Foreign Films / World Cinema

There is a niche market for foreign films. They are often grouped with "art house films" and other independent films. They have "artistic value" as opposed to "Hollywood commercialism".

Here are 3 relatively recent successful foreign films and their synopses.

Amélie (2001): This is a French production which portrays a naive girl with a strong sense of justice who decides to help those around her. However, the film is not as innocent as the description makes it sound since Amélie ends up helping a "lonely sex shop employee" which earns this movie an "R" rating, but none the less it is an exquisite French production which is very enjoyable.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000): This Asian film opened the door to new and artistic fighting sequences which later on where incorporated in productions such as 'Hero'. Recent Asian productions are known for their artistic, historical and sometimes psychological background which makes it attractive to the masses in continents far away.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006): This is a Spanish film which due to its quality and originality was awarded 3 Oscars and nominated 51 times in several categories. The plot line involves the step-daughter of a sadistic army officer (in 1944) who resorts to the fantasy world she created to survive her harsh reality.

This is a list of the top 10 Foreign Films according to www.wikia.com

1. Shichinin no samurai (1954)

2. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966)

3. Cidade de Deus (2002)

4. C'era una volta il West (1968)

5. Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le (2001)

6. Léon (1994)

7. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away) (2001)

8. Boot, Das (1981)

9. M (1931)

10. Vita è bella, La (1997)

I have seen "Amélie" and "Spirited Away", both of which were incredible. The cultural differences between Asia, France and London is fascinating, and the shot types and story lines are so unique and original.

One of my favourite films is "Open Your Eyes" (1997) ("Abre los ojos" in Spanish). It is a jaw-dropping psychological thriller set in Madrid that is beautifully orchestrated. It defies the boundary between dreams and reality and will literally open your eyes to a world of thoughts about your own life. This film is not very well-known, which is a shame, as it is such a triumph. Its critical reaction was almost all positive. Holly E. Ordway of DVD Active said, "I don’t give out “perfect 10” ratings lightly, but Open Your Eyes earns one by all accounts." Due to the critical acclaim of this film, a remake was made in 2001 starring Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz (who played the same role in both films) called "Vanilla Sky" however this film got mostly negative reactions.

I'm not sure whether it is the different languages, the different locations or the imaginations of foreign film makers, but there is something very special about World Cinema.