Ok, I'll keep this party going! One of my favorite foreign films of all time is the 1973 masterpiece, The Holy Mountain, by legendary avant-garde filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. I don't know how many times I've seen it but it never ceases to blow my mind!
You know I love foreign films and world cinema! One of my favorites (that we haven't talked about on the podcast yet) is Alfonso Cuarón's Y tu mamá también (2001), starring Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal & Maribel Verdú. So brilliant! It's one of the best "coming of age" films ever. (And so controversial at the time.)
Love "Y Tú Mama" especially the nude scene (Latin lover) However, Gael, is so sensual in all of his work (the eyes), and he's a terrific actor. The film was an excellent story and had "truths," I like films depicting "truths," from using the "can" to picking one's nose, I like films that show the human condition in all it's variety and Almodóvar knows this, I told him after I slept with him . . JUST KIDDING!!! Great choice!
The top of my list of favorite foreign cinema is the 2003 South Korean film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring. It is a film about a Buddhist monk as he passes through the seasons of his life. The story and the cinematography is truly aesthetic arrest.
I have a million words, but they mean nothing about this picture. Emotion, on the other hand, . . . Well, I cried. The beauty and the singular simplicity had me in tears. I won't give anything away . . too much already. Thank you, I needed this. Really. It was symbolic in so many ways.
Feb 2·edited Feb 2Liked by Ryan Elston, Ryan Wildstar
I want to visit Morocco, but I want to stay in Fez. I'd like to see Casablanca and try the cafe there. I'm excited you chose Moroccan food. I used to go to Dar Maghreb, West Hollywood when it was well maintained. Upon last visit, it showed signs of burnout both in staff and food- 2010. They closed and I believe Moun of Tunis occupies it's space. I had a lot of nice birthdays there, seemingly a favorite among the Aries collective!
Aziza, if you could apply effervescence to a breeze, that could best describe her music to my ears.
Both sad and happy that a Native American was awarded Pulitzer. Thank you for your reading. I could hear so much of what he was holding onto as an internal narrative, a line to maintain an integration and connection to Spirit revered among tribes through his psyche salted by impactful war experiences. Beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed Aziza Brahim's music! And yes, N. Scott Momaday's writing is indeed exquisite - beautiful, spiritual and psychologically powerful at the same time.
Feb 2·edited Feb 2Liked by Ryan Elston, Ryan Wildstar
Hmm. Now you ask the difficult question, "favorite foreign movie." Shit!
Well, don't expect me to head to Pasolini, and you know as to what film I am referring . . .
I'll select two and you decide which one you'd like to quote. I mention more than one thing here usually for reasons that some films, perhaps some may not know about and while were on the subject I don't wish to lose the momentum.
Here are my two- only.
1. La Grande Bouffe Marco Ferreri.
If you like DARK comedy, this epic tragedy of absurdity is right up your old dirt road. I'm not talking about gore. It's how a group of tired married male friends find themselves in an existential funk, nihilistic. No, with nihilism there's still some hope! LOL! but they decide to end their lives with the ultimate in culinary, sexual and perverted indulgences . . . the rest you'll have to see to it's surprising conclusion.
2. In A Glass Cage Agustí Villaronga.
I have never seen since Cronenberg's "CRASH," such cruelty in seduction, colored by various shades of compassionate revenge. Spanish in origin, this one takes you into the life of a teenager rape victim who later comes to be the devil / savior caretaker of a Nazi rapist, who is confined by an iron lung after surviving a near fatal fall.
It's a two-espresso film, to get through the subtitles and appreciate the nuances simultaneously.
Thank you for these recommendations! I've actually never seen La Grande Bouffe but I know of it so it looks like it's time to add that one to the queue, thank you!
As for In A Glass Cage, it's a brilliant film and I used to own it on VHS back in the day. Such a dark and twisted film, brilliantly directed and filmed.
Geez, you two. Fantastic choices as always! One of my favorite foreign films is Herzog's The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974). Bruno S. is simply astonishing. Stroszek (1977) is also brilliant, but Kaspar stole my heart and never gave it back.
Thank you for another great recommendation! I *love* the Herzog films I've seen: Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) and Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010). All phenomenal (with Cave of Forgotten Dreams being possibly one of the best art documentaries of all time), but I haven't seen The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser *or* Stroszek. Adding them both to my viewing queue post-haste. Looking forward to both!
Like you, I love the Enigma of Kaspar Hauser. Herzog is a genius and his Nosferatu remake is also a favorite of mine. I think we have to go back and watch Kaspar as Ryan hasn't seen it and it's been probably 30 years since I have! Great recommendation!
Ok, I'll keep this party going! One of my favorite foreign films of all time is the 1973 masterpiece, The Holy Mountain, by legendary avant-garde filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. I don't know how many times I've seen it but it never ceases to blow my mind!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holy_Mountain_(1973_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_Jodorowsky
A fantastic film. And the 4K restoration (in 2020 I think?) was spectacularly beautiful. Talk about aesthetic arrrest!
