Watch Out! Tamara Likes These

Yes, all these American movies are great, but what about all the other countries? Don't they have anything to offer? Well, look no further, because while there have been a couple here and there over the last couple months, Tamara's list is 80% International, picking five movies from five different countries. One of them is obviously very near and dear to my heart, but I'll bet most of you can pick out at least one of these you haven't seen yet. So shut off the phone and pay attention this weekend, because you're going to need to do some reading. But if the rest are as even close to as good as my favorite, you'll thank Tamara for the recommendations. 

Tamara went almost entirely International this week

Point of No Return (1993) – American remake of the French film “La Femme Nikita” by Luc Besson about a drug addict named Maggie (Bridget Fonda) who is sentenced to be executed by lethal injection for murdering a police officer during a robbery, but is recruited by a spy named Bob (Gabriel Byrne) to be an assassin for the government under a new identity. Maggie is trained to become a femme fatale and given the alias “Nina” in reference to her passion for the music of Nina Simone. The story is similar to “Pygmalion” and “My Fair Lady” with the transformation of Maggie (Nina) from an unstable, violent drug addict to a more refined and composed woman. The transformation also contributes to greater inner conflict as Nina distances herself more from the violence of her past, but becomes trapped in her role as an assassin. This is one of my favorite movies partially because it introduced me to the achingly beautiful music of Nina Simone.

Available to rent in the usual places

Life is Beautiful (1997) – Italian film about a Jewish father (Roberto Benigni) who tries to shield his son from the trauma of internment in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II by using humor and pretending the camp is a game. Movies about the Holocaust can be difficult to watch and this one does have tragic moments, but these moments are balanced with moments of humor which become Benigni’s greatest weapon to counteract the brutality of the Holocaust. It’s a powerful story about the love of a father for his son and the ultimate sacrifice. I’ve often nominated this movie in Movie Madness, but it hasn’t received much appreciation from the group (except for Dustin) probably because not many have seen it. I watched this movie in the theater when it was originally released in the United States and it has remained one of my top favorite movies of all time.

Available on HBO and DirecTV

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) – Chinese martial arts film directed by Ang Lee with amazing gravity-defying action scenes choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping (who was also the martial arts choreographer for “The Matrix”). Two strong female leads (Michele Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi) face off against each other in epic battles through the treetops and across rooftops in the quest to claim possession of the “Green Destiny” sword. Especially impressive considering most of the stunt work was performed by the actors themselves and computers were only used to remove the safety wires from the scenes. Some interpret the “Green Destiny” sword to symbolize the yin (female principle of the universe) and there are many elements of feminism woven throughout this film. The mesmerizing martial arts scenes are also blended with meaningful romantic and spiritual elements.

Available on Starz and DirecTV

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) – Japanese anime film directed and produced by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli and adapted from the book by Diana Wynne Jones about an insecure and lonely young woman named Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer and Jean Simmons in English dubbed version) who is cursed by a witch and turned into an old woman. She meets a wizard named Howl (voiced by Christian Bale) and his fire demon named Calcifer (voiced by Billy Crystal) who see through the illusion and help Sophie recognize her inner beauty and value. Sophie also cares for Howl and Calcifer and helps them with their own curse. There are heartwarming elements of compassion and found family and subtle romance between Sophie and Howl. The instrumental soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi and beautiful hand drawn animation are exceptional. I developed a passion for Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli after watching “Howl’s Moving Castle” many times with my daughter. Usually, I prefer to watch foreign films with subtitles, but I make an exception for this one because the English dubbed version is so good.

Available on HBO Max

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) – Swedish adaptation of the book by Stieg Larsson about a genius hacker and private investigator named Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace) who had a traumatic childhood and was declared mentally incompetent in her youth and suffers further trauma and abuse from her state-appointed legal guardian as an adult. Lisbeth is recruited by a journalist named Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) to help investigate the disappearance and suspected murder of the niece of the patriarch of a wealthy family. This movie is intense and Noomi Rapace is stunning in her role as the damaged, but fierce, tattooed hacker. Content warning for sexual abuse and violence against women, but there are some cathartic moments of vengeance and empowerment for the victimized. I prefer this Swedish adaptation much more than the American remake with Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig.

Available to stream on [cracks knuckles] AMC, Hoopla, Tubi, Kanopy, DirecTV, Crackle, Sundance Now, Popcornflix, Mubi, Fandor (Amazon Channel), and Plex