Best Movies by Farr

25 Foreign Films Even Subtitle Haters Should See

A couple of months ago, I addressed the issue of younger people categorically refusing to watch black and white movies. Now I'm turning my attention to the avoidance of foreign language films, a pattern which unfortunately is not just found among our youth.

Americans of all ages it seems are willing to forgo even outstanding movies that just happen to be made in a different language.

Obviously the reasons for this go beyond mere patriotism, so I went online to check out a few blogs on the subject.

I found some choice comments:

"Foreign movies tend to be 'art-house'."

"They're just too boring to watch -- no action."

"Subtitles distract from watching the actual scenes."

"Subtitles require my undivided attention."

"Most foreign movies are crap."

And my favorite:

"I don't want to read my movie."

Oh well, it is a free country.

Still, the same message holds for this group as for those twenty-somethings that only watch color movies: You are missing out, big time.

Beyond the unfortunate fact that more and more of the finest, most original narrative films today are coming from foreign shores, let's consider the older stuff as well.

In all, it's a treasure trove of cinema, reflecting everything this medium can and should be.

The actor Seymour Cassel told me several years ago that when his son was griping about watching a subtitled foreign movie, he just turned to him and asked, "You can read, can't you?" The kid was silenced. (Granted, part of the impact lay in Seymour's deadpan delivery.)

Reading subtitles is a lot like riding a bicycle. Practice not only makes perfect, soon enough it's second nature so you don't even notice you're doing it. This particularly holds true when you're watching something great.

With this in mind, I've isolated 25 foreign titles that every subtitle hater should see at least once (note: I have excluded silent entries). Though for the most part these are not light or easy films, they provide outsize rewards for those willing to watch and read at the same time.

1) M (1931)
2) Grand Illusion (1937)
3) Rome, Open City (1945)
4) Bicycle Thieves (1948)
5) Tokyo Story (1953)
6) Seven Samurai (1954)
7) Pather Panchali (1955)
8) The 400 Blows (1959)
9) 8 ½ (1963)
10) Playtime (1967)
11) War and Peace (1968)
12) Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972)
13) The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie (1972)
14) Amarcord (1974)
15) Fanny and Alexander (1982)
16) Ran (1985)
17) Au Revoir, Les Enfants (1987)
18) Close-Up (1990)
19) Raise The Red Lantern (1991)
20) Central Station (1998)
21) In The Mood For Love (2000)
22) Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
23) Talk To Her (2002)
24) The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005)
25) The Lives Of Others (2006)

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Are the Best Movies (For Grown Ups) Being Made Outside This Country?

The sad truth is: yes.

While Hollywood continues to dominate the global film industry in both dollar and distribution terms, it is increasingly evident that they no longer make the best movies- that is, if you happen to be a reasonably well-educated adult.

Tinsel Town still rules when it comes to escapist fare for kids and young adults: special effects laden blockbusters- be they thrillers or science fiction entries, gross-out comedies, splashy animation vehicles, and comic book adaptations.

But when it comes to what I call “human-scale” films- chiefly original dramas and more sophisticated, literate comedies and romances, the rest of the world is eating our lunch. (The one area where we still prevail is the documentary form.)

As someone who’s devoted the last decade of his life to finding such films- whether produced here or elsewhere- I regret we no longer lead the industry in quality as well as quantity (we certainly used to). I’m also frustrated to think that we Americans only hear about a fraction of the great stuff that’s out there from other corners of the world.

A.O. Scott wrote an illuminating piece in The New York Times addressing this topic right before this year’s Oscars telecast (“A Golden Age Of Foreign Films, Mostly Unseen”, 1/26/11). In it observed that the strange assortment of nominees for Best Foreign Language film this year (did anyone see “Dogtooth”? Yikes!) clearly reflected a process that was broken- but also one that nobody at the Academy particularly cared to fix.

