Most Americans take film for granted. Since we have the biggest film industry at our disposal, this easily makes us forget about the international film scene. Here are six international films you need to see.
1. "Tazza: The Hidden Card" (Korean).
Plot: When Ham Dae-gil enters the gambling world, he gets set up
by a crooked fall guy. He enters one final match to seek his revenge.
Will he avenge himself, or will he die trying?
The first film on the list is a Korean film from 2014. The main actor Choi Seung-hyun, is a very talented man. Better known by his stage name T.O.P, he got his start as a rapper in the Korean group Big Bang. Over the years he started to build his reputation as an actor and has done so brilliantly. "Tazza: The Hidden Card" is the sequel to the film "Tazza: The High Rollers." You don’t have to see the first installment to understand the second, because it's so well done. This gambling/crime film is an amazing example of how great international films are.
2. "Simple Simon" (Swedish).
Plot: Simon, an 18-year-old who has Aspberger's syndrome, is completely dependent on his brother Sam. Because of his condition, he finds sudden change unbearable, and can't function when change happens out of his control. When Sam's girlfriend Frida leaves, Simon goes on a mission to help Sam find a new girlfriend.
Starring Bill Skarsgård as Simon, this witty and heartwarming film shows the everyday struggles of someone with Aspberger's Syndrome. Simon, who is dependent on his brother Sam for everything, causes tension in Sam's love life. When Simon realizes that his strict schedule is interrupted due to Sam's depression of losing his girlfriend, Simon makes it his mission to find Sam a new girlfriend. On his adventure he meets Jennifer, a beautiful young woman who helps Simon break free of his strict ways. This is the perfect film to watch when you need a good laugh. If Skarsgård looks familiar, it's because he stars in the Netflix original series "Hemlock Grove." He is also from a big family of actors. Both his father and brother have made transitions to American film.
3. "The Witness" (Chinese).
Plot: When young women start disappearing, the police start to recognize the similarities. They're all young, using a mobile dating device and are gullible when it comes to good looking strangers. While waiting for a taxi, a blind Lu Xiaoxing gets into what she thinks is a taxi, and her nightmare begins. This fateful event helps police track down a notorious man.
Starring former Exo member Luhan, this Chinese suspenseful crime drama will have you on the edge of your seat. Not only does it send the message, "Don't meet strange men from dating apps," it also shares a story of consequences made in irrational moments of life. This beautifully written film has a humanistic message to it. Even though it's a crime drama, it's still something that can happen to anyone today. Since it's not far removed from real life, many can relate to it. This film may save a young woman from ending up in a similar situation.
(Be sure to turn on the captions.)
4. "Submarine" (Welsh).
Plot: Oliver Tate, a 15-year-old boy, is infatuated with fellow classmate Jordana, and often admires her from a far. One day, Jordana asks Oliver to meet after school, so she can make her ex-boyfriend jealous. This plan backfires, and Jordana soon becomes Oliver's girlfriend.
Adapted from the book of the same name, written by Joe Dunthorne, this coming of age comedy also has bits of dark humor to it. Not only is the cast quite impressive (Craig Roberts, Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins) but the soundtrack is too. Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner wrote the entire soundtrack for this film, giving it even more of a coming of age vibe. Oliver, a socially awkward teen, is like any other 15-year-old. He notices things. He starts to become concerned when he notices that his parents are not affectionate anymore. He also notices his new neighbor, and how flirtatious he is with his mother. On top of the situation at home, he grows closer to his new girlfriend Jordana, but this soon ends as fast as it began. Oliver's witty voice-overs throughout the film are what give "Submarine" such a nostalgic feel. This film is perfect for anyone, both young and old, facing a confusing life situation.
5. "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (French).
Plot: After suffering a stroke, and spending days in a coma, Jean-Dominique Bauby wakes up to discover that he is paralyzed and suffering from Locked-in syndrome. Only having his mind and imagination, he recalls his greatest memories while trapped inside of his own body.
Bauby, a famous journalist, tells his story in his memoir by the same title. His story is incredible, for he painstakingly communicated with his writer through eye blinks. Each word, sentence and paragraph were written letter by letter. All by Bauby blinking at the letter he wanted next, which was said to him in alphabet form. It took over 200,000 blinks to write, and a single word took around two minutes to write. With this being such a strong, and hard translated experience to transpose onto film, the director handled it wonderfully. The camera angles are set up to make the viewer experience what it is like to have Locked-in syndrome. From this first person perspective, the viewer is put into the perspective of Bauby. Not only is this an amazing international film, it's a beautiful display of human struggle. The strength and determination Bauby had when writing his memoir was beautifully expressed in this film.
6. "Dead Alive" (New Zealand).
Plot: When a hybrid creature is placed in the Wellington Zoo, the legend behind this mysterious creature draws attention. When a visitor gets bit by the creature, a zombie outbreak happens.
From famous director Peter Jackson, "Dead Alive" (aka "Braindead") comes an epic zombie film lost in translation. Made in 1992, this film is often forgotten. It could be because Jackson is most famously known for his "Hobbit" and "Lord Of The Rings"adaptations, but this is by far one of his best works of art. "Dead Alive"has everything a good horror film needs. It has humor, zombies and gore. The graphics also add to the nostalgic feel of old zombie films. All of these factors combined make an amazing zombie film that everyone should see at least once.
