Obscure Movie Recommendations

**njdesi** · 26-03-2006, 11:23 PM

I posted this on thaizine before and received some good responses. I need to add some movies to my netflix rental queue. I am a little sick of Hollywood blockbusters, so any foriegn films, documentaries, etc. would be welcome.

Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War: Take the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan and extend it to the whole film. A brutal depiction of the Korean War.

S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine: Documentary about the infamous school/torture center used by the Khmer Rouge. The filmmaker interviewed the former prison guards. If you've ever visited S21 on a visa run to Cambodia, this movie will make you cringe in horror.

Daughter from Danang: American Experience: Another documentary about an Amerasian women who had a GI father and Vietnamese mother. She returns to Vietnam to meet a mother she never knew. The women, however, has little connection to Vietnam and her family reunion does not go as planned.

Battle of Algiers: A movie about the Algerian independence movement, which consisted mostly of insurgent attacks on the French. Due to another unnamed country's imperial ambition, this movie is still relevant after almost 40 years.

Playmakers: Actually a 6 episode TV series that originally aired on ESPN. A behind the scenes look at a fictional American football team. Kind of a male soap opera with sports as the backdrop. The NFL actually forced the series off the air because it was hurting the league's image.

Bill Maher: I'm Swiss: Funny stand-up from the ex-host of a popular talk show, "Politically Incorrect." Good riffs on the absurdities of Republican America, organized religion, and the War on Terror.

**danbo** · 26-03-2006, 11:59 PM

Nice one njdesi - I am looking for DVDs to add to my rental list - I've nothing to suggest myself I'm afraid - I'm all take!

**njdesi** · 27-03-2006, 12:22 AM

^
Moocher. At least make the popcorn, bring a six pack, or show up drunk and hit on the lampshade next time I'm watching movies.

City of God: The best way to describe this film is as a Brazilian version of Goodfellas. I don't care how immune you are to violence on film, this movie will shock you.

Oldboy: Korean movie about a man imprisoned, drugged, and tortured for 15 years. A truely scary horror film. Koreans filmmakers understand horror is physchological and not a phony looking monster killing kids at summer camp.

Bollywood Bound: Four Canadian-born actors -- Ruby, Vikram, Vekeana and Neeru -- hope to make it big on the Bollywood movie scene. Although they were born and bred in Canada, the actors are of South Asian descent and have grown up watching the Indian cinema they hope to become a part of. Kind of sad seeing how delusional and naive some of the aspiring actors were.

**danbo** · 27-03-2006, 12:28 AM

Jusk checked Amazon rental and the only one they have is City of God - great write-ups as well.

**friscofrankie** · 27-03-2006, 12:50 AM

Nothing so serious I'm afraid but for a bit of relief I highly recommend these three of my favorites All animations First two actually have interesting stories rarely seen in
American Pop, Animation. Story starts of with the Progroms in Russia a ewish family migrates to the States follows from sad sack father to son through three (four?) generations... great film good score. The ending's a bit schmaltzy but the ride is a good one

Heavy traffic. Cartoonist son of a small time italian Gangster and Jewish mom tells his tale of life on the streets of Brooklyn. Pimps, dope feinds, transvestites and a few other oddball characters, some funny shit.

Heavy Metal, the original one. Few vignettes loosley based arounf an evil orb that travels the galaxy causing some mischief good music, pointless mind food (nothing WOW just quite creative) lot of funny stuff.

Of the three Heavy traffic is in a class by itself it was rated X for a while in the States but has been changed to NR. It's a great take on the "Inner city" Kind of thing. used to like to take down and watch it about once or twice a year. Not sure it's on DVD The other two are I'm pretty sure.

**mad_dog** · 27-03-2006, 12:54 AM

Good American old 'un:The Lost Weekend
Good British old 'un: Brighton Rock

**danbo** · 27-03-2006, 01:02 AM

Sort of connected to the thread - I was reading that DVD rental stores have taken a big hit from mail-order rentals. I rent from Amazon and get 6 DVDs a month for a tenner (679.389 B). When I've finished with one I post it in its pre-paid envelope and another comes in a couple of days. There's 40,000 titles to choose from. I know this is really boring but I think it's truly wonderful

**Dougal** · 27-03-2006, 01:03 AM

The only Bollywood film I've watched the whole of is Kagaz Ke Phool (1959) - that's not when I watched it by the way.

The Water Melon Man (1970)

**danbo** · 27-03-2006, 01:07 AM

It's not really obscure, but I really like What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Good old Mr Depp is doing his usual danbo impression - what a guy.

**mrsquirrel** · 27-03-2006, 08:53 AM

Reqiuem for a Dream

Another day in Paradise

Dog Soldiers

**seth106** · 27-03-2006, 09:44 AM

the bangkok trilogy by Oxide Pang

bangkok dangerous
bangkok haunted
bangkok for sale

the last one causing problems for local distributers becauses it alleges that prostitution and drug use happen in Thailand

they all did well on the international film festival circuit

**ChiangMai noon** · 27-03-2006, 10:01 AM

Reqiuem for a Dream

One of my favourites of all time.
City of God is also a cracker.

