And so what have you watched?
Here's a strategy to help you discover movies. Look for director/actor collaborations that feature a run of movies, not necessarily belonging to some series. What I mean is, Christian Bale in the three Batman movies does not count. So, again, look for director/actor collaborations.
Now, let's say you like a specific genre, and there's plenty: comics, post apocalyptic, melodrama, romantic comedy, sci fi, vampires, spy thrillers, etc. The interesting thing here is, you might not like a certain genre, but did you know that you can actually find four distinctly unique ways to explore a genre, even one you don't like, which can yield some great offerings?
Take a genre like drama, and you'll actually find at least four ways to explore it. They are:
- Modern drama films
- Modern foreign drama films
- Older drama films
- Older foreign drama films
Each can offer an experience different from the other. I find older foreign drama films to be pure escapism. And there's actually a fifth subcategory to add, and that's the combination of any of the above, but by a director who qualifies as an auteur, which is to say that the director has a recognizable and unique style.
Chungking Express qualifies as a modern foreign drama film made by an auteur. And that brings me back around to my original suggestion: seek out director/actor collaborations. In Chungking Express, a film by Wong Kar-Wai, we have the two main actors, Tony Leung and Faye Wong. You'll find them both in his gorgeous film 2046. Of course, from there, we can follow Carina Lau backwards to Days of Being Wild, Maggie Cheung back to In the Mood for Love and Days of Being Wild, and Zhang Ziyi forward to The Grandmaster.
Let's look at some very famous director/actor collaborations that are well worth exploring:
Ingmar Bergman: Max von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand
Mikio Naruse: Hideko Takamine
Wes Anderson: Owen Wilson
Yasujiro Ozu: Setsuko Hara
Kenji Mizoguchi: Kinuyo Tanaka
Steve McQueen: Michael Fassbender
Masahiro Shinoda; Mariko Kaga
Hou Hsiao-hsien: Shu Qi
Wong Kar-Wai: Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Faye Wong, Zhang Ziyi, Carina Lau, Gong Li
Akira Kurosawa: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura
Masaki Kobayashi: Tatsuya Nakadai
Keisuke Kinoshita: Hideko Takamine
Tran Anh Hung: Tran Nu Yên-Khê
As you can see, I like pure escapism, primarily through foreign melodrama. Watch Mikio Naruse's When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, Masahiro Shinoda's Pale Flower, or any Yasujiro Ozu film, and you'll understand. Until you do so, I think you should reserve judgement.
Here's a process to follow which will expand the potential material to watch, in such a way that it yields high quality viewing time for you:
1. Look at the top 100 films on the Sight & Sound poll (both director's and critics polls)
2. Examine the films in the Criterion Collection. Don't shy away from the foreign films.
3. For directors you're not familiar with, search them for discussions in blogs about them.
4. Go to MUBI.com, and see what other people are discussing.
5. Look at the favorite movie lists of others on MUBI that like the same types of films that you like.
Oh, and just so you know, most of the directors I mentioned and their movies show up in the following places all the time repeatedly:
- Top 100 films
- Film critics favorites
- Criterion Collection
- MUBI discussions
- MUBI member favorite films
Now, might I suggest that you watch Yi Yi next? It's a film by Edward Yang, and it's in the top 100 films of all time. To put it bluntly, it's a masterpiece, it's profound, and it's beautiful.
Most of your suggestions are foreign... and I am having a hard time reading through the sub...Here's a strategy to help you discover movies. Look for director/actor collaborations that feature a run of movies, not necessarily belonging to some series. What I mean is, Christian Bale in the three Batman movies does not count. So, again, look for director/actor collaborations.
Now, let's say you like a specific genre, and there's plenty: comics, post apocalyptic, melodrama, romantic comedy, sci fi, vampires, spy thrillers, etc. The interesting thing here is, you might not like a certain genre, but did you know that you can actually find four distinctly unique ways to explore a genre, even one you don't like, which can yield some great offerings?
Take a genre like drama, and you'll actually find at least four ways to explore it. They are:
- Modern drama films
- Modern foreign drama films
- Older drama films
- Older foreign drama films
Each can offer an experience different from the other. I find older foreign drama films to be pure escapism. And there's actually a fifth subcategory to add, and that's the combination of any of the above, but by a director who qualifies as an auteur, which is to say that the director has a recognizable and unique style.
Chungking Express qualifies as a modern foreign drama film made by an auteur. And that brings me back around to my original suggestion: seek out director/actor collaborations. In Chungking Express, a film by Wong Kar-Wai, we have the two main actors, Tony Leung and Faye Wong. You'll find them both in his gorgeous film 2046. Of course, from there, we can follow Carina Lau backwards to Days of Being Wild, Maggie Cheung back to In the Mood for Love and Days of Being Wild, and Zhang Ziyi forward to The Grandmaster.
Let's look at some very famous director/actor collaborations that are well worth exploring:
Ingmar Bergman: Max von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand
Mikio Naruse: Hideko Takamine
Wes Anderson: Owen Wilson
Yasujiro Ozu: Setsuko Hara
Kenji Mizoguchi: Kinuyo Tanaka
Steve McQueen: Michael Fassbender
Masahiro Shinoda; Mariko Kaga
Hou Hsiao-hsien: Shu Qi
Wong Kar-Wai: Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Faye Wong, Zhang Ziyi, Carina Lau, Gong Li
Akira Kurosawa: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura
Masaki Kobayashi: Tatsuya Nakadai
Keisuke Kinoshita: Hideko Takamine
Tran Anh Hung: Tran Nu Yên-Khê
As you can see, I like pure escapism, primarily through foreign melodrama. Watch Mikio Naruse's When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, Masahiro Shinoda's Pale Flower, or any Yasujiro Ozu film, and you'll understand. Until you do so, I think you should reserve judgement.
Here's a process to follow which will expand the potential material to watch, in such a way that it yields high quality viewing time for you:
1. Look at the top 100 films on the Sight & Sound poll (both director's and critics polls)
2. Examine the films in the Criterion Collection. Don't shy away from the foreign films.
3. For directors you're not familiar with, search them for discussions in blogs about them.
4. Go to MUBI.com, and see what other people are discussing.
5. Look at the favorite movie lists of others on MUBI that like the same types of films that you like.
Oh, and just so you know, most of the directors I mentioned and their movies show up in the following places all the time repeatedly:
- Top 100 films
- Film critics favorites
- Criterion Collection
- MUBI discussions
- MUBI member favorite films
Now, might I suggest that you watch Yi Yi next? It's a film by Edward Yang, and it's in the top 100 films of all time. To put it bluntly, it's a masterpiece, it's profound, and it's beautiful.
I used to never watch foreign films, as I didn't want to read the subtitles. I would never watch a subtitled film. Ever. Zero interest. Nada.
Then I tried it, not with any foreign film, but with a few that were considered important or critically acclaimed - i.e like the ones I've mentioned.
My appreciation of cinema changed completely. Do yourself a favor and try something new.
Not a movie, but should keep you occupied for several hours if you haven't seen it yet 
