What independent/foreign movies do you recommend?

[anjuli]

I'm always on the look out for good independent and/or foreign movies. What are your favorites?

A few of mine:
Central Station
Shall We Dance? (the original Japanese one - not the J.Lo version, yuck!)
Eat Drink Man Woman
To Live

[tlew12778]

My two favorite movies of all time are:
La Vita e' Bella (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/) - the Italian version bc they cut out a scene from the American version (even the American version that is not dubbed).
Mar Adentro (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369702/)

I also really enjoyed Le Grand Bleu (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095250/).

[Aimee]

Amélie
Jean de Flourette (this one is super-old, like from the 80s, so it might be hard to find)

[Sevilla]

These are all from my Netflix rated list, the further down you go the lower the rating (i stopped at 3 stars). If anyone wants me to add them as a 'friend' over there, just PM me :).

The majority of these foreign films are Spanish, Chinese, and Iranian. Plus a bunch of lesser known English films. A few i think are actually from studios but i put them in anyway since i liked them.

Balseros (2003)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2001?)
Gosford Park (2001)
Hero (2002)
Hotel Rwanda (2005)
In the Name of the Father (1993)
Insomnia (2002)
The Killing Fields (1984)
The Last Emperor (1987)
Maria Full of Grace (2004)
Memento (2000)
The Office: Series 1 (2001)
Open Your Eyes/Abre los Ojos (1997) [this was remade into "Vanilla Sky" in English, but originally was a Spanish film by a director i really like)
The Red Violin (1999)
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Scotland, PA (2002) [modern interpretation of McBeth--hilarious dark comedy)
Snatch (2000)
Spanglish (2004)
Thesis/Tesis (1996) [suspense thriller by the same director who did Open Your Eyes and The Others (both originally Spanish films)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Ah! My Goddess: The Movie (2000)
Amelie (2000?)
Babette's Feast (1987)
Belle Epoque (1992)
Children of Heaven (1999)
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2002)
Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) [dark comedy about beauty pageants]
House of Flying Daggers (2004) [very much a Shakespearian tragedy, except in China. Incredible acoustics]
Like Water for Chocolate (1992)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
The Road Home (2001)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Seven Samurai (1954)
Run Lola Run (1998)
Spellbound (2002)
Ten (2002)

[tlew12778]

Amélie
Jean de Flourette (this one is super-old, like from the 80s, so it might be hard to find) Oh yeah and I also really enjoyed Manon of the Spring which is the sequel to Jean de Flourette.

[lawyerlee]

Favorites Foreign/Indies:
- Amelie
- Girlfight
- Whale Rider
- The Tao of Steve
- Far From Heaven
- Dirty Pretty Things

Recommended Foreign/Indies:
- Nowhere in Africa
- Maria Full of Grace
- Swimming Pool
- Memento
- The Motorcycle Diaries
- You Can Count on Me
- Y Tu Mama Tambien
- Secrets & Lies
- Election
- Saved
- Vera Drake
- Being Julia

[Sophia]

I have to add Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Even if you think you don't like martial arts movies, you'll get something out of this. It's a beautiful, artistic love story--a fairy tale, really. I think I saw it in the theater 10 times.

[mom_to_zoe]

I also really like "Nowhere in Africa"

Other recent favorites:

"L'auberge espagnole"
"Shaun of the Dead"
"The Triplets of Belleville"

Older films:
"The Dream Life of Angels"
"A Friend like Harry"

I'm a former French major and a Francophile, so I lean towards French films

[Kimberland30]

I'm not a big fan of indy or foreign films, but my dad told me about this one and we rented it. I watched it twice, back to back...and again before I took it back to Blockbuster.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/yhst-86790113224816_1849_15869661

An inspired motion picture masterpiece, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL was nominated for 7 Academy Awards - winning 3 Oscars including one for Best Actor Roberto Benigni. In this extraordinary tale, Guido (Benigni) - a charming but bumbling waiter who's gifted with a colorful imagination and an irresistible sense of humor - has won the heart of the woman he loves and created a beautiful life for his young family. But then, that life is threatened by world War II...and Guido must rely on those very same strengths to save his evolved wife and son from an unthinkable fate! Honored with an overwhelming level of critical acclaim, this truly exceptional, utterly unique achievement will lift your spirits and capture your heart!

[apoppy]

This is a great list. Most of these are older:

Bottle Rocket
American Splendor

Monsoon Wedding
La Femme Nikita (the original French version)
Divorce Italian Style

[Sherb]

Add Indochine to the list. The great Catherine Denueve (sp?) and a really hunky guy whose name I can't remember in a movie about the end of the French colonial era in Vietnam. It was shot in Vietnam and has stunning scenery.

[Rosebud]

I totally second apoppy on Monsoon Wedding and American Splendor. EXCELLENT films.

Foreign films....

Amelie is, of course, one of the great romantic comedies.

Run, Lola, Run is awesome.

Cinema Paridisio is a classic.

I thought that Millions, a British film released a few months ago (directed by Danny Boyle, who did Trainspotting) was really cute.

