Top 100 Foreign Language Films ( edited May -02 ) Last Update: Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Rank Title Director Year Comment  
1 Rosetta Dardenne 1999 Some of the most gut wrenching personal scenes ever filmed… Cinema verite with discreet political undertones.
2 In the Mood For Love Wong Kar-Wai 2000 I feared I was becoming obsessed watching it sooo many times… I love everything about this film… the heavily stylization, the acting, the music, the noodles… etc.
3 Mirror Tarkovsky 1975 Short comments cannot convey…. So I won't bother.  
4 Jalsaghar Ray 1958 ...profound and magnificent exploration of one man's obsolescence in a modern developing society in 1920's India
5 Summer Rohmer 1986 Rohmer captures the essence of a woman… with absolute perfection.
6 The Passion of Joan of Arc Dryer 1928 So perfectly made, I have trouble assuming it is not the REAL trial of Jeanne D'arc...
7 L'avventura Antonioni 1960 The whole world looked differently after seeing this film. Everything was "profound" and "elegant".
8 A Man Escaped Bresson 1956 see L'avventura comment above...  
9 Bicycle Thief de Sica 1948 What to watch when you need to put your life in perspective.  
10 Cinema Paradiso Tornatore 1989 The film buffs film… perhaps the greatest ending of a film ever.  
11 Juliet of the Spirits Fellini 1965 Fellini's perfect bridge from accessible to art infused…  
12 Ordet Dryer 1955 Theological resolve in the face of personal tragedy…  
13 The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Demy 1964 Unique, color infused… and very, very French.  
14 Children of Paradise Carne 1945 Absolute masterpiece in every sense of the word…  
15 Vive L'amour Tsai 1994 A virtual silent film on urban alienation…  
16 The Scent of Green Papaya Tran Anh Hung 1993 The perfect Cinderella tale… some of the best tracking shots that I can remember.
17 Beau Pere Blier 1981 Morality vs. desire from an everyday man… loved the slow pans.  
18 Irma Vep Assayas 1996 The "coolest" film ever made ?  
19 The Lovers on the Bridge Carax 1991 Been a while since I have seen it, so could be too high… or too low. Anyway, I loved just about everything about this film… although perhaps the ending was rushed…
20 Nights of Cabiria Fellini 1957 Best facial expression conveying depth of emotion since Passion of Joan or Arc… Masina alone is worth this ranking…
21 Autumn Sonata Bergman 1978 Most unforgettable modern soliloquy's in cinema history.  
22 Red Kieslowski 1994 To R1 DVD some day ? Chilled to the heart.  
23 The Cranes are Flying Kalatozishvili 1957 Variety and never over-used camera techniques support a wonderful and touching story…
24 Chung King Express Wong Kar-Wai 1994 I found this so fun… and happy... and mysterious. "Cool" would be the best description…
25 Chloe in the Afternoon Rohmer 1970 Morality dealt with as a true life human drama… nothing like it, except other Rohmer films.
26 Andrei Rublev Tarkovsky 1969 The most classic mediation on art and the artist ever put on film…
27 Diary of a Country Priest Bresson 1950 My first Bresson and so far my most memorable.  
28 A Tale of Winter Rohmer 1992 Does life always come down to a few missed/or made chances ?
29 Pickpocket Bresson 1959 A sleazy subject matter raised to the level of artistic poetry...  
30 Comrades: Almost a Love Story Chan 1996 Love, Cultural melding, lost identities… a personal fav.  
31 L'Appartement Mimouni 1996 A most intricate puzzle pieced together whilst honoring Hitchcock… one of the best French films of the 90's…
32 The Woman Next Door Truffaut 1981 Eerie jealous passion… caught in Truffaut's own unique way…  
33 Il Grido Antonioni 1957 Excellent portrayal of alienation ( see Vive L'Amour #13 ).. Use of the rural countryside as a foil...
34 The 400 Blows Truffaut 1959 Truffauts most personal film… unforgettable final scene.  
35 The Aviator's Wife Rohmer 1980 If I could articulate why Rohmer's films are so enjoyable for myself, perhaps I wouldn't like them as much…
36 Not One Less Zhang 1999 For those who doubt the meaning of commitment and resolve…  
37 High and Low Kurosawa 1963 A lesson in "framing" for the budding director/cinematographer…  
38 The Vertical Ray of the Sun Tran Anh Hung 2000 Some of the most beautiful images I have ever seen in a film, expressed with familial bindings.
39 Decalogue Kieslowski 1987 Why can't all direction be this good ?  
40 La Promesse Dardenne's 1996 Truth, honesty, morailty, maturity… magnificent.  
41 Woman in the Dunes Teshigahara 1964 Underrated film… strangely compelling with a consistent flow. Sensual and poetic, encapsulating themes of captivity very adeptly…
42 El Buñuel 1952 My favorite Buñuel… stabs ( as usual ) at sex, the rich, death and religion.
43 L'Humanite Dumont 1999 Stop and smell the roses…  
44 Le Grande Illusion Renoir 1937 “It is magnificent, a French officer said in 1856, watching the Light Brigade throw itself into the Russian guns, but it isn't war. What it is, he might have added, is a grand illusion.”
