Good foreign films

I've just watched a movie called Ginger and Cinnamon (Dillo con parole mie) to refresh my memory on Italian, and I thought it was a great film. I want to look into seeing more foreign films in the future, but less known ones.

Obviously Pan's Labyrinth...

is a really famous one, and Life is Beautiful, Cinema Paradiso, why Tu Mama Tambien, Bad Education, The Science of Sleep... all those are just really famous ones. I want to watch less known ones like Ginger and Cinnamon.

Any recommendations?

IL POSTINO was very good, describing a postman in Italy meeting Pablo Naruda, who helps him tap into his romantic side.

Don't forget SE Asia for some of the best action and suspense out there. Oldboy from Korea was one of the most intense psychological/action thrillers I've ever seen, period, and there are scenes that still stay with me years later.

The Audition is a psychological thriller from Japan that builds veeery slowly but has a payoff intense enough to make it worth the wait.

My favorite foreign popcorn action flick has to be Battle Royale, a needlessly violent teenage hack-fest that always seems to be winking slightly at the camera, even while children murder each other.

Man Bites Dog is a French mockmentary about a film crew that follows around a gregarious and generally likable serial killer. Very dark comedy with some grand moments when the film crew gets a little too caught up in the subject matter.

Those are what spring to mind immediately.

the Audition wow, what a film...
I would recommend some of the Chinese films...
raise the red lantern
farewell my concubine
beijing bicycle
red sorghum

a good irish film...
the butcher boy

Ooh, I forgot Irish. The Commitments, the greatest music movie you've never seen.

I forgot The Commitments also...