We all love something a bit different, don’t we, and after sitting through what Hollywood has to offer us, sometimes it’s nice to sit back and relax with the markedly different styles and tones of foreign cinema. However, there’s no denying that critics do go a little easy on foreign films from time to time, if not because there’s a vaguely pretentious association of being more “cultured” if you love foreign films, then for the fact that, if we’re not familiar with the language, it’s much harder to tell when terrible acting and dialogue are present (as we are more likely to pawn it off on dodgy subtitling).
Still, here are 10 foreign films that, while immensely popular, just don’t measure up at the end of the day…
10. 8 1/2
While Federico Fellini’s “classic” about the woes of writer’s block is of interest to film buffs for the strange, memorable manner in which it riffs on the creative process itself, it takes this idea and drags it out painstakingly over 138 tiresome minutes, such that most all appeal of the central idea has pretty much evaporated by film’s end. Fellini’s critics will take him to task for being obnoxious and bloated, and 8 1/2 is the epitome of that critique; while he clearly has some inspired ideas, he can’t seem to make head or tail of them, resulting in this dull, plodding, occasionally incomprehensible existential drama that wastes its fine premise and great actors.
Still, I didn’t like La Dolce Vita either, but at least that doesn’t have the same beguilingly untouchable reputation as this, whereby attacking it is considered tantamount to sacrilege.
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16 Comments
Putting up a list of overrated movies is asking for hate mail. The term “overrated” is hugely subjective. Usually what 1 person labels one film as “overrated”, 10 000 people say it’s wonderful. Oh, and by the way, besides Amélie and Saló, this is a very, VERY, bad list.
Had you added Oldboy & Pan’s Labyrinth, this list would pretty much just be saying that any foreign film well-known by Americans is overrated.
8 1/2 is a cinematic staple, as is Seven Samurai.
It begs the question, “Do you know about cinema, or do you just watch it?”
I watch cinema rather than know about it; does that mean my experience is less valid? Don’t you think art made primarily for artists is a little pretentious?
I agree with the comments on the ones I’ve seen from this list. I also think worthwhile points are made regarding the willingness to disregard bad dialogue or acting due to subtitling, which begs the question: are these films so highly regarded by those who speak the language?
Occasionally I’ve watched films that have the reputation of ‘classics’ and thought they were terrible. They may have been groundbreaking at the time but surely that makes them an interesting footnote in the history of cinema, rather than a ‘good film’?
I think I know what he’s (she’s) saying. It’s different for people who study film. For people who are learning to make movies, we’re instructed on what 8 1/2, Seven Samurai, and The Seventh Seal did for movies. I even had a professor once tell me that, “It’s been said that 8 1/2 is a movie where, once you’ve seen it, practically every filmmaker uses some sort of influence from it in their movies from that point on.”
If that’s the case, I don’t necessarily see how 8 1/2 is “overrated” if it’s that fundamentally inventive and inspiring to filmmakers.
So, yes. If you’re someone who just “watches” cinema without knowing about it, you should be very wary of claiming any of them are “overrated.” It’s my issue with Christopher Nolan. I hate the guy’s writing, but is he one of the best directors of this century? Yes. Because he’s inventive, practical, and takes his time with his projects. Which is what a great director needs to be.
Is he overexposed by internet fanboys and forums? Absolutely. Is he “overrated?” No. He’s an excellent director by definition. Whether you have a preference to his films is beyond the point.
Totally agree that Oldboy should be on this list. Perhaps around the #10 spot. A good film, but no where near how awesome it was initially described to me.
AMEN!
This is a ballsy list and I agree with most of the picks (Amelie, Life Is Beautiful, Breathless, Seventh Seal), but Seven Samurai…oh no you didn’t! Plus I don’t think a vision of what hell is actually like has ever been depicted so well in Salo, a vicious masterpiece. But overall, I think this was a killer list that is bound to bring up good discussion.
Some movies need to be seen in a certain context. And when we view a film that has a significant critical reputation or audience appreciation and we don’t enjoy it or we don’t understand what the fuss was all about then we usually throw out that word: overrated.
You should probably watch Spirited Away again. The plot is anything but piecemeal, concerning as it does the evolution of the main character from a whiny, self-centered child to a burgeoning young woman and how that spirit world helps her do that. The characterizations of Seven Samurai are actually quite carefully done and help drive that story forward. As with Seventh Seal, the visuals tell the story without needing much “action” or even much of its dialogue, unlike Wild Strawberries. (Never got the hype over Amelie and Life is Beautiful, though.)
This list needed more Oldboy. That movie is idolised by film school hipsters purely because it’s a 2deep4u asian film.
Philosophy of a Knife could also be on the list, but that isn’t really regarded that highly to begin with though.
Aw man, I LOVE Ichi!
The perfect response to this was posted by one of your contributors only a day later.
http://whatculture.com/film/is-christopher-nolan-overrated-or-just-overexposed.php
So did you mean ‘overrated’ or ‘overexposed’?
Spirited Away is an obvious critique of the political history of contemporary Japan. Perhaps you should look into it more if you are to determine if its “overrated” in terms of plot and message.
hahha, well done sir, troll 8/10
Battleship Potemkin and Bicycle Thieves are both garbage
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