed awesomeness and did not suck any balls whatsoever. (Sorry FBC, I just don’t see anything good about ball sucking.)
I love the list. I’ve seen a handful of the movies (City of God and Y Tu Mama Tambien are personal favourites) and have an interest in seeing pretty much everything else you have on your list.
As for recommendations I would put forth Sex and Lucia (Lucía y el sexo in Spanish).
Cheers
Ahhhh, Farinelli . . . *sigh* God what a beautiful man (the actor who plays Farinelli), and beautiful film!
“Welcome to Sarajevo” – gritty, intense, and deeply moving – and Goran Visnjic!
“Dirty Pretty Things” – Audrey Tatou – great thriller.
“Naked” by Mike Leigh – what a incredible take on the human condition.
“Red” from the Trois Colours collection by Krzysztof Kieslowski – absolute perfection!
“The Double Life of Veronique” – Again, Irene Jacobs – beautiful film!
Nelle: Ditto on Muriel’s Wedding! I’d never heard of Toni before the film. She’s great.
Tom: Haven’t seen “The Bicycle Thief” or “Persepolis” but I’ve seen Children of Men. Will add them to my Netflix!!
Baba Doodlius: Yes, Tom seems to have excellent tastes in music!
Sam Sharpe: I went to see Sex and Lucia on a date with this designer guy in Chicago ages ago. Not a great first date movie, but I still liked the flick. The scene with the dog was a little hardcore.
LadyD: GREAT selections!! I should write posts like this all the time. On your list, Dirty Pretty Things is the only one I’ve seen. Several friends have told me I’d like Red, so I’ve gotta check it out. Will do the same for the others on your list as well.
One more I remembered today:
Lovers of the Arctic Circle – beautiful cinematography, and erotic as hell! Gotta love them Spaniards! ;-)
Gotta add that to my list, too!! :)
Hi–
Ironically came across this site/posting while researching reviews for one of our upcoming films, so wanted to let you all know about us. We’re a tv channel available across the US and Canada (in the on-demand lineup) that exclusively airs European and international films such as those you’re mentioning here – the ones that might play in a few cities’ art theatres and might make it to rental stores, but are rarelyl available. Hope you might check us out: http://www.eurocinema.com and on twitter @eurocinemaTV
Thanks!
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