The Vanishing

Language: Dutch                                                Year: 1988

After Rex spends three years looking for his partner when she mysteriously disappears, he is contacted by the perpetrator who offers to reveal what happened.

What follows is a genuinely disturbing psychological thriller that builds to a terrific finale. Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu is great in the role of  'menacing nut-job' creating an unnatural balance between psycho and family man.

Based on the novel by Tim Krabbé and adapted for the screen by the author himself, this is a horror classic that doesn't resort to CGI or sudden jumps to create a deeply unsettling picture. A rare film to score 100% on rotten tomatoes this is a truly original horror.

Also, don't accidentally watch the 1993 remake. I'm reliably informed it's horrendous.

La Antena

Language: Argentinian                                        Year: 2007

La Antena (The Aerial) is a surprisingly little known film. After doing well in it's native Argentina, it sadly avoided the limelight elsewhere.

This beautiful film uses stark, black and white imagery to tell the story of a society that loses it's voice. Although the inhabitants are physically unable to speak, this film is packed with metaphors about a society controlled and oppressed by government.

The film is written and directed by Esteban Sapir who has done very little outside of his Argentinan home (other than a Shakira music video!) but he is someone who has clearly seen his fair share of '20's Noir. There are  a lot of homages to cinema classics here with obvious references to silent cinema, in particular the 1920's German masterpiece 'Metropolis'.

This is a unique film with a story that is told in an original and creative style, delivering a take on a society that is not a million miles from home.

Cinema Paradiso

Language: Italian                                             Year: 1998

Cinema paradiso is rightly considered a classic. A film that is essentially about a friendship and the wonder of cinema. 

Written and directed by Italian Giuseppe Tornatore and loosely based on his personal life, we learn how young Salvatore replaces his absent father with loner projectionist Alfredo. We see their friendship develop through a shared love for the art of cinema projection as the local town tries to rebuild intself at the end of World War 2. The cinema in which we spend a lot of this movie is not only special to the two of them, but a release and an escape for the entire village as the opressions and fall out from the war are realised.

This film also feels incredibly relavent - a great metaphor for the current decline of traditional motion picture cinema and the advent of Digital and 3D viewing.

Rightfully awarded 'Best foreign language film' and a whole heap of BAFTA's, this film is accessible, moving and down right essential.

Cria Cuervos

Language: Spanish                                             Year: 1976

This exceptional slice of Spanish life for a young girl is rightly considered a timeless classic. 

The title is taken from a spanish proverb that translates as "Raise ravens, and they'll take out your eyes" and is used in relation to having bad luck in raising children.

Starring a very young but mature Ana Torrent who found fame in the marvelous 'The Spirit Of The Beehive', we see the world through her eyes as she comes to terms with witnessing the difficult death of her mother. As her life is turned upside down, Ana begins to see visions of her dead mother and as she attempts to move on from the death, adapting to her new family set up.

Director Carlos Suara gets an incredible performance out of little Ana and one scene in particular involving a song by Spanish artist Jeanette allows Ana to shine.

The spiritual/ fantasy aspect of this film are matched perfectly with the reality Ana is living and helps you identify with her world and accept Ana's story as she tries to make sense of her reality.

Babette's feast

Language: Danish                                                Year: 1987

This delicious treat from Danish director Gabriel Axel tells the story of Babette, a lonely refugee who finds solace in the house of two unassuming sisters. After winning the lottery, Babette asks to cook the food for a celebration the sisters are organising. 

Set against the backdrop of a stark landscape in which food is sparse and bland, we are treated to some seriously high-end cuisine and a great example of how food can change the most stubborn of minds.

The film quite rightly won best foreign language film for Denmark and continues to be seen as a high watermark for European cinema.

For those people who have recently found themselves enjoying Scandinavian imports such as 'The Killing'  and 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' would do well to give this Danish gem a viewing.

Fitzcarraldo

Language: German                                              Year: 1982

Werner Herzog is not famous for subtle, sunday night movie making and this is no exception. Fitzcarraldo charts the insane vision of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald; a man with an unwavering vision to stage an opera in the South american Jungle. The film centre's around his herculean attempt to drag a giant boat over a mountain.

In an age of 3d, green screen and exhaustive studio sets, Herzog chose to recreate this epic journey by delving into the heart of the the protagonist, filming entirely on location and even recreating the iconic ship hauling scene.

Klaus Kinski takes the lead and almost dominates the film as the neurotic proponent, clinging on to his vision despite innumerable obstacles.

Due to the nature of Herzog's ambitious and grandeous aims, the shoot was riddled with issues. A great documentary by Les Blank charting this called 'Burden of dreams' is also a great watch.

Herzog is a unique director who doesn't shy away from immersing himself in his films and this may be his finest hour and most epic achievement.

Les Diaboliques

Language: French                                Year: 1957

Widely considered 'the best film Hitchcock never made', Les Diaboliques is a bench mark for suspense thrillers and a film that has been imitated for the last fifty years. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, a rival of hitchcocks at the time and a deserving runner up for the 'master of suspense' plaudit.

The Headteacher of a boarding school (Paul Meurisse) is drowned and killed by his long suffering wife and mistress (played by Vera Clouzot,the director's wife and Simone Signoret respectively). When the body appears to have disappeared and supposed sightings of the dead man appear around the school, the murderers start to lose their grip on reality.

This film is incredibly powerful. Over half a century old and still as gripping and affecting as was reported on it's release. The ending has a superb twist and is played out perfectly.

One of the more successful films of its time and one that showed filmmakers what you could really do with cinema.

WARNING: steer well clear of the Hollywood remake from the nineties staring Sharon Stone.