The OFFICIAL BOT Top 100 Foreign Films of all Time Ever List Begins...

[chasmmi]

So here we are. It's been a wild ride but the votes are tallied the lists are in and we are ready to start. 

 

We have had 657 different films from god knows hoe many countries and I have honestly heard of nearly 14% of them.

 

Before we start I want to offer a few points.

 

While I take making the list and tabulations etc. seriously, I am FAR FAR FAR from being anything close to knowledgeable on foreign cinema (except for a couple of pockets of regions). Therefore I am going to have a bit of fun just guessing the films' plots based on the title and language. 

 

After the silliness bit, I will actually add the serious bits such as a Youtube scene/trailer. General comments on how the film compares to others from its region etc. And I will shamelessly steal from @The Panda and keep a running tally of which countries are doing best. 

 

So, this will start slow (as I always do), because I potentially have a busy Friday and Saturday ahead. But it'll kick into gear by end of weekend/Monday for the usual 28-36 day reveal process I tend to fall into. 

 

But ya never know, could be faster this time... 

 

So let's reveal a couple just to kick things off..... 

 

[charlie Jatinder]

Bring  it on. Am waiting.

12 minutes ago, chasmmi said:

28-36 day reveal process I tend to fall into. 

 

@Ethan Hunt not not cool me mate.

Edited July 16, 2020 by charlie Jatinder

[chasmmi]

100th: A Prophet - France (2009)

1 top 5 vote, 

78 pts

Assumed Plot: In Medieval France, a young girl is called upon by God to fight a war with the English that nobody thinks she can win. Is she crazy? Is is in league with the devil? Or is she truly A Prophet of the Lord and saviour of France?

 

 

 

Ok, so it seems I was pretty far off with my guess that scene suggest it has something to do with prison and baguettes.

 

There are going to be an interesting fights on this list in my opinion. Will Korea beat Japan? Will Bollywood produce the top Indian offering? Will Hong Kong or China end up being Lord Supreme of all Asian cinema? 

 

Alongside this is the question of top European nation, both in quantity and overall number of films in the top 100. My pre-list money would have gone on France and that bet gets off to a good start as France gives us our first film of the list. 

 

From Amazon user, Thoreaux:

 

About as gritty and realistic a prison epic as you're ever likely to see. The acting is phenomenal and the dialogue and character-to-character interactions inside those concrete walls is the most true-to-life rendering that I've seen in a major release film.

Un Prophete is so much more than just a prison film though. It's a gangster saga that is something like a visual metaphor for watching a caterpillar turn into the most brutal and violent kind of butterfly. If you're looking for a character drama with moral ambiguity and a glimpse into what life in incarceration is like, you can't do any better than Un Prophete.

 

 

Films by Nation

 

1 - France

 

 

 

 

 

[charlie Jatinder]

@chasmmi are you not gonna tell points?

 

[chasmmi]

99th: Infernal Affairs - Hong Kong (2002)

0 top 10 votes

78 pts (more votes tiebreak)

Assumed Plot: A pre-telling of the Leonardo DiCaprio film that instead moves the action to the seedy underbelly of gangland Hong Kong. Possibly directed by John Woo, this is a glorious festival of guns and doves that has Oscar Bait written all over it. 

 

 

Technically this film only got 1 vote and the rest voted for a Richard Gere Legal Thriller.

 

And wow, even the films that I thought I had some passing knowledge of, I actually know nothing about,.. 

 

What I got from that trailer is that the will be a lot of people looking up from whatever they were previously doing. On a serious note, I really expected this to place higher as I just kind of assumed it would be fighting to be among the top finishing Hong Kong/ Taiwan/Chinese films on the list. Whereas in reality it crept into the top 100 off the back of the 5th lowest placed film on the final list I tallied. 

 

This is the first (of likely many) films on this list that Hollywood has had a crack at remaking in its own image and is arguably among their best tries at doing such a thing. I wonder what the highest placed film with a Western remake will be? 

