Foreign Films

When you’re ready to watch a movie you can’t understand, head to the foreign films section. Foreign films have attracted the attention of viewers for years, helping to create mystery and intrigue for everyone who watches them. At the same time, they can be confusing to some as they can be more art house in tone and style, which can create troubles for new viewers. In order to fully appreciate foreign films, here are some things to keep in mind when you are sitting down at the art house with your popcorn.

Don’t Have Expectations

Just as with any movie you don’t know a lot about, don’t go into the movie with a lot of expectations. Instead, try to focus on enjoying the movie and not worrying so much about what is happening and what might happen next. Think about foreign movies as you do paintings at a museum. You look at them because you want to, not because you are trying to figure them out. You look at art because it is pleasing, not because you want to decide what the artist was thinking. Just sit back in the theatre and enjoy the art for what it is, not what you want it to be. And when you are done, then you can’t be disappointed with the movie since you didn’t expect anything of it.

Be Patient

One of the major differences between foreign films and regular films is that they tend to be slower in pace. You will want to make sure you are being patient as the film rolls, since the main action may not happen at the beginning, if at all. Slow down and just watch and experience the movement of the people in the movie. Try to watch for the little details instead of just waiting for the next scene to start or for the clue to the murderer. Just watch the movie and see what happens. Maybe nothing happens, maybe something happens, who knows?

Watch the Movie, Not Just the Subtitles

It’s easy to think that if you just read the subtitles closely that you will ‘get’ the movie and you will understand what it all means. But that’s not always the case. You will want to make sure that you are watching what’s happening in the scenes and not just the words at the bottom. At times, this might mean that you don’t understand the lines being said, but that’s okay. You can simply enjoy what’s happening and you may just understand the action on your own. Sometimes things are universal and don’t need to be explained word by word.

With foreign films, you can be a part of the snooty group that talks about the art in movies as though it were so dull and boring they want to die. Or you can just learn to enjoy foreign films, as they are just as confusing to your friends as they are to you. At least you all have that in common.