Dh and I just watched the Italian film Malena~ it was VERY good. Thought provoking and hilarious at times, too. Made us think about and discuss the impact of small town society's gossip.

I haven't heard of that. I'll have to look for it. Is it a new movie? Or, did it get released a few years ago?

I love foreign films. But, I don't like Japanese movies. They are usually really good, but end badly. Disappointing.

I am not sure when it was released. Hmmmm.....

I agree, don't like Japenese films or Brasilian films. I did see a Czech film and it was beautiful and very moving.

I frequent the foreign film section so much that the guys at the video store will tell me if they found one I asked about two months ago. It is my favorite haunt.

Any you have seen that you really like? I keep a running list.

Children of Heaven and The Color of Paradise (Iranian films) were fabulous. I had my dd's watch with me and they enjoyed them very much. I provoked much conversation about the Iranian people and culture. We discovered that we had many preconceived ideas about them ( we Americans are so ethnocentric and ignorant of other cultures), was very good to talk about in light of the coming war with Iraq.



P.S. LOVE Lenny Kravitz, was listening to him WAY back when :)

I need to start keeping a list, but haven't yet. I do have a list of movies I want to see, but haven't yet. I think Mama Africa is on that list. I don't recall what country the movie is from or about. I'm pretty sure it's European.

I loooove the Iranian film, The White Balloon. I think that's the title. It's one of my very faves. Beautiful movie!

Have you seen Bread & Tulips? Excellent film! I loved it! Probably b/c I spend so much time wishing I could run away. :D

I will write those one down. I really do like Iranian films. They don't talk very much, use scenery and other sounds to convery thoughts or message. They really do have excellent cinematogoraphy.

Mama, you must be an English girl, underlining those movies all proper and such. ;)

I am, too, but too lazy to do the underlining stuff.


We should keep a running review of these foreign films that we watch. Surely there are more mamas that like 'em.

Esacpism is the perrrrrrrfect therapy :) Allow it for myself several times a day :)

I am gonna go try to get those movies.

:D No, not English. I wish! I would love to be able to claim it, but I'm American. I'm in love w/English, tho. The language and the culture. I'm really into British shows and movies, now. Have you seen Bend it Like Beckham? It's on my list, too. I bought this British Slang dictionary and I read it laughing. I love it! I want a British to American English dictionary, but can't find one. I need to look over the net, but I never remember.

I wrote down the movie titles you gave me, too. I will be going up the street to see what I can find. My local Hollywood Video store has a pretty good selection of foreign films. That's where I got the Japanese ones from.

The only Iranian film that I've seen that I can remember is The White Balloon. You're right about the imagery and little dialogue. It's a beautiful movie...I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It used to come on the Bravo channel all the time. I'm glad that's a common practice among Iranian cinematographers. I am now looking more forward to renting those movies.

So, why don't you like Czech movies? I don't believe I've ever seen any. There's a book that I can't think of the title to that I think took place in the Czech region and it was excellent. It was about a girl/woman who tried to commit suicide, but it failed and she went on to plan her next suicide attempt, but life got in the way. Excellent read!

OK, this isn't the book forum...:o :p

sorry, didn't mean to convey didn't like Czech films. The one I saw was so beautiful and very moving. It's the only one I have seen.

Did you see Amelie? SOOOOOO good! She was in another one Happenstance, that was really good, too. I like Audrey Tautou (sp.?) She reminds me of Audrey Hepburn.


I know it's not the book forum, but I think that having a forum for children's books would be awesome.

My only vice (well, the one worth mentioning) is purchasing books.

Have you... wait let me get back to the book forum :)

My sister was recommended "Malena" by her friend, who LOVED it, and when she and her dh watched it, they sat through it like oh...my...god, what are we watching, NOT in a good way, so I will be PASSING on this one, LOL! She and I have pretty similar taste, so I KNOW I will not like that one! LOL

I love foreign movies, but only certain kinds. I LOVED "Bend It Like Beckham", I LOVED "Amelie", I LOVED "Run Lola Run", I LOVED "Der Kreiger und der Kaiserin (The Princess and the Warrior", but I HATE movies like "Malena", and others like that. So totally painful to watch, I can't take it!

Murali

Ok, I watched Malena last week.

Very disappointing film! I didn't like it at all! That child's home life...deplorable. And, the fact that he gave him a prostitute! I mean, I can respect differing cultures and opinions, but that sent a horrible message, IMO. Of course, he beat the boy regularly, so what should I have expected?:rolleyes:

And, the way they beat her in the square! :( And, then, when she came back w/her husband, the women were so nice to her....

<spit>

That movie really ticked me off!:mad:

it depicted real life. That's what I liked about it. It was disturbing in some scenes, and that provoked so much thought. It mad eme thankful that I didn't live there in that time, in that culture. What happened to Malena in the square is what was done to women all over Europe who slept with the enemy Nazi's.

I thought the boy's obession and compassion for her was very true to life. Ask your men, there ahs to be some women at some time in their young adolescent life that they were so crushed on.

The gossiping that the women did about her is no different than that goes on in small towns all over the US. They were jealous of her beauty and allowed that jealousy to obstuct any act of warmth or kindness. Please tell me that men all over the world haven't reated a woman like a sex object, something to played with and toyed with and then thrown away at convenience.

It is also very true that women who were poor or in "poor standing" in the community were forced tos tarve or "buy" their war time provisions.

Yes, taking the boy to a prostitute was deplorable, but it is true that is very typically of many, many other cultures in the world.

I guess I enjoy movies that are close to life and don't have predictable endings.
Have to run daughter to play practice so no time to edit. :)