I’ve found some good movies on Netflix

I’ve found some good movies on Netflix. I end up watching a lot of foreign films.

Max Manus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Manus_(film) < this is one of the best war movies I have ever seen. I highly recommend it. Norwegian, english subtext.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbK4WTQFf9U < here’s the trailer. I gave it 5 Stars on Netflix. It was refreshing to watch a non-Hollywood war movie. After the 70s, I think Hollywood made 2 or 3 war movies I actually liked. The reason war movies are not the hits they could be, is because they are so anti-military, anti-hero, usually. Hollywood can’t stop moralizing us about war. There is an overt cynicism and mockery of patriotism or being gung ho about fighting bad guys etc. Typical scenario: The soldier has discovered evil intentions of our government…over done trope.and thus turns against his fellows in search of the “truth”, a Matt Damon specialty. None of that typical crap is in Max Manus nor is it corny sentimental feel from the 50s type war movies. See it. I get all emotional watching the trailer now.

Aftershock:

Another refreshing foreign movie I saw last week was Aftershock: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aftershock_(film) < this is about a little girl who gets left behind when her mother has to make a choice between saving her or her twin brother after the 1976 earthquake in China. It’s perfectly named “Aftershock” for the shock the little girl feels as she hears her mother’s agonizing choice. An epic movie ensues. I loved it from the start. Very Spielbergish in the beginning, the tale of an abandoned child, but moves on from that into a sweeping huge family epic with an awesome ending. I’m always a sucker for these kinds of movies where the little kid has to survive, like in Empire of the Sun. Another 5 Stars.

Here’s the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_QML6RdN0E