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An error has ocurred. Please try againThis list also includes movies with an Indian theme (like Gandhi) even if an Indian language isn't necessarily spoken.
I have also put other films from India in here, like Marathi, Punjabi, Telugu or Tamil language films (even though they are not 'Bollywood').
Reviews
Love & Gelato (2022)
Do yourself a favour and read the book instead
Trust me, the book is NOTHING like the movie, and a million times better. Jenna Evans Welch might be making a lot of money now but I wonder what she REALLY thinks about this adaptation... If I was her I would have bawled my eyes out about what they did. So much was changed that it's almost unrecognisable. The book was set in Florence apart from a day trip to Rome, which they flipped around for some reason. And that's only the beginning of what they altered...
You can try and dissociate book and film, and that's fine, however the film itself is terrible. The lead actress as Lina has only one expression. The two Italian actors who are her love interests almost looked embarrassed to be part of this movie. The dialogue is woeful and insipid. Cringeworthy, unbearable. Whoever wrote it needs to rethink their profession. The plot was disjointed and choppy. The acting overall was not that great.
There were some moments I liked and other parts I laughed out loud but as a whole I couldn't wait for it to be over :(
They ripped the essence and heart out of the book and stomped on it. So disappointed.
Satin Rouge (2002)
Fantastic film
This is the second time I have watched 'Satin rouge', and I thought I would write a short review.
The first time I watched the film I became very intrigued about Tunisian culture; at the time I knew virtually nothing about the country. I was surprised to read about how much more liberal the country is compared to other Islamic countries in the Middle East/North Africa. For example the Government actually discourage the wearing of the hijab, and religion in general seems to be a bit more secular. The liberation of women in Islamic-dominated countries is not often seen so I enjoyed that aspect of this film in particular.
The main reason why I chose to watch 'Satin rouge' initially is because of the beautiful Hiam Abbass, a seasoned actress, whom I have seen in a fair few films now.
I enjoyed the film more after watching the second time. What I love most about it is that there is nothing overly spectacular about it. The plot, the editing, the scenes. But that's what makes it so good as well, because it is simple and that adds a sense of realism. It is a lovely little depiction of Tunisian life and culture.
Hiam was the perfect choice as traditional Lilia. It was amazing to see her character transform from a shy, plain widow with a bland and uninteresting life, into a more liberated, confident, expressive and beautiful woman with a new zest for life.
Whilst we don't see much depth in some of the supporting characters (including Lilia's daughter), they all complement Lilia's character nicely. I do love the fact that the sexual tryst Lilia has is with her daughter's boyfriend. Adds a bit of sauciness to the story!
'Satin rouge' goes against the usual grain of Islamic/Middle Eastern (or in this case, North African!) culture and society and for that, it is definitely a gem for those who appreciate indie cinema.
Randka w ciemno (2010)
Sweet movie about finding true love
I am not a stranger to foreign cinema, having watched many Bollywood and Middle Eastern films before, but this was the first Polish film I've ever seen, and hopefully not the last! I really enjoyed it. Perhaps the plot was predictable, but the characters seemed real and I really liked Majka because she seemed to represent those women we all know who fall for the wrong guy every time. I disagree with the previous reviewer about not finding it very 'funny'. I actually found it very charming and amusing at times, as well as being witty and clever. It didn't feel like I was watching a film - it felt like I was watching everyone's lives playing out as if I knew them personally.
I'm surprised it has been rated so low by people on here. No it's not the best romantic comedy film in the world, but it's genuine and there wasn't a dull moment. All the characters bounced off of each other really well and the acting was excellent. There were some really poignant scenes between Katarzyna Maciag (Majka) and Leslaw Zurek (Kuba) in particular. If you enjoy romantic comedies that are somewhat predictable but very 'real', you will definitely enjoy this film!