Favorite Foreign Films of the 2000s

[Iron-Blu-123]

Pan's Labyrinth
Let the Right One In
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Mongol
Hero

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Iron-Blu-123

Pan's Labyrinth
Let the Right One In
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Mongol
Hero

I've seen all of these and have commented about all but Mongol. Mongol was a very good film--felt very authentic to me. I really hope the next part (supposed to be a trilogy) is made, despite the reservations of the director.

[Iron-Blu-123]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I've seen all of these and have commented about all but Mongol. Mongol was a very good film--felt very authentic to me. I really hope the next part (supposed to be a trilogy) is made, despite the reservations of the director.

+1 I bought Mongol 1 month ago. watched good film and really liked. hope next part will be made.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Iron-Blu-123

+1 I bought Mongol 1 month ago. watched good film and really liked. hope next part will be made.

I thought the PQ was actually very good--I am baffled about how it got a 3.5 rating on this site, especially when Glory got a 4.5 and is still BY FAR the worst PQ I've seen on blu.

I just did some web searching about the second installment (because the director Sergei Bodrov originally said he did not want to continue the series because of how difficult it was), and it is currently in pre-production and slated to be released sometime late next year: it is called The Great Khan

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I've seen all of these and have commented about all but Mongol. Mongol was a very good film--felt very authentic to me. I really hope the next part (supposed to be a trilogy) is made, despite the reservations of the director.

I thought Mongol was only so-so. There was a lot of potential there for a great movie, but it seemed to jump all over the place. Hopefully part two, if it gets made, is a little more focused and takes advantage of the rich history to make an even better movie.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I also liked the very difficult moral quandary presented: when faced with the threat of death, do you help the enemy to preserve your life or do you stand up for yourself and your people? I also liked the moral dilemma regarding the comraderie of the prisoners.

I liked to movie. However, I think the main point of conflict felt contrived. As in, there wasn't much to be in conflict about.

SPOILER
I'm not talking about the idea of assisting your enemy, but the way one prisoner took it upon himself to decide the fate of all the others and how a previously self-centered criminal would cover for this guy when his own life was at stake. I think in reality survival would have been the #1 concern. The other prisoners would have done away with him day one rather than allow him to get them all killed. That part of the plot just seemed a bit hollow and idealized to me.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by repete66211

I thought Mongol was only so-so. There was a lot of potential there for a great movie, but it seemed to jump all over the place. Hopefully part two, if it gets made, is a little more focused and takes advantage of the rich history to make an even better movie.

I do agree with you about the jumping around. Since part two really focuses on him building him empire, it may be more successful. Or, it may not since there are so many significant events.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by repete66211

I liked to movie. However, I think the main point of conflict felt contrived. As in, there wasn't much to be in conflict about.

SPOILER
I'm not talking about the idea of assisting your enemy, but the way one prisoner took it upon himself to decide the fate of all the others and how a previously self-centered criminal would cover for this guy when his own life was at stake. I think in reality survival would have been the #1 concern. The other prisoners would have done away with him day one rather than allow him to get them all killed. That part of the plot just seemed a bit hollow and idealized to me.

Once again, I have to agree with you, to an extent. I do not think it was contrived as it was a very real event and situation, so it was reality (Adolph Burger, the political, was a real person who wrote the true story of what happened--the film fictionalizes a lot of it but my impression was that the same moral quandary was there). However, I do think it is worth thinking about--would the prisoners immediately throw the person under the bus? Or, would they band together because of their common predicament? Logic tells us that they would throw the person under the bus. However, I do not think it is such an easy question.


Repete, besides films you have commented on and recommended thus far, have you seen anything recently you would recommend? I've come to enjoy your posts.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Once again, I have to agree with you, to an extent. I do not think it was contrived as it was a very real event and situation, so it was reality (Adolph Burger, the political, was a real person who wrote the true story of what happened--the film fictionalizes a lot of it but my impression was that the same moral quandary was there). However, I do think it is worth thinking about--would the prisoners immediately throw the person under the bus? Or, would they band together because of their common predicament? Logic tells us that they would throw the person under the bus. However, I do not think it is such an easy question.

I know it was based on something that really happened, but I still think the bit about the rogue prisoner is a non-conflict. I have no doubt that the instinct of survival would compel the other prisoners to bump that guy off, especially since the assistance they were offering wasn't really that critical. He apparently had a death wish, so the other prisoners would just be assisting him to attain it without dying themselves.

Now, if things were a little closer to home and the prisoners had the opportunity to make a sacrifice that would have more tangible results (i.e. saving the lives of other people) then there might be a case for the prisoners to sabotage the operation. But as it was a counterfeiting operation would never play that critical of a role.

Repete, besides films you have commented on and recommended thus far, have you seen anything recently you would recommend? I've come to enjoy your posts.

