Suggest a must have foreign movies/documentaries list

[MyK Von DyK]

...or just write down your favourite foreign directors/actors. Please, write them down in one go and don't post each one that you remember separately. Take your time, if you can't think of say more than ten titles than you should switch to "read-only" mode. THX!

My list (Title, Year, Director, Language, Genre (IMDB)):

2046 2004 Kar Wai Wong Chinese Drama / Romance / Sci-Fi
72 metra 2004 Vladimir Khotinenko Russian Drama / Action / Thriller
Abre Los Ojos 1997 Alejandro Amenábar Spanish Drama / Romance / Sci-Fi / Thriller
Batoru Rowaiaru 2000 Kinji Fukasaku Japanese Drama / Thriller / Action
Batoru Rowaiaru 2: Chinkonka 2003 Kenta & Kinji Fukasaku Japanese Action
Carandiru 2003 Hector Babenco Portuguese Drama / Crime
Choristes, Les 2004 Christophe Barratier French Romance / Drama / Music
Cidade De Deus 2002 Kátia Lund, Fernando Meirelles Portuguese Drama / Crime / Thriller
Cité des enfants perdus, La 1995 Marc Caro, J.P. Jeunet French Adventure / Fantasy / Sci-Fi / Drama
Delicatessen 1991 Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet French Comedy / Sci-Fi / Romance
Diarios de Motocicleta 2004 Walter Salles Spanish Drama / Adventure
Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le 2001 Jean-Pierre Jeunet French Comedy / Drama / Romance
G.O.R.A. 2004 Ömer Faruk Sorak Turkish Comedy / Sci-Fi
Hable con ella 2002 Pedro Almodóvar Spanish Drama
Himmel über Berlin, Der 1987 Wim Wenders German Fantasy / Drama / Romance
Immortel (ad vitam) 2004 Enki Bilal French Action / Drama / Sci-Fi / Animation
Invasions Barbares, Les 2003 Denys Arcand French Drama / Comedy
Kaena: La prophétie 2003 Chris Delaporte, Pascal Pinon English Action / Adventure / Animation / Family
Long Dimanche de Fiançailles, Un 2004 Jean-Pierre Jeunet French Drama / Mystery / Romance / War
Mar Adentro 2004 Alejandro Amenábar Spanish Drama
Nirgendwo in Afrika 2001 Caroline Link German Drama
Pat & Mat 1980 Lubomir Bene? Chechz Animation
Sen To Chichiro No Kamikakushi 2001 Hayao Miyazaki Japanese Adventure / Animation / Fantasy / Drama
Solyaris 1972 Andrei Tarkovsky Russian Drama / Sci-Fi
Stalker 1979 Andrei Tarkovski Russian Sci-Fi / Mystery
Stellvertreter, Der 2002 Costa-Gavras German Drama / War
Tmavomodrý Svet 2001 Jan Sverák Czech War / Drama
Todo sobre mi madre 1999 Pedro Almodóvar Spanish Drama / Comedy
Untergang, Der 2004 Oliver Hirschbiegel German Drama / War
Vodka Lemon 2003 Hiner Saleem Armenian Comedy
Y tu mamá también 2001 Alfonso Cuarón Spanish Comedy / Drama / Romance
?ivot je cudo 2004 Emir Kusturica Serbian Comedy / Romance

My wish list (IMDB: Title, Year, Rating, No. of Voters, Alternative Titles) - comments welcome:

