The Non-Hollywood Film Thread

[Thor 7,506]

Been wanting to do a thread like this for a while, especially because this board is so heavy on topics related to big Hollywood blockbusters -- yet when I saw the lists in the "Best films 2010-2015" thread, I saw several titles that are more alternative. So clearly there is an interest there, even if it's rarely discussed.

 

As a film critic, I write about movies of all types, but that's part of the enjoyment -- I like the constant ebb and flow between a big epic Hollywood action film one moment, then a small Venezuelan art film the next. And then perhaps filling the gaps inbetween with classic movies (both Hollywood and non-Hollywood) from the past. If you've read my 2016 list (ranked) here, you'll know that it's very eclectic that way.

 

BUT...to start off somewhere, what are some non-Hollywood movies of 2016 you've liked?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Is The Shallows Hollywood or an indie flick? 

[Jay 37,364]

Hell or High Water was great!

 

I really want to see Swiss Army Man

[Thor 7,506]

33 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

Is The Shallows Hollywood or an indie flick? 

 

I'd call it a hybrid -- really great movie regardless. Jaume Collet-Serra's best film so far. Lovely subversive genre tropes; tongue-in-cheek while also keeping the intensity and presence.

[A24 4,337]

The teaser (not the trailer) was brilliant. It told everything with images.

[KK 3,307]

Still need to check that out.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

10 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

The teaser (not the trailer) was brilliant. It told everything with images.

 

The film isn't quite as good as the teaser. 

[Thor 7,506]

Here's a selection of great non-Hollywood films from 2016, taken from the Top 30 selection in the list I linked to above (some of these may be 2015 movies, if you got them earlier than we did):

 

2. SON OF SAUL (László Nemes)

3. NERUDA (Pablo Larraín)

5. AMERICAN HONEY (Andrea Arnold)

6. THE NEON DEMON (Nicholas Winding Refn)

7. MUSTANG (Deniz Gamze Ergüven)

8. NERVE (Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman)

9. UNDER THE SHADOW (Babak Anvari)

12. LA TORTUE ROUGE [THE RED TURTLE] (Michael Dudok de Wit)

13. FUOCOAMMARE [FIRE AT SEA] (Gianfranco Rosi)

15. AGASI [THE HANDMAIDEN] (Park Chan-Wook)

16. DESDE ALLÁ [FROM AFAR] (Lorenzo Vigas)

18. PERSONAL SHOPPER (Olivier Assayas)

22. THE SURVIVALIST (Stephen Fingleton)

23. RAW (Julia Ducournau)

24. IN JACKSON HEIGHTS (Frederic Wiseman)

25. EL ABRAZO DE LA SERPIENTE [EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT] (Ciro Guerra)

26. TONI ERDMANN (Maren Ade)

27. HUMAN (Yann Arthaus-Bertrand)

28. I, DANIEL BLAKE (Ken Loach)

31. BACALAUREAT [GRADUATION] (Cristian Mungiu)

 

For the remaining spots inbetween, there are some 'hybrid' films like THE REVENANT (Alejandro González Iñarritu), ELLE (Paul Verhoeven), ROOM (Lenny Abrahamson), MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (Jeff Nichols), THE SHALLOWS (Jaume Collet-Serra), ARRIVAL (Denis Villeneuve), NOCTURNAL ANIMALS (Tom Ford) and four straight-up Hollywood movies: JASON BOURNE (Paul Greengrass), HACKSAW RIDGE (Mel Gibson), 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI (Michael Bay) and A MONSTER CALLS (Juan Antonio Bayona).

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I honestly do not know a single one of those titles.

[Thor 7,506]

Well, time to get that Netflix goin' (or whatever it is that kids use these days).

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

The 10 non Holywood films I liked best are Toni Erdmann, Elle, Handmaiden, Neruda, In The Shadow Of Women, Things To Come, Fire At Sea, Mia Madre, Cemetery of Spelndor, Right Now Wrong Then - in no particular order.

 

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

11 minutes ago, Thor said:

Well, time to get that Netflix goin' (or whatever it is that kids use these days).

 

The Pirate Bay or Rarbg more likely.

[Thor 7,506]

1 minute ago, TheUlyssesian said:

The 10 non Holywood films I liked best are Toni Erdmann, Elle, Handmaiden, Neruda, In The Shadow Of Women, Things To Come, Fire At Sea, Mia Madre, Cemetery of Spelndor, Right Now Wrong Then - in no particular order.

