The Personal Recommendation Hall of Fame III: Foreign Language Edition

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Honestly don't know which came first but Hunger Games is a masterpiece comparatively...and I don't like Hunger Games.

The book came out in 1996





Manga came out from 2000-2005



Does the English-dubbed version of Fantastic Planet have the MoFo "seal of approval"? or should I seek the subtitled version instead? The one available on The Roku Channel is dubbed. I usually prefer to watch films in their original languages, but I'm willing to make an exception.
I watched the dubbed version many times before I ever had access to the French. Plus, having to read subtitles distracts your eyeballs from all the eye candy. I'm not participating in this tournament thingy but I hereby grant you permission to watch the dub.
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Women will be your undoing, Pépé
Does the English-dubbed version of Fantastic Planet have the MoFo "seal of approval"? or should I seek the subtitled version instead? The one available on The Roku Channel is dubbed. I usually prefer to watch films in their original languages, but I'm willing to make an exception.
I've watched both sub and dubbed versions and for myself, hearing the original French seemed to compliment the visuals a bit more.
Both do work quite nicely, so it should be your preference.
I do have a link for a subtitled for ya that I'll send over in PM in case you go that route. But again, either works quite well.
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I watched Le Trou (1960). Directed by Jacques Becker, the film is about prisoner inmates planning an escape. The film is very well crafted and effective. It's an engaging and interesting story, with sufficient suspense and drama to satisfy viewers. The actors did a good job and the performances feel natural and real. Le Trou is a smart and well made film, definitely worth watching. My rating is a
.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
I watched Le Trou (1960). Directed by Jacques Becker, the film is about prisoner inmates planning an escape. The film is very well crafted and effective. It's an engaging and interesting story, with sufficient suspense and drama to satisfy viewers. The actors did a good job and the performances feel natural and real. Le Trou is a smart and well made film, definitely worth watching. My rating is a
.
Great escape film that was based on true events. They even had one of the guys IN the film playing himself, Roland.
Definitely need to rewatch this one before the Countdown.



Ok, I'm on the board with Fantastic Planet, but I'm gonna have to let that umm simmer for a while before I can write a proper review
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The Blue Kite: I will be i interested to see who picked this one for me. I loved it. Sociopolitical family drama, right in my wheelhouse. What makes this so great is how specific the story remains. I do think I would have enjoyed it even more if I was more familiar with the politics surrounding it.

Like Senso, this would also be enhanced by a transfer upgrade. Definitely felt like DVD quality.

Overall a great family drama that I am very pleased to have seen, especially since I hadn't even heard of it.
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Wolf Children (2012)


Y'know I actually really loved the first half of this film...I'm actually a little bummed that they aged the characters up had the film just stuck with the kids I think it would have been a stronger film. Wolf Children tells the story of a woman who has half human half wolf kids...she decides that she can't live in the city and moves to the sticks where the kids can be wolves.


All the characters have fairly distinct personalities the star is Hana the female child. She's more focused on being human and has a better conflict with her mother. The Ame is a little to cold and standoffish for me I didn't really ever connect with his story.


Visually it's a solid film it reminds me of Studio Ghibli several of the set pieces are incredible. This was still a pretty good watch.





Wolf Children (2012)
This one was on me, and it was the 5th or 6th attempt to get to something you haven't seen that hadn't been picked up already, so I went with a blind rec I literally hadn't heard of this until I threw it your way. Glad you liked it, though.





The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
Veronica: What will my present be tomorrow?....Give me something I'll remember as long as I live.

Boy meets girl, boy goes off to war, girls parents die in air raid, girl moves in with boys family and marries boys jerky cousin, problems ensue, boy dies in war, girl struggles with life, the end.

There's a little more to it than that but that's the Cliff Notes version. I really didn't have much in the way of expectations for this, I had heard of it and that's it. On the surface and based off of descriptions this isn't something I would seek out. My experience with Russian/Soviet cinema is very limited: Solaris (eh), Battleship Potemkin (pretty good) and Hard to be a God(???). That's it. Anyway, The Cranes Are Flying is my fourth film from the country.

I watched this twice yesterday. The first time it was a bit of as rollercoaster of emotions in that at first I felt bad for the girl, Veronika, then didn't feel bad for her at all then felt REAL bad for her. The second time through I just felt sorry for her for the entire movie. Veronika is the main character and this is her story. We do follow her boyfriend, Boris, a little and see what happens to him on the front lines but this is more about what's going on back home with Veronika and the family than what's going on at the front with Boris. In a film filled with great scenes there are three that really hit you in the gut. First, the film has one of the more haunting death scenes I've ever seen. Second, the father of Boris is a Dr. caring for injured soldiers all day and one of the patients in the hospital is distraught over his girlfriend leaving him while he was off fighting in the war. The Dr. gives a brief, rousing speech about the young soldiers situation that hits a bit too close for Veronika, who is a nurses aid at the hospital at this time. The way that scene plays out and is filmed is crushing and finally the ending. Veronika's hope was infectious. We know what happened to Boris (or do we?) yet we hope, along with Veronika, all the way to the very end, that it didn't.

The Cranes Are Flying is a beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted/directed everything movie. I don't know what else to say. This is the best movie I've seen in a long time. Wow!



