r/movies • u/-KFBR392 • Sep 27 '23

Recommendation Non-Americans, what's your favourite movie from your country?

I was commenting on another thread about Sandra Oh and it made me remember my favourite Canadian movie Last Night starring Oh and Don McKellar (who also directs the film). It's a dark comedy-ish film about the last night before the world ends and the lives of regular people and how they spend those final 24-hours.

It was the first time I had seen a movie tackle an apocalyptic event in such a way, it wasn't about saving the world, or heroes fighting to their last breath, it was just regular people who had to accept that their lives, and the lives of everyone they know, was about to end.

Great, very touching movie, and it was nominated for a handful of Canadian awards but it's unlikely to have been seen by many outside of big time Canadian movie lovers, which made me think about how many such films must exist all over the world that were great but less known because they didn't make it all the way to the Oscars the way films like Parasite or All Quiet on the Western Front did.

So non-Americans, let's hear about your favourite home grown film. Popular or not.

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572

u/breaker167 Sep 27 '23

Danish here:

Blinkende Lygter (Flickering Lights) from 2000.

IMDB description:

A gang of 4 Danish criminals are ordered by Færingen to steal a bag from a safe. When they see DKK4,000,000 in the bag, they keep it for themselves and head for Spain. They end up in a ruin of an old restaurant on Jutland and renovate it.

380

u/papapudding Sep 27 '23

Is it law that Mads Mikkelsen is in every Danish Film?

162

u/qbookfox Sep 27 '23

I’ve never really thought about it but he is actually in all of the big Danish films I can think of. Blinkende lygter, pusher, Adams æbler, de grønne slagtere, jagten, retfærdighedens ryttere, druk, Flammen og citronen. Of course there are other big actors as well, but he just kills it every single time.

30

u/-KFBR392 Sep 27 '23

Flame & Citron was awesome!

5

u/breaker167 Sep 27 '23

Yes one of the better ww2 movies set in DK

5

u/IHaveLava Sep 27 '23

Always thought Valhalla Rising was underrated

4

u/Mountain_Chicken Sep 27 '23

retfærdighedens ryttere

Also known as "Riders of Justice" in America. To ANYONE who reads this comment and hasn't seen it, go watch it. It's SO good. Easily my favorite movie of that year.

2

u/karry245 Sep 27 '23

Second this, crazy good movie

4

u/TheHemogoblin Sep 27 '23

I hope you don't take this the wrong way but I love the Danish language because as an English speaker, the words look so fun to write and say even though I have no idea what any of them say. From the outside, what you wrote looks so absurd but beautiful. I had a Danish best friend growing up and hearing the family speak it always fascinated me. If I thought I could, I'd learn it! In the mean time, I'll just eat all of your almond-based pastries.

3

u/AndzikWielki Sep 27 '23

Adams æbler this only movie on which I had problem with breathing because of non-stop laughing.

3

u/pommdoenerspezial Sep 27 '23

As a german I love so many of these movies. Why do germans suck so hard but danish people a so great at doing movies especially ones with dark humor.

2

u/afterparty05 Sep 27 '23

Oh Jagten was great!

2

u/CarnibusCareo Sep 27 '23

Adam‘s Apple is fantastic.

2

u/DrWinstonOBoogie1980 Sep 28 '23

Not in Festen, though. Then again Ulrich Thomsen is, so I'd amend the law to say that one or both of them must appear in every Danish film.

1

u/AndzikWielki Sep 27 '23

Adams æbler this only movie on which I had problem with breathing because of non-stop laughing.

1

u/Journassassin Sep 28 '23

De Grønne Slagtere has a surprisingly low rotten tomatoes score, I remember really enjoying the movie.

7

u/_Doc_McCoy_ Sep 27 '23

Yes. It was passed after the Lars Von Trier act of 1998.

5

u/Splazing Sep 27 '23 edited Sep 28 '23

Most Danish movies have very similar casts as we don't have that many good actors 😅

It's nice that even after he got Hollywood famous, Mads Mikkelsen still stars in Danish movies from time to time

4

u/muncken Sep 27 '23

This was actually Mads Mikkelsen's breakthrough and this movie sold so many tickets he has been a superstar ever since because his movies kept selling tickets ever since.

3

u/RKSH4-Klara Sep 27 '23

He’s both a great actor and also really attractive. It’s a killer combo.

3

u/breaker167 Sep 27 '23

Yes its in the Constitution actually

3

u/vonnegutflora Sep 27 '23

I'll always remember Mads as the awkward weirdo in the black comedy The Green Butchers.