Amores perros (2000) 8.1/10 (15368 votes)
...aka Love's a Bitch (2000) (International: English title)
Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom (2003) 8.2/10 (2520 votes)
...aka Frühling, Sommer, Herbst, Winter... und Frühling (2003) (Germany)
...aka Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring (2004) (Australia)
...aka Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003) (International: English title)
Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991) 8.1/10 (4190 votes)
...aka Raise the Red Lantern (1992) (USA)
Dare mo shiranai (2004) 8.2/10 (525 votes)
...aka Daremo shiranai - Nobody knows (2004) (Japan: poster title)
...aka Nobody Knows (2004) (International: English title) (USA: literal English title)
Die xue shuang xiong (1989) 8.0/10 (8940 votes)
...aka Bloodshed of Two Heroes (1989) (Hong Kong: English title: literal title)
...aka Just Heroes (1989) (Australia: video title)
...aka Killer, The (1995/I) (USA)
Eskiya (1996) 8.0/10 (774 votes)
...aka Bandit, The (1996) (USA)
Fa yeung nin wa (2000) 8.0/10 (6922 votes)
...aka Hua yang nian hua (2000) (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
...aka In the Mood for Love (2000) (France) (Hong Kong: English title) (USA)
Fanny och Alexander (1982) 8.2/10 (4204 votes)
...aka Fanny and Alexander (1983) (USA)
...aka Fanny et Alexandre (1983) (France)
...aka Fanny und Alexander (1983) (West Germany)
Festen (1998) 8.0/10 (12582 votes)
...aka Celebration, The (1998) (UK) (USA)
...aka Dogme # 1 - Festen (1998) (Denmark: series title)
...aka Dogme 1 (1998) (Denmark)
Filantropica (2002) 8.4/10 (589 votes)
...aka Philanthropique (2002) (France)
...aka Philanthropy (2002) (International: English title)
F#ing Åmål (1998) 8.0/10 (13606 votes)
...aka F#ing Lmll (1998) (Denmark)
...aka Show Me Love (1999) (Canada: English title) (UK) (USA: cable TV title)
Gegen die Wand (2004) 8.0/10 (2119 votes)
...aka Head-On (2004) (International: English title)
Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004) 8.0/10 (670 votes)
...aka Howl's Moving Castle (2005) (International: English title) (USA)
Hotaru no haka (1988) 8.3/10 (6505 votes)
...aka Grave of the Fireflies (1994) (USA)
...aka Tombstone for Fireflies (1994) (USA)
...aka Tombstone for the Fireflies (1994) (Australia: dubbed version)
Kaze no tani no Naushika (1984) 8.0/10 (3024 votes)
...aka Kaze no tani no Nausicaa (1984)
...aka Nausicaä (1984)
...aka Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds (1986) (USA)
...aka Warriors of the Wind (1986) (USA)
Kin-Dza-Dza (1986) 8.9/10 (717 votes)
...aka ëÉÎ-äÚÁ-äÚÁ (1986) (Soviet Union: Russian title: original Cyrillic KOI8-R title)
Ko to tamo peva (1980) 8.0/10 (619 votes)
...aka Who Sings Over There (1980) (USA)
...aka Who's Singin' Over There? (1980) (Canada: English title)
...aka Who's Singing Over There? (1980) (USA)
Lilja 4-ever (2002) 8.0/10 (4356 votes)
...aka Lilya 4-ever (2003) (International: English title)
Lola rennt (1998) 8.1/10 (32774 votes)
...aka Lola Runs (1999) (USA: literal English title)
...aka Run Lola Run (1999) (Australia) (USA)
Manon des sources (1986) 8.1/10 (4059 votes)
...aka Jean de Florette II (1986)
...aka Manon delle sorgenti (1986) (Italy)
...aka Manon des sources: Jean de Florette 2e partie (1986) (France: poster title)
...aka Manon of the Spring (1987) (USA)
Maratonci trce pocasni krug (1982) 8.4/10 (1319 votes)
...aka Marathon Family, The (1986) (USA)
Meglio gioventù, La (2003) 8.5/10 (1097 votes)
...aka Best of Youth, The (2003) (International: English title)
Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1989) 8.3/10 (14547 votes)
...aka Cinema Paradiso (1989) (France) (USA)
...aka Cinema Paradiso: The New Version (1990) (USA: director's cut)
Palwolui Christmas (1998) 8.1/10 (511 votes)
...aka Christmas in August (1998)
Peuple migrateur, Le (2001) 8.0/10 (2966 votes)
...aka Nomaden der Lüfte (2002) (Germany)
...aka Nomaden der Lüfte - Das Geheimnis der Zugvögel (2002) (Germany)
...aka Nómadas del viento (2002) (Spain)
...aka Popolo migratore, Il (2002) (Italy)
...aka Travelling Birds, The (2001) (International: English title)
...aka Winged Migration (2002) (Canada: English title: festival title) (USA)
Ran (1985) 8.4/10 (11509 votes)
...aka Chaos (1985)
...aka Ran (1985) (USA)
Salinui chueok (2003) 8.0/10 (1003 votes)
...aka Memories of Murder (2003) (International: English title)
Sennen joyu (2001) 8.1/10 (890 votes)
...aka Millennium Actress (2002) (USA)
Siworae (2000) 8.0/10 (539 votes)
...aka Il Mare (2002) (International: English title)
Staplerfahrer Klaus - Der erste Arbeitstag (2000) 8.2/10 (682 votes)
...aka Forklift Driver Klaus: The First Day On the Job (2000) (International: English title)
Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo (2004) 8.5/10 (1392 votes)
...aka Brotherhood (2004) (International: English title)
...aka Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004) (International: English title) (USA)
...aka Taegukgi (2004) (International: English title)
Tasogare seibei (2002) 8.2/10 (1629 votes)
...aka Twilight Samurai, The (2004) (UK)
Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta (1986) 8.1/10 (4573 votes)
...aka Castle in the Sky (1989) (USA)
...aka Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1989) (USA)
Tonari no Totoro (1988) 8.1/10 (4939 votes)
...aka My Neighbor Totoro (2004) (USA)
Trois couleurs: Rouge (1994) 8.0/10 (10987 votes)
...aka Red (1994/II) (USA: short title)
...aka Three Colors: Red (1994) (USA)
...aka Three Colours: Red (1994) (Canada: English title) (UK)
...aka Trzy kolory: Czerwony (1994) (Poland)
Tweeling, De (2002) 8.1/10 (999 votes)
...aka Twin Sisters (2002) (Europe: English title)
Vita è bella, La (1997) 8.4/10 (36893 votes)
...aka Life Is Beautiful (1998) (USA)
Vozvrashcheniye (2003) 8.1/10 (1915 votes)
...aka Return, The (2004/II) (International: English title) (USA)
Wu jian dao (2002) 8.0/10 (3621 votes)
...aka I Want to Be You (2002) (Hong Kong: English title)
...aka Infernal Affairs (2002) (Hong Kong: English title) (International: English title)
...aka Mo gan doh (2002) (China: Cantonese title)
Yeopgijeogin geunyeo (2001) 8.3/10 (2226 votes)
...aka Bizarre Girl (2001)
...aka My Sassy Girl (2001) (International: English title)
...aka Yupgi Girl (2002) (Hong Kong: English title)
Ying xiong (2002) 8.2/10 (22352 votes)
...aka Hero (2003/II) (USA)
...aka Jet Li's Hero (2003) (USA)

