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[Ikrik]

I love movies.  My DVD collection is kinda big and fairly impressive.  It is split into two sections: Asian...and White.  What I need/want is a DVD collection that knocks the socks off of people...so when they look at the titles they go "holy shit, that is impressive."  What I'm asking for are movies that will help expand my library.  Any language, from any country, any genre. Keep in mind that I hate teen comedies and any movie that I need to be baked to enjoy isn't my cup of tea.  Anything you can whip at me would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

[Scandanavian War Machine]

do you have Dark City? they just released a directors cut (finally) and it's pretty great.

or, for parkour-oriented action, may i recommend Banlieu 13? it's French and i haven't seen the whole thing but the stunts are absolutely amazing.
in a similar vein: anything with Tony Jaa in it is pretty much destined to blow your mind. and for god's sakes don't watch the dubs because the voices will be terrible. watch it in Thai with subtitles (unless you speak Thai).

Six-String Samurai: i cannot say enough good things about this movie, so i'm not going to say anything; plus it's impossible to describe. so just get it. seriously.

[Vendetagainst]

The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River, Big Fish, Stardust, Casablanca. This article might be worth a look, as might This one. I know going off of what others recommend isn't really that great, but there's some good stuff in there!

*Oooh, also One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Definitely.*

[KvP]

One word.



It does not get any better. Get all of them. Pay out the ass for them. Watch every extra (Criterion knocks them out of the fuckin' park every time) and listen to every commentary track. If you know people who like good movies, a rack of criterion DVDs will certainly impress them.

Also, Galaxy Quest.

[Inlander]

Wait, so you're asking for recommendations from the field of "Almost all movies ever"?

[RobbieOC]

It's funny to me that it is split into Asian and White. Is that funny to anyone else?

[nobo]

Cinema Paradiso <- awesome Italian movie, guaranteed to make any girl swoon
Brat, Brat II <- Russian movie. Main actor considered to be the James Dean of Russia, died during the filming of another movie
Universal Soldier <- Gentle look into the life of Jean Claude Van Damme as a zombie-soldier who fights Dolph Lundgren. I'd say this is the epitome of fine cinema

[Inlander]

Anyways, you should see this film if you ever get the chance. I saw it on Friday at the Film Festival here and it reminded me a lot of Tarkovsky.

[Dimmukane]

Syndromes and a Century
Russian Ark
Yojimbo/Sanjuro/Seven Samurai/Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa)

And any Tarkovsky

[tomselleck69]

Anything in the world by Andrej Tarkovsky.

It's funny to me that it is split into Asian and White. Is that funny to anyone else?

Buy this, find some European/classic/noir/underground/transgressive/etc. filmmakers to get into and buy all of their films, integrate the Asian DVDs into all the other DVDs (presentation counts) and you will have begun your approach to impressive.

[Tom]

It's funny to me that it is split into Asian and White. Is that funny to anyone else?

I wonder where the blaxploitation goes?

[Nodaisho]

Wait... people actually watch blaxploitation movies?

Try Hardboiled, A Better Tomorrow, just about any of John Woo's hong kong movies, I am just listing the two that I have seen and can guarantee the quality of (Hard Boiled is better than ABT).

[Dimmukane]

Also The Killer, if you're going with Hardboiled.

[Nodaisho]

I haven't seen that one, otherwise I would likely recommend it.

Tarkovsky did Stalker, right? The one that got S.T.A.L.K.E.R. based off of it, which was based off of Roadside Picnic?

[Dimmukane]

I think I'm going to second that actually, it's an utterly fantastic movie. 

But in all honesty, the Kurosawa movies are easier to watch, and you will probably enjoy the hell out of those.

[akashacatbat]

Um... Run, Lola, Run is German and is a pretty good movie, from what I remember of it. If you don't mind ZE FRENCH, Cyrano de Bergerac (the one with Gerard Depardieu) is a fun movie to have.

If you don't already own Casablanca, you must. Philadelphia is another one of "those movies". Atonement and There Will Be Blood are two more recent movies that were really well done.

I know you said you hate the stoner/teen comedies, but is there a particular genre you like more than any other?

Also, I second One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. One of my top five favorite movies.

ACK! And Memento. Crud. Okay, I'm going to stop editing this post now. I like wwaayy too many movies.

[CamusCanDo]

If you can find them, movies and shorts by Stephen and Timothy Quay are wonderfully awesome, they do stop motion and the like. Also check out Jan Švankmajer, his movie Alice is a great retelling of Alice In Wonderland.

[Nodaisho]

Leon / The professional is a good one too, some people got kind of squicked out by it, I think that was mainly people that couldn't tell the difference between eros and philia, though. Or maybe they just got grossed out by the spurting blood and teaching a kid how to kill people.

[De_El]

Le Samouraļ. There are lots of truly excellent Italian and French crime movies. And hey, how about some new wave? Pierrot le fou

[Vendetagainst]

Babel.