Case in point: You’d think that with all the fabulous international features released each year, the Academy might want to increase the number of foreign language nominees to ten. Rather than make that sensible move, instead they increase the number of Best Picture nominees to ten, thus clearly favoring the more commercial and all too often inferior Hollywood entries.

Perhaps in a pop culture so chock full of banality I should not be surprised, but it appears that in this instance, the cream does not rise to the top.

Scott also questioned the faulty conventional wisdom for why foreign releases don’t do better here. The tired argument goes that we the public don’t want to go to the trouble of reading subtitles. Personally, it infuriates me when moviegoers get characterized as lazy, incurious louts who just want purely escapist entertainment fed to them with a spoon.

Beyond insulting our intelligence (hey-I know how to read!), it’s nonsense. Here’s the way it really works: sometimes we’re in the mood for escapist fare, sometimes we’re up for something more serious and challenging. Sometimes we want to keep our feet on familiar ground, while other times we welcome the prospect of visiting a different culture for a couple of hours, drinking in Paris locales or a rural Japanese landscape.

There are very particular, very special rewards to watching a great foreign film; for me, it comes down to an added layer of fascination that comes with perceiving the differences in other cultures, and- just as important- the similarities.

Cinematically speaking, I think most viewers would like the best of both- or maybe all- worlds.

Finally, A.O Scott hit on what I think is the central issue: what he termed a “superabundance” of information and choice brought on largely by technology. With Hollywood using its enormous marketing clout to keep us focused on their product while countless other countries try to compete by pumping more films into the global pipeline, how is an already distracted populace supposed to keep up?

The short answer is, it’s challenging….but not impossible.

Ironically, it’s the very technology that distracts us that can also rescue us from this conundrum. Movie sites like imdb.com (and may I humbly submit, my own) can make it somewhat easier to hone in on the best movies- even features that, for whatever reason, have fallen slightly under the radar.

If Scott is correct in proclaiming this “a golden age of foreign films” (and I’m convinced he is), then let’s embrace it. Listed below are just a few outstanding recent titles from all over the world to give you a head start.

Egypt/Israel: The Band’s Visit (2007)- Having hopped the wrong bus, Egypt's Alexandria Police Band disembarks in a remote Israeli town, far from where they are scheduled to perform the next evening. With no other options, they are taken in for the night by sexy shopkeeper Dina (Sasson Gabai), while a somewhat clueless friend whose wife is celebrating her birthday also agrees to shelter a few of the reticent musicians. How each group passes a most unusual night forms the substance of this offbeat, highly affecting feature. “Visit”, written and directed with assurance by Eran Kolirin, is a subtle, charming, deeply human film that will touch all who see it. At the heart of it all is the platonic yet ultimately abiding connection that develops between Dina and the band’s seemingly stiff senior leader, widower Lt. Colonel Zacharya (Roni Elkabetz). Nothing that occurs between these two characters, who would normally never meet, strains credulity, and both performers alternate in stealing their respective scenes. In the mood for a feel-good romp? Here’s your movie.

Czech Republic: I Served The King Of England (2007)- Aspiring to be a millionaire hotelier in 1930s Czechoslovakia, opportunistic Jan (Ivan Barnev) enters the hospitality business as a waiter, hoping to work himself into the good graces of the rich and well-connected, while sleeping with every chambermaid and prostitute in sight. Eventually, he shacks up with leggy Aryan Liza (Julia Jentsch), a fervent Nazi whose fateful trip to the Russian front when war breaks out will finally help Jan realize his dream of fortune, but not quite in the way he expected ... The justly celebrated Czech New Wave pioneer (“Closely Watched Trains”) Jiri Menzel brings his characteristic mix of dark humor and absurdist fantasy to this buoyant story of social climbing in WWII-era Eastern Europe. Zesty, whimsical, and tragically serious despite its self-deprecating veneer, “England” leaves a lasting impression thanks in large part to Barnev’s straight-faced, Chaplinesque performance.

