2 Foreign Films YOU HAVE TO SEE

I love Samurai movies.  Actually, I'm a bit of a foreign film addict.  The world has caught up with the U.S. and at times can tell a better story than many of the mainstream films out today.  Here are 2 films I would highly recommend that are available now on Netflix.  Twilight Samurai is a wonderful samurai film and if you don't like movies like 13 Assassins, this film will delight you because of the lack of violence and the injection of humanity.  Twilight is still not a family film but the importance of family and how it raises the stakes in every aspect of our lives is a timeless and universal theme.  Siebei Iguchi is a run down single parent who sold his sword to pay for his wife's funeral.  Now the samurai must make his living walking around with a wooden sword.  He must balance his life as a father of 2 daughters, a life he cherishes more than anything.  Versus his volatile Samurai life where his colleagues cannot stand the sight and smell of him.

My second film has to be one of the most memorable and emotional film I have seen in my lifetime. Aftershock, was China's more profitable film a couple of years ago and based on a true story. Aftershock, a film that should have been nominated for best foreign film is a film about survival and forgiveness during China's most horrific and deadly earthquake in 1976. Its a mix of Sofie's Choice and Titanic. Aftershock is a riveting look during chaos where a devastating earthquake destroys Tangshan, and Da Qiang dies while trying to rescue his children from their apartment. When a collapsed beam traps Fang Da and Fang Deng, Yuan Ni is forced to decide between saving her son or daughter and the long term trauma she must face.

Both Aftershock and Twilight Samurai are subtitled and if that what keeps your from watching these films then you are missing out on 2 of the most wonderful films you can catch on netflix.

What do you think?  Japan and China are two countries with a strong consistency of making excellent films.  See you at the movies!