100 Most Popular Foreign Films of 2018 + the Oscar Hopefuls!
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 2:20PM Our year in review party begins TODAY. A different list each day! Here's Nathaniel R...
Time for an annual look back at subtitled fare in cinemas. As with 2017 and the year before India, China, Mexico, and South Korea dominate with a smattering of Oscar contenders and random other countries faring much less well in the American marketplace. Much of the imbalance is due to dedicated distributors who saw a underserved market and focus specifically on it. Here in Manhattan, it's interesting to watch how this plays out. Generally speaking some big multiplexes reserve one or two screens for super specific distributors (Bollywood and mainstream Asian features for example are often at the Empire in Times Square which has 25 screens). Meanwhile the traditional "arthouse theaters" continue to rely on the decades-long practice of programming festival hits, docs, and arthouse style cinema which leans heavily European with a few buzzy Asian titles thrown in; in other words they're Oscar-aligned in their tastes.
For the purposes of the following list we skipped documentaries and animated films to keep the list more focused (and avoid arguments about dubbed versions or whatnot). The numbers are pulled from Box Office Mojo.
TOP 100 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS FOR 2018
Domestic Box Office Grosses Only - FINAL TOTALS
The $1 Million Plus Club
(The Success Stories)
01 Padmaavat $11.8 (India) Jan 25th
This lux nearly 3 hour medieval epic is about an ambitious Sultan who becomes obsessed with a beautiful Queen. Available to stream on Amazon Prime.
02 Sanju $7.9 (India) June 29th
Biopic of a famous controversial actor. Available to stream on Netflix.
03 Cold War $4.5 (Poland) Dec 21st
Pawel Pawlikowski's tragic romantic drama about a singer and a musician having a long affair across Europe in the 50s and 60s. It became an even bigger that Pawel Pawlikowski's previous Oscar- winner Ida [REVIEW | NATHANIEL'S TOP 20 LIST | OSCAR NOMINEE 2018]
04 Ya Veremos $4.1 (Mexico) Aug 31st
Family drama bout a young boy determined to reunite his separated parents before his surgery.
05 2.0 $4.1 (India) November 30th
A sci-fi Bollywood thriller.
06 Shoplifters $3.3 (Japan) Nov 23rd
Hirokazu Kore-eda's outstanding humanist drama about a makeshift family living on the margins of society won the Palme D'Or at Cannes is now a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. It's still expanding into additional markets each week so GO SEE IT as soon as you can. [INTERVIEW | CHRIS FEIL'S TOP 10 LIST | NATHANIEL'S TOP TEN LIST | PODCAST | OSCAR NOMINEE 2018.]
07 La Boda de Valentina $2.7 (Mexico) Feb 9th
A romantic comedy about a Mexican-American woman whose boyfriend proposes to her.
08 Bharat Ane Nenu $2.6 (India) April 20th
A drama about a university graduate who returns to India to fulfill a promise to his mother. Available to stream on Amazon Prime.
09 A Fantastic Woman $2.0 (Chile) Feb 2nd
After a one-week qualifying release in 2017 (in the hopes of a longshot Best Actress bid for Daniela Vega) this Oscar favorite emerged properly in February to strong box office, buoyed by its charismatic star, its popular director (Sebastian Lelio, of Gloria and Disobedience fame) and of course the Oscar nomination and subsequent win. [REVIEW | REVISIT DEEP DIVE | ON THE SCREENPLAY | OSCAR WINNER 2017]
10 Detective Chinatown 2 $1.9 (China) Feb 16th
A buddy comedy sequel was a massive global hit, earning half a billion worldwide. The US gross was just a blip in its fortunes but still a good size blip given the market in America for non-English features.
11 Race 3 $1.6 (India) June 15th
A heist movie. 2018 sure had a lot of those. Available to stream on Amazon Prime.
12 Pad Man $1.6 (India) Feb 9th
Believe it or not this movie is a biopic about a man who provides inexpensive sanitary pads to women in rural India.
13 Capernaum $1.6 (Lebanon) Dec 14th
Nadine Labaki's brilliant look at homeless refugees in Lebanon and children who grow up way too fast. [INTERVIEW | NATHANIEL'S TOP 20 LIST | OSCAR NOMINEE 2018]
14 Operation Red Sea $1.5 (China) Feb 23rd
A who's who of Chinese hotties star in this action film from Dante Lam (Unbeatable). The film was a massive hit in Chinese-language countries. [OSCAR SUBMISSION 2018]
15 Thugs of Hindustan $1.4 (India) Nov 8th
An 18th century set action adventure film with Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan (of Lagaan fame) and the enduring 1970s Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan.
