Anybody here into arthouse-type movies?

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Is there anybody out there who is into any arthouse or foreign movies? I often get sick of watching American-made movies so I'll watch a foreign arthouse movie instead. Most of the time the arthouse movies are WAY better than phony American-made movies. The thing that bothers me about American movies is that there seems to be a lack of originality in the films, and most of the time the cast list is flawed. Don't get me wrong, I love a lot of American made movies but every once in a while it's a great relief to watch a non-american film. I think from now on the ratio of American movies that I watch to foreign movies will be something like 2:10.



Tell me what your opinions are.

I am the same. foreign movies, independent films, silent films. I find American movies mostly trite, violent, stupid or too gory.
I especially like foreign silent films because they can be viewed in any language. Also I think they are good for me in the sense that you 'have' to watch them. I can not do anything else so it forces me to focus. You can not hear the dialoge or background sounds while you do something else. These films were also very innovative. Foreign silent films were also very different from American. I like the German Expressionist, Russian and French best.

Yep, I'm into all kinds of movies including Foreign, Independent and Arthouse (provided it's not to pretentious).

My theory is that only the very best foreign movies reach the shores of english-speaking countries, so it's worth checking them out.

I've amassed quite a collection - and regularly hire them too.

What's the difference between Indie and Arthouse?

...Me .

Actually there are some very good American Art House films
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai a film by Jim Jarmusch who also made Coffee And Cigarettes, and Night on Earth
Waking Life by Richard Linklater
Even Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind can be considered and art house film

I am a major indie/art-house film fan then.

Tim,

I don't think anyone answered your question... So I'll try, but I'm not sure if this is right.

In short...
Indie means - "we've got no money"
Arthouse means - "very few people will understand our film"


Indie films are by people who are starting out and don't have much money - or want to retain full creative freedom. Sometimes big stars are in them but they don't usually get paid much.

Arthouse films can actually be done by big studios but they're deliberately aimed at a small audience. They're often thinking person's films which deliberately move away from Hollywood stereotypes.

I love those definitions.

Another arthouse, I reallly liked Dogville with Nicole Kidman too.

For some unknown reason, films from Spain are the best, as far as European films go.

In terms of foreign films, nearly every country has produced some good ones;

Certainly the Spanish films of Pan's Labyrinth and The Devil's Backbone are brilliant, but there are heaps of other good ones too...

There's a lot of good German Films; Das Boot, M, Nosferatu, Downfall, Run Lola Run, Anatomie, Twin Sisters, Downfall, Christiane F.

Lots and lots of French Films; Three Colors Trilogy, Angel-A, City of Lost Children, Delicatessen, Amelie, Betty Blue, The Piano Teacher, High Tension

The Japanese and Asian countries seem to have modern horror cornered; Red Shoes, Ringu, Grudge, Host, etc but don't forget that they also do Anime and a lot of Action (ie: Jackie Chan etc) and Epic (Ran). BTW: Has anyone seen the Audition?

I find that a lot of the countries have pretty good films; Life is Beautiful (Italian), Lilya-4-Ever / Nightwatch (Russian), Evil (Swedish).

Does Australia count as foreign? Have you seen; Breaker Morant, Storm Boy/Blue Fin, Alexandra's Project, Bad Boy Bubby, The Castle, The Dish, Muriel's Wedding, Newsfront ?

Being from the U.S., Australian films count as foreign.