Recommend some films/directors

[Fox12]

I grew tired of Hollywood a couple of years ago, and stopped watching many movies. The action films and superheroes just don't catch my interest anymore, probably because I've seen so many of them, and they all just run together after awhile. I started watching some of the films on America's "top 100" list, and met with mixed results. I liked some films, like Citizen Kane, but was disappointed by others. I like the occasional fun film, but lately I've been craving something more.

Basically, I want to broaden my horizons. So, for you film buffs out there, what are some great films you would recommend? International releases, foreign language films, art house films, animated movies, classic cinema, or any combination of the above. Directors with interesting visual styles or metaphors, or who just create smart, solid stories. This is basically my reintroduction into film.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[Vault101]

apologies for my lack of understanding of names but that south Korean director Boon such and such got a bit of western buzz after "Snowpeicer"

I recommend his film "Mother" its a bit quirky and different to what I expected

I'd also highly recommend "Mary and Max" an Australian stop motion Animated film that has the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman in it...and he's great, its one of my favourites and might make you cry
speaking of Phillip Seymour Hoffman I think of of his best roles was in "Doubt" where he "dramas" beside Meryl Streep, its about a nun who suspects a priest of molesting a boy but can't prove it...set in 1960's new York

although it falls fairly within the "Hollywood" spectrum I recently Watched "Bound" a modest little crime thriller by pre-matrix Wachoskis, its got lesbians but also lots of tension

aside from that my knowledge of foregn films is sadly lacking

 

[Casual Shinji]

Kikujiro

A movie directed by and starring Takeshi Kitano, aka the most bad ass Japanese dude ever. It's about this wannabe tough guy ex-con who has to accompany this little boy who's on a search to finding his real mother. It's a great fun little movie.

Living in Oblivion

A movie with Steve Bucemi and Catherine Keener. It's all about this guy who's trying to make a movie and (surprise, surprise) shit goes wrong. It's more interesting than I'm making it sound though, but if I say more I'd spoil it. It's a really neat movie, go watch it. It also features Peter Dinklage in an awesome role.

Memories

An anime compilation existing of three short stories, with industry giants like Katsuhiro Otomo, Koji Morimoto, and Satoshi Kon behind the reigns. It's a visual delight and has some of the more original anime content out there.

Neo Tokyo aka Manie Manie (The title tends to vary on this one)

See Memories.

Galaxy Quest

Why? Because it's better than Guardians of the Galaxy. Yeah, I said it!

Macross Plus (the movie)

An anime headed by Shinichiro Watanabe and Koji Moromoto, so... yeah. It's worth seeing it just for that concert sequence alone. It's also an anime that has proper sexual interaction between a man and a woman. Crazy, I know.

 

[Albino Boo]

Sam Peckinpah: The king of the revisionist western, his best films are The Wild Bunch and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

Akira Kurosawa: Took the western genre and applied to the samurai stories. The Hidden Fortress,Seven Samurai and Yojimbo are his classics.

Powell and Pressburger: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, A Matter of life and Death and the Red Shoes and the ones to see.

 

[happyninja42]

Hmm, well I'm just going to name some movies I liked that were outside the typical Hollywood design, or just didn't do well because they weren't blockbusters.

The Fountain: This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's just got this very insulated feel to it, I can't really describe it, other than to say it's dripping with emotion and nostalgia for a loved one. The soundtrack helps solidify the atmosphere of the movie for me perfectly.

The Good, The Bad, The Weird: This is South Korean film, and it's pretty much a direct rip of Good/Bad/Ugly, but with Korea being the location of the story. It's got it's own twists on things too, but I found it to be a very good movie. Funny and well done.

Hmmm, yeah I can't think of any others honestly, I don't watch too many movies these days.

