Top Ten Movies from the Rest of the WorldPrevious articles in this series looked at the best films from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Here's the best of the rest of the planet, as chosen by two of our critics.By Agnieszka Tennant and Stefan Ulstein |
posted 9/14/2004
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This is the last of a four-part series on some of the best foreign-language films—at least according to two of our critics, foreign-film buffs Agnieszka Tennant and Stefan Ulstein. This installment examines the best films from the rest of the world. Part 1 looked at the best European films, part 2 examined the best Asian film, and part 3 the best films from the Middle East.
Having given Europe, Asia and the Middle East our best shot, we now present the Best of the Rest. It is an eclectic mix, but we hope readers will find a few titles that will not only entertain, but spark great discussions.
Our list below draws heavily from Brazil because of its many fine films—and because it is a robust nation with a distinctive, unique culture. Argentina and Mexico, also represented below, are populous countries with distinct histories and identities. India, with one sixth of the world's population, makes more movies per year than any other nation—but most never make it to North America. Still, we included one Indian film below. Sub-Saharan Africa also produces some interesting films, but again, few are distributed here.
And so, we now offer you our Best of the Rest.
Amorres Perros
(Mexico, 2000)
Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's directorial debut isn't easy on the eyes or ears, but—eventually—it's good for the heart. Its characters go through hell, one so repellent that, in the end, it leaves them drawn toward the good things that can only come from God: truth and affection.
Often compared to Pulp Fiction, the movie tells stories of three people whose lives are changed by a car wreck. The first story is about Octavio, who has a crush on his brother's abused wife and will do anything in order to get enough money to be able to rescue her. The second story is about a middle-aged man who left his family to have an affair with a model. In the last story, a man who lives with a pack of dogs arrives at a decision through which he can defy the violence that has shaped him.
The director uses dogs to drive home his points, one of which is: Show me the way you treat your dog, and I'll show you the way you treat people. The sight of the blood-soaked dogs and the sound of their bodies slamming against one another in fights—surely metaphorical for what's going on in the lives of the humans—are sure to unnerve even the most mature viewer.
Content: Even though no animals were harmed in the making of the movie, the brutality of the dogfights may be too much to stomach for animal lovers. This is a movie for adults only.
Bye Bye Brazil
(Brazil, 1979)
Directed by Carlos Diegues
In this semi-documentary, the members of a traveling carnival find that traditional Brasil (The Portuguese spelling) has become Brazil: sophisticated, glitzy and international. As the characters travel through the vastness of Brazil, they find that their offerings must compete with television, the great leveler. The title suggests that the real Brazil is fading away, to be replaced by something more generic and less authentic.
It's a theme that Canadians and Americans can understand. Each generation is more technologically sophisticated than its parents. The choices in consumer goods and lifestyles are greater, and we wonder what is being lost. Bye Bye Brazil echoes the magical realism of South American literature, a mix of European rationalism and indigenous mysticism. For those who want to understand this huge, sprawling neighbor to the south, this film is a great place to get a taste of the Brazilian soul.
Content: Rated R for language and nudity. Appropriate for adults only.
Central Station
(Brazil, 1998)
Directed by Walter Salles
In a touching drama about two wanderers, Dora starts out as a cynical former teacher who makes money writing letters on behalf of the illiterate in Rio de Janeiro's train station. Regarding her clients as "trash," she never bothers to actually send their mail. Things begin to change after she meets a 9-year-old boy whose mother gets killed soon after hiring Dora to write a letter to the boy's father. Soon after selling the boy to a couple who kill children and sell their organs on the black market, she feels guilty and steals him back. Dora slowly awakens to a feeling that has so far been foreign to her: compassion. Part of the movie's success lies in Fernanda Montenegro's straightforward portrayal of Dora's emotional transformation, which never borders on sentimentality.
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