10 Foreign Films
10 Foreign films for people who don’t watch foreign films
Fancy something a little bit different from cliché ridden blockbusters, predictable rom coms and endless comic book adaptations? When the current selection at your cinema doesn’t float your boat, it might be a good idea to explore foreign film instead. It’s not just for pretentious people, you know.
I understand that a lot of people seem to be put off by the fact you have to use subtitles and while this can be annoying, there is so much more to be gained that it seems like such a silly and insignificant reason. It’s a wonderful way of being introduced to other cultures, new ideas and historic events we never really heard about. It also will make you want to travel, lots. I’m not going to pretend that every foreign film is profound, more ‘authentic’ or intrinsically better than what we’ve got on offer here. It’s just that people miss out on a lot if they ignore it, just as if they only stuck to the top 40 for music.
As a disclaimer, this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive or definitive list, just a diverse collection of solid, interesting films to get you started.
1. Amelie (2004)
Amelie
This seems to be the gateway film for many. Set in Paris, it follows naive Amelie in her quest to be an anonymous saint and inadvertently finding love along the way. It’s happy, bright and quirky, it might also make you want to escape to France immediately. Also look out for Delicatessen.
2. Metropolis (1927)
Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition)
A silent German film. Yes please. I’m not exaggerating when say this is a captivating, timeless film with the most beautiful music and it’s difficult to believe that it came from the twenties. It was only shown once in its entirety before being cut and reordered, so later editions differ widely. His thriller M is also amazing.
3. The Lives of Others (2006)
The Lives of Others
Set during 1984 in Berlin, a well known couple are chosen for surveillance by the Secret
Fancy something a little bit different from cliché ridden blockbusters, predictable rom coms and endless comic book adaptations? When the current selection at your cinema doesn’t float your boat, it might be a good idea to explore foreign film instead. It’s not just for pretentious people, you know.
I understand that a lot of people seem to be put off by the fact you have to use subtitles and while this can be annoying, there is so much more to be gained that it seems like such a silly and insignificant reason. It’s a wonderful way of being introduced to other cultures, new ideas and historic events we never really heard about. It also will make you want to travel, lots. I’m not going to pretend that every foreign film is profound, more ‘authentic’ or intrinsically better than what we’ve got on offer here. It’s just that people miss out on a lot if they ignore it, just as if they only stuck to the top 40 for music.
As a disclaimer, this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive or definitive list, just a diverse collection of solid, interesting films to get you started.
1. Amelie (2004)
Amelie
This seems to be the gateway film for many. Set in Paris, it follows naive Amelie in her quest to be an anonymous saint and inadvertently finding love along the way. It’s happy, bright and quirky, it might also make you want to escape to France immediately. Also look out for Delicatessen.
2. Metropolis (1927)
Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition)
A silent German film. Yes please. I’m not exaggerating when say this is a captivating, timeless film with the most beautiful music and it’s difficult to believe that it came from the twenties. It was only shown once in its entirety before being cut and reordered, so later editions differ widely. His thriller M is also amazing.
3. The Lives of Others (2006)
The Lives of Others
Set during 1984 in Berlin, a well known couple are chosen for surveillance by the Secret