Tag Archives: The White Ribbon

Best French Thrillers of Recent Times (10+1list)

Best French Thrillers of Recent Times

written by Souranath Banerjee

Best French Thrillers of Recent Times: Bonjour mon ami! It’s time for some French toasts and French Thrillers!

Well, its common knowledge that the French are famous for their beards, windows and kisses, but did you know that they also specialize in Thrillers?

Suspense, mystery, action packed and even psychological dramas seem to be their favourite genres and thus, here, this list comprises of some of the Best French Thrillers of Recent Times! 

Au revoir! As you have guessed, my French is pretty limited but what I actually want to say is Enjoy the list!

10. With a Friend Like Harry… (2000)

original title: Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiSP7T0bf2o

French-ThrillersMeeting an old school friend is always a moment of joy, right?

Wrong. Specially when you meet the mysterious Harry, an old chum who makes sure to flip your life upside down.

Directed by Dominik Moll, and casting Laurent LucasSergi López and Mathilde Seigner – a mystery that soon turns into something unexpectedly sinister.

9. The Apartment (1996)

original title: L’appartement

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwapQhrZ-D0

French-ThrillersA mysterious take on love, a superb piece of story-telling and top quality acting; the result is this fine example of a French Thriller.

Romane BohringerVincent Cassel and of course Monica Bellucci, a combination played to perfection.

Directed by Gilles Mimouni, this one is a unique film with enough number of plot twists to keep the guessing game going till the finish line.

8. Anything for Her (2008)

original title: Pour elle

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBZVsLoSsDU

French-ThrillersA school teacher’s wife gets arrested and their family life is shattered. Now, he is ready to do anything for her, even if that means breaking the law!

Starring Vincent Lindon and Diane Kruger who gave very believable performances.

Directed by Fred Cavayéthis one is a powerful crime drama with a heart pounding climax.

7. Mesrine Part 1: Killer Instinct (2008)

original title: L’instinct de mort

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Ku-B5Gkws

French-ThrillersA biographical account of legendary french gangster Jacques Mesrine.

Vincent Cassel plays the mean and brutal goon who is stylish, egoistic and trigger happy! 

Adventurous and thrilling, desperate and unflinching,  a cool gangster flick directed by Jean-François Richet.

The story comes in two parts/films, so don’t you forget to watch Mesrine Part 2: Public Enemy #1 (2008).

6. Tell No One (2006)

original title: Ne le dis à personne

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvvY1M8vjzI

French-ThrillersHow can there be signs of someone being alive even after their death?

Only few thrillers can keep the romantic involvements intact and still tell the story in a way that makes you sit up with tension.

Directed by Guillaume Canet, a novel based film that will keep you guessing till the end.

5. The Connection (2014)

original title: La French

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx41FbyvSMw

French-ThrillersMarseilles, the South of France being the backdrop, the film is based on the life story of the infamous mafia boss Gaëtan ‘Tany’ Zampa.

Jean Dujardin is as usual brilliant, and Gilles Lellouche at his very best. 

Directed by Cédric Jimenez, a gangster film full of thrill and emotion. 

4. A Pure Formality (1994)

original title: Una pura formalità

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Li11QSlIJY

French-ThrillersA mysterious killing, a suspect and an inspector who collects the clues and tries to solve the case.

Brilliant performances by Gérard Depardieu and Roman Polanski who plays the game of guilty and innocence till the very end.

Directed by acclaimed Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore, this is one thriller that shouldn’t be missed.

From the same director The Unknown Woman (2006) and The Professor (1986).

3. A Prophet (2009)

original title: Un prophète

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l69ARbQt-Ko

French-ThrillersPrisons are always dangerous and a French prison is no exception.

Directed by Jacques Audiard, this is a thrilling tale of an Arab man who climbs the ropes and learns to survive inside the prison, and finally becomes the mafia boss.

Full of intense moments, real, gritty and violent. And Tahar Rahim gives his career best performance in this one.

From the same director The Beat That My Heart Skipped (2005) and Read My Lips (2001).

2. Hidden (Caché) (2005)

original title: Caché

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_ZtfuvxpEw

French-ThrillersDaniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche are seemingly a happily married couple but then, certain surveillance videotapes begin to appear from an unknown source and that terrorizes them to the core.

A French film by the renowned German director Michael Haneke, a superb thriller loaded with extreme tension, paranoia and suspense. 

From the same director The White Ribbon (2009) and Funny Games (1997).

1. Léon: The Professional (1994)

original title: Léon

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcsirofJrlM

French-ThrillersA professional assassin reluctantly shelters and protects a 12-year-old girl, who quickly learns the dangerous trade and becomes his protégée!

Jean RenoGary Oldman and young Natalie Portman – some performances to remember.

Directed by Luc Besson (before his plunge into more commercialized Hollywood films), this one is undoubtedly the most sleek and stylish action thriller ever made. My personal favorite!

From the same director La Femme Nikita (1990) and The Fifth Element (1997).

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most disturbing one. A must watch).

+1. Irreversible (2002)

original title: Irréversible

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU-ZOHeWLkU

French-ThrillersStarring Monica BellucciVincent Cassel and Albert Dupontel, the film comes with some of the most disturbing visuals in the history of film making. So remember, it’s Adult only.