[knives]

I agree with whoever said criterion. The 400 Blows is my favorite from that set. I'm surprised Lynch hasn't been mentioned yet. Blue Velvet is a great starter for him. everything by Kubrick is worth watching, everything. If silent and long films don't bother you the 270 minute cut of Dr. Mabuse the Gambler is worth it. Once upon a time in the west is the best western period. There's hundreds more, but this is getting too long.

[Inlander]

Babel.

No. Ignore Babel and get the Edge of Heaven instead. Covered many of the same ideas in an infinitely more interesting and sensitive way, and without constantly feeling like it was screaming "Look at me! I'm a Big Long Important Film! I'M WORTHY!!"

Ahem. I didn't think Babel was very good.

[Vendetagainst]

@Inlander
I never saw Edge of Heaven, I liked Babel though.

[Dimmukane]

No. Ignore Babel and get the Edge of Heaven instead. Covered many of the same ideas in an infinitely more interesting and sensitive way, and without constantly feeling like it was screaming "Look at me! I'm a Big Long Important Film! I'M WORTHY!!"

Ahem. I didn't think Babel was very good.

He also did 21 Grams, didn't he?  The director I mean.  I thought it was kind of like Donnie Darko, except since it unfolded anachronistically, so you already knew what was going to happen and got bored.  But it had that same kind of Oscar-bait vibe.

I second Bladerunner.

[tomselleck69]

except since it unfolded anachronistically

Non-linearly!

(At least I think this is correct... I admit to having fallen asleep during this movie)


in lieu of boring recommendations, here are some strategies that will make you look like the most impressive cinephile on the block:

-Get every Robert Altman film and learn everything you can about every facet of every one, even if you don't like Robert Altman films. Notice how everyone around you has begun to defer to you in all matters of taste. EXPLOIT THIS

-Obtain copies of all the Dogme 95 films except for the ones by Lars Von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg and Harmony Korine. When someone asks you why you don't have them, give the most condescending blank stare possible until they are sufficiently intimidated.

-Buy empty cases and use photoshop & images found on flickr to create your own DVD covers to made-up independent films. If anyone expresses interest in watching them, claim either that you lost the disc or that they are not "ready" for the film.

-Insist at all opportunities that Nigel Tomm is the only filmmaker that has ever mattered and that blind-from-AIDS Derek Jarman was the only person who ever came close to "getting it" on the same level.

-or just combine all strategies and make your own series of Nigel Tomm-style dogme 95 Robert Altman biopics (by filming different pieces of construction paper in poor light for 70 minutes at a time).

[ellemnop]

i third bladerunner and the shawshank redemption, also to kill a mockingbird is an astounding classic (b&w)

[Ikrik]

Woah...Looking at my library of DVD's it's missing Bladerunner, The Godfather, and Shawshank......what the hell is wrong with me?

I have and love Leon, Casablanca, Full Contact, Hard Boiled, One Flew, and Memento (along with a couple others).  I am a huge Kurosawa fan: Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo/Sanjuro, Drunken Angel, The Bad Sleep Well, and Seven Samurai are all part of my collection.

I'll definitely check out pretty much everything recommended, I have Babel but I've never really watched it (and I'll definitely pick up Edge of Heaven)
I'd heard of Six String Samurai before...and I only needed an excuse to get it.
I have a couple Criterion DVD's and jesus christ they're amazing.  They truly are worth forking out 50-100 for.....they really, really are.
Is Woody Allen worth it at all?  Or is it as overrated as I think he probably is?
I'm really interesting in Korean films...I've seen The Host, Shiri, and The Vengeance Trilogy (Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, Lady Vengeance)  But if anyone can recommend some others, that would be sweet.

[KvP]

The problem with Woody Allen is that he stubbornly insists on making a movie or two every year. He's like Prince. Lots of filler, but when he's on, he's pretty well on. Annie Hall is considered by many to be the best romantic comedy ever filmed (clearly those people have never seen About a Boy) Recently the only thing people liked of his was the thriller(?) Match Point. We'll have to see how his new un turns out.

[SonofZ3]

What about:
M-Fritz Lang
Pan's Labyrinth- Guillermo Del Toro

and, although they might not impress people:
Ikiru- Kurosawa
The Thin Red Line- Terrence Malick

[akashacatbat]

L.A. Confidential is really good. I don't know how you feel about musicals, but Fiddler on the Roof is a classic. 3:10 to Yuma (the newest one) is also a kick-ass western... oooh, and while we're on the subject of westerns I really like Stagecoach (one of John Wayne's earlier movies), The Shootist (one of his last), and although it's set in Australia The Proposition is another good movie with a western flavor.

Wow, my categories are all over the place in this post.

EDIT: Also, American Beauty. I just watched it for the first time, but I plan on going out and adding it to my OWN movie collection tomorrow.

Sheesh. I just realized that all the movies I listed here (except for Fiddler) have either John Wayne, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey or Russell Crowe in them (each has appeared in two of the above movies). L.A. Confidential  has Pearce, Spacey AND Crowe in it.