16 102 Not Out $1.3 (India) May 4th
Another Amitabh Bachchan picture, this time playing a 102 year old man in a dramedy. Available to stream on Amazon Prime.
17 Baaghi 2 $1.3 (India) Mar 30th
An action thriller starring Tiger Shroff, who is allergic to clothing.
18 Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days $1.2 (South Korea) Aug 1st
A sequel to last year's hit, a fantasy about guardian angels and the afterlife.
19 Anhadhun $1.1(India) Oct 5th
A thriller about a blind pianist who was "witness" to a crime. Available to stream on Netflix.
20 Nothing to Lose $1.0 (Brazil) May 11th
A biopic of a Brazilian evangelical.
21 Raid $1.0 (India) March 16th
An action drama about a fearless tax officer pursuing powerful men's tax frauds.
22 The Insult $1.0 (Lebanon) Jan 12th
Lebanon's first ever Oscar nominee is a courtroom drama about a feud between a Lebanese Christian and a Palestinian refugee. It's currently available to stream on Amazon Prime. [OSCAR NOMINEE 2017]
Just under the $1 million mark
Performed well given the marketplace for subtitled features.
23 Kedernath $901k (India) Dec 7th
24 The Cakemaker $874k (Israel) June 29th
This LGBT drama is about a German pastry chef who becomes involved with his dead lover's widow in Israel. She was not aware that her husband had a boyfriend. This grief-ridden drama was a sleeper hit in US arthouses this past summer and its English language remake is currently in development. [INTERVIEW | OSCAR SUBMISSION 2018]
25 Let the Sunshine In $866k (France) April 27th
This Juliette Binoche led romantic comedy proved to be the great auteur Claire Denis' most successful release in the US since her debut feature Chocolat way back in 1989 -- it was thrice as popular as her last succcess d'estime at US arthouses, White Material starring Isabelle Huppert in 2010. Caveat to that stat: I've never been able to find numbers on my favorite Denis film: Beau Travail released in the US in 2000 or her disturbing vampire flick Trouble Every Day in 2001 both of which I saw IN movie theaters so I know they actually played for the paying public. [REVIEW | CHRIS FEIL'S TOP 20 LIST | SOUNDTRACK DISCUSSION]
26 Sui Dhagga - Made in India $790k (India) Sept 28th
A comedy about a man whose wife encourages him to start up his own tailoring business.
27 Border $771k (Sweden) Oct 26th
This hard to describe but highly memorable whatsit (part police procedural, part sexual awakening drama, part mythological fantasy) is a deserved inclusion in Oscar's finalist list for Achievement in Makeup nominations but sadly it already got the boot for Best Foreign Film. It was probably a bit too strange for Oscar voters but it's been a sucess in specialty theaters and it's hard to imagine this film not developing an enduring cult following. It's still in theaters so GO SEE IT while you have the chance. [REVIEW | PODCAST | BEST MAKEUP OSCAR NOMINEE 2018]
28 How Long Will I Love U $746k (China) May 25th
A romantic time travel fantasy.
29 Burning $718k (South Korea) Oct 26th
Lee Chang-dong's fascinating enigma about a young man's new friendship with a lost soul and her rich mysterious boyfriend (Steven Yeun in an Oscar-worthy performance) is highly memorable. If nominated this will be South Korea's first honor in the category which is hard to believe given that country's not-so-small collection of classics and genius auteurs. It's still in US theaters so go see it before it leaves (which will be any second now). [REVIEW | CHRIS FEIL'S TOP 20 LIST | PODCAST | OSCAR FINALIST 2018]
30 Monster Hunt 2 $706k (China) Feb 16th
This fantasy from China is one of the year's biggest global hits with $361+ million worldwide. Didn't catch fire in the US though. (I didn't know Tony Leung Chiu Wai was in it until just now. Must find it to watch now.)
31 The Island $670k (China) Aug 10th
A man becomes stranded on an island with his co-workers.
