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Under discussion:

Alice in Wonderland  (1999)

GoodFellas  (1990)

The Wizard of Oz  (1939)

The City of Lost Children  (1995)

Kolya  (1996)

Life Is Beautiful  (1997)

Central Station  (1998)

Run Lola Run  (1999)

Phorpa  (1999)

Amores Perros  (2000)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon  (2000)

The Princess and the Warrior  (2001)

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time In India  (2001)

Monsoon Wedding  (2002)

City of God  (2002)

Hero  (2002)

Man on Fire  (2004)

Mga Munting Tinig  (2002)

Monsieur Ibrahim  (2003)

The Passion of The Christ  (2004)

The Motorcycle Diaries  (2004)

Downfall  (2005)

Love Me If You Dare  (2003)

A Very Long Engagement  (2004)

House of Flying Daggers  (2004)

The Chorus  (2004)

Night Watch  (2005)

Pan's Labyrinth  (2006)

Tsotsi  (2006)

Hannibal Rising  (2007)

City of Men [TV Series]  (2006)

I Served the King of England  (2008)

Slumdog Millionaire  (2008)

City of Men  (2008)

Captain Abu Raed  (2009)

Danny Boyle’s new crowd-pleasing film Slumdog Millionaire was originally intended to be shot entirely in English, but apparently due to the preferences of a casting director, about a third of the movie is in Hindi. While this fraction may not be enough to call it a foreign-language film, it could have been enough to turn off subtitle-fearing audiences were the movie not so otherwise accessible due to its feel-good, “Hollywood-style” story involving star-crossed romance, destiny and an ultimate “love conquers all” message. Also, the movie breaks free from one off-putting foreign film tradition by following Man on Fire, Night Watch and TV’s Heroes into the realm of non-traditional subtitling.

Slumdog received a standing ovation at the Toronto Film Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award, and it could very well extend its popularity in the direction of the multiplex crowd. If it’s a hit with moviegoers who aren’t typically open to world cinema, this could be the chance for similarly feel-good foreign films to cross over and reach a wider audience, whether they be upcoming releases like the Sundance-winning Captain Abu Raed or titles from the past that could always use more Netflix-queue love.

And so, in the hopes that Slumdog could help open the door to further foreign film consumption, SpoutBlog presents this guide to the most accessible world cinema titles from the past ten years. For every entry-level film on the list, we name a couple of more intermediate titled in the same vein — just in case you get hooked.

Amelie

Spout.com user leeroy711 recently referred to this imaginative French film as the foreign-language cinema’s “gateway drug.” And it’s certainly true that its fanciful romantic story and colorful tone have won the favor of many a young adult not previously accustomed to European cinema. Never mind that it makes stalking seem a little too precious and innocent — the film’s whimsical title character (played delightfully by Audrey Tautou), full of good intentions and lots of heart, will have you wishing you had such a thoughtful and inventive pursuer. Also worth checking out: A Very Long Engagement; Love Me If You Dare

The Chorus

Hollywood sometimes seems to have cornered the market on movies about inspirational teachers, especially those involving music instruction. But this French film proves that foreign films can have similarly motivational stories about great educators and their newly encouraged students. Also worth checking out: Small Voices; Monsieur Ibrahim

City of God

This Brazilian film set in the favelas of Rio can be quite violent, enough to have been compared to gangster films like Goodfellas (though Goodfellas doesn’t have any little kids being shot in the foot). But at its center is the uplifting tale of a boy who makes it out of the slums in order to become a successful writer. Also worth checking out: City of Men (both the TV series and the feature film)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Martial arts cinema has long been an accessible genre to a large enough portion of Americans, but this film, which became the top grossing foreign-language title in the U.S. (not counting The Passion of the Christ), has managed to acquire fans that don’t normally go for kung fu and wuxia. The main attraction that makes this title more appealing than most is likely its production value, which with its beautiful cinematography and well-crafted special effects allows it to compare to romantic epics out of Hollywood. Also worth checking out: Hero; House of Flying Daggers

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India

The running time of 3 hrs. 43 min. probably seems like a deterrent, but this Bollywood film really does feel a lot shorter than it is. Really. And anyway its compelling story of an underdog cricket team is familiar enough that you don’t have to pay too much attention if you don’t have the time — though it will be difficult to let your attention stray except for during some of the less-adequately translated musical numbers that aren’t so significant or relatable to most Western viewers. Just think of this film as your typical Hollywood sports movie, except instead of the final game being quickly highlighted in the last 30 minutes, it’s seemingly depicted in its entirety for more than an hour. And yes, the ending is a crowd-pleaser. Also worth checking out: The Cup; Monsoon Wedding

