To help you ease your way into our world, we have devised a the film difficulty ranking system to rate the difficulty of each film reviewed on our site. The easiest to watch films (the Rom-Coms and Superhero flicks that you watch anyway) will have a rating of 1. Foreign language films automatically add one point, as do black and white films, and films with strange and hard to follow plots. Welcome to Film Difficulty 2.
Film Difficulty Ranking 2: These films are perfect introductions to those new to foreign films. These one’s may have subtitles, or be in black and white, but these films are all easy to follow and enjoy.
For the next step, check out Film Difficulty Ranking 3.
From: India, Asia Watch: Trailer, JustWatch, Netflix, Amazon Prime Next: Ferris Bueller's Day Off, PK, Y Tu Mama TambienContinue reading “3 Idiots – A Feel Good College Buddy, Road Trip Musical”
If you’re looking for a Norwegian update on Stephen King’s Carrie, you’ve come to the right place. In Thelma, just like in Carrie, there’s Christianity, madness, and strict parents. However, Thelma also boasts a lesbian awakening and enough subtlety to keep you questioning long after the ending.
From: Norway, EuropeContinue reading “Thelma (Norway) – A Supernatural Coming-of-Age Story”
Watch: Trailer, Amazon Buy
Next: Carrie, Gone Girl, Call Me By Your Name
If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced crime-thriller from South America, Ratas, Ratones, y Rateros is the film to watch. You’ll try and evade the law with crazy ex-con Angel and his amateur thief cousin Salvador, accompanied by his teenage friends. It’s probably the closest you’ll get to the style of Trainspotting or Run Lola Run from South America. Plus it’s available to watch with subtitles below (thanks to Vimeo).
The film starts with a close up of a Angel’s face upside-down. He opens one eye and the camera zooms out to show him lying upside down, hanging off a bed, lying beside a woman. The camera starts fast-cutting between Angel, as he starts rolling a cigarette, and the bedroom door, which he keeps looking at.
It’s obvious he’s uneasy. The woman tries to reassure him that “no one saw him coming in”.
All of a sudden the door busts open and two armed men run in. Angel manages to escape the room and jump across a few tin roofed houses as the two men chase after him. The grimy rock music kicks in at this point as if to cheer on Angel vs. the chasers.
The chasers lose him in a large cemetery until Angel ambushes them and knocks dead one of the men chasing him to end a adrenaline-filled opening scene. (As words can’t accurately capture the feeling of the opening, I recommend checking out the opening here or in the embedded video above).
Quite a lot. We meet Salvador and his friends back in Quito. Salvador is Angel’s cousin, and he’s excited to hear that his cousin will be returning to the capital to see him. Salvador and his friends are all amateur thieves of their own, but when Angel arrives, he’s looking to take them to the next level.
Without giving too much away, he has some enemies in the capital, and Salvador also has some rich friends.
All action or crime thriller fans will enjoy this film. It looks and feels like a great Hollywood indie film so it will be familiar to all Hollywood film fans. Check it out here on Vimeo.
If you’re after something similar (another stylised action thriller) I strongly recommend checking out the German thriller Run Lola Run. You could also check out Kung Fu Hustle or Layer Cake, two more films full of style that will keep you entertained throughout.
Otherwise for more South American thrillers, check out The Secret in their Eyes (just make sure it’s the Argentinian original). It’s one of the best foreign language films to start your world cinema journey with.
Abouna Film Difficulty Ranking: 2
How many films from Chad have you seen? In fact, how many African films have you seen? Probably not enough. Abouna is one of the better coming-of-age films you’ll see, plus it’s one of the most beautifully shot films you’ll see. Transport yourself to Chad for a while by watching Abouna here (on YouTube).
Abouna starts with an expansive shot of some desert sand dunes. A man walks across the sand whilst guitar music plays. He comes towards the camera, looks straight us, and walks off, across another sand dune and into the distance. It’s like a classic western shot of a cowboy riding off into the distance.
After the credits roll, two brothers 15 and 8 take the centre stage. They’re annoyed as their dad didn’t show up to ref their football game. They go home looking for him but there is no sign of him.
Their individual loneliness is captured in some beautiful shots of each of the characters with empty space surrounding them. For example, in the shot below, Amine (the younger brother) walks along the street on his own. 
Without the empty space to frame the picture, everything would appear normal. But with the black empty space to frame the picture, the shot becomes more melancholy. Amine is on his own and has to take care of himself.
Simply put, Abouna is a great film. So watch the film and transport yourself to Chad for a while. Watch it here on YouTube.
If you like food, Eat Drink Man Woman is your film. It’s at the centre of the Chu family from Taipei. It brings them together, it fuels their romantic escapes, and even brings them in touch with their past. It’s a guide through life in Taiwan.
From: Taiwan, AsiaContinue reading “Eat Drink Man Woman – Food is Life”
Watch: Trailer, Free on Tubi, Rent on Amazon, Buy on Amazon
Next: Like Water for Chocolate, Mi Familia, Lamb
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