5 Must See Foreign Films - Part 1

5 Must See Foreign Films - Part 1

Some of my readers must be thinking to themselves, “I totally get the importance of foreign films, but I’m still not going to watch.” To that I say fair enough.  This list is going to include 21st century foreign films that are some of my favorite ever movies.  This is la crème de la crème.   The brilliance of the following films had the potential to alter one's outlook on the potential of foreign films, but if not, these are stand-alone gems that I feel you will really enjoy.  These movies should leave you with a big fat smile on your face.  Let’s get into it.

Spirited Away - Japan (2002) dir. Hayao Miyazaki

If you’ve read any of my past articles, it’s no surprise that Spirited Away is on this list as it’s in my top 5 favorite movies ever.  This movie changed the way I viewed foreign films forever and is such a magical experience.  I’ve never shown this movie to someone without them absolutely loving it.  The plot revolves around a schoolgirl whose family is moving to a new home.  On the way they stop off in what they believe is an abandoned theme park, which it certainly is not, and our hero has to quickly acclimate herself to the spirit realm in which she is trapped working at a bathhouse for Japanese Shinto spirits on vacation.  Yes, I know that sounds insane, but you’re going to have to trust me on this one.  From the gorgeous hand drawn animation from Miyazaki and the rest of Studio Ghibli, and a story that can definitely remind viewers of a modern-day Wizard of Oz, Spirited Away is more or less a perfect movie.  Also, there’s no better time to get into Miyazaki after his final film, the stunning The Boy and the Heron, won the Oscar this year for Best Animated feature.  That made two for Miyazaki who won the award for Spirited Away in the second year of the category's existence.   If you love this which you probably will, the rest of the Studio Ghibli can be found on Max.  Feel free to watch with your children as this movie is for kids aged 8 to 80 and get swept away by the spirits.      

The Lives of Others – Germany (2007) dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck... great name

I have a couple of rules I try to live by, don’t be a jerk and do the right thing.  It’s not always easy.  Especially when you are a top Stasi agent (more or less KGB) in an Uber-paranoid, surveillance state in late 1980’s East Germany.  This is the story of a man played by the brilliant Ulrich Muhe in his triumphant final role before he died from cancer, who has seemingly had the life sucked out of him by the system, slowly transforming into a quiet hero as he is tasked with spying on a prolific writer and writing daily reports on.  Muhe’s character comes to the realization that what he was participating in was no longer something he wanted to be a part of and instead of the actual events; he creates a non-threatening story to help protect those he was tasked to destroy.  This film definitely plays like a classic Greek tragedy.  The historians among us know that this was end stage USSR, and a giant change was on the horizon for this part of the world.  With this comes the end of the surveillance state which allows profound truths to be revealed.  Improbably, the last scene is this very sad movie is perfect and will leave you with a full heart and a big smile. 

The Raid - Indonesia (2011) dir. Gareth Evans

The Raid 2 – Indonesia (2014) dir. Gareth Evans

This is arguably my favorite pair of martial arts action films of all time which says a lot as I love that genre.  The Raid is a chamber piece that takes place in a Jakarta slum tower, where a trap has been laid for the police who breach the building only to become trapped in a 30-story tower filled with crazy people who want to kill them.  The lead of the film is action star Iko Uwais whose expertise in Silat (Indonesian Martial art) goes full Jason Bourne, leading to a final hour of non-stop exhilarating set pieces with gorgeously violent fight choreography.   This turns into the classic, he’s not trapped in there with them, they’re trapped in there with him!  This is a brutal film that is so much fun to watch.  Then the Raid 2 is a direct continuation, but instead of a one location royal rumble, director Gareth Evans creates a fantastic mob epic!  It’s like the Godfather meets Kill Bill filled with brilliant shots like an opening one-take ten-minute jailhouse fight scene that I can’t believe Evans managed to pull off.  Raid 2 is a great story combined with the greatest fight scene in movie history which I’ll just call the kitchen scene followed by an exhausted badass calling it a day, after beating the crap out of everybody, to the beautiful music of Trent Reznor.  This is a pair of can’t miss action masterpieces.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire – France (2018) dir. Celine Sciamma

This period piece taking place in 18th century France is widely considered by film critics and film theorists as one of if not the best film of the 21st century.  Portrait tells the story of a wealthy, soon to be married woman, who commissions a portrait from an elite female artist.  Despite the time period these two women are in the upper class as one is a countess and the other commissioned to paint her portrait, which must have been a rarity in the 18th century.  This allows the seclusion necessary for this intense romance to happen, all filmed on beautiful castle dunes in Brittany, France.   What follows is a remarkably lovely and empathetic look at true love between the two young protagonists.  The love between the two is so intense that it feels like every day is the last day before they must go on pretending, making every scene pivotal.  A stunning wordless final scene at the opera brings everything together, affirming the forbidden love, as it’s both tragic and beautiful.  The film reminds me of an 18th century Carol, which is a movie included on my ten movies to watch from the last ten years list. I think director Celine Sciamma is currently one of the most talented filmmakers on Earth.