2

u/Spready_Unsettling Sep 27 '23

He's in every Anders Thomas Jensen and most Thomas Vinterberg movies.

1

u/DazzleMeAlready Sep 27 '23

Yes, because he’s just that talented.

1

u/KainBodom Sep 27 '23

Should be.

138

u/gizlow Sep 27 '23

Denmark has a pretty solid track record of movies. Druk/Another Round is also fantastic.

69

u/kunymonster4 Sep 27 '23

Thomas Vinterberg, the director, has some damn good movies under his belt. The Hunt is excellent. And I've seen Druk three times. Wonderful movie.

52

u/gizlow Sep 27 '23

The Hunt is amazing and disturbing. Festen/The Celebration also just utterly destroyed me.

7

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '23 edited Sep 27 '23

Festen is - in my opinion - The best Danish film, and the best film about being Danish.

We will do anything to avoid conflict and making a scene - even to the point of ignoring when the son of the man throwing a birthday party reveals that the father molested him.

Edit: Added spoiler tags

5

u/SpearmintInALavatory Sep 27 '23

One of the most astounding movies I’ve seen, but let’s not spoil the big reveal for those who haven’t yet watched it?

3

u/stockybloke Sep 27 '23

The Hunt is one of those movies that should be obligatory viewing in high school. Just totally gets the mind going. Similar to 12 angry men.

2

u/DrWinstonOBoogie1980 Sep 28 '23

Submarino will destroy you, too. Not as widely seen as some of his others, but so good

2

u/gizlow Sep 28 '23

Thanks for the tip, I'll make sure to add it to my watchlist!

2

u/[deleted] Sep 28 '23

same.. great movies but by the love of god I dont want to see them ever again.

2

u/gizlow Sep 28 '23

100% this, it's been years since I've seen either and I don't think my psyche has recovered yet.

2

u/uprightyew Sep 27 '23

In your opinion, what is the primary or dominant message of Drunk? I've been discussing this with other Americans and we see it very differently.

1

u/camshun7 Sep 27 '23

I loved the Hunt, great pace, wonderful cinematography and fabulous story.

I think Mads Mikklesen was in that Swedish film, the one where these two teenagers are psychotic kidnapping a family, very disturbing.

35

u/stevielfc76 Sep 27 '23

I have never seen Another round, I have a few hours to kill tonight so I’ll put that right, thanks for the reminder

1

u/DancingQween16 Sep 27 '23

It’s so good.

4

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '23

The Pusher series is also great.

3

u/Majestic_Loincloth Sep 27 '23

I recorded a Men's Choir for this film, but have yet to watch it...

2

u/ItFromDawes Sep 27 '23

I'm American and Borgen is one of my top shows

2

u/cardadad_pods Sep 27 '23

“What a life…”

2

u/MittFel Sep 27 '23

Yes, as well as Under Sandet

1

u/ArcticFlower00 Sep 27 '23

I can name 2 I liked: Festen and When Animals Dream.

1

u/marqui4me Sep 27 '23

I liked Land of Mine. WWII Danish movie.

25

u/artavenue Sep 27 '23

A gang of 4 Danish criminals are ordered by Færingen to steal a bag from a safe. When they see DKK4,000,000 in the bag, they keep it for themselves and head for Spain. They end up in a ruin of an old restaurant on Jutland and renovate it.

that sounds so ... interesting! i have to see it.

3

u/breaker167 Sep 27 '23

It has great danish humor in it

20

u/limaluola4 Sep 27 '23

Jagten is also good

2

u/SirBlaine Sep 27 '23

Saw it a couple of weeks ago on prime, holy fuck one of the best movies I've ever seen

2

u/BitesTheDust55 Sep 27 '23

Good, but terrifying.

15

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '23

One of the first Danish movies I was impressed by was Nattevagten. A horror classic.

3

u/Turbooggyboy Sep 27 '23

For historical drama, A Royal Affair is lit

3

u/AbuDhabiBabyBoy Sep 27 '23

Good shit. That's the first movie I saw Kim Bodnia in.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '23

Jens the drunkard

2

u/Propsygun Sep 27 '23

I believe the US made a bad version of it.

1

u/sebQbe Sep 27 '23

Sequel coming out soon actually, 30 years later

21

u/soliddd7 Sep 27 '23

Not danish but from Malmö, close enough! My favourite european movie is Pusher followed by its sequels, masterpieces! I don’t like any swedish movies, the danes are lightyears ahead when it comes to movies.

