Foreign Engagement

It should be no surprise by now that Eshi and I love movies. We talk about them all the time, and even have a running series about it (coming Friday, seriously, we promise~). We're especially fond of foreign movies.

Unfortunately, foreign movies don't seem to get much love in American markets, this is due to various reasons such as lack of exposure or a hate of subtitles. Now the first one is hard to avoid since foreign films are rarely advertised in the U.S. so you would have to go out of your way to find them. This also ads a layer of mystique to them that might scare a few more people away from them. The second is ridiculous in my mind and is usually accompanied by the phrase "I go to movies because I don't want to read". This strikes me of being proud of ignorance and is all around disappointing.

Foreign movies are something that anyone who is a fan of movies should see. I have written about how Hollywood always makes the same stuff over and over again. Foreign movies offer a different take on old formulas, straight up new ideas (at least new to our culture), and they also offer a different view on traditional issues. This also helps the viewer get great insight into other cultures, which is never a bad thing.

Admittedly, some foreign film is weird as shit. La Jetee is a prime example of weird shit done well, if you find yourself looking for a sample. It was the inspiration for 12 Monkeys for all the Terry Gilliam fans out there and it is very worth the watch.

Here is a list that I found that offers some good suggestions on what to watch, but don't limit yourself to it. There are plenty of good movies from around the world that deserve a viewing, and if you like cinema this will expand your view on it as an art form. Just in case it doesn't go without saying watch the original foreign versions of things. Just do, seriously. Good places to start are; Let the Right One In, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and OldBoy, the last of which you may remember for Eshi's exultation of its amazing hammer-violence.