32 Foxtrot $618k (Israel) March 2nd
Our favorite Israeli movie star Lior Ashkenazi stars in this drama about a family that finds that something went wrong at their son's military post. [OSCAR FINALIST 2017]
33 Husband Material (Manmarziyaan) $567k (India) Sept 14th
A romantic love triangle about a spirited young woman, her boyfriend, and her fiance.
34 Loveless $566k (Russia) Feb 16th
Is Andrey Zvyagintsev's Russia's best working director? The evidence suggests the answer is an emphatic YES. He's made five films: The Return (2003), The Banishment (2007), Elena (2011), Leviathan (2014), and Loveless (2017) and ALL of them have been critical darlings and international award winners. The two most recent were also nominated for the Foreign Language Oscar. If you haven't seen this film, get on that. [REVIEW | PODCAST | OSCAR NOMINEE 2017]
35 A Cool Fish $551k (China) Nov 16th
A comedy about a botched robbery.
36 The Spy Gone North $500k (South Korea) Aug 10th
A spy drama about political conflicts and a man caught between powerful people in North and South Korea
Under $500,000
They didn't quite cross over to ticket sales or larger awareness.
37 The Great Battle $472k (South Korea) Sept 21st
A historical action epic set during the Tang dynasty.
38 Bag of Marbles $411k (France) Mar 23rd
WW II drama of little Jewish brothers escaping Nazi-occupied France
39 Warrior (Soorma) $390k (India) July 13th
A biopic of a famous athlete who makes a comeback after a near-death experience
40 Believer $365k (South Korea) June 8th
A crime drama about a detective and a drug cartel.
41 Hiccup (Hichki) $330k (India) March 23rd
A Bollywood picture about a woman with Tourettes syndrome. Available to stream on Amazon Prime.
42 Golden Job $285k (Hong Kong) Sept 28th
Another heist movie!
43 Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings $262k (China/Hong Kong) July 27th
This franchise hasn't caught on in the US but it's popular overseas. I've only seen the second one (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragons). It was too cheap fx green screened for my taste (I miss the old absolutely lux-looking Chinese action films) but it was inarguably bonkers and that has its own appeal if you're in the right mood.
44 Back to Burgundy $257k (France) March 23rd
A drama about an estranged family and their winery. Currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.
45 Batti Gul Meter Chalu $249k (India) Sept 21st
46 Swing Kids $222k (South Korea) Dec 21st
47 Agent Mr Chan $208k (China/Hong Kong) Feb 23rd
48 The Guilty $207k (Denmark) Oct 19th
Hollywood, the suits therein at least, really dug this thriller which takes place in one room as an officer tries to help a kidnapped woman; the director has already signed with an American agency on the mainstream genre strength of his tight 85 minute debut. Though it's "modest" compared to other Oscar finalists this year I woudn't necessarily count it out. Denmark is currently Oscar's favorite foreign country having been nominated 5 times this decade already! [OSCAR FINALIST 2018]
49 Zama $200k (Argentina) April 13th
Though yours truly did not enjoy Lucretia Martel's confounding movie about a Spanish officer on an existential wait for a transfer that will clearly never come, other critics were just besotted. [REVIEW | CHRIS FEIL'S TOP 20 LIST | OSCAR SUBMISSION 2017]
50 Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti $200k (France) July 11th
Vincent Cassel stars in this biopic about the painter Gauguin's affair with a Tahitian woman
51 The Monkey King 3 $187k (China/Hong Kong) Feb 16th
52 Goldbuster $186k (China/Hong Kong) Jan 5th
53 Summer 1993 $183k (Spain) May 25th
[OSCAR SUBMISSION 2017]
54 Caravan (Karwaan) $182k (India) Aug 3rd
The oft internationally-employed actor Irrfan Khan stars in this road trip comedy. Available to stream on Amazon Prime.
55 Last Letter $180k (China) Nov 9th
56 The Accidental Detective 2: In Action $179k (South Korea) June 22nd
57 Buybust $178k (The Philippines) Aug 10th
An action thriller about a drug bust in the slums of Manila.
58 The Guardians $177k (France) May 4th
Nathalie Baye stars in this drama of women left to tend the farm during World War I.