Japan: Tokyo Sonata (2008)- When Ryuhei Sasaki (Teruyuki Kagawa) loses his job, he avoids telling his wife Megumi (Kyoko Koizumi) and instead dutifully leaves for work every morning. Meanwhile, his oldest son has dreams of joining the American military, his youngest boy learns he is a secret piano prodigy, and Megumi grows increasingly restless as she tries to hold increasingly fractured family together. This oddball slice-of-life drama had the potential to be a dour slog, but director Kyoshi Kurosawa’s lightly surreal touch ensures that “Tokyo Sonata” glows with an inner warmth. The quietly empty Tokyo the film’s Sasaki clan inhabits is a far cry from the neon-blasted megalopolis we’re used to seeing, and the film beats to the recognizable rhythms of daily life. You’ll come out loving the Sasaki clan as well as respecting their strengths and forgiving them their weaknesses. And when the film takes a dark third-act twist, you’ll be relieved when Kurosawa steers the foursome towards reconciliation and growth. “Sonata’s” gentle coda might just leave your eyes a little wet.

France: Mademoiselle Chambon (2009)- Jean (Vincent Lindon) is a construction worker living happily with his small family. One day, his son’s teacher, the quiet, pretty Veronique Chambon (Sandrine Kiberlain) invites him to speak at the school about his work, a simple request that sets in motion life-changing events. A tender romance emerges as these two opposites, one earthy and simple, the other educated and artistic, find that they bring out surprisingly deep and tender emotions in each other. But can this unexpected love survive in the harsh light of reality? This exquisite love story subtly evokes the nuances and complexities of real-world romance. Lindon and Kiberlain (formerly husband and wife off-screen) completely embody the hesitant affections of two adults who share an obvious attraction but are unsure how and if to act upon it. An afternoon they share together, which culminates in Veronique performing an aching violin solo for the uncomplicated Jean, achieves a spellbinding cinematic lyricism. This is mature, adult filmmaking at its best. Once you meet Mademoiselle Chambon, you just might fall in love yourself.

Iran: Shirin (2009)- The 12th Century Persian love story of Khosrow and Shirin is as famous in Iran as Romeo and Juliet is in the West. Here, we watch as over one hundred Iranian actresses of stage and screen view, and react to, a cinematic retelling of the story. In a unique twist, the women are filmed entirely in close-up, and we never see the screen they’re watching--we only hear the soundtrack. Their reactions may tell us everything we need to know about the twists and turns of Shirin’s tale. Director Kiarostami’s work has consistently pushed the boundaries of what movies can be and “Shirin “may be his boldest, most radical and compelling experiment to date. Using just close-ups of a bevy of beautiful, expressive female faces (watch for French star Juliette Binoche) Kiarostami fashions a mesmerizingly romantic meditation on how great stories- and great films- transport us, and in the process, the director reveals the very face of human empathy. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wondering throughout if the group is even watching a film in a theater at all--the guessing game is half the fun. A stunningly original work, and a must for cinephiles everywhere.

Argentina: The Secret In Their Eyes (2009)- Benjamín Espósito (Ricardo Darin), long retired from his work in Argentina’s justice system, decides to fill his free time writing a novel about a particularly brutal murder that’s stuck with him for decades. Old habits die hard, and as he retraces the twists and turns of the investigation, the case’s many loose ends pique his sleuthing instincts. Along the way, he runs across his former supervisor, Irene Menéndez-Hastings (Soledad Villamil), and as the two reminisce about the crime, and their efforts to solve it, their long-suppressed attraction rekindles. That the two may still be in love many years later is just one of the secrets Espósito uncovers in his quest for the truth. It’s no easy feat to balance a decade-spanning police thriller with a romance of suppressed passions. Director Juan Jose Campanella pulls it all off with aplomb, spinning his tale via flashbacks that put past and present on a collision course towards a wholly credible and satisfying conclusion. Instead of detracting from the central murder mystery, Benjamín and Irene’s failure to connect is cleverly framed as a case to be solved in its own right. After you watch this, you won’t need any further clues to explain why “Secret” took home the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. (Even so, I’m willing to bet most of you haven’t seen it!)

