Keith,

I didn't have a clue who Helen Mirren was until I looked her up at IMDB...good choice.

It's funny how people see things differently...I thought Shallow Hal wasn't that bad.

A movie that really marked me is Harakiri ( aka Seppuku ) by Masaki Kobayashi. It strongly reflects the japanese culture not only in its content but also the way it is filmed, which is very structured and tight. It is mostly axed on dialogue and it is a really intense script!! Check it out if you guys have a chance one day.

"Winner of a Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 1963. Japan 1962. Director: Masaki Kobayashi. Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Shima Iwashita, Akira Ishihama. B&W, 35mm, in Japanese with English subtitles. 135 mins. "

Some that come to mind:

El Topo
My Sweet Little Village
Death in Venice
Conformist
Cries And Whispers

Alright, Joseph...now I'm suspecting that you're putting together a book! ;)

Le Retour de Martin Guerre
À bout de Souffle
37°2 le matin
Belle époque
Samurai Fiction
Trop Belle pour Toi
Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios
Como agua para chocolate
Jean de Florette
Manon des sources
Les Ripoux
Les Compères
Trois hommes et un couffin
Diva
Mui du du xanh
Mua he chieu thang dung
Camille Claudel
Lola rennt
Trois couleurs: Bleu
Trois couleurs: Blanc
Trois couleurs: Rouge
...and more...

...and lots of British and Australian movies (maybe you meant foreign "language" movies?)

Run Lola Run
Cemetery Man
Man Bites Dog

I know I've seen more, but these are the only ones I've really cared for.

Maybe "Bad Taste" counts? Peter Jackson's from New Zealand. I guess "Heavenly Creatures," also, in that case.

My favorites modern foreign films:

Y Tu Mamia Tambien
Once Were Warriors


A lot of classic foreign favorites. Not gonna list em all, but Seven Samurai would have the #1 spot for sure.

Strange Brew


Also like Road Trip, Super Troopers, and the comedy aspect of Tremors. So many good comedies over ther years, hard to pick real favorites.

Maybe "Bad Taste" is the reason that the NZ film industry is so small? However, "Once Were Warriors" and "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted" certainly halp make up for it.

On the other side of the pond, Australia, Romper Stomper, is one that stands out, along with "The Castle", and I'm not dreamin.

Here in Japan, "Samauri Fiction" is a up there. Dylan, you should check it out.

The Brits have put out some pearlers in the form of "Mean Machine" and "Snatch".

Hey John, just something to do during breaks on a project.

Which ones did you like? Ones that come to mind:

Footlose
Dirty Dancing
Flashdance

Of those three...only Dirty Dancing I'm afraid.

I would like to add something like West Side Story (great colour, great music), but I have problem with musicals in which erstwhile complete strangers start moving rythmically when IRL it wouldn't/couldn't happen...such as the fight between the Sharks and the Jets.

Perhaps I have no imagination.

But I liked DD, and the dancing was a fit for the story line as well as my 'straight' interpretation of IRL! :-)

Favourite foreign movies? Let me see, there's quite a lot...

LA Confidential
Die Hard
Clueless
Dave
The Matrix
...

:-)

Nigel, I don't remember seeing any Swiss movies. What's the film industry there like and does the government support it?

Dude! Are you dissin' on Bad Taste? I definitely enjoyed that more than Lord of the Rings.

Only an opera comes to mind:

La Traviata

The Mask
"Did you catch him" "No, but the SWAT team have got a spot in Las Vegas", and so many of the CG effects...particularly when he meets his landlady in the hallway!

Miss Congeniality
"It's all in the buttocks dear" "It takes a man with a great deal of confidence to walk like that"

A lot of The Marx Brothers films, and those of Will Hay in which he's partnered with Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriott are a riot (particularly Ask a Policeman and Oh Mr Porter).

My favorite:

Far and Away

I don't remember seeing any Swiss movies.Nor do I (I guess The Sound Of Music doesn't count). I've only lived here 3 months.

Some of mine:

XXX
Bourne Identity
Spy Game
No Way Out

comes to mind:

The Lost Boys
Near Dark

Definitely agree with No Way Out and Bourne Identity. What was it that you were smoking when you watched xXx though?

I'd add most, if not all, of the Connery Bond movies. But anything with Roger Moore is just cringeworthy, and as for that safari suit...sheesh

39 Steps (Donat version)
Saboteur (OK, not strictly spies, but similar vein)
Notorious
Mission Impossible

I'm not too keen on gore, so the horror films that I like tend to be the old classics. So, I offer Dracula (Lugosi version). Nosferatu's pretty good too, if you like that sort of thing.

Only one comes to mind:

Excalibur

I wasn't aware that there was an Irish genre! But The Quiet Man is pretty good fun.

My fevorites:

Pretty Woman
There is Something About Marry
Coming to America
America's Sweethearts

When Harry Met Sally
The Princess Bride

Bagdad Cafe.

Mine:

Any Given Sunday
Natural
Water Boy

Romancing the Stone.

To refresh memories -- latest, at least the ones I've seen, Irish genre movies were Road to Perdition and Gangs of NY

So what exactly is Irish genre? Obviously not set in Ireland. What percentage of the cast have to speak in oirish brogue to fit the criteria?

"If you build it, they will come." :)

Here in America Irish genre means movies about the Irish and Irish-Americans.

I know it sounds stupid. I guess if the same rule would apply in Switzerland, then American genre there would be movies like European Vacation

What's next, Joseph..."Favorite movies with purple things"

I like some of the foreign movies from the USA. :)

My favorite:

Once Upon a Time in America

My favorite:

The Birds of a Feather

I did not like too much the US remake Birdcage

This was posted in ref. to:
John Locke: What's next, Joseph..."Favorite movies with purple things"

My favorite:

Brother Sun, Sister Moon

I would have to say, i celebrate most of woody allens catalog.

Hest Street is a lovely film as well.

Zac

Philadelphia

Quo Vadis...I like the scene where the christians are thrown to the lions

The final shot from that film, where Costner's catching ball with his dad, and the Iowa sky takes on a deep indigo, is one of the most beautifully coloured that I've ever seen.

Here in America Irish genre means movies about the Irish and Irish-Americans.You're having a laugh, aren't you?

Monsoon Wedding is a good one, from India.

A little British flick, BILLY ELLIOT.

MY LIFE AS A DOG
AMELIE (sp?)
PIXOTE
PELLE THE CONQUEROR

Just to name a few quickly.

I guess you'd call "Bad Taste" a niche film. As for "Lord of the Rings" I haven't seen it. I'm tired of seeing Hollywood murder classics.

John, There is a deep psychological meaning to purple color. If you should drive a pink car, you'd be popular in this town. If you'd add pink wardrobe, you'd be a hero. Now all would be left is painting your camera yellow -- then you'd be in real trouble. Add couple of gold crowns to your front teeth, Mohawk haircut and similarly dressed anorexic girlfriend named Always Ready and you'd be in business on Hollywood Boulevard. :)

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : Romancing the Stone. -->>>

Romancing The Stone
The Princess Bride

You didn't specify movie or TV in this post so...

The musical episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Lord Of The Rings?