If you want to find a listing of some fairly interesting and "artsy" films (and I use that term very loosely), you might check out YourMovieSucksDotOrg on youtube. He's a movie critic, and he reviews a lot of the art house films and international titles, and, well basically all the stuff that Hollywood doesn't do. He reviews those movies too, because he makes fun of them, but he also will go into detail about a lot of movies that you probably have never heard of. I would check out his videos for his "Top 10 Movies of (insert year), as that's usually where he gets the chance to gush about the films he saw that he loved. 2 clips he did for previous years didn't contain a single movie I'd heard of, but apparently did very well internationally.

 

[Frezzato]

Note: I'm really a horror fan, but every once in a while I'll see something simply because it's foreign. This may include movies with a glacial pace.

.


After reading about the apparently real practice of sex tourism--involving rich, older women traveling to exotic tropical places for the local men--I decided to hunt down some movies that cover the subject, dramatized or not. I found two, and (spoiler alert) they don't have happy endings.

The first one is called Vers le sud (Heading South - 2005).
The second is Paradise Love - 2012. This one is quite interesting as it's shot in an almost documentary style. It's the first film in director Ulrich Seidl's Paradise Trilogy [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jun/10/ulrich-seidle-new-fassbinder], and was follwed by Paradise Faith - 2012, and Paradise Hope - 2013.

You may need to cleanse your soul after watching those movies, so I would follow up with something funny, like The Heat.

If you want something fairly "happy" (i.e. not depressing) I recommend two movies I bet you haven't seen. Those would be:

Zero Effect - 1998 and
Welcome to Collinwood - 2002

Welcome to Collinwood is a remake of an older Italian film, but who cares? It's pretty damn funny. Also, it's very surprising considering the two director brothers went on to make the Captain America sequel, which is like night and day after seeing Welcome to Collinwood.

[hr]

Other notable movies would be Amer - 2009. This one is very beautifully shot, with zero to little dialogue.
Another Earth - 2011. I don't care about the "science" behind the movie. First of all IT'S A MOVIE, and second, it's not about the science, it's about a young woman's journey through life and regret.

Finally, I would recommend It's a Disaster - 2012. It's the sort of movie that's made mainly for older people, like in their 30's and above. And couples will probably appreciate this movie most, but I found it surprisingly enjoyable.

Oh right, Bad Words - 2013, was kinda funny. It's about a grown man who enters into spelling bees meant for children. There's clearly more going on, but I won't spoil it.

.

There are more--WAY more movies I could list, but with such open-ended parameters, you're gonna get random responses like mine.

 

[Dwarfman]

I grew tired of Hollywood a couple of years ago, and stopped watching many movies. The action films and superheroes just don't catch my interest anymore, probably because I've seen so many of them, and they all just run together after awhile. I started watching some of the films on America's "top 100" list, and met with mixed results. I liked some films, like Citizen Kane, but was disappointed by others. I like the occasional fun film, but lately I've been craving something more.

Basically, I want to broaden my horizons. So, for you film buffs out there, what are some great films you would recommend? International releases, foreign language films, art house films, animated movies, classic cinema, or any combination of the above. Directors with interesting visual styles or metaphors, or who just create smart, solid stories. This is basically my reintroduction into film.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

OKay I got some pretty eclectic tastes but let's see if these interest you...

Akira Kurosawa - I'm pretty sure someone's already mentioned him. He directed Seven Samurai, Yojimbo etc. His influence upon modern cinema is huge and his movies are well worth watching.

Sergio Leone - This man is responsible for some of the most bad ass spaghetti westerns ever to grace cinema! The Man with no Name trilogy and Once upon a Time in the West.

Fritz Lang - Okay let's go back to the dawn of time...well 1920's at least. Fritz Lang was one of the top German Directors back in the silver screens age of silent films. His film Metropolis is visually amazing and easily ranks in my top 5 greatest films of all time. I haven't seen it but his film Dr Mabuse: The Gambler is supposed to be damn fine as well.

Luc Besson - This French Director is very much a mainstream name in cinema what with Taken and The Transporter. Films you may want to see are Subway, Fifth Element, Leon The Professional, The Last Battle and La Femme Nikita.