45 Tokyo Story Ozu 1952 Classic film embodies Asian family philosophy vs. modern values.
46 Solaris Tarkovsky 1972 Confrontation of ones own desires…  
47 Mouchette Bresson 1967 Artistic, real, heartfelt… all wrapped up perfectly…  
48 Taste of Cherry Kiarostami 1997 Suicidal philosophy at its most sincere.  
49 Seventh Seal Bergman 1957 My favorite opening scene ever… chess with Death!  
50 Day of Wrath Dryer 1943 Dryer classic… 'nuff said.  
51 Mother and Son Sokurov 1997 Chilling in its intimacy  
52 The Eel Immamura 1997 Communication dealt with on multiple levels…  
53 King of Masks Wu Tian-Ming 1996 Great film for adults and children alike… shame the DVD is P+S!
54 Jean de Florette Berri 1986 "Mans inhumanity to man" is a prevalent theme regardless of time period or location...
55 The Hole Tsai 1998 Weird and wonderful… from start to finish.  
56 The Circle Panahi 2000 Simple and powerful story of 8 oppressed women coping in Iranian society.
57

8.5

Fellini 1963 Unique and pristine… stylish indulgent masterpiece…  
58 Stalker Tarkovsky 1979 Haunting journey into one's own desires...  
59 Pather Panchali Ray 1955 Artistic, balanced… timeless.  
60 The 47 Ronin Mizoguchi 1941 As powerful as it is subtle…  
61 Under the Sand Ozon 2000 Modern classic… Tour-de-force performance from Rampling.  
62 School of Flesh Jacquot 1998 Eroticism dealt with gentle delicacy… Huppert is so good…  
63 Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud Sautet 1995 Rare modern excellence with one of the screen's most desirable sirens… and above all a very French film.
64 Small Change Truffaut 1976 Makes one appreciate the miracle of children…  
65 The Earrings of Madame De… Ophüls 1953 Elaborate camerawork backed with grace and dignity...  
66 Vagabond Varda 1985 Gut wrenching realism…  
67 Manon des Sources Berri 1987 Emmanuelle Béart's bare bum… need I say more ?  
68 My Night at Mauds Rohmer 1969 Makes you just want to curl up with this film like it was a good book..
69 Un coeur en Hiver Sautet 1993 Haunting portrayal of self-imposed loneliness… extremely well made film.
70 Pauline at the Beach Rohmer 1983 A typical Rohmer… beautiful women filmed simply and directly without overuse of cinematography adaptations…
71 Night and Fog Resnais 1955 The practical tracking shots and mono-tone narration only heighten the human realism… shots we can never forget.
72 Los Olvidados Buñuel 1950 Shocking imagery of hopeless poverty-stricken youths… sad.  
73 Days of Being Wild Wong Kar-Wai 1991 Undeveloped passion in a quite elegant film… repressed emotion.
74 Babette's Feast Axel 1987 Wonderful Scandinavian film which tends to make me hungry…  
75 Battleship Potemkin Eisenstein 1925 Montage cinema by its inventive innovative master..  
76 Mississippi Mermaid Truffaut 1964 What price love ?  
77 The Double Life of Veronique Kieslowski 1991 Life as a parable of duality…  
78 A Good Marriage Rohmer 1982 Strong desire, even for a sexy beautiful woman, doesn't always get you what you want in life…
79 Leila Mehrjui 1996 Rohmer-like cultural exploration of oppressed women...  
80 The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz Buñuel 1955 Humor, elegance, satire, suspenseful… all rolled into one.  
81 Double Suicide Shinoda 1969 Pristine and poetic all at once…  
82 Rebels of the Neon God Tsai 1992 Tsai captures suppressed emotion as well as anyone in cinema…
83 Cyclo Tran Anh Hung 1995 Graphic and heartfelt….  
84 L'ennui Khan 1998 Fascinating dissertation on "jealousy" and "obsession'…  
85 Boyfriends and Girlfriends Rohmer 1987 Rohmer realism with real people in real relationship quandaries  
86 Insomnia Skjoldbjærg 1997 Modern day "Crime and Punishment"…  
87 White Kieslowski 1994 Too long since I have seen it to make any comments...  
88 An Affair of Love Donteyne 1999 VERY modern themes of urban alienation...  
89 Love Letter Iwai 1995 Catharsis… the coping of death, with romantic interludes…  
90 That Obscure Object of Desire Buñuel 1977 The game of love, filled with more psychological pathologies than can fit in this little box…
91 La Collectionneuse Rohmer 1967 Rohmer embodies French spirit/attitude so well…  
92 Ikiru Kurosawa 1952 Must see again… quite sure will rise in my estimation upon rewatching.
93 Blood of  Poet Cocteau 1930 Touches on the potential of the "then" new medium...  
94 Confidentially Yours Truffaut 1983 Fun gangster spoof that holds great re-watchabaility…  
95 L'Enfer Chabrol 1994 Expert build on a mediation of insane jealousy…  
96 The Sacrifice Tarkovsky 1985 Faith and mortality are but a few of this masterpiece's subtle contexts…
97 A Single Girl Jacquot 1995 Modern cinema verite capturing and holding your attention…  
98 M Lang 1931 The most "ahead of its time" film I can think of ?  
99 Children of Heaven Majidi 1997 Compelling Iranian cinema that puts values in perspective…  
100 Where is My Friends Home Kiarostami 1987 See "Children of Heaven" above…  
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