Since I have to be here for a sec – a few more wonderful movies not everyone has heard of.
When I say wonderful, I mean that they are different, special, and splendid. They’re not necessarily perfect.
The Cuckoo (Kukushka)
Basically: three people who do not speak each other’s languages are stuck in one hut. They have ever reason to hate one another.
What’s it like? Stunning trilingual love-triangle friendship story set against the backdrop of the end of WWII. Hugely funny, touching, and clever.
Belleville Rendezvous (The Triplets of Belleville)
Basically: bad men kidnap cyclist. Dog and grandma pursue.
What’s it like? Mildly deranged, gorgeous French animated flick, great music, no words, really, so no subtitles to worry about. Again, great music, hilarious, sweet. A must see.
Basically: two people with different lives keep juuuust missing one another, and yet they’d be so perfect together. Oh, and the mafia want to murder a fish.
What’s it like? Enjoyable, harmless romp. Bittersweet sometimes, romantic sometimes, enormously witty sometimes. Yet more great music.
Le Bossu (**warning: this YouTube clip contains spoilers, and it’s not the best way to see a big screen fight sequence) (1997 version, yes, it means “hunchback” but there are no bells, that’s a different movie)
Basically: villains assail bloodline of noble duke, thwarted by his friend. Much derring-do.
What’s it like? Awesome. I love this movie. Great swordplay. Makes “Pirates of the Caribbean” look like one of those old tough-guy movies where the hero hits someone and ten seconds later there’s a thwack noise.
Basically: Japanese businessman has to go to Iceland to perform a ritual on the spot where his parents died.
What’s it like? Weird, lyrical, beautiful, bizarre. Plus, film snob bragging rights: “Dude, I was watching this Japanese-Icelandic flick by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson the other day…”
Basically: tough-guy cop takes dying wife on last trip around Japan. Goes on slight rampage.
What’s it like? Sad, funny, violent. Hinges on the sheer genius of director/lead Takeshi Kitano.
That’s all for now…