59 Default $174k (South Korea) Nov 30th
A drama about an impending financial crisis. Currently in theaters and featuring Yoo Ah-in (who headlines the Oscar finalist Burning)
60 Double Lover $167k (France) Feb 14th
François Ozon's graphic erotic thriller stars his regular uninhibited players Marine Vacth and Jérémie Renier plus 70s sex symbol Jacqueline Bissett. Despite a lot of pre-release hoopla at its festival debuts it didn't really catch on in theaters but Ozon films are nearly always worth seeing. I'm eager to see this still and alarmed that I haven't yet done so. Apologies to Ozon! [INTERVIEW | PRODUCTION DESIGN DEEP DIVE ]
61 Rampant $167k (South Korea) Oct 26th
62 Museo $148k (Mexico) Sept 14th
Gael García Bernal stars in this fine fascinating flick about a man who robbed from an anthropological museum but didnt know what to do with the goods thereafter. It was released by YouTube who are trying to produce and distribute films now, too, like everyone else. CONTENT. CONTENT. CONTENT. [REVIEW]
63 The Young Karl Marx $125k (France) Feb 23rd
64 Til the End of the World $118k (China) Feb 2nd
65 Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum $115k (South Korea) April 13th
66 The Negotiation $110k (South Korea) Sept 21st
67 The Captain $108k (Germany) July 27th
A WW II action thriller about a German soldier who impersonates a Nazi captain when he finds a uniform.
68 In Between $107k (Israel) Jan 5th
A drama about three Palestinian women sharing an apartment in Tel Aviv. [INTERVIEW]
69 Becoming Astrid $105k (Sweden) Nov 23rd
A biopic about the author of the famed children's books involving Pippi Longstocking starring Alba August as the author. Two awesome Scandinavian actresses (Maria Bonnevie and Tryne Dyrholm) co-star.
70 Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead $104k (South Korea) Feb 16th
71 Memoir of War $103k (France) Aug 17th
France no longer has great Oscar luck whether they choose their Oscar submissions well or not (witness the horrible recent fates of Elle and BPM, both completely worthy of nominations and shut out even from the finalist lists!). Though this year, we thought it was a strange decision for France to submit this film about Marguerite Duras during WW II since it didn't seem to excite anyone. [OSCAR SUBMISSION 2018 | CESAR NOMINEE 2018]
72 Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi $103k (India) Aug 24th
73 Ishmael's Ghosts $102k (France) March 23rd
Under $100,000
Underseen but it's tough out there for foreign films in the current marketplace.
74 Champion $97k (South Korea) May 11th
Sports drama about a Korean American arm-wrestler
75 El Angel $94k (Argentina) Nov 9th
A homoerotic true crime drama about a teenage thief and murderer (Lorenzo Ferro) and his new partner in crime (Chino Darín). [PODCAST | OSCAR SUBMISSION 2018 ]
76 Golden Slumber $94k (South Korea) Feb 16th
77 Let the Corpses Tan $93k (France) Aug 31st
A thriller about a group of eccentric characters and a load of gold bullion.
78 The Third Murder $87k (Japan) July 20th
79 Lobster Cop $85k (China) June 22nd
A crime comedy about police officers and their lobster restaurant (a front to catch criminals)
80 Big Brother $85k (Hong Kong) Aug 31st
81 Custody $83k (France) June 29th
The film most critics hoped France would submit to the Oscars this year. Critically acclaimed but unfortunately little support in theaters. [CESAR NOMINEE 2018]
82 Claire's Camera $83k (South Korea/France) March 9th
Kim Min-Hee and Isabelle Huppert star in this Hong Sang-Soo film about a friendship between a photographer and the woman she photographs who was recently fired from her job.
83 Godard Mon Amour $82k (France) April 20th
84 On the Seventh Day $79k (USA) June 8th
A drama about undocumented Mexican immigrants from the indie filmmaker Jim McKay (Girls Town, Our Song, Everyday People).
85 The Princess and the Matchmaker $78k (South Korea) March 9th
86 The Brawler (Mukkabaaz) $75k (India) Jan 12th
Sports drama about a boxer from the lower caste.
87 Keys to the Heart $75k (South Korea) Jan 26th
88 The Last Suit $73k (Argentina) March 23rd
An old Jewish tailor seeks out the man who saved him from the Holocaust
89 Bye Bye Germany $72k (Germany) Apr 27th
90 Helicopter Eela $71k (India) Oct 12th
91 Namiya $70k (China/Hong Kong) Jan 5th
Jackie Chan plays the title character in this fantasy about three runaway kids who find a supernatural correspondence to the man who used to run the abandoned store they're now living in.