Germany: Soul Kitchen (2010)- The loveable but luckless Zinos (Adam Bousdoukos) has more than his share of problems: his beloved “Soul Kitchen” diner is headed downhill, his nutty brother Ilias (Moritz Bleibtrau) has just gotten out of prison and needs help, his girlfriend Nadia (Pheline Roggan) decides to head off to China, and the tax collector is breathing down his neck. When he meets recently unemployed top chef Shayn Weiss (Birol Unel) by chance, the two strike up a partnership that will give Zinos’ restaurant a fresh menu, and, if he’s lucky, a new lease on life. Writer/director Fatih Akin (“Edge of Heaven”) may be best known for intricately plotted dramas of immigrant identity confusion, but here proves equally adept in the realm of comedy and romance. This zany farce serves up hilarity in generous portions, and doesn’t skimp on pleasing culinary types, with plenty of in-kitchen action. But “Kitchen” doesn’t just tickle your funny bone and taste buds—it also has a heart. Amongst all the madcap antics you’ll find a sensitive depiction of one charismatic outsider trying to make his dreams come true. Be sure to get a reservation to watch this charmer.

Italy: Mid-August Lunch (2010)- It’s Ferragosto (a large mid-August Italian national holiday) and Gianni (Gianni di Gregorio) is broke and trapped in Rome caring for his cantankerous, aged mother (Valeria de Franciscis). His building manager is eager to leave town, so forces his own mother Marina (Marina Cacciotti) on the penniless bachelor, promising to erase some of Gianni’s debts in return. Marina can’t possibly live without her sister, Aunt Maria (Maria Calì), so before the weekend has even begun the tally of elderly Italian ladies occupying Gianni’s cramped apartment has already tripled. When Gianni needs a house call from the doctor but can’t afford to pay, it turns out he’ll have to add one more strong-willed woman, the Doc’s own Mama Grazia ( Grazia Cesarini Sforza) to the already volatile mix... Brimming with humanity and humor, this warm, totally disarming farce clocks in at a breezy seventy-five minutes, but is so pleasurable you’re sorry to see it end so soon. Di Gregorio’s prior stint as a co-writer on the gritty crime drama “Gomorrah” didn’t exactly signal the light comic touch on full display in his screenplay, direction and lead performance-a triple-threat tour de force. As good as Di Gregorio is, however, he’s constantly upstaged by his quartet of Italian grannies--non-actors all, they own the screen like the divas of old. Sometimes, a light “Lunch” is just what you’re hungry for.

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Huffington Post: The Best Food Movies By Farr

With a turkey banquet in my immediate future, thoughts happily turn to films which explore the rich connotations of food in our lives- how it brings us together (for better or worse), comforts us, and conjures memories of past events and associations. There's also a darker side, with food a potent metaphor for greed, gluttony and privation.

Predictably, great films with peerless food scenes abound: among them, Tom and
the wench eyeing each other hungrily as they devour game in "Tom Jones" (1962), the glorious banquet that concludes "The Leopard" (1963), the pie-eating contest in "Stand By Me"(1986), and the lavish feast created for Louis XIV in "Vatel" (2000).

My own top picks for food-themed movies were all released in the past twenty years, and most emanate from distant shores. So, let's take a little trip around the world.

First stop: Denmark, and a quiet, lustrous gem called "Babette's Feast" (1988). Based on a story by Isak Dinesen, and directed by Gabriel Axel, this is a fable of two aging sisters who've given their lives to religion, never venturing from their town of birth. A young French woman named Babette comes into their midst and ends up performing an act of astonishing grace and selflessness. To celebrate the birthday of the sisters' beloved, late pastor, Babette invites them and a few other townsfolk to share in a magnificent meal, the greater significance of which soon becomes clear. (Don't miss the old general's speech at the conclusion- it is unforgettable).

