The top 5. 0 foreign language films of the last decade It is quite clear that mainstream cinema no longer applies just to Hollywood blockbusters, or the odd British comedy. With the advent of mass home cinema in the last decade, and the increasing availability of pretty much anything and everything on DVD, Blu- ray, or streaming services like Netflix, world cinema has finally crossed the divide of being the preserve of the connoisseur, or the type of thing you’d stumble on late at night on TV. In the last ten years, world cinema has made a massive impact on film- of- the- year lists, and many people’s personal favourites. Starting from 2. 00. If, however, you are in any doubt of the utter brilliance of world cinema, then take your time to read the list below, and pick a few to watch that interest you. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Troll. Hunter(Norway, 2. The anti- Hollywood blockbuster. One of the latest and, for my money, superior entries in the found footage genre, Troll. Hunter manages to be exciting, fantastical, dramatic and humorous all at the same time. Weirdly grounded in a tight version of reality, the film whisks you along an incredible journey, taking in some of the best parts of Scandinavian myth and legend while updating it for the 2. It’s one of the most enjoyable films I think you could have the pleasure of watching, so catch it now before the inevitable Hollywood remake due in the next few years. Kung Fu Hustle(China, 2. A riotous homage to the classic Hong Kong action cinema of the 1. Hong Kong until a few months ago, Kung Fu Hustle is without a doubt one of the funniest, most entertaining, and energetic movies of recent years. Writer, director, producer and lead actor Stephen Chow proved he was worthy of the praise bestowed upon Shaolin Soccer with this follow- up, a 1. Axe gang of Shanghai and accidentally setting up a war between them and the retired kung fu masters of Pig Sty Alley. Referencing numerous kung fun take, books and films, this live- action cartoon is an absolute blast from start to finish and so in love with its subject matter you can’t help but be charmed. And then kung fu someone in the head. Lilya 4 Ever(Sweden, 2. The Top 10 Best Movie Lines Ever (According to Odeon Cinemas) Top 10 Best Movie Lines Ever: These are the top 10 best movie lines. Horror cinema, much like cinema itself, is typically a playground for the dudes. Even the earliest forms, starting with nickelodeons in the 18th century, were meant to elicit some kind of emotional response from.
Lukas Moodysson’s earlier film Show Me Love was one of the most uplifting and heart- warming stories I’ve ever seen, which just made this sucker- punch of a movie even more devastating. Lilya is a teenage girl in the former Soviet Union who is abandoned by her mother and forced into prostitution, eventually ending up in Sweden. ![]() Exploring themes which Stieg Larsson would also draw attention to in his Millennium trilogy, the processes of human trafficking and sex slavery are shown in brutal detail. It’s a bleak film, and necessarily so – cinema cannot always be sweetness and light, and important issues need to be shown and drawn attention to, especially in such a well made way as this. ![]() Casshern(Japan, 2. Ignore the plot of this Japanese film, because it’s not going to make much sense – a bio- engineered legendary hero returns to fight the robots of a totalitarian government – and concentrate instead on its visuals. This is as close as you’ll come to seeing a live- action manga, and it is glorious. One of the very first films shot entirely on a digital back- lot (along with Sin City and Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow) it’s easily the best- looking and most arresting of the three, with its neo- fascist baddies and dystopian sci- fi landscape constantly engaging the eye. It apparently takes influences from Hamlet and Russian avant- garde cinema, which helps explain why it’s so utterly bonkers. Innocence(France, 2. Lucile Hadzihalilovic may live in the professional shadow of husband Gaspar No. Innocence follows the lives of the girls who attend an isolated boarding school deep in a dense forest, with seemingly no way in or out. This enchanting, menacing setting is littered with nods to fairytales (lantern- lit paths, red hoods, underground tunnels) as the girls negotiate their eerie, prison- like world. Innocence tackles the delicate subject of puberty and sexual awareness. The title says it all however; as just how innocent this film is lies in the perception of the viewer. The most controversial scene of naked girls in a lake is actually completely non- sexual – it’s the viewers own discomfort that adds a sinister overtone. Innocence is a feast for the eyes with its utterly captivating cinematography and unique use of colour as a narrative tool which it needs given the lack of actual plot or dialogue. The Edukators(Germany/Austria, 2. Peter, his girlfriend Jule and best friend Jan are young Berlin anti- capitalists who start a campaign to “educate” the upper- class. They do this by breaking into their houses, creating sculptures with their belongings, and leaving notes that read . After breaking into the property of a