Directed by Argentinian filmmaker Gaspar Noé, a dark psychological thriller, extremely black in its content, and the way it has been shot (dizzy camera movements) only adds to the stress level.

Approach with caution, this one is definitely not everyone’s cup of cinema.

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Poster courtesy: www.impawards.comwww.themoviedata.commovies.prettyfamous.com

Best Modern Black and White movies (10+1list)

Best Modern Black and White movies

written by Souranath Banerjee.

The transition of Cinema from ‘black and white’ to ‘color’ is a unique evolutionary process that took years of experimentation.

Evidently in Europe (specifically in U.k and France), as early as in the beginning of 1900, the first few colored footage were made; they were mostly hand-colored short films. Then in 1914, in U.K Natural Color Kinematograph Company made the first ever full length feature film in color named The World, the Flesh and the Devil. 

In 1918 Cupid Angling was made in US by Douglass Natural Color The-Wizard-of-Oz-posterFilm Inc. which is the first American ‘colored’ feature. Then of course The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Gone with the Wind (1939) established the era of colorful films.

Eventually the dominance of ‘black and white’ films faded away and cinema was full of colors! By the late 60s only a handful of black and white films are made each year.

Nowadays the black and white medium is regarded as a rare artistic choice for stylized visuals, or specifically used to portray a certain desired mood/emotion.

And now, the list contains some of the Best Modern Black and White movies. Enjoy!

10. Pi (1998)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo18VIoR2xU

pi-poster

Darren Aronofsky‘s first feature and an amazing black and white thriller.

A paranoid mathematician who tries to unlock nature’s universal patterns with the help of the magic number Pi!

Matthew Libatique shot the dark contrast images and successfully creates the gritty atmosphere needed for the film.

9. Nebraska (2013)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT5tqPojMtg

nebraska-poster1

Oscar nominated film (nominated in six categories including ‘best film’, ‘best director’ and ‘best cinematographer’).

Directed by Alexander Payne, this black and white road movie is wonderfully shot by Phedon Papamichael.

An emotional yet humorous father-son relationship like never seen before.

8. Frances Ha (2012)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBn5dgXFMis

frances-ha-poster

Noah Baumbach presents one of the most endearing and funny film of recent times. 

A black and white comedy drama that tells the entertaining tale of an ordinary New York girl named Frances. She is quirky, childlike and sometimes a bit immature as well.

Beautifully shot by Sam Levy, the film is as spontaneous and free-spirited as it’s leading lady.

7. The Turin Horse (2011)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNkN_xCXozw

turin-horse-poster

From the master directors Béla Tarr and co-director Ágnes Hranitzky this one is an unique film with very less dialogues and absolutely brilliant visuals. 

Shot by Fred Kelemen, the film has long takes that meticulously portrays the struggle of each and every character.

Rural settings with harsh climate – black and white imagery at it’s best.

6. Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_7uQsP2TBk

coffee-and-cigarettes-poster

A series of short, single location films based on people interaction which all have coffee and cigarettes in common!

One of the coolest films ever, directed by Jim Jarmusch with unique casting for each segment.

A black and white film that uses the checker tables, the black coffee and the white cigarette smoke to it’s best advantage.

5. Control (2007)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c2_B_cWK_M

control-poster

A biography of the famous lead singer of the band Joy Division – Ian Curtis.

Directed by Anton Corbijn, the film depicts the troubled life of the musical genius which ended at the young age of 23 (he committed suicide).

The film is a simple yet stylized series of black and white visuals shot brilliantly by Martin Ruhe.

4. The Artist (2011)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK7pfLlsUQM

Artist-poster

Nominated for the Oscars in 10 categories and winning 5 awards including the ‘Best Motion Picture of the Year’, ‘best direction’ and ‘best actor’!

A black and white film directed by Michel Hazanavicius that is arty as well as highly entertaining.

Shot by Guillaume Schiffman (oscar nominated), the film is a treat for all black and white cinema lovers!

3. Ida (2013)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xyxFsg_rrY

ida-poster

The Oscar winner in the ‘best foreign film category’.

Pawel Pawlikowski direction and amazing cinematography by Ryszard Lenczewski and Lukasz Zal.

The film is uniquely in square format (aspect ratio 1.33 : 1) and interestingly most of the frames have huge amount of negative space on the top. A must see.

2. Schindler’s List (1993)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdRGC-w9syA

schindlers-list-poster

Probably the most popular black and white film of our times.

Directed by Steven Spielberg the film is a biography on Oskar Schindler’s life who helped the Jews and saved many lives during the Nazi invasion of Poland in the World War II. 

Shot by Janusz Kaminski this film has so strong imagery that one could never forget in their lives.

1. The White Ribbon (2009)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KJKvvvxY74

white-ribbon-poster

A little peaceful village haunted by a series of awful murders!

Directed by the acclaimed German director Michael Haneke, this film is a superb psychological mystery drama.

A black and white classic shot by Christian Berger, the film was also nominated in the Oscars for the Best Achievement in Cinematography category!

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most unique and cool one. A must watch).

+1. Sin City (2005)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2Dj6ktPU5c

sin-city-posterIf you want to use the word ‘stylized’ to define a film – this is the one.

Super cool visuals straight from Frank Miller‘s comic book pages, the film is an epic is it’s dark and violent story telling.

Directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez (he also shot the film), the most stylish black and white film ever.

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.comwww.imdb.com.