The MoFo Top 100 Foreign Language Film Countdown

The half way point!

I have seen 39/50 of the films so far.

5/25 of my list have made it so far.

Festen (The Celebration) was one of them. It was my #8. I've only seen it once - it's not an easy film to watch, due to its subject matter, but it was absolutely riveting. It captivated me both in emotion and in cinematic technique, it's one of the strongest reactions I've ever had to a film. I am so pleased it made it onto the list. I thought for sure that The Hunt would be higher, but I think Festen deserves its place here.

Also meant to point out yesterday we are now over the 100 point barrier.

Very surprised Tokyo Story is this low, even if it was one that was in contention for a spot on my ballot but ultimately missed out. Haven't seen Festen.

Seen: 35/50 (Own: 23/50)


Faildictions ((バージョン 1.01):
50. Persona (1966)
49. Suna no onna [Woman In The Dunes] (1964)

Ozu's Tokyo Story is often most people's entryway to Ozu. Most people know that his technique is deceptively simple and that many of his films are about the everyday lives and worries of families, yet all his movies tend to explore their themes in profound, meaningful ways. He is one of the most-analyzed directors ever.

The Celebration [Festen], my #17, is the first film using the Dogme 95 ethos, and it's my favorite of the ones I've seen. It tells the story of a grand family get-together for the father's 60th birthday. As you might imagine, things aren't exactly the way they seem, and most of the skeletons in the family's closet are trotted out before the film is over. What makes me like this movie so much? First off, I was very impressed by the handheld video camerawork. Besides being well-composed, it's very fluid and immediate with none of the color-bleeding which marred David Lynch's Inland Empire. Then, there's the witty script, which is equally comprised of brutal truths and dark humor. The performances are all excellent, and the movie proceeds at a lightning pace. For me, it's somewhat reminiscent in tone of a European version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

My List

1. War and Peace
2. Z
6. Night and Fog
13. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
17. The Celebration [Festen]

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If Persona show up this early me and mofo are going to the mattresses

Tokyo Story was my #12. Surprised it's this low. It's an all time great that broke the mould in terms of passive family drama cinema. Celebration is very good as dogme goes but I'm surprised it's this high.

Rest easy - the faildictions program successfully hasn't got one right in this countdown yet

I just saw Tokyo Story back in May, but I still felt compelled to put it pretty high on my list. I really loved it (here's my review).

I haven't heard of The Celebration.


My Summary:

Seen: 15/50
My list: 3/25

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If Tokyo Story was Ozu's only great film I think it shows up way higher. It's probably a case of some of his films splitting votes.

I didn't expect The Celebration to show up, especially after The Hunt. It's only because I don't see a lot of chatter about it because it is very good.

90's foreign language shows up big and it's two absolute belters for me. Both of these came out at the exact time I was exploring this kind of thing and so were both thought of very well by me.

Not my favourite of the trilogy (I go Blue every time) but Red such a lush looking film. It's truly gorgeous. La Haine is a wonderful assault on the senses and another I often recommend to anyone just starting out on their exploration into less mainstream film.

I've not seen Tokyo Story but The Celebration is another piece of 90's goodness which came out at the right time. Sadly it's one which I didn't get to see at the time and have yet to see even now.

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28/50


-The Battle of Algiers - 10/10
-Le Trou - 9/10
-Knife In The Water - 8.5/10
-A Man Escaped - 8/10
-Nights of Cabiria - 8/10
-Sundays & Cybele - 8/10
-Tokyo Story - 8/10
-Contempt - 8/10
-Red Desert - 7.5/10
-Le Cercle Rouge - 7.5/10
-Rome, Open City - 7.5/10
-Shoplifters - 7/10
-Léon Morin, Priest - 7/10
-Bob Le Flambeur - 7/10
-Rififi - 7/10
-The Virgin Spring -7/10
-Run Lola Run - 7/10
-Le Samourai - 7/10
-The Conformist - 7/10
-The Celebration - 7/10
-Au Revoir les Enfants - 6.5/10
-Last Year At Marienbad - 6/10
-Roma - 6/10
-Z - 6/10
-Army of Shadows - 5/10
-The Mirror - 5/10
-Fitzcarraldo - 5/10
-Le Haine - 4/10

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I always assumed The Hunt was the more popular Vinterberg film, so when it showed up early on I'd lost hope for The Celebration. The Hunt is great, but I'm glad to see I was wrong about its popularity here. I watched Festen for the 7th MoFo Hall of Fame and had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was thrilled to be treated to a movie that features both heavy emotional drama and a pretty twisted story. Definitely my kind of movie. I haven't watched it since that initial viewing, but it left a very strong impression on me and landed a spot at #9 on my ballot.



I haven't seen Tokyo Story.

My Ballot:
2. The Skin I Live In (#92)
8. Paprika (#100)
9. The Celebration (#51)
22. La Haine (#53)
23. Raise the Red Lantern (#91)
25. He Loves Me... He Loves Me Not (One-Pointers)

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Kidding aside re 90s list being the best, the first 50 of this countdown is exceptional. I hope the trend continues for the next 50. What are people thinking the next 50 will look like? Any top 10 predictions? I'm thinking we'll see some wild cards in the top 50 but not sure which.

As for the last few films - I think they're all great. I see Three Colours as one but that's just me. I feel the same for Dekalog. Tokyo Story is a masterpiece but yes a little surprised it's in the bottom 50. I had went with another Ozu for my list thinking I could spread it around with Tokyo Story being near the top.

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Tokyo Story is classic that does seem a bit low here. I hope at least another one makes it, I'd go with Floating Weeds or I Was Born But. (I didn't have an Ozu on my list )


The Celebration is very good but I haven't seen it in ages. For a few years there, I was confusing the title with Chabrol's L'Ceremonie (which I prefer for very different reasons, and hope it also shows but probably won't). Celebration is definitely the best Dogme film I've seen, but the fact is that I've never been very impressed with Dogme films. My favorite is Breaking the Waves, which the movement disowned for that lovely final shot. Oh well.

Haven't seen either of these, but I finally got around to seeing some Ozu this year, and folks, he's good! Extremely easy viewing, contrary to what I'd been led to believe.

To people who haven't seen Tokyo Story: How the hell is that even possible? It's not even Cinema 101. It's cinema ABC. I can't fathom how can one be a cinephile and have never watched Tokyo Story. Didn't like it - fine, but never watched it? Blows my mind. It's like being a bookworm and never having read Dostoevsky.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

Was too busy watching Nightbeast, sorry.*#priorities

Tokyo Story was number 4 for me and probably close to top 50 all time. Truly great movie. I guess this means just one more Ozu, I was hoping he'd do a bit better.

Okay. You've now made it sound like :

1) Homework.
2) A status marker.
.

I watched Tokyo Story once a while ago, but I don't remember it that well. A different Ozu made my ballot instead.

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