wealthy business man who then returns and discovers the group, they find themselves with an accidental hostage out in the Alps. This claustrophobic, high- tension setting is where the film develops a tender slant, as a blossoming romance between Jule and Jan threatens the dynamic of the trio. This film isn’t to be mistaken for anti- capitalist propaganda – the political persuasion of the protagonists is purely a narrative tool to allow a sincere depiction of the idealism of youth and the thoughtful exploration of love and friendship; and the delicate nature of both. The Dreamers(France/Italy/UK, 2. Has a film ever been so aptly named? It describes not only the main trio of the film, two siblings and their American friend, but also the audience’s state of mind after spending time immersed in the film. Featuring a break- out turn from Eva Green, and a role for Michael Pitt as the young man who becomes hopelessly involved in the lives of a brother and sister. Pitt’s turn proved that he was far more than . It’s a film which you’ll find yourself thinking about again and again, and become hopelessly enchanted by. Russian Ark(Russia, 2. Hmm, so a two- hour film which trails around various rooms in a museum wouldn’t, at first glance, belong on everyone’s must watch list, but like a lot of world cinema, there’s so much more than meets the eye to Russian Ark. In fact, Russian Ark is one of, if not the most innovative film on this list. The reason for this is its groundbreaking use of digital camerawork – the entire film is one long unbroken tracking shot that floats though not only the museum itself, but through the different periods of Russian history it houses or has played a part in. Learning has never been as absorbing or as good looking, and the actual, involving a nobleman searching for answers, is truly engaging, and means Russian Ark is never just a technical curio. Maria Full Of Grace(Colombia, 2. The tagline reads . Made for less money than a packet of biscuits, and from the incredibly talented writer/director/everything else Joshua Marston, this is the story of a pregnant Colombian girl who becomes a drug mule in order to raise money for her impoverished family. Tracing her journey from Bogota to New York, the emphasis is always, wisely, on the characters, and what each decision really means. Nothing is glamourised in what I can only imagine is a painfully real depiction of life in Colombia, yet neither does it revel in the misery and seediness of the situation. It’s a compelling story honestly told, and incredibly moving. It’s exactly what great cinema should always be, and why Maria Full Of Grace sits on this list. Lust/Caution(Taiwan, 2. How do you follow up a critically acclaimed and groundbreaking Hollywood drama? Well, if you’re Ang Lee and just made Brokeback Mountain, you turn away from the mainstream and make a Taiwanese film about the Japanese occupation of China during World War II. A sexual thriller about espionage, collaborators and the nature of love and obsession, Lust/Caution is incredibly gripping, stylish, and moving. Watching it made my chest feel uncomfortably tight at times, and in Tony Leung’s masterful performance as Mr Yee, a high- ranking collaborator, you have what may be one of the most complex and nuanced villains in cinema history. Lust/Caution is an exquisite treat that rewards the senses. Dogtooth(Greece, 2. Perhaps one of the most surreal and shocking films of recent years, Dogtooth is nothing short of cinematic brilliance. Telling the weird and terrifying story of three children kept away from the world by their parents, and forced into various acts of submission, it is not for the faint of heart, but is incredibly rewarding if you take the plunge. Each bizarre and unique situation that unfolds (including hammer attacks, cat mutilation and sexual blackmail) only serves to drag the viewer further into its crazy world. You won’t be able to take your eyes off it, and it helps that Dogtooth is pretty great to look at, too, with a mass of elegant compositions and downright odd framings all jumbled together. It is not for nothing that director Yorogos Lanthimos has been compared to Lars von Trier, and this film hailed by the Greek government as a success for the country. Chico & Rita(Spain, 2. A true delight this one – an animated film set in 4. Havana, it is ostensibly a love story between the title’s protagonists. Chico is a talented jazz pianist, while Rita is a beautiful singer. The stylish animation, charm of the main story and jazz- infused Havana atmosphere would be enough on its own, but the film also throws in an intriguing and well told look at the era’s pre- and post- Cuban revolution. It’s an utter joy from start to finish, a riotous blast of music, colour and passion. Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days(Romania, 2. Set in the final years of Communist Romania, this is a gripping and compelling tale about two friends arranging an illegal abortion, and the consequences that lead from this choice. As well as an examination of repression in society, it is also a truly moving film about friendship, and a confident high point for a new national cinema.
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