List of Fives Part Three
Five Great Foreign Films:
1. Pan’s Labyrinth – The Spanish fairy tale from Guillermo Del Toro, this masterpiece is one of the most beautiful films I’ve seen in ages. It’s a true fairy tale: dark, scary, full of magical imagery and human violence. Set against the background of the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, it follows the tale of quiet Ofelia, a young girl moving with her mother to her new stepfather’s headquarters. Her stepfather, an officer in Franco’s fascist army, is hunting rebels and seems only concerned with the baby Ofelia’s mother is expecting. Ofelia wanders in the woods near her new home and finds herself in a labyrinth, meeting an ancient faun at its center. The faun sends Ofelia on a magical quest to prove her worth. It’s just a gorgeous film and a beautifully told story. (Spanish with English Subtitles)
2. Paradise Now – Palestinians Said and Khalid are recruited for a suicide attack on Tel-Aviv. Things go awry and the two are separated before they can complete their mission. The film follows both and tells how they came to this path of destruction, making each man question why he must (or mustn’t) complete the mission. It is a hard film to watch, especially since some of the arguments made sound so reasonable. But I think that is the point of the film, to make the viewer consider that there is more than one side to each argument. (Arabic and English)
3. Sophie Scholl-The Final Days – Sophie Scholl was a student and Germany’s most famous anti-Nazi heroine during World War II. An activist and member of the resistance group, The White Rose, Sophie risked her life to expose the truth behind Hitler’s propaganda machine. Taken from historical records, the film is poignant and inspiring. Sophie remained loyal to her cause and her comrades until the end. The scenes of her interrogation are hard to watch but rewarding, celebrating the final days of this most ordinary hero. (German with English subtitles)
4. Take My Eyes – This is a film about domestic abuse. It is not an easy film to watch but it is worth it to see the transformation of Pilar, the wife. She must change; she must grow strength in order to escape not only the physical abuse but also the emotional manipulation her husband puts her through time and again. What is unique about this film (among similarly themed films) is that this one also takes into account the husband’s point of view. He does not understand why he does what he does nor does he understand why his wife wants to leave him. (Spanish with English subtitles)
5. Twilight Samurai – This film stars Hiroyuki Sanada, one of my favorite actors. This film tells the story of the samurai Seibei, a lowest-ranking samurai who works in the clan’s grain warehouse. A widower who must care for his elderly mother and two young children, Seibei has all but turned his back on samurai tradition, preferring to put his mother and his daughters before himself. Reuniting with a childhood friend, Seibei finds himself becoming her protector when her abusive husband returns. But, like his wife, this woman is from a higher class. The film is nothing fancy. There are only two sword fights and one of them is brilliant in its simplicity. (There’s a plot point there but I won’t spoil it.) Sanada plays his part with a quiet regret and acceptance befitting Seibei’s lowly social position. (Japanese with English Subtitles)
1. Pan’s Labyrinth – The Spanish fairy tale from Guillermo Del Toro, this masterpiece is one of the most beautiful films I’ve seen in ages. It’s a true fairy tale: dark, scary, full of magical imagery and human violence. Set against the background of the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, it follows the tale of quiet Ofelia, a young girl moving with her mother to her new stepfather’s headquarters. Her stepfather, an officer in Franco’s fascist army, is hunting rebels and seems only concerned with the baby Ofelia’s mother is expecting. Ofelia wanders in the woods near her new home and finds herself in a labyrinth, meeting an ancient faun at its center. The faun sends Ofelia on a magical quest to prove her worth. It’s just a gorgeous film and a beautifully told story. (Spanish with English Subtitles)
2. Paradise Now – Palestinians Said and Khalid are recruited for a suicide attack on Tel-Aviv. Things go awry and the two are separated before they can complete their mission. The film follows both and tells how they came to this path of destruction, making each man question why he must (or mustn’t) complete the mission. It is a hard film to watch, especially since some of the arguments made sound so reasonable. But I think that is the point of the film, to make the viewer consider that there is more than one side to each argument. (Arabic and English)
3. Sophie Scholl-The Final Days – Sophie Scholl was a student and Germany’s most famous anti-Nazi heroine during World War II. An activist and member of the resistance group, The White Rose, Sophie risked her life to expose the truth behind Hitler’s propaganda machine. Taken from historical records, the film is poignant and inspiring. Sophie remained loyal to her cause and her comrades until the end. The scenes of her interrogation are hard to watch but rewarding, celebrating the final days of this most ordinary hero. (German with English subtitles)
4. Take My Eyes – This is a film about domestic abuse. It is not an easy film to watch but it is worth it to see the transformation of Pilar, the wife. She must change; she must grow strength in order to escape not only the physical abuse but also the emotional manipulation her husband puts her through time and again. What is unique about this film (among similarly themed films) is that this one also takes into account the husband’s point of view. He does not understand why he does what he does nor does he understand why his wife wants to leave him. (Spanish with English subtitles)
5. Twilight Samurai – This film stars Hiroyuki Sanada, one of my favorite actors. This film tells the story of the samurai Seibei, a lowest-ranking samurai who works in the clan’s grain warehouse. A widower who must care for his elderly mother and two young children, Seibei has all but turned his back on samurai tradition, preferring to put his mother and his daughters before himself. Reuniting with a childhood friend, Seibei finds himself becoming her protector when her abusive husband returns. But, like his wife, this woman is from a higher class. The film is nothing fancy. There are only two sword fights and one of them is brilliant in its simplicity. (There’s a plot point there but I won’t spoil it.) Sanada plays his part with a quiet regret and acceptance befitting Seibei’s lowly social position. (Japanese with English Subtitles)
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