I think my very favourite is 'Man bites dog' stolen from me by my dear friend Marcus who also owes me 10,000 baht. Marcus you ****...I want my shit back.

**njdesi** · 27-03-2006, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by friscofrankie

Heavy Metal, the original one. Few vignettes loosley based arounf an evil orb that travels the galaxy causing some mischief good music, pointless mind food (nothing WOW just quite creative) lot of funny stuff.

I remember seeing Heavy Metal when I was eight years old. Actually, all I remember is the scene where they show a topless girl. 20 years later and those cartoon boobies still have the power to hypnotize me.

Just added Heavy Traffic and Dog Soldiers.

Saw bangkok dangerous and bangkok haunted already. Thought both films were mediocre. I don't get why the Oxide brothers are so popular.

**Bob** · 27-03-2006, 11:13 AM

I dunno how obscure these count as, but some good movies none the less:

Shaolin Soccer : Stephen Chow of Kung Fu Hustle's previous movie. Very predictable plot but it makes me laugh whenever I watch it. Good fun special effects too.

Ichii the Killer : Blood soaked ultra violence of the highest order, interesting story and some nice pastiches(?) of other movies, particularly Reservoir Dogs all thrown in for good measure.

The Happiness of the Katakuris : Very bizzare japanese, Takeshi Miike same as ^. Don't know what to say about it other than it is a zombie rock opera. I quite enjoyed it.

The Foul King : Korean movie about a bullied bank teller who goes on to live out his dreams of pro wrestling glory. Haven't seen it for a while, but remember it being pretty decent, except some of the subtitles on my copy were exceptionally badly trasnlated!

And in fact anything else by Takeshi Miike is worth a watch as long as you aren't too easily disturbed.

**seth106** · 27-03-2006, 12:26 PM

last life in the universe

japanese thai movie

worth a look

**otherstuff1957** · 27-03-2006, 01:18 PM

Bambi Meets Godzilla.

The best short cartoon ever made.

**DrAndy** · 27-03-2006, 02:44 PM

Woman in the Dunes 1964 Jap (Suna no Onna)

Weird stuff, all sand and it gets into your skin

Betty Blue 1986 France

Fun, sexy and a terrible sad ending

Cidade de deus was an interesting film, all too true

**colourful-era** · 27-03-2006, 02:57 PM

Bad Boy Bubby

- this is a great Ozzie film about a guy who's been kept locked up in a room until he is 30 and forced to have sex with his mother for most of his life.

Eventually he kills her and escapes the room to discover the world.

It's a kind of comedy in a way.

**obsidian** · 27-03-2006, 05:30 PM

"man facing southeast", "girl on a bridge", "the making of apocolypse now", "the conversation", "the aristocrats" (recent, wonderful and available in thailand), "baraka", "pink flamingoes"......more later. best movie web site is IMDB.com

**kingwilly** · 27-03-2006, 05:40 PM

"Le Diner et Cons" could be slightly wrong on the spelling
but the english title is "the dinner game'

light hearted Fench (Canadian?) film

**Wally Dorian Raffles** · 27-03-2006, 06:00 PM

This has to be one of the funniest movies I have ever seen..

Revenge of Billy the Kid1hr 42min
1991
Starring: Michael Balfour, Norman Mitchell

This appalling British horror comedy from director Jim Groom deals with the results of beastiality. Island farmer Gyles MacDonald (Michael Balfour) has carnal knowledge of a goat, which then gives birth to a mutant dwarf with a goat's head. The creature ends up growing to monstrous size and murdering people. Crude and slow, this film is for acquired tastes only, but horror fans may be surprised to see Hammer Films veteran Michael Ripper among the cast. Groom returned with Beyond Bedlam (1994). ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6793173

**obsidian** · 27-03-2006, 06:41 PM

pehaps not obscure, but "sexy beast" is always worth a rewatch. also, im forgetting the name now but a documentary about klaus kinski, done by his friend/enemy/former directer.

**mad_dog** · 27-03-2006, 07:55 PM

Has anyone seen "Tropical Malady" (s.p)/ sod pralad? It is a Thai film which won an award at Cannes a couple of years ago and I was wondering if it is any good.

**NickA** · 27-03-2006, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by obsidian

im forgetting the name now but a documentary about klaus kinski, done by his friend/enemy/former directer.

"My Best Fiend" directed by Werner Herzog, others of his to look out for - "Aguirre, the Wrath of God", "Stroszek" and "The Enigma of Kasper Hauser"

They would all be in my top ten German films - a thread I think I thought of only a couple of days ago!

**obsidian** · 27-03-2006, 08:48 PM

there is a 6 or 8 hour documentary on the holocaust entitled, "shoah". great.

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