Top 5 Thursday: Non-English speaking movies

For most of you they are called foreign movies, but I’m Dutch, so any Hollywood film is a foreign movie for me. So I decided to rank some of my favorite movies that are not in English. Here are my picks.

5. Intouchables

Such a heartwarming film, a movie I immediately loved.

 

4. Goodbye Lenin

I just love the idea behind this film. Daniel Brühl in his younger years, before he became a Hollywood actor. Such a great movie.

 

 

3. The Motorcycle Diaries

Here we meet Che Guevara before he became the powerful man. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen this film in quite a while. Gale Garcia Bernal is fantastic in “The Motorcycle Diaries”.

 

 

2. Jagten

A movie that totally took me by surprise. I heard a lot about “Jagten”, but didn’t know much about the movie. When I first saw it, it literally took my breath away and got under my skin. I thought about this film for days after and it really had an impact on me. “Jagten” is one of the best movies ever made.

 

 

1. Amélie

When you need a feel good movie, but not the guilty pleasure kind, watch “Amélie”. It’s one of the sweetest films ever. And the leading character Amélie takes random acts of kindness very seriously. I love this movie, it’s in my top 10 of all-time favorites.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Pan’s Labyrinth, Let the Right One In, Deux Jours Une Nuit, De Rouille et D’os, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro

Top 5 Thursday: Road Movies

I really like road movies, people taking a road trip. I always dreamed of taking one myself, if only I had a drivers licence :( . But I can always enjoy others taking a road trip. Here are my favorite road movies.

5. National Lampoon’s Vacation
There where a bunch of sequels, but this one is without a doubt the funniest of all of them. Chevy Chase plays loveable Clark Griswold who drives his family to Wally World in a station wagon. Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong. And then I haven’t even mentioned that Wally World is closed when they finally arrive at the park.

4. The Muppets
I was super excited to hear there was a new Muppet movie out. And the road trip is a big part of this adventure, even if they are only travelling by map.

3. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
I loved this movie when I was a kid, and still. Around the holidays I always watch this movie. Steve Martin and John Candy are a great pair and that car scene is my favorite. Where they are going the wrong way.

2. The Motorcycle Diaries
A truly amazing story about a young Che Guevera, whose eyes are opened to the injustice of the world while travelling across South America on a motorcycle with his best friend.

1. Little Miss Sunshine
The quirkiest family takes a road trip to drive daughter Olive to the little miss sunshine pageant. Everything about this movie is just great. I keep telling other people this, but they don’t seem to understand why I love this movie so much.

They almost made the top 5: Road to Perdition, Road Trip, Easy Rider, Thelma and Louise, True Romance

50 Books Challange - # 39: The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Che Guevara

Title: The Motorcycle Diaries
Author: Ernesto Che Guevara
Story: The young Che Guevara’s lively and highly entertaining travel diary, now a popular movie and a New York Times bestseller. This new, expanded edition features exclusive, unpublished photos taken by the 23-year-old Ernesto on his journey across a continent, and a tender preface by Aleida Guevara, offering an insightful perspective on the man and the icon.
Start: july 18th 2011
End: july 19th 2011
Comment: "The Motorcycle Diaries" documents the journey of young Ernesto Guevara through Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. Together with his friend Alberto Granado he travels through those countries on a motorcycle, between 1951 and 1952. This journal is not a dusty, political biography. And it's also not just an ordinary journey. It's so beautiful to see how Ernesto empathizes with ordinary people and how his political extremism is developed along the way. Guevara was a very important man, even before he became a great leader he did a lot for the people. He did amazing things for mankind and it's a truly inspiring story. The journey changed Ernesto and which in turn led him to try to change the world. I devoured this book in just a couple of hours, which means it was very good.
Rating: 5/ 5

Some Random Wallpapers

I have made five new wallpapers, all with different people of movies in them. I'm on a role here, I have a lot of inspiration. I hope you like them.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

The Notebook

Johnny Depp

The Motorcycle Diaries

Marlon Brando

Let me know what you think. And feel free to use them on your own computer.

Movie Tip #9 - The Motorcycle Diaries

Director: Walter Salles

Starring: Gael García Bernal, Rodrigo De la Serna

Description: "The Motorcycle Diaries" is an adaptation of a journal written by Ernesto "Che" Guevara de la Serna when he was 23 years old. He and his friend, Alberto Granado are typical college students who, seeking fun and adventure before graduation, decide to travel across Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela in order to do their medical residency at a leper colony.

Review: Che Guevara was a very important man, who did a lot for the people. Even before he became a great leader, he did amazing things to help mankind. It's an inspiring story. You can see how this journey changed Ernesto and which in turn led him to try to change the world. So the tagline of the movie is perfect: 'Before he changed the world, the world changed him'. The acting in this film is first-class: Gael Garcia Bernal performs at his best; however it is Rodrigo de la Serna's performance the one that is simply outstanding; not only he represents Granado's as a funny, outgoing character, but he also highlights Gael's characterization of Guevara. This is a great movie, just watch it!