[BrassMan]

As a lifetime reader, I've come late to the world of movies. I find I most enjoy the offbeat, non-blockbuster movies that few people seem to know about, esp. foreign and indie. They're hard to find.

The type of movie isn't that important to me. Some of my favorites are

Rare Birds
The Station Agent
The Dancer Upstairs
Viva Cuba
The Commitments
Mr. Hulot's Holiday
Amelie
The Girl in the Cafe
Ridicule
Zelary

Ideas, anyone??

(Added Amazon links - Admin.)

 

[Mikuto]

Foreign, quirky, and available from netflix!

 

[chobitz]

A great swedish vampire movie. Its still in art movie houses so if you don't mind subtitles check it out!



If you like rock operas and you like goth music and don't mind some gore Repo is a great movie. The music is awesome, the plot is good, the cast is nice. Be warned Paris Hilton is in it BUT she plays a parody of herself so its hilarious.

 

[Mikuto]

Speaking of gore, if you don't mind a good action flick, this is one of my favorites. I don't know how indie it is, but a lot of people I speak to haven't heard of it. It's got quite the cult following.



And here's another foreign film, again, not sure how unknown it is, but I enjoyed it a lot. Based on a true story actually....

 

[BrassMan]

Excellent! I just knew folks here would have good ideas!

Mikuto--have you seen Tampopo?  Wacky!

Thanks!

 

[Mikuto]

Can't say I have. I mostly watch horror movies. 

 

[Leslie]

Off the top of my head, some favorites include:

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le papillon) (French)
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile) (Romanian)
I'm Not There
Kissing Jessica Stein
Monsoon Wedding

Colin Farrell just received a Golden Globe for In Bruges, which is definitely worth watching although it is more violent than I usually like.

and oldie (from 1953) but absolutely fantastic: The Wages of Fear (Le Salaire de la peur). Criterion has a great DVD with lots of interviews and special features. People might try to tell you the 1977 remake from William Friedkin, Sorceror, is better. Don't believe them. The original is the best.

two more excellent movies that have also received the Criterion treatment: The Red Shoes (194 and Days of Heaven (197.

That should keep you busy for a little while.

L

 

[MamaProfCrash]

This was a touching film that tells an interesting historical story. And there are cool accents. And good looking men. And Rugby.

Essentially, Desmond Doyle's wife leaves him and their three kids. The kids are taking by the Irish government because a single man cannot raise kids. The kids are sent to different orphanages, based on gender. The movie centers around Desmond's attempt to get the kids back. The case goes to the Irish Supreme Court, which has never ruled a law unconstitutional.

 

[BrassMan]

Can't say I have. I mostly watch horror movies.

It's kind of a takeoff on a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, but it's also about the correct way to cook noodles...it's hard to explain (and hard to find). Our movie night group loved it.

 

[Mikuto]

Sounds interesting. I do love quirky Japanese movies.

If you ARE into horror though, I have a few suggestions.

This one is actually more family comedy than horror, but it's got some GREAT special effects for an asian film.



This one's great too, it's by Guillermo del Toro, who directed Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy movies.



And when it comes to horror, you're doing yourself a disservice if you haven't seen Dario Argento's masterpiece:



This isn't horror, but the director, Takashi Miike, has done some horror. He's one of my favorite directors really. You should check out all of his stuff!

 

[BrassMan]

I'm not a big horror fan, but I did like El Orfanato (The Orphanage), sort of a Spanish psychological horror film. That's pretty well known, though, I think.

I'll check out all these suggestions, including Miike. Netflix makes it easy!

Thanks!

 

[Mikuto]

I was going to suggest El Orfanato too, but since it was in theaters recently I figured it was more mainstream. If you liked El Orfanato you'll like The Devil's Backbone

 

[Lizbeth]

YES to Brotherhood of the Wolfe.. little known fact.. one of the lead actors (Mark Dacascos) .. is the IRON CHEF on the Foodnetwork! (he has had a few movies roles other than that as well) I really enjoyed that movie.

 

[chobitz]

YES to Brotherhood of the Wolfe.. little known fact.. one of the lead actors (Mark Dacascos) .. is the IRON CHEF on the Foodnetwork! (he has had a few movies roles other than that as well) I really enjoyed that movie.

He was also eric draven in the crow tv series..
AND he has tons of black belts in many martial art styles.

 

[Mikuto]

YES to Brotherhood of the Wolfe.. little known fact.. one of the lead actors (Mark Dacascos) .. is the IRON CHEF on the Foodnetwork! (he has had a few movies roles other than that as well) I really enjoyed that movie.

You mean he's the Chairman? I had no idea, that's pretty hilarious!

 

[Lizbeth]

Sorry.. Meant to say the "Chairman" not the IRON CHEF... I wanted to get the Crow DVD's are they good?

 

[Bacardi Jim]

Miracle Mile
The French Lieutenant's Woman
City of Lost Children
A Boy and his Dog
Local Hero

 

[Leslie]

I loved Local Hero and haven't seen it for years. Thanks for the reminder, Jim!

 

[Bacardi Jim]

I loved Local Hero and haven't seen it for years. Thanks for the reminder, Jim!

One of my favorite oddball romcoms. (Though it barely fits in that category.)

 

[Bacardi Jim]

A few more:
Trouble in Mind
Choose Me!
True Romance
U-Turn
Any Kevin Smith movie