Top 5 Foreign Movies (post 2000)

Intouchables tells the true story of Philippe, a wealthy aristocrat that after a terrible paragliding accident sees himself in need of hiring a personal assistant to be his arms and legs. Driss, a young man from the suburbs, that freshly got out of jail cuts in line at the interview stating that he just needs a signature to prove that he is looking for a job and so he can still receive unemployment benefits.

Instead of being kicked out Driss receives a trial period which sets the start of a very strong friendship. With both far out of their comfort zone they learn from one another what thing miss from their lives.

This might sound like a boring and overused story, but believe me when I say that it isn’t. This movie is well written, perfectly casted and acted and most of all funny. With funny characters, funny situations and funny screenwriting, it has all it need for almost two hours of pure enjoyment.

An East German security officer is given the mission of spying on a successful play-writer considered to be having dangerous thoughts concerning the communist regime. But in short time the sensible and meticulous officer starts to be fascinated by the world that he discovers with the help of the bugs set in the writer’s home. The only problem is that once started this terrible oppression system cannot be stopped.

This is a slow-paced but intriguing movie, with the officer’s fascination for the writer’s life growing with every second of tape he listens.

Das Leben der Anderen received both commercial and critical success, managing to win the Oscar for the best foreign movie.

El secreto de sus ojos tells the story of Benjamin Esposito, an attorney that after retiring finds time to confront the two thing that had haunted him for most of his adulthood. The first is the untold love that he felt for Irene Menendez Hastings, his younger colleague who works as a judge and the unresolved murder of a young teacher that took place in the beginnings of his career.

With free time on his hands and deciding to write a book about the case, Benjamin now relives the entire story experience and a more objective vision helping him see things with much better clarity. He is accompanied along the way by his best friend, Pablo, an alcoholic that sets at times a comic tone.

Great cinematography, a breathtaking story and top notch performances make Campanella's film a must see!

Cidade de Deus is a memorable movie, inspired from a real story. The movie takes us into the wild and exotic era of Brazil’s 1960’s City of God. Three youngsters rob gas stations and motels, a life that leads to one of them becoming in 10 years the boss of the favelas. He becomes ruthless and kills everyone that stands between him and the conquering of the city.

One of the other two becomes more and more passionate about photography, trying to be just a spectator in the story, thing that he fails, being most of the times drawn right in the middle of the action.

The connection between the movie’s story and the viewer is so strong that most of the times the suffering feels as strong as being one of the characters. This is a movie that will stick you for a long time.

Oldeuboi starts with the main character, Ho Dae-su, being drunk on his daughter’s birthday and ending up being taken to the police station. His best friend comes to discharge him and while he phones home to let his family know that everything is ok Ho Dae-su disappears, never to be seen again. From now on the story falls under a blanket of mystery and unanswered questions.

Going through sad, funny and most of the time intriguing moments Oldeuboi is by far the best cinematic accomplishment coming from South Korea. It is not a movie for everyone but it is definitely a must watch for all cinema lovers.