 

 

 

Interesting. I've not seen IN THE SHADOW OF WOMEN, MIA MADRE (although my colleagues said it was rather terrible when they saw it in Cannes in 2015) or RIGHT NOW WRONG THEN.

[Gnome in Plaid 219]

Oddly for me, I've seen very few films this year, and Hacksaw Ridge and an Iranian film The Half have been the only two that have really stood out to me so far.  I've heard great things about Hell or High Water, Under the Shadow, and Tim Timmerman, Hope of America, though.  Again, I've seen very little this year.

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

44 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

Interesting. I've not seen IN THE SHADOW OF WOMEN, MIA MADRE (although my colleagues said it was rather terrible when they saw it in Cannes in 2015) or RIGHT NOW WRONG THEN.

 

I would sooner call it a masterpiece. Infact Cahiers Du Cinema, the revered French film criticism institution, declared Mia Madre the best film of 2015 (it was a 2015 release in France). They also cited In The Shadow Of Women. Shadow is an interesting film if you like Garrel, just a 70 minute black and white film.

 

Right Now Wrong Then is the same story told twice with minor changes which completely change the emotional impact each time. I thought it was beautiful done. And the gorgeous beautiful Min-hee Kim from Handmaiden is also the lead actress in the Right Now Wrong Then.

[Thor 7,506]

46 minutes ago, TheUlyssesian said:

I would sooner call it a masterpiece. Infact Cahiers Du Cinema, the revered French film criticism institution, declared Mia Madre the best film of 2015 (it was a 2015 release in France).

 

Yeah, I think that was their main point of discontent. That, and that it was actually in the Palm d'Or running in 2015. In short, they felt it was overrated. I like to make up my own mind, however, so I'll see it for myself when I get the chance.

 

47 minutes ago, Gnome in Plaid said:

Oddly for me, I've seen very few films this year, and Hacksaw Ridge and an Iranian film The Half have been the only two that have really stood out to me so far.  I've heard great things about Hell or High Water, Under the Shadow, and Tim Timmerman, Hope of America, though.  Again, I've seen very little this year.

 

Saw HELL OR HIGH WATER the other day, and it didn't make much of an impression. A pretty straightforward, contemporary western/heist movie without any real angle or style. Disappointing. Then I'd rather select BONE TOMAHAWK as the western of the year (haven't seen MAG 7 yet).

[TheUlyssesian 2,478]

50 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

Yeah, I think that was their main point of discontent. That, and that it was actually in the Palm d'Or running in 2015. In short, they felt it was overrated. I like to make up my own mind, however, so I'll see it for myself when I get the chance.

 

 

Saw HELL OR HIGH WATER the other day, and it didn't make much of an impression. A pretty straightforward, contemporary western/heist movie without any real angle or style. Disappointing. Then I'd rather select BONE TOMAHAWK as the western of the year (haven't seen MAG 7 yet).

 

I think the over-rated charge would be rather misplaced for a movie so little seen and so little discussed or mentioned. The No. 1 from Cahiers is very much a niche honor, it only means something to a very few people. Cahiers could almost be considered an alternative magazine because their taste it not mainstream at all. And being in Cannes comp is also not a special distinction. 20 movies compete every year, and past winners basically get a free pass.

 

So as it stands, I think Mia Madre is currently a movie with little to no mainstream attention from the English speaking media. Cannot speak for Europe... it might be more discussed/praised there.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,533]

HIGH-RISE. Fuck me, that's a good movie.

[Thor 7,506]

24 minutes ago, TheUlyssesian said:

I think the over-rated charge would be rather misplaced for a movie so little seen and so little discussed or mentioned. The No. 1 from Cahiers is very much a niche honor, it only means something to a very few people. Cahiers could almost be considered an alternative magazine because their taste it not mainstream at all. And being in Cannes comp is also not a special distinction. 20 movies compete every year, and past winners basically get a free pass.

 

Well, I obviously mean overrated within the cineaste circle, which is what I frequent. In fact, that would apply to most of the titles in this thread, which are by their very definition non-mainstream (for the most part). But I'll give it the benefit of the doubt untill I've seen it myself. My taste often runs counter to my colleagues.