Terry Gilliam - I'm sure you know who this guy is and if you don't, start watching Monty Python right now! This dude directed The Life of Brian, Jabbawoki and Search for the Holy Grail as well as 12 Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Brasil.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet - Another French director, known for his surreal movies like Amelie. I recommend City of Lost Children and Delicatessen.

The Spierig Brothers - Australian directors from Queensland. They haven't made too many films but I recommend Undead and Daybreakers. Predestination is supposed to be good as well.

Ralph Bakshi - American animator responsible for making animation 'Mature' in the eyes of the American viewers. Responsible for Fritz the Cat, Wizards, The Lord of the Rings animated movie and Fire and Ice.

Well this should start you off at least! Have fun...

 

[dohnut king]

Another vote for Kurosawa. In addition to Seven Samurai, try Ran, Kagemusha, and Throne of Blood.

Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense: Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Marnie, The Birds, and Psycho

John Huston, called cinema's Hemmingway for his economical style and willingness to tackle big issues head on: The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The African Queen, and the Man Who Would Be King

John Ford, probably the greatest American director: Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, The Searchers, The Quiet Man, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

If you haven't seen the first two Godfather movies, see those before anything else.

 

[47_Ronin]

The Guard: Back FBI Angent teams up with a seemingly racist Irish cop. Hilarity ensues.
Frank and robot: A retired thief is gifted a service robot whom he slowly accepts, will he try to pull off one last heist?
Moon: serously, see it.
Brick: Film noir about a highschool kid trying to find out who killed his ex.

Of course you could allways venture into Lars von Trier territory, if you have the stomach for it. (Anti-christ, maybe; Dogville, give it a go)

Well, maybe other can be of more help. I have the uncanny ability to enjoy most movies, good or bad. I only ever conciously quit on two flicks.

/edit: how could I forgett: Ronin. If you dislike modern Hollywood, maybe oldschool action is more up to your tastes.

 

[Guffe]

Well you can't go wrong with Quentin Tarantino.
Then a movie I always recommend is "Basic", damn good movie!

 

[FPLOON]

Uh... Cloud Atlas? It may not be "as good" as the novel it's based on, but it's still a damn fine movie in my opinion...

Other than that, the movie Her if you want to see a potential romantic relationship between a human and a automatic system, the movie That Awkward Moment if you want to see a male millennial's equivalent to a romantic comedy, the movie Paprika if you want to see the inspiration for the movie Inception, the movie Soylent Green if you want to hear a memorable quote that could spoil the movie's big plot twist, the movie Metropolis (both the silent and animated film) if you want some sci-fi in your storytelling, and the movie Date and Switch if you want an alternative (and a bit more grounded) version of American Pie...

 

[Zalmoxis]

L'Avventura (1960)

A woman disappears during an excursion, and her friends search for her.
But all is not as it seems...

(Seriously though, one of the best films ever made.)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053619/

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Where's Marter? He'll have to really contain himself from spamming Scorpion King 3.

Give me a minute and I'll rack my brain. My bus is leaving so I'll just say 2014 movies that jump to mind.

Interstellar, Birdman, X-Men: Days of Future Past and The Imitation Game are my favorites from last year.

2013 - Gravity although it'll be hard to capture that full 3D effect in your own home.

2012 - The Avengers and Skyfall are what comes to mind immediately but I also really enjoyed Cloud Atlas.
Wreck-It Ralph was in 2012 too. Fun year!

2011 - X-Men: First Class, War Horse and The Raid: Redemption.

That's just the short and recent list and totally based off my tastes.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Highly recommend the films of Paul Thomas Anderson. He has a rare talent for wringing tremendous performances out of his actors. Boogie Nights was a particular favorite.

Not to be confused with Paul Anderson, who has a rare talent for wringing the last vestiges of enjoyment out of the medium.

EDIT: Oh and, of course, Hayao Miyazaki. But it's hard to hang around a nerd forum and not already be familiar with his works.

