FotM: Vive le cinéma!

Assuming that the only movies worth watching are those made in America is like thinking that grass is only green in Yosemite, the sky is only blue in Manhattan, and the sun only shines on Death Valley. Unfortunately, a lot of Uncle Sam’s nieces and nephews seem to think that that’s how things are. Take it from me. They’re not just wrong. They’re living in a dream world.

Every year, thousands of films are made all over the globe, and, while not all of these films are worth watching, (trust me, as a former screener for a major film festival, I know) far too few of them make it into American movie theaters. Most of those that do were made either on American soil or were funded by American money. Often, even the relatively few foreign films that do make it in stateside theaters don’t receive a lot of press. Sure, a lot of critics might laud a film, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into box office receipts.

I still remember the first time I went to the theater to see a foreign film. It was early 2001 and a film funded by companies from China, Hong Kong, the U.S., and Taiwan had landed in American movie theaters with a bang. At that point, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was one of the first wuxia films to be advertised heavily here in the U.S. and it became quite a sensation. While it’s commonplace nowadays for action scenes to feature complex fight choreography at lightspeed, back then, films like The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were introducing a whole new world to 16 year old kids just like me. As for my first time watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I distinctly remember not wanting to walk after leaving the theater. I wanted to fly!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has since become one of my favorite films, and for a lot more than just the terrific action sequences. The story’s complex, the acting first-rate, the music beautiful, the photography beautiful, the direction wonderfully assured, and the emotional impact unforgettable.

I refuse to watch the film in any language but Mandarin, although the film’s case assures me that I can also watch it in English and French. Why would I want to experience a film in any other language than the one the actors spoke on set? I can’t think of a good reason. Sadly, a lot of people refuse to watch foreign films because they don’t like subtitles. Is this because of they can’t keep up or because they think that it’s too much work? If it’s the first reason, I’d actually argue that watching a subtitled film could help increase a person’s ability to read at a quicker pace. If it’s the second reason, I’d have to disagree. Watching a subtitled film may be different, to be sure, but once you get used to it, it’s a lot like watching any regular old Hollywood flick.

That’s another big reason to watch foreign films. They’re so different from films made under the Hollywood system, and believe me, there is one. I find it refreshing to watch a movie that I just can’t predict. For example, in Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colors trilogy, which I hope to write about in a future entry, I was struck as I was watching White that I had no idea what might happen in the next scene. That’s huge. Far too often with mainstream American films, it becomes a matter of time before an observant audience member can narrow down the outcome to one of a handful of scenarios, which is why watching Kieslowski’s films was so refreshing. Because I didn’t understand everything right away, I was able to actively participate in the experience. I had to actually think about what I was watching and, after it was done, what it meant.

Lately, I’ve been watching more and more foreign films, and I have to say that I wish more American filmmakers would take the kind of risks that international filmmakers seem to take with relative ease. For starters, how great would it be if they stopped trying to hold the audience’s hand all the time by showing us everything and telling us exactly what to think about what we’re seeing? I think that’d be pretty swell. My “research” (and, man, has it been great) has led to films from all over the geographic and stylistic map. Films like the Three Colors trilogy, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days, A Very Long Engagement, The Lives of Others, L’Enfant, La Vie En Rose, Volver, 2046, Good Bye Lenin!, Pan’s Labyrinth, I’ve Loved You So Long, and Happy-Go-Lucky have made for almost always interesting, sometimes perplexing, and even thrilling cinema.

But how does someone keep track of what films are worth watching? I’d start with taking keeping tabs on the films that are selected as part of the official competition at the Cannes Film Festival, particularly those that win the Palme d’Or. Once you find a film you like, watch more films in that director’s catalog. Also, if there’s a particular genre of film you like, don’t forget that genre films are made all over the world. Personally, there’s this little mobster movie from Italy called Gomorrah that I have my eye on . . .

In the end, what cinephile wouldn't want to see great films no matter where they come from? As you know by now, the movies are a huge part of my life, and I'm thrilled to see great films regardless of where they're made and what language they're in. They remind me that the grass is green, the sky is blue, and, no matter what, the sun still shines. . . and not just in America.