12 Foreign Films I Like

Over the years I've seen the foreign language films that blew my mind. Others not so much. The hardest thing was being able to read fast enough to enjoy the visuals. I even learned a few new words. So, here is my list of the 10 foreign films I like.

12.) Noriko's Dinner Table

 Language: Japanese



I randomly watched this movie on Netflixs in May. I thought it was going to be a horror story about a girl who decided to eat people. Look at the cover to God's sake! What was I supposed to think?


Noriko is a 17 year old high school student who decides to ditch her boring life in exchange for one more exciting. She starts working for a company that officers a type of escort service for the lonely: Pretending to be their family members! It's insane. Meanwhile, her real family goes nuts looking for her thinking she's one of the 54 girls who threw themselves in front of a subway bus in a mass suicide. If you like weirder stuff, which I do sometimes, check it out.

11.) Inglorious Basterds

 Language(s): English, German, French and Italian



I'll be honest and say I didn't see this all the way through. I fell asleep. But, the part I DID see was pretty amazing. I can't read when I'm tired (it was 3am on school night) and there are FOUR language to keep up with. You gotta love Quentin Tarantino. Does this count as foreign? Anyway, the first 20 minutes of the film grab you by the neck and hold you in place, daring you to take a breath. I plan on finishing this because I want to know what happens!


10.) Hero

Language: Mandarin

I like foreign action! I like sword fights! I like seeing the protagonist get his revenge! There's a few twists in the movie as well. I haven't seen a lot of Jet Li films (other than the one he did with Aaliyah) but I like this one better. Are you surprised that it's Quentin Tarantino again? I'm not sure this counts as foreign, but since I can't understand Mandarin, I'm gonna say yeah!


9.) Yellow

Language(s): Spanish and English

I got this movie for three dollars at the local Big Lots. What made me buy it? I stood there and watched a trailer for it to help me decide. I used to buy movies blindly and take a chance, but with my iPhone I don't have to do that anymore, haha! This is a story about a girl who loves to dance. She leaves Mexico and heads to the USA to make it on Broadway. The movie is completely in Spanish the first half, and suddenly she's knows English the second half. Cool, I got to stop reading and relax, haha! I liked the movie and I'm probably going to watch it again soon.

8.) Y Tu Mama Tambien

 Laguage: Spanish


This movie is about two best friends and a dying girl who go on a road trip for a reason I can't seem to remember. All I know is there's a lot of sex. A LOT of it. Maybe that's why I liked it so much. If you take the sex out, there's no reason to watch. That sounds bad, but it's the truth. The ending is sad. I hope I didn't ruin it for you!

7.) The God's Must Be Crazy

Language: !Kung (Click Language) and English

I saw this movie when I was a kid and it's one of the funniest movies ever. These two white people get trapped in Africa and accidentally drag this poor Bushman along. Everyone's just trying to get back to their families and that can be understood even with a language barrier.


 
6.)Bad Education

Language: Spanish


A man who pretends to be a woman! Just kidding, but not really. It's a story about two friends who want to make a movie together. I don't want to give a whole lot away but.....have you ever seen Brokeback Mountain? Well....yeah.








5.) Tomboy

Language: French


This movie made me want to cry. We've all been kids who just wanted to fit in and be accepted. This little girl goes as far as pretending to be a little boy so she can fit in with her friends. Even though she has a strong relationship with her parents and her little sister, she still has that hole inside that nothing can fill until she accepts who she is. I loved this movie.

4.) Azumi

Language: Japanese


I watched this movie because there's a girl on the cover holding a fucking sword! That's cool! What's even cooler is the story. Azumi and her friends are assassins who have to kill this guy that looks like an Asian version of David Bowie. I loved it!



 

3.) Pan's Labyrinth

Language: Spanish


I typically hate movies that leave me wondering, "What really happened?" But this isn't one of those movies. I always have this preconceived notion that a movie with a kid in it must be a kid's movie...but it's not. Is this little girl hallucinating and trying to escape communist Spain or...is she really a Princess?


2.) Let The Right One In

Language: Swedish

I didn't know what the expect when I saw this. I didn't think it was going to be good. The American version of this movie doesn't even compare. I think this movie inspired me to write Undead Again. What if you lived next door to a vampire and she wanted you to invite her in?


1.) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Language: Mandarin

I. Love. This. Movie.

But every time I ask someone if they've seen it, know what they say in response?

"Oh, is that the one with all the flying?"

Umm...yeah. But it's a LOT more than that! Who can't relate to Jiao Long? Her parents expect her to lead a certain kind of strict life and she longs for freedom and adventure. I've felt like that. And then there's the warrior Shu Lien who wants nothing more to settle down and get married but she can't escape her warrior life or confess her feelings. It's more than just people flying around...although the flying is pretty neato. Check it out!!