 

From Amazon user, Otterpawps:

 

I actually watched the Departed [countless times] not even knowing it was based off this masterpiece. When I found out I immediately got it and I am upset at myself for having not seen it sooner! The inspiration taken from this movie by Scorsese is quite obvious, but it was nice to see I wasn't simply watching The Departed all over again. It shows the skills of both directors and writers that they have similar story-lines, but very apparent differences that make each film their own. The movie doesn't slow down and keeps the viewer hooked, especially if you're a The Departed fan.

Which do I like better? Hard to say. I will say that Infernal Affairs sits with me a lot longer than The Departed. The Departed I can talk about for a long time, but right after watching it I can move onto the next thing. Everytime I watch IA I sort of just sit around and think about everything in the film.

 

 

Films by Nation

 

1 - France

1 - Hong Kong

[charlie Jatinder]

Yeah expected it much higher. Off to great start.

[titanic2187]

this running concurrently with BoT top 100 films of all time?

 

That was what happened when no box office reports! 

 

By the way, I remember the initial post only had the number of best films at 50?  

[chasmmi]

98th: Nights of Cabiria - Italy (1957)

1 top 5 votes

80 pts 

Assumed Plot: Cabiria is a quiet town in 17th century Italy. However when the sun goes down and the festivites begin, it is a hotbed of devilry, drama and debauchery. During this time, a young miller's daughter loses herself to the Renaissance underworld, and must find herself once more before it is too late. 

 

 

I mean I was about 400 years out with my setting, but that was the best guess so far. 

 

Nights of Cabiria is our first Oscar winner on this list as well as Italy's first foray into the top 100. It is also the first black and white film thus completing a trifecta of firsts that almost certainly will not also be lasts. 

 

 This is another film to inspire Western interpretations as it later was retold on Broadway as Sweet Charity. Unsurprisingly Italian cinema has a lot of representation on the full master list and so it is little surprise to see a film representing it pop up so soon.

 

From Amazon user, G. Fazio

 

Perhaps the least "Fellini-esque" of Fellini's films but also one of his best. It starts off kind of like a hokey old film about a plucky young prostitute trying to get by in postwar Italy, but it's tightly scripted, and slowly evolves into something with far deeper residence about karma, grace, and perseverance. The lead actress is simply amazing, with a face so expressive, you could probably turn off the sound and subtitles and still follow the film This features one of the most time-stopping final shots in all of cinema, comparable only with something like Truffaut's "The 400 Blows". After the credits finish, you will be sitting there for a while wondering what just hit you.

 

 

Films by Nation

 

1 - France

1 - Hong Kong

1 - Italy

[chasmmi]

5 minutes ago, titanic2187 said:

this running concurrently with BoT top 100 films of all time?

 

That was what happened when no box office reports! 

 

By the way, I remember the initial post only had the number of best films at 50?  

 

Yeah that bit just kind of happened...

 

On the plus side I like to think it also was a catalyst for a bunch of foreign language films peppering the early parts of his countdown  

 

Also it is possible that the original planner's countdown was for a top 50. I never commited to a number and was always planning to play it by ear based on the number of votes and points etc. 

 

Sorry if that was misleading. 

[chasmmi]

97th: Gangs of Wasseypur - India (2012)

1 top 5 vote, 1 top 10 Vote

80 pts 

Assumed Plot: This stylish and extravagant musical was everything you could ask for from a Bollywood retelling of a Scorcese modern classic. Changing the 1920's New York setting to 50s Mumbai was a masterstroke and Amitabh Bachchan is fantastic as a literal moustache twirling, over the top Butcher of Bombay.  

 

 

 

I think that song might be about penises!

 

Okay, it wasn't the Gangs of New York remake I dreamed of, but of the scenes and trailers I have seen so far, this is the one that most has me personally interested. It seems very quirky and silly and I like quirky and silly. Edit: (It appears that the film in general may be neither quirky, nor silly, but in fact violent and gritty)

 

This film also did what a lot of (in my opinion) higher profile Bollywood films failed to do, which was make the list. Dil Se (with the best train dance scene ever) could only manage 139th and even Khabi Kushi Khabi Gham could only reach as high as 112th.