Thanks, I enjoy yours too. I haven't seen anything recently that's really knocked my socks off, but would be happy to provide you with a list of movies I really enjoy. I'm off to see the Baader Meinhof Complex this afternoon. A local art house theater just got it in (even though I believe it's already out on disc in Europe). I'll let you know how that goes.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by repete66211

I know it was based on something that really happened, but I still think the bit about the rogue prisoner is a non-conflict. I have no doubt that the instinct of survival would compel the other prisoners to bump that guy off, especially since the assistance they were offering wasn't really that critical. He apparently had a death wish, so the other prisoners would just be assisting him to attain it without dying themselves.

Now, if things were a little closer to home and the prisoners had the opportunity to make a sacrifice that would have more tangible results (i.e. saving the lives of other people) then there might be a case for the prisoners to sabotage the operation. But as it was a counterfeiting operation would never play that critical of a role.



Thanks, I enjoy yours too. I haven't seen anything recently that's really knocked my socks off, but would be happy to provide you with a list of movies I really enjoy. I'm off to see the Baader Meinhof Complex this afternoon. A local art house theater just got it in (even though I believe it's already out on disc in Europe). I'll let you know how that goes.

Both would be great.

[hardcorefrokid]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

What is this MR 73? You are the second person to have listed it, yet I have not heard of it. Could you post a brief synopsis?

Sorry this took so long, I haven't kept up with this thread.

In Marseilles, the discredited and alcoholic Detective Schneider hijacks a bus and forces the bus driver with a gun to drive him home. He is arrested by the swat force and his washed up career in the police department practically ends. Schneider is removed from the investigation of a serial-killer that is committing hideous crimes against women and assigned to a bureaucratic work in the night-shift in the precinct. Through glimpses from his recollections, Schneider recalls the tragic accident that killed his daughter and left his wife attached to a life support system. Meanwhile, the sick criminal Charles Subra, who killed the parents of two girls many years ago, convinces the probation committee in the prison that he has found God and is regenerated and may be released. Justine, one of the daughters that survived, has never overcome the trauma of her loss and is worried with the possibility of the freedom of the criminal. When Schneider discovers the identity of the serial-killer, he finds also the corruption in the high command of the police, and he decides to go to his last mission on Earth in his descent to Hell. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Both would be great.

I'll PM my list and will try to post something regarding the Baader Meinhof movie tonight. The Cranes are Flying is the last movie I watched (Netflix, but TCM played it recently). It's a 1957 movie made in the Soviet Union. I wouldn't say there's a plethora of good movies released out of that country (with so much propaganda produced), but this is a good one. It's about a couple that is separated by WWII. The story isn't remarkable so much as the camera work--great composition yes, but the camera movement is what's truly remarkable. I recommend you take a look if you can.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

The next film on my list is the recent Academy Award nominee, Sophi Scholl, about an anti-Nazi young lady put on trial.

While I will not say that Sophie is a better movie, I will say I enjoyed it more. I love courtroom stuff.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by hardcorefrokid

Sorry this took so long, I haven't kept up with this thread.

Thank you...someone else provided me with the synopsis a few weeks ago. I plan on purchasing it soon!

[jhiggy23]

So I just finished watching Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, the Academy-Award foreign film nominee from four years ago. I thought it was fantastic and give it 3 1/2 stars. To those who complain about the numerous Holocaust and WWII films that are often made, this is another example of why it is such a popular topic: there are innumerable stories to be told from one of the most significant events in the history of the world.

Some may find this film boring and not exciting. I, however, was riveted. It reminded me somewhat of one of the greatest films of all time, Judgment at Nuremberg. The dialogue in both of these films is absolutely fascinating, representing viewpoints from both the Nazis and those who opposed the regime and the philosophy behind it. The lengthy interrogation scene between School and Inspector Mohr is one of the best and most interesting interrogation scenes I have ever seen. It is even more interesting considering the interrogation is practically verbatim from the unpublished transcripts that were saved by the Gestapo and released after the fall of the Berlin wall.

Mohr is evil just like the rest of the Nazis, but the look on his face when Sophie describes the (true) rumors of extermination camps for Jews and tha mass killing of the mentally handicapped is one of the most interesting dialogue exchanges I have seen in recent film. It is apparent that Mohr, like many of the Nazis, were completely unaware of what was actually occurring. Of course, this certainly does not exonerate him or the others for things that they did, but there has been much written about whether it was common knowledge of the extermination, or whether it was more capsulated.

I found the acting from the main character to be extraordinary in its subtlety. I also found the final scene to be expertly shot and one that left a lasting impression. There is no doubt that Sophie Scholl, her brother, and Probst were prime examples of idealism and courage in the face of evil.

3 1/2 out of 4.

[Toxa]

Infernal Affairs

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Toxa

Infernal Affairs

Did you like it better than The Departed?

[Sussudio]

The Orphanage.

[CHERRYGARCIA]

watched "Mad Detective" over the weekend..not sure if it will make a best of list
but I need to watch the film again..confusing as heck at times..but I did enjoy it...great ending!

[zombie63]

Just watched the Korean horror/comedy The Host and thought it stood up pretty well. The Monster looks amazingly real at times and the story too had a good mix of drama and humour.
Definately recommend this one !