[appophylite]

Just finished Delhi Belly. I initially watched the movie in Hindi and was completely unamused. Apparently the movie was originally filmed predominantly in English, but the studio had to dub it over in Hindi and tone the movie way down to satisfy more conservative crowds. Just watched it In English, and it instantaneously became that much more enjoyable. The main characters are immediately much more crass and crude and you know what? It just works. In Hindi, the movie reminded me of little more than a Hindi version of The Hangover, In English, the general plot didn't change, but the character interactions did. I was immediately reminded of being back in school when we used to talk just like that all the time when the teachers weren't around. I have to give it a 7/10 for that alone.
 

 

[pigmode]

Quote:

 
 
Agreed, I must have seen that half a dozen times when I was a kid, along with Papillon.

 
The Sting?

 

[Magedark]

Persepolis.
7/10 for the movie. Better than I thought it would, but a lot of skipping of details and disreprencies despite the author have co-directed it. Still one of the better book -> movie adaptions I've seen.

 

[prabhu89wali]

Quote:

Just finished Delhi Belly. I initially watched the movie in Hindi and was completely unamused. Apparently the movie was originally filmed predominantly in English, but the studio had to dub it over in Hindi and tone the movie way down to satisfy more conservative crowds. Just watched it In English, and it instantaneously became that much more enjoyable. The main characters are immediately much more crass and crude and you know what? It just works. In Hindi, the movie reminded me of little more than a Hindi version of The Hangover, In English, the general plot didn't change, but the character interactions did. I was immediately reminded of being back in school when we used to talk just like that all the time when the teachers weren't around. I have to give it a 7/10 for that alone.
 

looks like i found an indian guy

 
 

 

[fuseboxx]

I just saw Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï and thought it was amazing (and I'll be seeing Le Cercle rouge sometime soon as well). I really love the stylish, yet minimalist, subtle and restrained method of telling a story.

Someone recommended this to me when I was looking for films that could be described as "understated" - like, say - Lost in Translation.

I would love to get more recommendations of films like this from this thread: Films that are good at making a style and creating a mood/atmosphere/tension out of being minimal, subtle, restrained and quiet... but not for the sake of it and without being avant-garde and without using those extended shots (like what I've seen from Bela Tarr and Andrei Tarkovsky).

So kindly recommend anything that comes to mind. thanks.

 

[alphaphoenix]

The Company Men - 8/10.
 
A stellar cast with a very, very real storyline that accurately captures the emotional roller coaster ride of white collar, corporate layoffs.

 

[appophylite]

Quote:

looks like i found an indian guy

 

 

 

[tdockweiler]

Try his other films if you can. I really liked "Le Cercle Rouge." "Army of Shadows" is my favorite of his. I learned a ton of stuff after watching that movie and reading up on it.
I also suggest the films of Tsai Ming-Liang from Taiwan. His films are an acquired taste for sure and it took me several of his movies to appreciate them.
A favorite of mine was "Rebels of the Neon God".
 
Another one that you might like is "The Scent of Green Papaya", it's out on Blu-ray. Love that movie.
 
I also love "Schultze Gets the Blues" from Germany.
 
BTW do you like Ozu movies? Sounds like you would. Some Akira Kurosawa films bore me to tears, but his movies I can watch while I'm half asleep and still love them. I've tried to get my mom into them, but she's turned off every single one! "Floating Weeds" and "Tokyo Story" are my favorites. I get most all of his movies confused because of similar names and themes.
 
There's also "The American" which is a movie I hated. One part of the ending is good for a laugh.
 
One last one to check out is "Not One Less" from Zhang Yimou. Doesn't meet your requirements, but pretty close.
 
Oh yeah, "Yi-Yi" from Edward Yang is a must see! Sadly all his other films are so hard to find and only this one seems to be well known.
 
Quote:

I just saw Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï and thought it was amazing (and I'll be seeing Le Cercle rouge sometime soon as well). I really love the stylish, yet minimalist, subtle and restrained method of telling a story.
Someone recommended this to me when I was looking for films that could be described as "understated" - like, say - Lost in Translation.
I would love to get more recommendations of films like this from this thread: Films that are good at making a style and creating a mood/atmosphere/tension out of being minimal, subtle, restrained and quiet... but not for the sake of it and without being avant-garde and without using those extended shots (like what I've seen from Bela Tarr and Andrei Tarkovsky).
So kindly recommend anything that comes to mind. thanks.

 

 

[fuseboxx]

I'm definitely going to see The Red Circle and Army of Shadows sometime soon. Melville's style seems to be right up my alley.

Are all of Tsang Ming-lian's films like what I'm looking for? If yes, I'm pretty interested in seeing Goodbye, Dragon Inn.