 

From Amazon user, SNRS

 

A terrific authoring of a terrific movie! A lot has been already said of this movie on IMDB and other cinema forums. This is Anurag Kashyap's magnum opus and truly worthy of a great BD release.
The Cinelicious Blu Ray, comes thru finely, in every aspect - great picture and audio quality and a fair amount of extras. I had purchased an earlier version of this movie on DVD (authored by Eagle) and was terribly disappointed by what they offered. However this version sets a new benchmark and its authoring was supervised and approved by the director so what you are seeing the definitive version.

 

 

Films by Nation

 

1 - France

1 - Hong Kong

1 - Italy

1 - India

[charlie Jatinder]

1 minute ago, chasmmi said:

(1957)

2012.

Anyhow, the film is set in remote and most backward regions of India. Pretty great 2 parter families revenge story.

[chasmmi]

96th: Y Tu Mama Tambian - Mexico (2001)

1 top 10 Vote

80 pts (more overall votes)

Assumed Plot: Okay so I remember that this had the English Title 'Open your Eyes' and became Vanilla Sky. But Vanilla Sky also merges with Minority Report for Me so ummm... this is essentially Eternal Sunshine but in Spanish and predating Eternal Sunshine. It's a bit psychological and nobody ever really knows exactly what is going on both on screen and viewers alike. Also somebody's mother possibly plays the tambourine. 

 

 

So first, why the hell does did my brain tell me this was the Open Your eyes Vanilla Sky film when it completely isn't? (Like different continents isn't)

 

Second, I think this film may have a threesome scene. 

 

So this is where my overall master list will have mistakes as I assume Spanish means country when it means language and this is in fact Mexican. Either way, we are now at 5 entries and 5 different countries have representation (over 3 continents). I will admit was a little surprised at the comparative lack of Mexican representation on this list considering the directors they have, but that may now turn out to be because a bunch of film's I've listed as Spanish are in fact Mexican. 

 

Oh and also, half of the top tier directors have been making English language films recently. 

 

 

From Amazon user, Christopher Greffin

 

As far as sexual coming of age films go they litterally don't get better than this. I loved every second of the Spanish language film in it's erotic power, it's flawless screenplay, and it's honest nature in dealing with human connection.

Louisa, a woman in her late 20's, decides amid all the uncertainity in her life to go on a Mexican road trip with two teenage boys, Tenoche and Julio, who are sexually obsessed, rowdy, and spoiled. The boys are whirled in sex, jelousy, and trading dark secrets, that will change them for ever. It's a fascinating journey and the way any of the three leads interact with eachother is never phoney or uninteresting. You do learn something at the end that makes looking back at the movie even better.

This film is unrated obviously because the makers didn't want the dreaded NC-17 rating. It explores things American filmmakers are unable or unwilling to. It uses sex realistically and it's never exploitation. For those, minus the very young, who want a stunning, often funny portrayal of absorbing, real world sexuality, you must get this movie, and I imagine you'll be watching it more than once.

 

 

Films by Nation

 

1 - France

1 - Hong Kong

1 - Italy

1 - India

1 - Mexico

[chasmmi]

And that is that for tonight as it is 1:30. 

 

But we have officially made a start! nd in the end, that is all that really matters

[Ethan Hunt]

Y Tu Mama Tambien probably would've been my number one had i voted lol

[Plain Old Tele]

I am here for the madness. 

[Daxtreme]

Glad A Prophet made the list, great movie.

 

This will be so interesting, I think it's time to donate to the forums again

[cannastop]

2 hours ago, chasmmi said:

Changing the 1920's New York setting

[chasmmi]

95th: Hero - China (2002)

0 top 10 Vote

80 pts (more overall votes)

Assumed Plot: In a peaceful Cantonese village. A local Kung Fu Student's world in torn upside down when invading forces ransack his village and execute his teacher, mentor, and dare he say it, friend. From that day he makes it his mission to perfect his skills, liberate his village, and put right what once went wrong. All through the power of Martial Arts. 

 

 

 

I got one right!! Hell yeah!!! I nailed that plot.