I also highly recommend Good Bye Lenin!, a brilliant German film released last year. It's really, really funny. Even if you don't like "foreign films" you will like this.

My emphasis in my degree (film) was in Italian neorealism, so I'm partial to a bunch of old Italian movies. Fellini's stuff is probably the most accessible, if you're not a big foreign film fan. 8 1/2 and La Dolce Vita are wonderful, for starters. There's also all the great old Japanese films. Seven Samurai, etc...

Indies...

There was a great little film last year called Touching the Void that I recommend. Memento is amazing-- not sure if you can really call that "indie", though. If you didn't see You Can Count on Me or In the Bedroom, those are both really good movies. Warning: In the Bedroom made me BAWL, which I don't usually do in movies. And this is totally random, but there was this little movie called The Chateau with Paul Rudd that came out a couple years ago that was pretty darn funny.

[bellaprincess]

I just saw a really good movie from Uruguay called " En la puta vida (English title " Tricky Life"). http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001KL4EK/103-5552090-0486200?v=glance

[ssstephanie]

I just saw a really good movie from Uruguay called " En la puta vida (English title " Tricky Life"). http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001KL4EK/103-5552090-0486200?v=glance

Ohh, I want to check that out.

I recommend: Sin Dejar Huellas(Without a Trace), really good.

[anjuli]

I'm not a big fan of indy or foreign films, but my dad told me about this one and we rented it. I watched it twice, back to back...and again before I took it back to Blockbuster.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/yhst-86790113224816_1849_15869661


How could I forget about Life is Beautiful? Great movie. I laughed and cried while watching it.

[lml41981]

We went to Angelika Film Center tonight and watched March of the Penguins. It was a documentary film narrated by Morgan Freeman and it was great! We really enjoyed it.

There was a preview for Saint Ralph that seemed really good...it's about a boy whose mother is in a coma and he wants to race in the Boston Marathon. I think we'll see it next.

[Dunja]

Oh, the trailer for March of the Penguins gets me into a great mood whenever I need it :D

http://pdl.warnerbros.com/wip/us/med/march_of_the_penguins/qcip93_march_of_the_penguins_tlr1_qt_500.mov

I'd like to mention "Show me love", a Swedish teen movie about angsty lesbians in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Doesn't sound too good, but I loved it ;) http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004YKR3/ref=lm_lb_4/202-4487866-4047015

[lawyerlee]

How could I forget about Monsoon Wedding?! :eek: I LOVE that movie. :D

I *still* haven't seen American Splendor, but I was pleased to notice it is available on HBO in Demand! :)

[sublime311]

Some of my favorites:

1. The Good Girl - depressing, but great!

2. Osama - Disturbing and powerful.

3. Office Space - Milton Waddams: [talking on the phone] "And I said, I don't care if they lay me off either, because I told, I told Bill that if they move my desk one more time, then, then I'm, I'm quitting, I'm going to quit. And, and I told Don too, because they've moved my desk four times already this year, and I used to be over by the window, and I could see the squirrels, and they were merry, but then, they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler because it didn't bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler and it's not okay because if they take my stapler then I'll set the building on fire..."

4. Clerks

5. Sid and Nancy - "SSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDDDDDDD"

6. Mansoon Wedding

[pompomgirl]

Some of my favorites:

Foreign--Dream Life of Angels, In The Mood For Love, Miel Para Oshun, Secrets & Lies, Billy Elliott, Tarantella, Whale Rider, Wings of Desire, Amelie.

Indie--The Business of Fancydancing, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Ghost World, Lolita, Mulholland Drive, Snow Falling on Cedars, Stealing Beauty, The Virgin Suicides.

[Vishenka69]

Some more recommendations:

Foreign:
East-West
The Closet
Dinner Game
All About My Mother
Coupling - British version of "Friends"

Indie:
De-Lovely
Real Women Have Curves
Super Size Me

[Belm]

[QUOTE=lawyerlee]How could I forget about Monsoon Wedding?! :eek: I LOVE that movie. :D [QUOTE]

Me too! It is one of my favs.

Another one is Maria Full of Grace.

[apoppy]

A few more additions:

Indie:
Shattered Glass
Capturing the Friedmans

Foreign:
The Wedding Banquet

[msnicolea]

I just watched The Sea Inside with Javier Bardem this weekend--it was STUNNING!!!!

[lawyerlee]

I just watched The Sea Inside with Javier Bardem this weekend--it was STUNNING!!!!
Same here, Nicole, and I agree completely. It is a wonderful film.

[lawyerlee]

I watched two excellent movies this weekend that fall under these categories:

* A Very Long Engagement - French (this is a *must* see)
* Rory O'Shea Was Here - independent (*so* good; funny and touching; highly recommended)

[Baltimoregal]

Saving Grace (British, but love it, not sure it got a whole lot of press over here)

I don't think anyone has mentioned Der Himmel ueber Berlin (or Wings of Desire ).
Oh yeah there's also The Princess and the Warrior (or Der Krieger und die Kaiserin)



I second many of the titles folks have named, so I am merely adding to them.