Non-American movie recommendations

[Ocelano]

Hmmm, I'll try to limit this to absolute classics (in my mind) - though most have them have been mentioned I'll just reiterate.

Let the Right One In - a modern day vampire movie done like nothing you've seen before

Seven Samuri - Pretty much a necessity for anyone that seriously wants to enjoy film. You almost have to watch that movie three or four times just focusing on one element at a time - sound, cinematography, costumes, etc.

Spirited Away - I know you've probably seen this already but if you haven't, you know, duh. Best animated movie of all time easily. Most would agree. And you don't have to like anime, I certainly don't. The dubbed version is solid if you want to watch that.

Slightly lower tier that hasn't been mention yet:

Infernal Affairs - The original The Departed from Hong Kong. Think Jack Nicholson played his role well? He can't hold a candle to the Hong Kongian actor. Sorry, I can't be bothered to figure out his name exactly right now.

AND AUDITION BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A CUT 'EM UP GORE FEST!!!!?!?!?!?

oh wait. it totally is.

dANGIT NINJA'D ohg well I figured infernal affairs would have already been mentioned over the last 3 pages and I only read the first before posting.

But If I may suggest to extend out your anime suggestion to pretty much the whole ghibli collection?

don't misunderstand me spirited away was brilliant but I wouldn't hold it any higher in my esteem than any of the others if there is a company which practically trademarks consistency in quality it is definitely that one.
Not to mention for those slackers of us too lazy or illiterate to be bothered with subs they always get good quality voice actors for their flicks english adaptation

what I'm really saying is don't leave out the others like porco rosso the cat returns nausica in the vallye of the winds(I know I probably misspelt that) and if you're not oposed to a few severed limbs princess mononoke

 

[Ocelano]

I'd say Snatch, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, and Nikita.

Don't forget Nikita's semi sequel (well really a split story focusing an another character) Leon the professional

 

[Toriver]

Waking Ned (Waking Ned Divine in America) is a wonderful movie.

I also enjoyed Redcliff, a movie about one of the many Chinese civil wars.

Both seconded! Really good ones there.

May I also recommend:
El Laberinto del Fauno: Pan's Labyrinth (Mexico/Spain)
Das Leben der Anderen: The Lives of Others (Germany)
Summer Wars (Japan)
Either of the two Rurouni Kenshin Samurai X OVAs
Anything by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli
Volver (Spain)
If you like Pirates of the Caribbean, you'll enjoy Alatriste (Spain). It even stars Viggo Mortensen!
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, or House of Flying Daggers (China)

(Spent a semester of college in Spain and saw a lot of movies there.)

 

[SovietSecrets]

Mine have probably been said already, but here you go

Les Triplettes de Belleville
Let the Right One In
Trainspotting
Madame Tutli-Putli

 

[juosu]

Rare Exports. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1401143/

The best santa movie you will ever see.

 

[ChocoFace]

Can anyone out there recommend some non-American movies, either live action or animated, to watch? Just about any genre would be fine, except for blood and torture flicks (Saw and Hostel type movies) and movies heavy on slapstick and visual puns (anything with Leslie Neilsen for example). I enjoy foreign movies from time to time and I'd like to hear (or read) about some good foreign (non-American) movies.

I present to you:

Spoiler: Chocolate

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1183252/

Has a slow start but is highly enjoyable.

 

[mooncalf]

The Girl with the Dragon tattoo and sequels, the original Swedish version with subs. I actually didn't enjoy the Millenium books that much, but the adaptions are really good, they streamline the plot and make both characters (especially Micke) less Mary-sueish.

These were to be my recommendations, see these *before* their US counterparts come out!

 

[ApophisMP]

Dog Soldiers

Its a good movie, little campy but its nice to see a good horror/scfi flim without any CG

 

[Niflhel]

Man Bites Dog - French movie.
Flame and Citron - Danish movie.
Pusher 1-3 - Danish movies.
City of God and City of Men - Brazilian movies.
Jeruselema - South African movie.
Oldboy - South Korean movie.
REC - Spanish movie.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - UK movie.
Trainspotting - Scottish movie.
The Orphanage - Spanish movie.
Men Behind the Sun - Chinese movie. (Read some reviews before you sit down to watch this one. Not for everyone.)