92 Parchi $69k (India) Jan 12th
93 Namaste England $67 (India) Oct 19th
94 Under the Tree $67k (Iceland) July 6th
A grotesque black comedy about warring neighbors, fighting over a tree in their backyards . [OSCAR SUBMISSION 2017]
95 Fengshui $64k (South Korea) Sept 21st
96 Bhavesh Joshi Superhero $57k (India) June 1st
97 Django $56k (France) Jan 5th
98 I Am Not a Witch $50k (UK) Sept 7th
This drama about an 8 year old Zambian village girl accused of witchcraft was a critical darling last awards / festival season before its tiny low profile US release nearly a year later (why not strike when the iron is hot? I'll never understand these year-later theatrical releases). It won the BAFTA last year for "Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer" [OSCAR SUBMISSION 2018]
99 Racer & Jailbird $46k (Belgium) May 4th
Matthias Schoenaerts is the jailbird and Adele Exarchapolous the racer in this romantic drama. [ REVIEW | OSCAR SUBMISSION 2017]
100 Rodin $44k (France) June 1st
Vincent Lindon starred as the famous artist in this biopic.
Some noteworthy titles outside the list.
Brief theatrical releases which didn't register with moviegoers at all.*sniffle*
Western $41k (Germany) Feb 16th
Valeska Grisebach wrote and directed this mesmerizing drama about a German work crew in the Bulgarian countryside. It gets my personal vote for the highly specific category of 'year's best film that no one outside of festival audiences saw' [REVIEW | NATHANIEL'S TOP 20 LIST ]
ALSO...
What Will People Say (Norway's Oscar Submission 2018)
No Date No Signature (Iran's Oscar Submission 2018)
Good Manners (Italian lesbian werewolf movie)
November (Estonia's Oscar Submission from 2017) Reviewed
Mrs Hyde (Isabelle Huppert in a French riff on the Jekyll and Hyde story) Reviewed
Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (Indonesia's Oscar Submission 2018)
Beauty and the Dogs (Tunisia's Oscar Submission 2018)
La Familia (Venezuela's Oscar Submission 2018).
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS GIANT LIST?
Reader Comments (21)
Great list!!
Roma has made around $1.2 million according to Indiewire. It's probably more, but who knows.
I've watched 7/9 - I'm still missing Germany and Kazakhstan. They are both playing at the Palm Springs Film Festival. Wish I could go. All 9 films are actually playing at that festival as well.
I had no idea that Zain from Capernaum is illiterate and a Syrian refugee, who was living in Lebanon. He's now living in Norway. Such a great story and a fantastic movie.
"good manners" is Brazilian and pretty great!
My favorite foreign film this year was A Ciambra from Italy, which was co-produced by Martin Scorsese, which made it eligible for the Indie Spirits, where it got a couple of nominations last year. It's an excellent film about the interactions between two groups of outcasts, gypsies (the title is the name of the gypsies' colony) and African immigrants, and their dealings with the Italian authorities. Outstanding, well worth seeking out. Summer 1993, I Am Not a Witch and Loveless were also favorites of mine. Just can't wait so see Shoplifters and The Guilty.
So it's basically Mexican comedies, Bollywood and the Oscar winner. Disappointing, but what can I say? Even Europeans don't go see their own cinema.
Surprised that Un beau soleil intérieur did well. It's not an easy film (and it's a bit disappointing).
The Guilty is so watchable. It should be higher.
My favorites (so far) are Double Lover and Zama, and among the better known titles I can't wait to see Burning, Museo, and Capernaum. Thanks for putting this together. Helps me know what to look for among lesser-publicized releases.
Huppert starred in WHITE MATERIAL, not Binoche. ;)
Well-Go-USA's rollout for Burning has been absolute garbage. They'd skipped right over some really major markets seemingly at random and haven't been very transparent about when or where it's opening. I still haven't gotten it here and may have never seen it if I hadn't happened to be traveling recently.
Roger -- yup. i know that. just had a brain far while looking at the picture of Juliette. Fixed.
Yeah, I am blessed with a fantastic local art theater that has gotten any number of these titles (most recently Becoming Astrid) but still no Burning. I asked them about it recently, and they said they are trying to get it, but they have no news on it. Frowny face.