Next, in "Mostly Martha" (2001), we hop to Germany, and encounter the title character, an exacting young chef whose impressive culinary skills overcompensate for an inability to thrive outside a kitchen. Several events- the death of her sister, the adoption of her niece, and finally, the encroachment of a male Italian chef in her kitchen- force a re-assessment of her life. This heartwarming story rings consistently true thanks to uniformly fine acting, and gourmets will delight in the comforting universe of aromatic kitchens and preparation of fabulous food.

Now it's time for a warmer climate: Mexico. The sumptuously filmed "Like Water For Chocolate" (1992) tells the tale of Tita, the youngest of three daughters, who by family tradition is forbidden from marrying until her evil mother dies. Her lover Pedro misguidedly marries Tita's older sister just to be near her. The kitchen, which could be her prison, becomes Tita's refuge and solace. Her almost mystical way with food helps her cope with the ever-present love she is officially denied, and reflects her fiery, indomitable spirit. Lush, passionate and flavorful as a bowl of chilies, this is a movie worth savoring.

Next, we take the long voyage to Taipei, where noted director Ang Lee filmed "Eat Drink Man Woman" (1994), the story of a tradition-bound master chef and his three very different daughters. The chasm in generational attitudes is made painfully evident at the father's sumptuous weekly dinner which the whole family is forced to attend. Though the film is Taiwanese, the emotions are universal, which is somehow comforting. And even though this film concerns family as much as food, the kitchen scenes will have you phoning for Chinese take-out by the closing titles.

Jumping over to France, the center of haute cuisine, we discover another flavorful suspense film the French are so adept at concocting. Bernard Rapp's "A Matter of Taste" (2000) concerns suave tycoon Frederic Delamont (Bernard Giraudeau), who hires handsome waiter Nicolas (Jean-Pierre Lorit) to be his official food taster. It seems the reclusive millionaire has a highly sensitized palate, with severe allergies to fish and cheese. The younger man soon learns he'll have to earn his generous salary, as the demanding Frederic virtually takes over his life. Giraudeau gives a nuanced, unnerving performance as the neurotic employer, while Lorit also scores as the bewildered Nicolas, attracted to Delamont's power, but uneasy about the bizarre emotional undercurrents in his new job. For fans of subtle psychological thrillers, this gripping tale is sure to go down easy.

At last, we return to the States and the irresistible "Big Night" (1996), about two Italian immigrant brothers (Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci) struggling to launch a restaurant with authentic Italian cooking in 1950's New Jersey. By this I mean lovingly prepared, delicately seasoned risotto, not the spaghetti and meatballs served up by successful competitor Pascal (a superb Ian Holm). The film is a small joy in its recreation of period, and in bravura turns by its ensemble cast, particularly Shalhoub, who steals the picture as Primo, the eccentric, uncompromising chef.

This Thanksgiving, may all your turkeys be tender...

Note: See this piece at The Huffington Post: The Best Food Movies By Farr.

HOLY SMOKE: CHECK OUT "THE HOLY GIRL"

In "The Holy Girl" (2004), director Lucrecia Martel deftly weaves a complex tapestry of human denial and dysfunction. The film is set in an old hotel in Argentina, run by divorcee Helena (Mercedes Moran). Helena's adolescent daughter Amalia (Maria Alche) also lives there.

Amalia is immersed in a Catholic study group with others her age, discussing the meaning of vocation. When an ENT medical convention arrives at the hotel, she gets the chance to turn her own dawning sense of spiritual vocation to use.

One of the doctors attending the convention happens to be a Dr. Jano (Carlos Belloso). At first sight, he is a furtive man who appears to be bottling up a lot inside. Sure enough, when he spots Amalia watching a street performer in a crowd in front of the hotel, he ventures up behind her, and subtly presses himself up against her. Amalia recognizes her abuser as a guest of the hotel, and decides her holy mission is to reach out to this man and help save his threatened soul.