Women will be your undoing, Pépé


Wolf Children (2012)


Y'know I actually really loved the first half of this film...I'm actually a little bummed that they aged the characters up had the film just stuck with the kids I think it would have been a stronger film. Wolf Children tells the story of a woman who has half human half wolf kids...she decides that she can't live in the city and moves to the sticks where the kids can be wolves.


All the characters have fairly distinct personalities the star is Hana the female child. She's more focused on being human and has a better conflict with her mother. The Ame is a little to cold and standoffish for me I didn't really ever connect with his story.


Visually it's a solid film it reminds me of Studio Ghibli several of the set pieces are incredible. This was still a pretty good watch.
This one was on me, and it was the 5th or 6th attempt to get to something you haven't seen that hadn't been picked up already, so I went with a blind rec I literally hadn't heard of this until I threw it your way. Glad you liked it, though.
It's been several years since I watched and thoroughly enjoyed this film and have been severely wishing to revisit it. I do remember enjoying the children's childhood, which, in turn, got me thoroughly involved as they grew older.
A very touching Anime.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé


The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
Veronica: What will my present be tomorrow?....Give me something I'll remember as long as I live.

Boy meets girl, boy goes off to war, girls parents die in air raid, girl moves in with boys family and marries boys jerky cousin, problems ensue, boy dies in war, girl struggles with life, the end.

There's a little more to it than that but that's the Cliff Notes version. I really didn't have much in the way of expectations for this, I had heard of it and that's it. On the surface and based off of descriptions this isn't something I would seek out. My experience with Russian/Soviet cinema is very limited: Solaris (eh), Battleship Potemkin (pretty good) and Hard to be a God(???). That's it. Anyway, The Cranes Are Flying is my fourth film from the country.

I watched this twice yesterday. The first time it was a bit of as rollercoaster of emotions in that at first I felt bad for the girl, Veronika, then didn't feel bad for her at all then felt REAL bad for her. The second time through I just felt sorry for her for the entire movie. Veronika is the main character and this is her story. We do follow her boyfriend, Boris, a little and see what happens to him on the front lines but this is more about what's going on back home with Veronika and the family than what's going on at the front with Boris. In a film filled with great scenes there are three that really hit you in the gut. First, the film has one of the more haunting death scenes I've ever seen. Second, the father of Boris is a Dr. caring for injured soldiers all day and one of the patients in the hospital is distraught over his girlfriend leaving him while he was off fighting in the war. The Dr. gives a brief, rousing speech about the young soldiers situation that hits a bit too close for Veronika, who is a nurses aid at the hospital at this time. The way that scene plays out and is filmed is crushing and finally the ending. Veronika's hope was infectious. We know what happened to Boris (or do we?) yet we hope, along with Veronika, all the way to the very end, that it didn't.

The Cranes Are Flying is a beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted/directed everything movie. I don't know what else to say. This is the best movie I've seen in a long time. Wow!
I wasn't going to read this since I would be seeing this, and then, I took a peek at the first few lines and went: well, in for a penny. . .

Like you, I am VERY limited in my Russian films, and along with my initial interest, it has been increased, reading your review.



Fallen Angels



Pretty much a blind watch, and it's a good thing I had my headphones on for the sound. It's so stylish visually and aurally from start to finish, kind of in a Suspiria type of way. I even thought of Sin City at one point. I never would have guessed it was the same director as In the Mood for Love, but it made sense afterwards when I found out. Like that movie, the style only took me so far until I wanted more but didn't really get it. I don't recall thinking this during a movie before, but I wish this were an action film because the little bit of action there is was awesome. The handful of characters were very watchable but not extremely interesting. I felt there was some ambiguity and there was a surprising amount of humor. I'm sure the director was trying to say something more about people being alone and for me he was partially successful. It was a good watch but not a big connection for this viewer.





Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica 1948)

A perfect film for me. It's so well made that it flows effortlessly and the pieces, the individual scenes, they fit seamlessly. I felt like I was right there in the story and that's a feeling I don't get from many films.

Perhaps it was the actors that sold me on the film. The actor who played the father was very much in the moment. Without words he could express his emotions. His angst at having his bicycle stolen which meant losing his job, was palatable. There was no doubt in my mind just how life changing the loss of his bike & job was to him. Then there's his son. Wow, talk about a good kid actor. He doesn't really have many lines, but through the range of emotions that play out on his young face, I could see the desperation of his family in post war Italy. I especially liked the dynamic between the father and the boy and how at times the spacial distance between them grew as tensions rose.

I often love Italian films as they're so full of life. Even if the subject matter is depressing or dark, the films themselves are alive with the movement of life.

I think the director did an amazing job making a simple story seem so personal. Of course this isn't just a story of a stolen bicycle, it's an expose on the hardships faced by the Italians immediately following the end of World War II. We see wide spread poverty with the people fighting for jobs and pawning what few positions they own just so they can have a meal. We see how people cope with the collapse of the economy and it ranges from criminal behavior to charlatanism to prostitution and to standing in long lines for some soup and bread.

I'm impressed with Bicycle Thieves.



Doesn't Raul hate it? Seems like he said that once.
I tried to pick Bicycle Thieves for you and it was taken. It felt very much like a Citizen movie to me.