I don't understand what's keeping Custody off every critic's Top 10 list. The last 20 minutes are more intense than any horror film this decade.
What @goran wrote: I think the same!!!
Picture, directing, actor, actress, screenplay, editing, sound: should be nominated for every category!
I will watch till the end of the year:
ROMA
Burning
The Wild Pear Tree
Hope to see soon as possible:
Shoplifters
Woman at war
Sunset
Never look away
Capernaum
Sorry, Angel
By the way... Foreign language movies >>>> English language movies this year.
Awarding Black Panther, Bohemian Rapsody, A Star is Born is signal of mediocre times on critics and movies professionals.
Goran - If you liked Custody, have you seen Just Before Losing Everything, Legrand's short on which the film is based? It's even more tense!
I'm praying that Ayka gets a hurried Film Forum or Film Society of Lincoln Center release before Oscar season is over.
Re: the Top 100 List - Maybe it's a thing with all Chinese blockbusters, but Operation Red Sea (which at last check was the 11th highest grossing film worldwide) was one action cliche after another with poorly defined characters and almost completely void of plot. It's the worst movie I've seen this year by a long shot.
Your coverage of the foreign film field is incomparable. Meaning, no one else even tries.
For those of us not in a major market area, Netflix, and occasionally Amazon, are our only savior when foreign films are in question. I grew up in a small southern city, and even Seven Beauties came to my local theater. Those days of diverse theatrical choices are dead for most Americans.
So thank you for continuing to give us guidance.
My friends and I started a monthly gathering called Foreign Film Friday. The rules: it's always a foreign language (non-English) film, we always watch it in a movie theater, and we always go out together afterwards to discuss it. (It's almost always on a Friday, but that's not the important part!)
In general it's difficult finding movies of substance during many months of the year. They're just not in theaters long enough. But it's been super rewarding putting this focus on our movie-going. We see stuff that we might otherwise miss.
Your post reminds me how minuscule the box office is for these films. I wish more people made a concerted effort to widen their viewing habits -- to become enthusiasts for foreign language films rather than apologists or underminers.
Case in point: I've been dismayed to hear two different podcasts in the last week talk about how it's difficult to recommend Roma to people because (among other reason) it's subtitled! Really? Like reading words on the screen is so very difficult? Thanks, Nathaniel, for keeping the torch lit.
"It's difficult to recommend Roma to people because it's subtitled"
And black-and-white, too!!!
San Fran -- i love it! your group i mean. The thing that i cant figure out about american audiences in regard to subtitles is that in the past 15 years subtitles became FAR more common on television and sometimes on very popular shows as shows became more ambitious and cross cultural diverse, and sometimg globe hopping. Nobody seemed to bat an eye. You'd think people would be totally used to reading by now. Texting anyone. American is hardly averse to reading words to follow a conversation.
and another thing one of my proudest things ever is recommending CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON to a ton of people when it was out (before my life was being a movie blogger)... one guy came up to me later... kind of accusatory
."so i saw that movie you kept talking about. You didn't tell me it was in another language!"
"I didn't? must've slipped my mind. It was good though, right?"
"I was like this is subtitled. I was really confused at first. why didnt he tell me."
"It was good though right?"
"Yeah, it was great. ONCE I GOT USED TO IT."
Yimou Zhang's new film, Shadow, is quite outstanding, but I've literally heard no one speak about it! Strange, considering Yimou has been nominated a couple of times, and though he has lagged for a few years recently, he has an incredible body of work (Raise the Red Lantern, To Live, Red Sorghum, Ju-Duo, House of Flying Daggers, Hero, Not One Less, etc).
Sorry for "Beauty and the Dogs". Totally, underestimated. Best Film of the year, IMHO.
Ishmael -- I SPOKE ABOUT IT. I love Shadow and I hope it's a success here when it opens next year.
Nathaniel - I totally agree. Everyone's reading all the time (and on tiny screens with tiny typefaces). I think the whole idea of subtitles being difficult or something "to get used to" is related to American culture at large. English speakers are discouraged from having to learn other languages, which are treated somehow as "less than" our globally dominant tongue. A film can be set somewhere else than America, but if it's not in English, it's automatically difficult. Like the story with your friend and "Crouching Tiger," people feel entitled to be warned that they might not feel comfortable right away!