As the girl becomes increasingly obsessed with her predator, we see that her motivation is not just religious, but happens to coincide with her own sexual awakening. Meanwhile, thickening the plot, Dr. Janos also meets Helena, who becomes quickly intrigued with him all on her own.

Then, when Amalia confides in her best friend about the perverse actions of Dr. Janos, the seeds are planted for the troubled doctor's destruction.

In the end, varying forms of obsession, guilt, and frustration play themselves out among the sad figures in this insightful film about the poses and institutions we cling to when we somehow lose our way in life.

Due to a divinely tense, claustrophobic atmosphere and first-rate performances from the young Alche, Moran and Belloso, all caught in a perverse triangle of attraction, "The Holy Girl" adds up to a haunting film of unusual power. The director's biggest accomplishment is to make all the naughty, misguided happenings feel deeply human and real, so that we actually sympathize with these poor souls, cooped up in a hotel whose atmosphere mirrors their own inner decay.

A RARE CHARMER: THE BAND'S VISIT (2007)

"The Band's Visit", an Israeli/Egyptian film both written and directed with assurance by one Eran Kolirin, is a subtle, charming, deeply human film that will touch all who see it.

The premise is inspired enough: Egypt's super-formal Alexandria Police Band, fully uniformed, arrives in Israel's middle of nowhere. Having grabbed the wrong bus, the men remain miles away from where they need to perform the next evening.

There with no other option, they are (somewhat uncomfortably) taken in for the night by sexy shopkeeper Dina (Sasson Gabai), while a somewhat clueless friend whose wife is having a birthday also shelters a few of the reticent musicians.

How each group passes a most unusual night forms the substance of this offbeat, highly affecting feature.

At the center of it all is the platonic yet ultimately deep connection that develops between Dina and the band's seemingly stiff senior leader, widower Lt. Colonel Zacharya (Ronit Elkabetz). Nothing that occurs between these two characters, who would normally never meet, strains credulity, and both performers alternate in stealing the movie.

Feel like a feel-good film? Then lay hands on the Israeli/Egyptian treat, "The Band's Visit".

Video Entry - Best Summer Movies By Farr

See John's latest piece at The Huffington Post:

John Farr: The 10 Best Summer Movies By Farr [Huffington Post]

Video Entry - Zelary

Video Entry - Into Great Silence

"Samurai Rebellion": Starkly Beautiful, Bristling Drama

Happy 2008, movie lovers.

The name Musaki Kobayashi is not particularly familiar in these parts, but in 1967 this gentleman directed what ranks as one of my favorite Toshiro Mifune films (with all due bows to the Master, Kurosawa): "Samurai Rebellion".

The story is deceptively simple, taking place in 18th Century Japan. The powerful lord of one clan expels one of his child-bearing wives for an outburst, forcing her to marry into a prominent vassal family. Surprisingly, the arranged union works, and the young woman soon falls in love with her new husband, bearing him a daughter.

But when the clan leader's eldest son dies unexpectedly, this same woman's only previous child by the lord automatically becomes clan heir, necessitating the return of his natural mother to the castle, and dissolution of the second marriage.

Mifune is superb as head of the vassal family, father to the victimized husband. The older man is still an unmatched swordsman and samurai, but his soul and stength have gradually been withered by a shrewish wife and loveless marriage. Witnessing the real thing via his son's new match, he is transformed into a proud, defiant warrior willing to fight the injustice of severing those emotional bonds- even if it means defying the lord of his own clan.

The film is as gripping and heroic as its star, and not to be missed. Mr Kobayashi's clean, meticulous framing and filming style only add to the impact of the steadily mounting drama. Thank you, Mr. Kobayashi, Mr. Mifune, and others, for giving us "Samurai Rebellion".

Video Entry - The Lives Of Others