donniedarko's: Top 25 Foreign Language Films 1990-Present

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17. Headhunters
Tyldum, 2011
Norway



16. Dream of a Ridiculous Man
Petrov, 1992
Russia

A quick 20 minute short, based on the short story by Dostoyevsky. Petrov has an incredibly unique animation style, I'd also recommend The Old Man and The Sea from his works

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Yeah, there's no body mutilation in it



movies can be okay...
I absolutely adore The Hunt. Masterpiece !
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"A film has to be a dialogue, not a monologue — a dialogue to provoke in the viewer his own thoughts, his own feelings. And if a film is a dialogue, then it’s a good film; if it’s not a dialogue, it’s a bad film."
- Michael "Gloomy Old Fart" Haneke



Inspector Bellamy is incredibly underseen, impossible to even find a decent screenshot from the film. If my word isn't enough Roger Ebert gave the film high praises as well. A true gem if you have the patience for it. Hard to describe it as much else but EXTREMELY European.





11. The Act of Killing
Oppenheimer,2012
Indonesia (Denmark/Normay/UK Production)




10. City of God
Meirelles, 2002
Brazil



The Act of Killing (2012, Oppenheimer)

The Act of Killing isn't only one of the greatest documentaries I've ever seen, it's one of the best films I've seen in months. A haunting testament, in which brave filmmaker interviews self proclaimed Indonesian gangsters who par took in the 1960 killing of communists. What separates this from other documentaries, is these men are asked to recreate these events in anyway they want, and what follows can shake a man to his core. An aged gangster named Anwar is the second director (in a sense) goes from boastful to believably humbled, in a micro level the ending is satisfying.


Anwar presenting the movie to his grandchildren

But on a macro level the film really shows how scary Indonesia is, a political party, Pemuda Pancasila, is truly boastful about the genocide, and are more than open about current corruption. Why wouldn't they be, the Vice President is a member, governors advocate killing Chinese neo communists, the mass murders are the hero's. A leader of a news paper speaks openly about how he changed statements of alleged communists to get them killed. Of course I always knew corruption is prevalent in developing regions, but i didn't realize this was something to be cocky about.



The recreations are frantically heartfelt, but have a sound surrealism. The colorful pictures make depictions of genocide and death, beautiful. I took great joy seeing the director momentarily breaking his silence at the end, it was honorable of him to make the film, and he kept a great balance of not intervening and putting in a word. During the credits half the names are just, Anonymous, even though the gangsters and media took pride in the genocidal heritage, perhaps the end result is something to fear for Indonesian culture. I will try to watch the extended 160 minute version eventually, but for now this has affected beyond any standard documentary.


The Look of Silence (Oppenheimer, 2014)


As some of you may know I consider the prequel to this film, The Act of Killing one of the greatest documentaries ever made, a true essential. Here is my review from over two years ago. So naturally I was thrilled to see a stand alone sequel coming from a different perspective. While this is still a solid artistic creation, it feels more like a DVD extension to The Act of Killing. This film gives the narrative ability to the brother of one of those unjustly slain in the Indonesian genocide, against communism. Like Oppenheimer in the first film, the brother, Adi, directly interviews the killers who still hold power over Indonesia, from police to schools to government. Understandably Adi takes a more confrontational tone with the killers, and do they notice. While many would consider this a more satisfying viewing experience, I believe it takes away from the beauty of the first film. In The Act of Killing the killers are given resources to create an artistic exploration of their role in the 1960s genocide. This silently allows them to take a deeper look at their impact, how unexplainably beautiful that is. While in The Look of Silence it's a direct force of confrontation, which seems to be a lot less effective and just met with resistance.

The Act of Killing takes a micro look, to explore the larger geo-political impacts with undertone statements of humanity. This films take a micro look, to explore a micro impact, with sometimes forced overtones of statements on humanity. The graphic scenes showing Adi's fathers crippling sickness, are undoubtedly powerful. But what does this have to do with the Indonesian mass killings? Almost feels exploitative in hindsight. The narrative of the documentary is much less neutral as well. The US forced these killings, and all the communists were peaceful while the western militia were all savages. It's obvious that this can't be the full truth. I'm rather disappointed in how Oppenheimer chose to follow up a meditative, explorative documentary. None of the confrontation is as impactful as the final moment of The Act of Killing

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I have not, added to my watchlist!
It's a very well made film but i'm not sure how much i actually like it. It's very brutal, about Brazillian street kids too except it makes City of God look like a rom-com. City of God is definitely the more enjoyable film anyway. Hope you like it.



This might just do nobody any good.
Oh my god, The Look of Silence is a haunting movie. More so than The Act of Killing, as you have one of the massacre's victims confronting the perpetrators.