 

[Juan Regular]

I'm a big Richard Linklater fanboy and I pretty much recommend his stuff to anyone who asks. Boyhood unfortunately was hyped up way too much and people seemed to expect something mindblowing from it which it never tried to do but if you go into his movies with the right mindset they're really something special. To me anyway.
If you're ever in the mood for something romantic without all the hollywood nonsense, the Before trilogy would be my recommendation. My favorite movies of all time.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Martin Scorsese is an excellent director. Since, by the sounds of it, you've seen most big movies from recent years, I suggest looking at Gangs of New York and back. He's probably my favourite director when it comes to crime drama.

If, by chance, you haven't seen his recent movies either, check them out too.

Also, I'm going to have to echo BloatedGuppy about Paul Thomas Anderson. Daniel Day-Lewis's performance in There Will Be Blood is probably the best I've ever seen.

 

[flying_whimsy]

Luc Besson - This French Director is very much a mainstream name in cinema what with Taken and The Transporter. Films you may want to see are Subway, Fifth Element, Leon The Professional, The Last Battle and La Femme Nikita.

Besson also had a hand in writing District B13, which was a stupidly fun action movie with a ton of parkour.

OT: I don't think I've seen anyone mention Wes Anderson yet. He directed Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Darjeeling Limited, Grand Budapest Hotel, and the excellent Moonrise Kingdom amongst others. He is known for carefully constructed camera and set coordination as well as a distinctive thematic flair. He works well with ensemble casts that include some very big name actors with Bill Murray making at least a guest appearance in nearly every film. I love his movies.

Other than that, I'm not sure what else to recommend. My tastes are extremely esoteric otherwise and all I can really say is to just spend time on some streaming service and just start watching things you never heard of that aren't obviously cheap b-movies.

 

[Recusant]

Not too far off the beaten path, but that means they should be easy to find:
-Moon. Science fiction- but with no explosions, no deeply nonsensical technobabble, no big-budget CGI. Even if you don't like the movie, it's worth watching to remember that some people still know the word 'subtlety'.
-Interstate 60. I do not understand why more people haven't seen this movie. Directed by Bob Gale (who produced and co-wrote Back to the Future). A story about a highway that doesn't exist.
-Synecdoche, New York. I absolutely understand why more people haven't seen this movie. It's hard to grasp, it's harder to understand, it's weird, at times it's nonsensical, and many of those who like it discuss it with mind-numbing levels of pretension- but it's a movie worth watching, nonetheless. Picture Canio and Tajomaru sitting down together to have a discussion on the nature of reality.

 

[Dwarfman]

Luc Besson - This French Director is very much a mainstream name in cinema what with Taken and The Transporter. Films you may want to see are Subway, Fifth Element, Leon The Professional, The Last Battle and La Femme Nikita.

Besson also had a hand in writing District B13, which was a stupidly fun action movie with a ton of parkour.

OT: I don't think I've seen anyone mention Wes Anderson yet. He directed Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Darjeeling Limited, Grand Budapest Hotel, and the excellent Moonrise Kingdom amongst others. He is known for carefully constructed camera and set coordination as well as a distinctive thematic flair. He works well with ensemble casts that include some very big name actors with Bill Murray making at least a guest appearance in nearly every film. I love his movies.

Other than that, I'm not sure what else to recommend. My tastes are extremely esoteric otherwise and all I can really say is to just spend time on some streaming service and just start watching things you never heard of that aren't obviously cheap b-movies.

Damn! I forgot about Wes Anderson, Grand Hotel Budapest was an amazing movie! Endearing and surreal with a cast that would rival a Cecil B Demille production. Awesome stuff!

 

[Albino Boo]

Just thought of another director

Jim Jarmusch: king of the off beat, Mystery train, Ghost Dog and Only lovers left alive.

Side note, does anyone know if Tilda Swinton is actually a vampire. Its the only explanation I can think off for looking that good in her mid fifties.