P.S.: If possible, post IMDB links and ratings.

 

[bigalt]

You pretty much can't miss with Jeunet and Caro.
Jean-Luc Godard, Kiezlowski, and Almodovar also don't make anything that's not worth watching. And Fellini if you can stomach him.

Man Bites Dog I could watch again and again, and Belle Epoque and Like Water for Chocolate are great movies too.

Of the original list I would vote Abre Los Ojos and Solyaris (I can't think of a more pretentious, boring sci fi movie than the latter, except maybe 2001) off the island.

I used to bother learning the titles of some movies in their original languages, but it's a completely useless endeavour except when talking about the movie with people from that country. Germans, for example, are far more likely to recognize the title of a movie in english than in french or japanese.

 

[amoeba]

2046 is Chinese.

 

[MyK Von DyK]

Originally posted by: amoeba
2046 is Chinese.

I thought they were speaking a bit strange Corrected that - sorry!

 

[ondarkness]

subscribed

 

[amoeba]

Originally posted by: MyK Von DyK

Originally posted by: amoeba
2046 is Chinese.

I thought they were speaking a bit strange Corrected that - sorry!

well, there are periods of japanese dialog in there so it can be confusing.

The main chinese character imagines himself as the japanese character in his book.

 

[MyK Von DyK]

Originally posted by: bigalt
I used to bother learning the titles of some movies in their original languages, but it's a completely useless endeavour except when talking about the movie with people from that country. Germans, for example, are far more likely to recognize the title of a movie in english than in french or japanese.

Thanks for your input it's a great post! As for the original titles - this is how I remember the movies as translations can be quite misleading sometimes. Anyway, it doesn't hurt to learn a few foreign words once in a while, does it?

 

[csyberblue]

I didn't read your whole post, but here are some foreign films I like:

Run Lola Run: German Film
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust: Japanese Animated Movie
Princess Mononoke: Japanese Animated Movie

 

[MyK Von DyK]

In Bulgaria you nod up and down to say "No" and shake your head left-to-right to say "Yes".

I'm sorry dear friend, but that's simply not true for Bulgarians. And I should know, as I have been there a few times as I'm from Slovenia (some 1K miles away, Central Europe, EU). I think Japanese nod this way, except not as often as I think it's not polite to shake your head or something? Need input... checking...

 

[MyK Von DyK]

Additionally found few titles that should be at least interesting if not good...

(IMDB: Title, Year, Director, Language, Genre):

Badkonake sefid 1995 Jafar Panahi Persian Drama / Family
Égarés, Les 2003 André Téchiné French Drama / Romance
Io non ho paura (I'm Not Scared) 2003 Gabriele Salvatores Italian Drama
Siu lam juk kau (Shaolin Soccer) 2001 Stephen Chow Cantonese Comedy / Action
Spoorloos 1988 George Sluizer Dutch Horror / Mystery / Thriller
Elling 2001 Petter Næss Norwegian Comedy / Drama
Nikita 1990 Luc Besson French Thriller
Pacte Des Loups, Le (Director's Cut) 2001 Christophe Gans French Action / Horror / Thriller / Adventure / Crime / Mystery
Yume 1990 Akira Kurosawa Japanese Fantasy / Drama

Please comment on this list and the wish list above as I don't want to go into trouble of finding listed titles just to find out they are no good. Best to all, MyK.

 

[loic2003]

Old boy (Korean)

 

[xospec1alk]

battle royale 2 was a little....off from the first one...
Lilja 4 ever was an AWESOME friggin movie. very touching.
The Celebration was an interesting look into humans and very awkward...pretty good Dogme film. Italian for Beginners, also a Dogme film was pretty great.

Run Lola Run, Awesome.
Nausicca, awesome.
TaeGukGi, awesome, tearjerker, and kind of over the top korean drama
My Sassy Girl, great movie.

tagged for later while i peruse my foreign movie list =) will edit....

Documentaries that I liked

Spellbound (obviously)
Dark Days
Devil's Playground(about the amish)