WARNING: spoilers below
The scene where one of the killer discusses drinking human blood in front of his daughter left in not so much disbelief but a mixture of horror, disgust and shock.


It's a masterpiece.





9. Leviathan
Zvyagintsev,2014
Russia




8. Insomnia
Skjoldbjærg, 1997
Norway



Leviathan (Zvyagintsev,2014)

Leviathan is perhaps the most poignant at modern Russian life seen in film today. The film has more than one conflict, but it begins with that of Kolya, a hothead landowner, and corrupt mayor Vadim who's trying to take this property away from him. The film criticizes Russian culture, but more importantly the corruption in the bureaucratic society. While the laws cited in some court room scenes may sound just like the US Constitution, it soon becomes clear that very little of the legal process is followed by those on top.

While the film is set in a smaller town, I do believe the statement by the director is corruption throughout the nation. There's a very strong scene, when many of the protagonist go out shooting- the targets are framed images of former Russian dictators. One character asks is there anyone more modern, in reply another character states that we will let history reflect on those. But Zvyagintsev has a bit of a different statement, in one scene there's a portrait of Vladimir Putin standing right behind Vadim in his office. I see this as Zvyagintsev pointing the corruption all the way to the top.

Which is interesting since 35% of the films funding is from the Russian minsitry of culture. But they themselves have had a change of heart.

From Wiki




The films conflict later does focus more on the personal life of Kolya, but the aspect of the mayor and his corruption is always looming in the background. The movie could have ended more powerfully, but suddenly, in the final court room scene. Zooming into the all so familiar prosecutor. While I didn't find this part shocking, I found it hardening. Instead the film has a strong in a Russian Orthodox Church. Which is also brutally criticized by the film.

The film ends in the same scenery and with the same music as when it began. Raising the question, have things changed? And will they ever?

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Insomnia (Skjoldbjærg, 1997)



Wow. Today I wanted to watch something real. I truly got it with this stellar debut feature from Skjoldbjærg. I watched an American made film of his recently, Prozac Nation. I found the film- while flawed- slightly under appreciated. Insomnia is completely under appreciated though. One of the greatest crime thrillers ever made, the film follows a sociopath detective who makes a grave mistake by accidentally shooting his partner. Played by Stellan Skarsgård in a convincing and gripping performance. The film holds tension throughout. Every single scene, even the most uneventful are intense. And all somehow equally so. A scene where Detective Engstrom is struggling to sleep is just as intense as the scene where he meets the suspected killer he's searching for. And this is somehow despite the predictability. I knew what would happen at the end of each scene from the initial entrance, I pretty much knew how the whole film would play out after the first 25 minutes. Yet Skjoldbjærg and Skarsgård team up to make it surprisingly gripping. Proving how important atmosphere is to making a great film.



The film is highly symbolic. The efforts of Detective Engstrom are bothered by the bright sun peering into his room. Unlike most horror, thrillers, and mysteries Insomnia does not rely on darkness, but instead light. Everything happens in broad daylight, and even in the final scene where everything goes dark except for Detective Engstrom eyes- the "light" in the scene is the only chilling part about it. There's one scene in particular that I think has the most symbolic image. When Detective Engstrom enters a "suspects" room to continue on his path of lies there's an image of Freud glaring next to him. "The Truth Will set you free" is a Freud quote that immediately comes to mind, and clearly the detective is not free while he's continuing his path of deceiving those around him. I don't think I'm over analyzing this either, because in this film every prop is important and has some reference.

I have not seen Nolan's remake, nor do I plan too. I'm much more likely to just rewatch this film. As I mentioned I was looking for something real, and I believe that's much more achievable with a cast of nobodies compared to a star studded cast of Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hillary Swank. I think I will stick to Skarsgård, Mathiesen, and Bjørn Floberg. In this cold, extremely graphic yet tasteful, thriller in a Norwegian town where the sun never sets- which I now realize is terrifying.

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I didn't even know Nolans was a remake Seen neither, Leviathan has been on my radar for a while.
I haven't seen the Nolan one, but I could see many elements being inferior (similar to elements in Funny Games). HK is a big fan of the original as well



I haven't seen the Nolan one, but I could see many elements being inferior (similar to elements in Funny Games). HK is a big fan of the original as well
Nolans one wasn't that good i don't think. How is Funny Games remake inferior? Is it just the acting? Just wondering as i've only seen the original and i thought it was a shot for shot remake.



Nolans one wasn't that good i don't think. How is Funny Games remake inferior? Is it just the acting? Just wondering as i've only seen the original and i thought it was a shot for shot remake.
I haven't seen the remake actually. The similarity I was pointing too would be the differencs between a bunch of unrecognizable foreign actors compared to American superstars. Could take away from the rawness of both original films