I' Amélie
City of God
While Hollywood blockbusters may be dazzling with their wide array of special effects and upper-tier actors, film companies around the world have been able to produce some of the most impactful and stellar movies to date. From Brazil to Japan, international films have made their mark on cinema. Here are some of the more notable movies from around the globe:
International Films
Nolan Perla-Ward
There’s an accurate and genuine feeling about the about the world in City of God. Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund immerse the viewer in the favelas of Rio de Janiero. The story is told from the standpoint of a group of young boys. The film tracks these young boys as they develop into young adults. They all follow separate paths, falling from innocence and getting more immersed in the gang life of the favelas. It’s an insight into the brutal, fast paced gang life in Rio, as well as a coming of age story. The believability of the characters and their portrayal of the favelan lifestyle may seem almost too real. It would make sense that most of the cast lived in the favelas for three months prior to shooting. City of God’s genuinity comes from this, as well as the fact that many of the actors grew up in the favelas, and were recruited as amateur actors. The memorable characters and the changes they undergo make this movie worth seeing alone.
It’s hard to classify Amélie. Inspirational and funny, it has a certain charm which makes it memorable. Amélie, a girl with a troubled childhood, devotes her life to helping others. However, in her pursuit to help others, she forgets about herself. The film focuses on her attempt to find love while helping others. It’s filled with plenty of quirky and memorable scenes, and Audrey Tautou does an excellent job of playing Amélie. She doesn’t merely mimic the role, she becomes it, and carries the film. This film is hard to forget, it has a certain aspect that makes it different than most movies these days.
Ip Man is more than just your typical kung-fu movie. Transcending what a typical action movie can do, Ip Man features excellently choreographed action as well as heavy undertones of Chinese oppression. In the film, Ip man must work to preserve the pureness kung-fu in an era where it is slowly becoming irrelevant. He must work to retain the pureness of kung fu and martial arts. This only becomes more difficult as other kung-fu masters encroach upon him as well as the imperialist Japanese who threaten the sanctity of China.
Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have been known to craft amazing stories using 2D animation techniques. The Pixar of Japan, Studio Ghibli creates films that engross their audience in a new world, while telling a compelling story. Spirited Away is perhaps the finest example of this. The story starts with a girl who is moving to a new town, she and her parents stumble across an ancient shrine. Long story short, she loses her parents and comes across another, hidden world. Similar to Alice and Wonderland, the story revolves around her discovering this new world and ultimately trying to return to reality. It’s much like a fairy tale, but told on screen through beautiful characters and animation. Simple, yet charming, Spirited Away can be enjoyed by all ages.
Ip Man
Spirited Away