 

[Lonely Swordsman]

Night Watch, a Russian adaptation of the novel of the same name.
It's a fantasy story set in modern Moscow. Two groups of superhumans, as in wizards, vampires, shapeshifters and so on who call themselves "The Others" live in perpetual Cold War between two factions, the Light Others and the Dark Others. However, there are no fundamental ideological differences between the groups, the distinction is purely based on how they gather power (Lights by inspiring good will, love and so on among mortals, Darks by inflicting pain and fear.)
Post World War 2, the sides have been living in an uneasy truce, kept in check by two elite police forces, the Night Watch being Lights who are on duty at night, when the darks are strongest, and the Day Watch, the other way around.

The movie basically follows an investigation carried out by a lowly Night Watch officer.
A lot of the intrigue and the complex plot of the book is lost in the movie, but in my oppinion it's worth seeing for the visuals alone. It manages to feel like a cold, gritty police story in every scene, even when it enters the nightmare-like magic world that seperates the Others from regular Moscow. Also, there's an angry lesbian shower sex scene in it that wasn't in the book. It's very brief but if you're into that kind of thing...

 

[Sovvolf]

Not sure if its been posted yet but In Bruges is brilliant film. Alsoa recommend is The Proposition. Mongol is also a pretty good film too, as for the rest well... I think everyone as already mentioned them.

 

[cathou]

A french flick whos name I can never remember but roughly translates to welcome to the sticks about a postal worker who is caught out trying to claim disability to get a better position as his wife is terribly depressed but insteade get's sent to the north rumours of which bare close similarity to the worst ones of buck teethed inbred hillbilly america, and are just as exagerated he loves it there but his wife who hasn't gone with him thinks he is merely being brave for her sake so he concedes and lies about it being everything the rumours say which works until the wife finally works up the courage to come north and stand by her man.

That's "bienvenue chez les Ch'ti"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bienvenue_chez_les_Ch'tis

very good movie.

I also recommand Louis 19 (and not the infamous american remake EDTV) which is the story of a guy (who is pretty much a total loser) that win a contest where he is followed 24/7 by a tv crew (and and it was written in the early 90, so before truman show and all the reality shows...)

And in the horror side, i recommand "Sur le seuil". a psychiatrist receive a famous writter that cut half of his fingers, the same day a police officer kill a bunch of kids. The writter reveal to him that he knew it would happened because he wrote a novel about it. the psychiatrist start to investigate and realise that the writter foretold numerous events like this and discover a dark and hidden past about him.

and in Drama, dont miss C.R.A.Z.Y., It tells the story of Zac, a young gay man dealing with homophobia and heterosexism while growing up with four brothers and a conservative father in 1960s and 1970s Quebec.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C.R.A.Z.Y.

 

[NEVRINx54]

the Ong Bak series is one of the most epic action movies out there and is sadly over looked....

 

[NEVRINx54]

Død snø also known as Dead Snow [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1278340/]. Nazi zombies

i've heard great things about this movie, haven't seen it yet though.

 

[tittentei]

As most of what I was going to say has already been mentioned, I'll just add some votes and add a few new.
-Oldboy (must see)
-Leon (very very good)
-Ronin (also pretty good)
-Max Manus (Norwegian movie about a Norwegian WW2 hero)
-Cowboy Bebop the movie (anime, but very good. you should also watch the series)

-titten

 

[Blitzwarp]

I highly recommend it, at least.

+1 for that recommendation. It's funny, quirky, off-the-wall, and yet slightly melancholy as well. You'll be routing for Amelie herself in no time.

Also, I recommend The Curse of the Golden Flower and The House of Flying Daggers. Both are visually spectacular (they...they actually built the palace in Curse of the Golden Flower how is this I don't even) and have beautiful music and tragic stories. I love 'em.

 

[El Poncho]

I liked 'Looking For Eric' but that does have ties with the English Premier league and Eric Cantona.

 

[Faulty Turmoil]

In Bruges is one of the best black comedies I have ever seen.

Black sheep is pretty damn good to. (Also black comedy)

 

[Lord_Nemesis]

Dunno if you consider British movies foreign but they are good in a grity, funny way.

Eden Lake.
Harry Brown.
Snatch.
Rock n' Rolla.

Check them out.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

Throne of Blood
its a japanese version of MacBeth