You know I love foreign films and world cinema! One of my favorites (that we haven't talked about on the podcast yet) is Alfonso Cuarón's Y tu mamá también (2001), starring Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal & Maribel Verdú. So brilliant! It's one of the best "coming of age" films ever. (And so controversial at the time.)
An absolute classic - great choice!
Love "Y Tú Mama" especially the nude scene (Latin lover) However, Gael, is so sensual in all of his work (the eyes), and he's a terrific actor. The film was an excellent story and had "truths," I like films depicting "truths," from using the "can" to picking one's nose, I like films that show the human condition in all it's variety and Almodóvar knows this, I told him after I slept with him . . JUST KIDDING!!! Great choice!
The top of my list of favorite foreign cinema is the 2003 South Korean film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring. It is a film about a Buddhist monk as he passes through the seasons of his life. The story and the cinematography is truly aesthetic arrest.
Oooohhh, what a beautiful film! Thank you for recommending that one, I'd forgotten all about it. Now I want to go watch it again!
Great choice! That's a gorgeous film! So moving. I want to see it again too.
I've yet to see this. Marked! Thank you KDE!
You're in for a treat.
See earlier comment.
I have a million words, but they mean nothing about this picture. Emotion, on the other hand, . . . Well, I cried. The beauty and the singular simplicity had me in tears. I won't give anything away . . too much already. Thank you, I needed this. Really. It was symbolic in so many ways.
That's great that you watched it tonight! Such a beautiful film and it really does leave you speechless, right?
The epitome of arrested.
I want to visit Morocco, but I want to stay in Fez. I'd like to see Casablanca and try the cafe there. I'm excited you chose Moroccan food. I used to go to Dar Maghreb, West Hollywood when it was well maintained. Upon last visit, it showed signs of burnout both in staff and food- 2010. They closed and I believe Moun of Tunis occupies it's space. I had a lot of nice birthdays there, seemingly a favorite among the Aries collective!
Aziza, if you could apply effervescence to a breeze, that could best describe her music to my ears.
Both sad and happy that a Native American was awarded Pulitzer. Thank you for your reading. I could hear so much of what he was holding onto as an internal narrative, a line to maintain an integration and connection to Spirit revered among tribes through his psyche salted by impactful war experiences. Beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed Aziza Brahim's music! And yes, N. Scott Momaday's writing is indeed exquisite - beautiful, spiritual and psychologically powerful at the same time.
Hmm. Now you ask the difficult question, "favorite foreign movie." Shit!
Well, don't expect me to head to Pasolini, and you know as to what film I am referring . . .
I'll select two and you decide which one you'd like to quote. I mention more than one thing here usually for reasons that some films, perhaps some may not know about and while were on the subject I don't wish to lose the momentum.
Here are my two- only.
1. La Grande Bouffe Marco Ferreri.
If you like DARK comedy, this epic tragedy of absurdity is right up your old dirt road. I'm not talking about gore. It's how a group of tired married male friends find themselves in an existential funk, nihilistic. No, with nihilism there's still some hope! LOL! but they decide to end their lives with the ultimate in culinary, sexual and perverted indulgences . . . the rest you'll have to see to it's surprising conclusion.
2. In A Glass Cage Agustí Villaronga.
I have never seen since Cronenberg's "CRASH," such cruelty in seduction, colored by various shades of compassionate revenge. Spanish in origin, this one takes you into the life of a teenager rape victim who later comes to be the devil / savior caretaker of a Nazi rapist, who is confined by an iron lung after surviving a near fatal fall.
It's a two-espresso film, to get through the subtitles and appreciate the nuances simultaneously.
Thank you for these recommendations! I've actually never seen La Grande Bouffe but I know of it so it looks like it's time to add that one to the queue, thank you!
As for In A Glass Cage, it's a brilliant film and I used to own it on VHS back in the day. Such a dark and twisted film, brilliantly directed and filmed.
Right! I don't have the words for how this film affected me either.
Thank you for recommending it! So glad Del Mar enjoyed it.
Geez, you two. Fantastic choices as always! One of my favorite foreign films is Herzog's The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974). Bruno S. is simply astonishing. Stroszek (1977) is also brilliant, but Kaspar stole my heart and never gave it back.
Thank you for another great recommendation! I *love* the Herzog films I've seen: Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) and Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010). All phenomenal (with Cave of Forgotten Dreams being possibly one of the best art documentaries of all time), but I haven't seen The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser *or* Stroszek. Adding them both to my viewing queue post-haste. Looking forward to both!
Like you, I love the Enigma of Kaspar Hauser. Herzog is a genius and his Nosferatu remake is also a favorite of mine. I think we have to go back and watch Kaspar as Ryan hasn't seen it and it's been probably 30 years since I have! Great recommendation!
On your podcast I also really enjoyed the Africana Chef and cookbook author. I’ve been thinking I’d like to learn to make some African dishes.
It's a fantastic cookbook! So many delicious recipes. And perfect for the home cook.