Life is Beautiful

This Oscar-winning film is so feel-good that it comes close to overkill. In fact, a decade after its release, it’s easy to forget just how entertaining it is. Just as we’re more likely to remember the stomach ache after gorging ourselves with delicious sweets or the hangover that follows a great night of drinking, moviegoers often recall only the obnoxiousness that came with an overexposed and over-awarded Roberto Benigni. But don’t let the cynics keep you from enjoying such a heartwarming and inspiriting tale of a “real life Prince Charming.” Also worth checking out: I Served the King of England

The Motorcycle Diaries

Hollywood could actually take a cue from this film the next time it wants to make one of those prequels detailing the life of an iconic villain (ex: Hannibal Rising), at least if it wants audiences to like the guy enough to forget he grows up to be a murderous rebel. Whether or not you like who and what Ernesto Guevara becomes in the years after The Motorcycle Diaries takes place, you’ll have no trouble falling for his younger self as he ditches his privileged life and devotes himself to a colony of lepers. Also worth checking out: Downfall

Pan’s Labyrinth

In the tradition of such dark yet magical stories as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, a little girl encounters strange creatures and kind of winds up a princess. It’s ultimately a very sad and depressing film, but the ending at least pretends to be happy, enough that you might think your eyes are watering with tears of joy. Also worth checking out: City of Lost Children

Run Lola Run

It’s extremely fast-paced, a little bit MTV, a little bit video game, and it features a character you really want to root for, especially because she’s narratively allotted a few do-overs in order to make things right. And mainstream moviegoers love stories of both chance and second chances. Roger Ebert also noted in his review that it’s the kind of film that could play in a sports bar, so perhaps it’s even more of a gateway foreign film for sports fans than Lagaan. Also worth checking out: The Princess and the Warrior; Amores perros

Tsotsi

Like City of God, this film involves a crime-ridden ghetto, but it’s even more accessible than that film despite its lack of inspiring upward mobility. It could probably appeal most to fans of American “urban” gangster films, but any mainstream moviegoer should enjoy the conventional plot involving a thug who accidentally kidnaps a baby and then changes morally as a result. Also worth checking out: Kolya; Central Station

Under discussion:

Psycho  (1960)

Total Recall  (1990)

Movie spoilers have become a big deal in the internet age, though what was one time a hugely controversial topic concerning online film discussion has since become a surprisingly popular part of cinephilia on the web. Sites specifically focused on spoilers are easily found on the net, YouTube videos present montages of secret twists and of course there’s that movie spoiler t-shirt that’s surely a hit with geeky yet pretentious video store clerks.

So, at first this new clip of two guys spoiling 100 movies endings in five minutes didn’t seem all that special. However, the duo’s delivery is terrific (both in the clothed and naked version), and considering the revelation that “Meg Ryan and (respective love interest) get together!” takes up eight slots in a row, the video is clearly more a joke on movie spoilers than it is about the mean-spirited divulging of secrets. Also, the guys point out a few good examples of why remakes of movies with twists are unnecessary. Duh.

Even if you’re afraid that you haven’t seen all 100 movies being spoiled in the video, check it out. Never let a movie’s worth be dependent on the twist. A good movie should be able to be enjoyed time and time again despite your familiarity with it, such as the original Psycho and, as these guys point out, Total Recall (”because it has a chick with three boobs in it!”).

[via Fark.com]

Under discussion:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button  (2008)

Yesterday, Anne Thompson posted “an early review” of David Fincher’s The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, which she says was emailed by “one of [her] industry spies.” David Poland quickly huffed that “running an anonymous ‘friend’ as a ‘review’” is “just bullshit”, but for our purposes, skepticism over where the comments on the film (which are effusive regarding every aspect of the production) come from is neither here nor there.

I’m just wondering what happens now. The film has screened for some long-lead press as well as a couple of guilds, but until now everyone who has seen it (including yours truly) has kept quiet in the interest of playing nice with the de facto embargo. Should we now consider that vow of silence null and void?

I’m guessing probably not; I imagine that if I were to post what I actually think about the film in any significant detail, I would be punished. And I kind of really want to see Revolutionary Road, so I’m gonna hold off on incurring the wrath of Paramount a little bit longer — at least until a review hits the web with its author’s name attached.

All I’ll say for now, is that for me, the image that Thompson used on her blog post (which I’ve appropriated above) says it all. Look at Taraji P. Henson’s eyeline. What is she looking at? Not [the make-up-caked face of] Brad Pitt [superimposed via digital magic on a smaller man's body] — her eyes eyes seem to be directed at the tippy-top of his head, if not higher. Which is weird, because she’s ostensibly watching him miraculously rise from his wheelchair and walk for the first time, so you’d think she’d be looking at his legs, or maybe try to make eye contact, as a way of connecting with him personally during this special moment. Instead, it’s like she’s grinning at something that isn’t there … and now I’ve started to say too much.