Best of What You’ve Never Heard Of: Movies

“The Fall,” 2006, Director Tarsem Singh
Writer/director Singh’s fantastical drama is a visual full-course meal: super-saturated colors, vast landscapes, darkly fascinating stop-motion sequences and groups of people so gracefully organized that they become part of the lush scenery. His extraordinary sense of style sets the stage for this unconventional tale about a disheartened stunt man who befriends an imaginative Romanian child in a California hospital. Filmed in 18 countries, there is a sense of grandeur to the whole production that is complemented by the charming interactions between Lee Pace and child actress Catinca Untaru. The result is nothing less than a breathtaking experience.

“Gozu,” 2003, Director Takashi Miike
Critics have called Miike Japan’s answer to David Lynch. While there are certain differences — Miike has 82 directing credits since 1991, while Lynch is famously selective in the work he takes ­— the similarities are undeniable. “Gozu” is his most Lynchian picture of all. Its protagonist faces a surreal, nightmarish series of episodes while trying to find a missing fellow Yakuza member. A woman who bottles and sells her breast milk, a drooling minotaur and a rack of suits made from the skin of Yakuza members are among the bizarre stops along the way to the truly disturbing final scene.  

“Man Push Cart,” 2005, Director Ramin Bahrani
“Man Push Cart” is a modern-American neo-realistic film as moving as “Bicycle Thieves.” A push cart vendor from Pakistan struggles to sustain himself in New York and stifle a past trauma involving his family. At no point does the film wander into melodrama, and the most intimate moments are tense and filled with a real world suspense and drama.  Director Bahrani is one of today’s top up-and-comers, and all three of his films brilliantly examine the underbelly of America, painting his characters as so much more than immigrants.

“Red Riding” trilogy, 2009, Directors Anand Tucker, James Marsh and Julian Jarrold
Straight up criminal noir is a rarity in film these days, with films such as “Brick” and “Zodiac” being the major ones. So it is refreshing to see a trilogy of noir films based around a string of serial murders in the Yorkshire area of London. The films are each different years — 1974, 1977 and 1980 — with the first being the highlight as Andrew Garfield proves in it he is definitely a young actor worth watching.

“Sita Sings the Blues,” 2008, Director Nina Paley
This charming animated film is actually the most available film ever made. It’s the satirical and ironic retelling of the widely known religious story of the Indian Ramayana done to the jazz songs of 1920s singer Annette Hanshaw. And with a Creative Commons license attached, it can be downloaded free and legally at www.sitasingstheblues.com. Director Paley’s inventively simple animation style simultaneously choreographs the story to song and dance, examines the modern understanding of the Ramayana in Indian culture and draws an emotional parallel to her own life.

“12:08 East of Bucharest,” 2006, Director Corneliu Porumboiu
A talk show debates whether a protest actually occurred on the anniversary of the Romanian revolution.

“The Believer,” 2001, Director Henry Bean
This unflinching exploration of religion and fanaticism packs an incredible punch on a shoestring budget.

“Gomorrah,” 2008, Director Matteo Garrone
This Italian mafia movie is free of all the sensationalism common to the genre. It follows the kill-or-be-killed lifestyle of the Camorra mob in Naples.

“Ip Man,” 2008, Director Wilson Yip
This martial arts flick of epic proportions showcases many different styles, most notably Wing Chun. “Ip Man” tells the story of Bruce Lee’s mentor.

“Of Time and the City,” 2008, Director Terence Davies
This unconventional, ironic, lush and sometimes scathing documentary makes Liverpool a living entity without any testimonials.

“Shotgun Stories,” 2007, Director Jeff Nichols 
Family rivalries in a small town provide a dichotomy between an American simple life and multi-layered emotions.

“Sin Nombre,” 2009, Director Cary Fukunaga
A Honduran gangster rides the rails to America after his girlfriend is killed by his own gang.

“The Son,” 2002, Directors Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
A neurotic French carpenter takes in the teenager who murdered his son as an apprentice.

“Tokyo Godfathers,” 2003, Director Satoshi Kon
Kon died far before his animated films really received the recognition they deserved. Here, he creates a great animated film about three homeless people who come across an orphaned baby on Christmas.

“Yi yi,” 2000, Director Edward Yang
“Yi yi,” a sprawling and vividly cinematic film, tells a Chinese melodrama of life, love and family.