Recommend a "NON-MAINSTREAM" movie...

[Cygnusx2112]

Something different, and not the usual Hollywood tripe.

Last night my wife and I watched The Closet. I think we put it on our Netflix list because the trailer looked great (saw it in Amelie I believe).

Anyway, from Netflix:

It's Melville's "Bartleby the Scrivener" with a twist when Daniel Auteuil (as a milquetoast accountant) is about to get fired from his job for literally being a bore. At the last minute, a neighbor concocts a "new life" for Auteuil as an out-of-the-closet (read: intriguing) homosexual, and suddenly everything changes. Gérard Depardieu co-stars as a homophobic officemate who may be masking a few feelings of his own.

Charming / funny movie and both Auteuil and Depardieu were great.

[BarenakedLady]

1. Ha!

I was going to suggest Amelie...nevermind.

[grace0418]

2. I remember seeing that one! It's very good!

I saw another movie recently about a bunch of students from France, England and the USA who go to Spain and stay in a house together. Now I can't remember what it was called, but it was pretty good. If I remember, I'll post again.

[dpbrown]

3. Something Wild

A 1986 movie directed by Jonathan Demme with Jeff Daniels and Melanie Griffith.

[schmuls]

4. Vengo - by Carlos Saura - about 2 rival gypsies families in Andalusia

Spain and the flamenco lifestyle they are involved in and Apartment Zero with Colin Firth - set in Buenos Aires - really bizarre. For a total freak-out I like Henry, portrait of a serial killer. Basket case is a cult film comic horror movie, about a young man who's twin is attached to his shoulder, and they interact. When the go out, the normal guy puts a basket over his brother. It is *funny*!

[Xithras]

5. Turtles Can Fly

It's the polar opposite of "charming and funny", but I still found it to be a powerful and moving film. If your definition of non-mainstream includes "depressing foreign movies with subtitles", I recommend it highly.

[MrCoffee]

6. The Castle...soo good.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118826/

it's the story of an Australian family fighting the taking by eminent domain of their home (the castle) by big corporate interests.

it's a fantastic movie, and completely hilarious. two thumbs way up.

"Tell him he's dreamin'!"

[u4ic]

10. I LOVED the Castle!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[MrCoffee]

14. it's Marbo, it's the vibe...

:rofl:

[mainegreen]

7. Russian Ark.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Ark

[u4ic]

8. A few:

Europa: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101829/

Vor (The Thief): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0124207/

Skyggen af Emma (Emma's Shadow): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096116/

No Man's Land: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283509/

The Decline of the American Empire: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090985/

[Hard_Work]

9. good one from 1992

Sarafina: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105316/

[ghostsofgiants]

15. I need to see Europa.

I love Von Trier.

[u4ic]

19. He is

in a league of his own, isn't he?

It's a brilliant film. The cinematography is stunning.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Farewell My Concubine; Eat, Drink, Man, Woman; Tampopo

And the trilogy of Red, Blue, and White.

[buddhamama]

16. second the trilogy

:thumbsup:

[Katina]

12. I loved that movie

it was very funny.

If you like foreign films and want serious, see Requium (german). If you want something lighter, see Bread & Roses (Italian)

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

13. Dolls

Trailer --- Indeed, I'd recommend anything by the director/writer/editor Takeshi Kitano, especially Hana-bi (Fireworks), Sonatine, Kikujiro and A Scene At The Sea.

Of more recent fare, I'd highly recommend Time To Leave (Trailer), CSA: The Confederate States of America (Trailer) and The King And The Clown (Trailer - sorry, can't find one with English subs).


edit -- can't reply to a thread like this without recommending Mysterious Skin which (IMO) was one of the best films of last year & Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance is just heart-stoppingly incredible. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FhyWT-mdPM

[ghostsofgiants]

17. Most recent one I can think of: Brick

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393109/

[MrCoffee]

18. good show...incredibly well done all the way around.

[idgiehkt]

20. some that I like

I don't know if they are 'mainstream' or not but they are good
Survivors, w/Robin Williams, Walter Matthau (comedy)
The Cold Room w/Amanda Pays, George Segal
The Osterman Weekend, can't remember the actors but it was weird
Leaving Normal, w/Meg Tilly, Christine Lahti, kind of a chick flick but very unsentimental

[Cygnusx2112]

21. Thanks to Everyone!

I added everything Netflix had to my list (which is up to 286) :)

I'll add another funny one (although ANY genre is welcome).

The Commitments was hillarious.

From Netflix:
Robert Arkins stars as Jimmy Rabbitte, a committed young man with an ambitious goal: to form an American-style soul band in a low-income section of Dublin, Ireland. Before long, he's cobbled together a group of misfits who can really play. But can they stay together long enough to make it to the top? Director Alan Parker packs his film with fresh faces, evocative locations and soul classics such as "Mustang Sally" and "Chain of Fools."




And
Oldboy
(if you like revenge movies with surprise endings...):

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

22. Oldboy is one of my favorite films ever

Park Chan-wook's whole vengeance trilogy is genius, but Oldboy just has the edge for me. A Bittersweet Life is another utterly, utterly brilliant Korean revenge movie.

[Catshrink]

23. A couple of older ones:

Local Hero

The King of Hearts -- in French with subtitles. If you haven't seen this, you need to! It's from the 70's I think.

[mcar]

24. Waking Ned Devine

Irish, both funny and touching.

[Shakespeare]

25. Baraka

Beautiful, moving, mind-blowing.

[Drum]

29. Seconded!

I rented it and had to buy a copy. Turned a lot of friends onto it as well.

[bigwillq]

26. Run, Lola, Run

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/run_lola_run/

[Dinger]

27. Last Of The Dogmen

I LOVE that movie!

[Deja Q]

28. Serenity

;D

[Habibi]

30. Deepa Mehta's trilogy

Fire, Earth, Water. Beautifully done, very powerful films.

[Flaxbee]

31. The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage and Patricia Clarkson

a very good movie. "The Hairdresser's Husband" (Le mari de la coiffeuse) - French with subtitles, very good, but 'typical' French ending (someone dies). The Barbarian Invasions (Les invasions barbares) - a dying man reconciles with his family - very uplifting, actually.

Hopefully I'll think of more.

[begin_within]

32. Here are some overlooked gems:

Diary of a Country Priest (1951) - haunting drama effectively filmed
Glen or Glenda (1953) - camp classic starring Ed Wood, Bela Lugosi
Salt of the Earth (1954) - great film about labor strike
Soy Cuba (I Am Cuba) (1964) - spellbinding cinematography
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1966) - cult classic gaining popularity
Au Hasard, Balthazar (1966) - enigmatic euro-art parable
Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) - dramatization of life of St. Francis of Assisi
The Stunt Man (1978) - little-discussed classic of action and illusion
El Norte (1983) - best film ever about immigration
Dark Habits (1983) - wickedly funny story of bizarre nuns
Snadowlands (1993) - dramatization of life of C.S. Lewis
Ed Wood (1994) - best performance of the 1990s (Martin Landau)
Daughter from Danang (2002) - real-life documentary with an emotional wallop

[Xipe Totec]

33. 'Breaker' Morant

Tagline: When they speak of heroes - of villains - of men who look for action, who choose between honor and revenge - they tell the story of Breaker Morant.

Plot Outline: Three Australian lieutenants are court martialed for executing prisoners as a way of deflecting attention from war crimes committed by their superior officers.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080310/

[ScreamingMeemie]

34. The Chumscrubber... it will stick with for a while though.

Make you mildly uncomfortable. It's a satyrical comedy. Big names in it (i.e. Rita Wilson) but low budget and worth a watch.