 

And now it is time for the first Mainland Chinese film on the film. I remember the advertising for Hero a little, in that it was pushed as a follow up to Crouching Tiger despite not having really any connection apart from martial arts, Chinese, and wires. It clearly does not have as rabid a following as Crouching Tiger does 20 years on, but from the trailer at least, it appears to be a film of great style and if the entertainment aspect is also high, then it is kind of sad if it has been slightly more forgotten by the mainstream. 

 

 

From Amazon user, Just as I Am

 

Sword fights and martial arts is not my kind of movie, but saw it on a '10 most beautiful movies of all time' list so felt to see it. Stunningly beautiful, laced with the perfect music score; the slow pace of depth and contemplative silence, with words few and far between, yet so well placed that when the fluid dance of the art of sword flight is mesmerizing in its dynamic surrealism or the swelling music of events occurs, by contrast it makes the whole movie vibrant and deeply grounded in a realm extraordinarily rare in films. Scenery magnificent, costumes and sets shine as jewels in the storyline; culturally fascinating. Early on, would have said it didn't have a heart; there was a coldness throughout, which even the passion of their purpose, or the love and death-tears, couldn't melt. Yet in the end, it came together with such resolution and insight from that quiet contemplation, that mastery of the twin-craft itself as Master teacher. 'Use the thorn to remove the thorn, then both thorns can be thrown away'..., so to speak. Not an easy film for someone who has a hard time with violence; tho it was minimal, it was as poignant as that which the story was made of. A rich experience, and truly one of the most visually beautiful and deeply ambient, culturally engaging movies I've seen. Thanks for having it here.

 

Films by Nation

 

1 - France

1 - Hong Kong

1 - Italy

1 - India

1 - Mexico

1 - China

[chasmmi]

94th: The Hunt - Denmark (2012)

0 top 10 Vote

81 pts

Assumed Plot: In 21st century Denmark, trolls and other beasts of their ilk have been reduced to nothing but the stars of scary bedtime stories for children to make them say their prayers and eat their vitamins as expected. However, when a couple of kids disappear from a sleepy village outside Copenhagen, the adults of the town come to the harrowing realisation that it was all true, every last bit of it. And so they must band together to hunt down the trolls, and save their children.    

 

 

 

 

Ok, So I got this one very wrong, and now I feel extremely bad about myself as a person. 

 

Right, this trailer reminded me a little of The Woodsman with Kevin Bacon, as both share a general theme but approach it in very different ways. Additionally, anything with Mads Mikkelson is going to be pretty well acted indeed and this looks like a really fantastic, if tough to watch film. 

 

This also means that we are still yet to see a country rack up a second film on the list. Even more so, some potential big hitters like Japan and Korea are still yet to place. 

 

From Amazon user, Holly Sherman

 

Pure excellence, this movie about a man who is falsely believe to have preyed on a child. The way the events unfold are believable, and I mean this is something that could happen in any country, in any setting. I found myself feeling the panic that Lucas, the main character, starts to feel as, bit by bit, he is abandoned by those he needs support from, and his whole life is starts to careen more and more out of control.

Mads Mikkelsen, who plays Lucas, shows that he feels betrayed and angry, but such human emotions have to be kept under wraps.
With the strength of the irrational fears growing around him, he knows he has to keep his wits about him. I felt for him until the end of the film, because as easy as it is to empathize with him, he really has become the prey in what you could call a "hunt".

 

Films by Nation

 

1 - France

1 - Hong Kong

1 - Italy

1 - India

1 - Mexico

1 - China

1 - Denmark

[charlie Jatinder]

On 7/16/2020 at 9:45 PM, chasmmi said:

higher profile Bollywood films failed to do, which was make the list. Dil Se (with the best train dance scene ever) could only manage 139th and even Khabi Kushi Khabi Gham could only reach as high as 112th.

But do they deserve either?

 

I mean I am an SRKian so I had K3G in top 50 but I know it's not that good. I also haven't watched majority of the film in list so far, so may be K3G is better than few of them.

 

Dil Se, though I like it, but in general the film had poor reception in India itself, though has aged very well.

 

That said Gangs of Wasseypur should have been much higher IMO. The film had art and commercial elements both in it. One of the best films ever made in India, I think people should watch it.

Edited July 18, 2020 by charlie Jatinder