Recommend me some French cinema

Arfa

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I've always liked French cinema, however I've not really caught up with much lately. I've also started learning French through a course at work, so would like to check out some good French films.

I've been through most of the Jean-Pierre Jeunet films; Amelie, City of Lost Children, Delicatessen, Long Engagement (any others?) The Three Colours films by Krzysztof Kieślowski (I know he's Polish!). Enjoyed La Haine, Chocolat, L'Appartement and La Vie En Rose. Didn't like Irreversible or Basie Moi though.

So what would you recommend?

Merci beaucoup!
 
Any film by Jacques Audiard, the best director currently working in France. I especially love Read my Lips and A Prophet, but any film by him you can get your hands on is great.

I also like the films of Laurent Cantent, in particular Time Out, Human Resources and Going South.

The recent film Tomboy by Céline Sciamma is lovely and I also liked her earlier Water Lillies.

I'm also not a big fan of the extreme French horror films of recent years, but I love the supernatural prison horror film Malefique, the melancholy art house zombie film They Came Back and hopping over to Belgium, the French language Calvaire.

The French are great at thrillers, check out Tell No One, Harry he's here to Help, Red Lights, Point Blank or Anything for Her.


When it comes to older films, I especially like the films by Lois Malle, Bertrand Tavernier, Truffaut and Chabrol.
 
Angel-A is fun. And there's always Taken if you don't mind your French in English.

Regards

Mark
 
...and if you want your French films to be just as superficial and braindead as your average Hollywood blockbuster, then watch the films of Luc Besson. ;)
 
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I enjoyed the Taxi films, 36, Mesrine, Chrysalis, Dante 01 and Oss 117.
 
I enjoyed the Taxi films, 36, Mesrine, Chrysalis, Dante 01 and Oss 117.

The team who made the OSS 117 films also made the fantastic tribute to silent movies, The Artist which is soon coming out.
 
If you like bleak, gritty cop flicks (would that be flic flicks?) you could do a lot worse than MR 73.

Regards

Mark
 
To add a few more :

The Raven
The Wages of Fear
Le Cercle Rouge
Playtime
Tell No One
Hidden
District 13
Crimson Rivers
Mesrine

Plus you've also got French New Wave, but I've (finally) only just started to explore it myself.
 
Cool, thanks everyone, loads there to keep me going!
 
  • La Belle et La Bete
  • Les Enfants Du Paradis
  • La Regle de Jeu
  • Jules et Jim
  • Au Bout De Soffle
  • Au Revoir Les Enfants
  • Orphee
  • Les Diaboliques
  • Playtime
  • Les Vacances De M. Hulot
  • Le Cercle Rouge
  • Le Ballon Rouge
  • Les Parapluies De Cherbourg

...to name but a few. These have all stayed fresh for me over the years and have all warranted repeat viewings.

I also have a rather soft spot for a piece of French "souffle" cinema called Hotel De La Plage which I recorded in the late '70s on BBC2 and have recently acquired on DVD from France, albeit without English subtitles. If anyone knows where I can obtain a copy of this with subtitles I'd be very grateful.
 
Anything by Jean-Pierre Melville.

Tell No One is one of my favourite movies of the past few years. Superb movie and the blu-ray has fantastic pq/aq.
 
Hi,

I'd disagree with Luc Besson's movies being "braindead", even compared to Hollywood. His works are vastly superior to Hollywood, simply because they're enjoyable and don't have to require millions and millions of dollars being pumped into them, alongside endless CGI.

I'd heartily recommend "La Femme Nikita", "Leon", "The Big Blue" and "The Last Combat", "Subway" and "Atlantis" from his stable of works.

I'd also recommend:
"Betty Blue"
"Les Enfants Du Paradis"
"The Hairdresser's Husband"
"Dartagnan's Daughter"
"Mesrine: Killer Instinct" (and "Mesrine: Public Enemy Number 1")
"Potiche"
"Cyrano De Bergerac"
"Les Valseuses"
"Les Amants Du Pont-Neuf"
"Jean De Florette" (and the sequel, "Manon Des Sources")
"Mon Pere Ce Heros"
"Amelie"
"Beauty And The Beast" (1946 version)
"La Reine Margot"
"La Double Vie Du Veronique"

There are lots and lots of great French films, and I'd recommend you take a look at this site and this site also for more ideas, that you can springboard from. :)


Pooch
 
"Betty Blue"
"Les Enfants Du Paradis"
"The Hairdresser's Husband"
"Dartagnan's Daughter"
"Mesrine: Killer Instinct" (and "Mesrine: Public Enemy Number 1")
"Potiche"
"Cyrano De Bergerac"
"Les Valseuses"
"Les Amants Du Pont-Neuf"
"Jean De Florette" (and the sequel, "Manon Des Sources")
"Mon Pere Ce Heros"
"Amelie"
"Beauty And The Beast" (1946 version)
"La Reine Margot"
"La Double Vie Du Veronique"

Pooch

If "La Double Vie Du Veronique" is a French movie, so is "Last Tango in Paris" :) Good list ! 400 Blows is a French film well worth seeing, possibly the only decent Truffaut movie.
 
Army of Shadows is a must see if you're into WWII resistance.
 
I know its animation, but Belleville Rendezvous is top notch. Splendid animation.
 
Hi,

If "La Double Vie Du Veronique" is a French movie, so is "Last Tango in Paris" :) Good list ! 400 Blows is a French film well worth seeing, possibly the only decent Truffaut movie.

Alas, no. "Last Tango In Paris" is definitely NOT a French film, but Kieslowski's "Double Vie..." most definitely is, as it was filmed in France, stars Irene Jacob, and is in French with English Subtitles.


You obviously haven't seen Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec.
:laugh:

Nope, I haven't, but then "Amelie" also contains CGI too - not large amounts, but some, although that's not a Besson movie.


Pooch
 
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I noticed Mic-Macs was missing from the OP's JPJ list. Also, for people just dipping their toes, I like The Heartbreaker - possibly the most 'American' French film I've seen.
 
"Last Tango In Paris" is definitely NOT a French film, but Kieslowski's "Double Vie..." most definitely is, as it was filmed in France, stars Irene Jacob, and is in French with English Subtitles.

Forgive my mistake, Pooch, I assumed as the director was Polish, his co-writer was Polish, the guy who wrote the score was Polish and the cinematographer was Polish, it might have been a Polish film ;).
 

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