Not sure about Ozu... I tried Tokyo Story years ago and didn't make it all the way through. My tastes have changed though. Maybe it's time for a rewatch.

I've heard great things about Yi Yi. Will try that definitely. Thanks!

 

[pigmode]

Quote:

I just saw Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï and thought it was amazing (and I'll be seeing Le Cercle rouge sometime soon as well). I really love the stylish, yet minimalist, subtle and restrained method of telling a story.

Someone recommended this to me when I was looking for films that could be described as "understated" - like, say - Lost in Translation.

I would love to get more recommendations of films like this from this thread: Films that are good at making a style and creating a mood/atmosphere/tension out of being minimal, subtle, restrained and quiet... but not for the sake of it and without being avant-garde and without using those extended shots (like what I've seen from Bela Tarr and Andrei Tarkovsky).

So kindly recommend anything that comes to mind. thanks.

 
Les Enfants terribles, is probably at the top of my list for Melville.  Le Silence de la mer, might also fit your interests. 
 
Are you familiar with Robert Bresson? If not, I would recommend:
 
Au Hasard Baltazar
Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne
Pickpocket 
The Trial of Joan of Arc
The Diary of a Country Priest
 
Its interesting that Jean Cocteau, the scriptwriter for Les Enfants and Les Dames, had a noticeable influence on these early works by both directors.
 
 

 

[tdockweiler]

I 100% DO NOT suggest watching "Goodbye, Dragon Inn" as a first film from the director. It's painfully boring. In it you get to see someone spend 10 minutes walking up some stairs and then about 5 minutes seeing someone take a leak. I wish I was kidding! I'd rather suggest King Hu's "A Touch of Zen" instead. It was released in the USA by Tai Seng. He's the director of "Dragon Inn" which is impossible to find (it seems). "What Time is it There" might be worth watching. His movie "Vive L'Amour" is rather dull and pointless. Half the movie is probably spent in an empty apartment.
 
With Ozu films sometimes you just have to be in the mood for them. I saw "Tokyo Story" when I was 18 and I think I was too young to appreciate it. Even his old silent films are good, but completely different than his later films. My favorite of his is probably "There was a Father" but might not be what you're looking for. It's in a Criterion boxed set and was actually made during World War II! I've been trying to watch all his movies and some of them are only available in Hong Kong (not bootlegs).
Quote:

I'm definitely going to see The Red Circle and Army of Shadows sometime soon. Melville's style seems to be right up my alley.
Are all of Tsang Ming-lian's films like what I'm looking for? If yes, I'm pretty interested in seeing Goodbye, Dragon Inn.
Not sure about Ozu... I tried Tokyo Story years ago and didn't make it all the way through. My tastes have changed though. Maybe it's time for a rewatch.
I've heard great things about Yi Yi. Will try that definitely. Thanks!

 

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

 
Les Enfants terribles, is probably at the top of my list for Melville.  Le Silence de la mer, might also fit your interests. 
 
Are you familiar with Robert Bresson? If not, I would recommend:
 
Au Hasard Baltazar
Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne
Pickpocket
The Trial of Joan of Arc
The Diary of a Country Priest
 
Its interesting that Jean Cocteau, the scriptwriter for Les Enfants and Les Dames, had a noticeable influence on these early works by both directors.
 
 

Don't know why, but I could never get into Robert Bresson movies. I own "Pickpocket" and never made it through Baltazar. His "A Man Escaped" is good. It's almost filmed as like a How-to on how to escape from Prison. I love that movie.
 
Trying to come up with his more ideas, but not too many are coming to mind. Oh yeah, maybe the films of Wim Wenders? I love "Paris, Texas". The Criterion DVD of it is very, very good. Hard to believe it was made in the 80s!
 
If you watch any Melville movies I highly suggest the Criterion discs. There's a lot of Criterion discs of Bresson movies too.
 
 
 

 

[pigmode]

^ I have a pretty nice Criterion collection, about 300+ strong, as a film enthusiast rather than a collector. I need to pick up CC's Paris, Texas someday, although I've always felt it an over-saturated and over-wrought piece by Wenders. I am however, a huge fan of his earlier film Alice In The Cities (UK only release).
 
I have a handful of Melville films, but am more of an aficionado of Bresson's work. Most Melville films I've seen (Les Enfants excepted) carried an underlying element of b-movie dramatics, although admittedly they do rise above it. 
 
Bresson otoh, carries a much darker and philosophical shading.
 
 

 

[Magedark]

Fallen Angels gets a 9/10 from me. A rather refreshing movie and very absorbing.

 

[apatN]

Blood and Bone - 6/10.