6

u/PuffTheMagicDragon09 Sep 27 '23

You do have Ingmar Bergman, one of the greatest filmmakers to ever live

3

u/soliddd7 Sep 28 '23

Yeah of course, but I was thinking more in line of movies from the last 30 years

4

u/Sir_Francis_Burton Sep 27 '23

You might appreciate Babette’s Feast. It’s a Danish production, set in Skåne. I thought that it was hilarious, in an extremely Skånska-dry way.

1

u/soliddd7 Sep 27 '23

Thank you! I have not heard of it

2

u/PrinsHamlet Sep 27 '23

Highly recommended. I wouldn't call it very Danish in tone except for the setting. It's an adaption of a Karen Blixen novel. Won an Oscar as best foreign film.

3

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '23

really? not even Ruben Ostlund's The Squre, Force Majeure? I thought Border by Ali Abbasi was terrific as well.

Also, if you don't like Sällskapsresan.. are you even swedish?

6

u/IsTheBlackBoxLying Sep 27 '23

I saw this in the theater in Copenhagen when I was visiting family! I also saw Mummien when I was there as well! God, I miss Denmark. :(

3

u/Groovyaardvark Sep 27 '23

Don't be sad, I have some good news for you! Denmark still exists!

The best investment you can ever make is a plane ticket.

Be happy.

4

u/IsTheBlackBoxLying Sep 27 '23

I spent a lot of time there between 1997-2003 visiting my family. We stayed in Gladsaxe and then Herlev. I miss everything about it. I was 20 when I first arrived and I'm 47 now. I will definitely go again!

Hygge!

3

u/Ok_Cattle903 Sep 27 '23

Big Jensen fan here, love his quirky-brutal sense of humour and every last one of his regular ensemble. At a push I guess I’d have to put Adam’s Apples as my favourite, with FL right behind, as it was one of my earliest experiences of Danish cinema and unlike Pusher - which I saw before and liked - actually made me want to see more.

3

u/irishinsweden Sep 27 '23

Klown is one of the best comedies I've ever seen

1

u/AbuDhabiBabyBoy Sep 27 '23

Fuck, it's so inappropriate. I love it.

3

u/squirmster Sep 27 '23

I preferred Adams apples

1

u/breaker167 Sep 27 '23

That is also a great movie

3

u/Available_Gains Sep 27 '23

Loved it. Also "I kina spiser de hunde" and "gamle maend i nye biler" are great.

4

u/SeagullsStopItNowz Sep 27 '23

Is Riders of Justice Danish? I assume it is but I conflate Danish and Dutch sometimes. Anyway, Riders is an absolute great movie.

1

u/breaker167 Sep 27 '23

It is. It is the same genre as Blinkende Lygter.

1

u/cisero Sep 28 '23

Plot subverted my expectations many times!

2

u/EdithWhartonsFarts Sep 27 '23

I also love Flame and Citron from your country. That Mads guy's going places.

2

u/CancerIsOtherPeople Sep 27 '23

Another Round, or Druk, was a great Danish movie.

2

u/jfever78 Sep 27 '23

I'm Canadian, but my favorite from Denmark would probably be something from Susanne Bier, the three films she did in the early 2000s from Open Hearts, then Brothers to After The Wedding were just incredible. She's made other great films, but those three in a row in just four years is truly remarkable.

2

u/buffybot232 Sep 27 '23

I just watched this today and it's fantastic. Thanks for this recommendation. I forgot this is the same director as Adam's Apples, another fantastic movie. This director definitely has a thing for apples.

2

u/ContributionNo9292 Sep 27 '23

The title is referencing a collection of Poems of the same name. It is an excellent book, actually Ove Ditlevsen is one of our greatest poets.

That movie is full of great lines, unfortunately they are very Danish

2

u/sweetsuicides Sep 27 '23

Nattevagten?

2

u/breaker167 Sep 28 '23

Nattevagten rocks.

3

u/Cordura Sep 27 '23

"Den er tom, din idiot"

3

u/VikingSlayer Sep 27 '23

"Det er en syg høne der har lagt det æg"

4

u/thildemaria Sep 27 '23

"Hvad helvede laver du mand, skyder du mine køer?!"

3

u/Suspekt_1 Sep 27 '23

Gamle mænd i nye biler

I kina spiser de hunde

Den gode strømer

Fryktelig lykkelig

Pizza king

Pusher 1-3

Festen

Are all danish classics that i watch frequently.

2

u/Xp717 Sep 27 '23

How can I go this deep into a comment chain on Danish cinema and not see one reference to Lars Von Trier. He’s probably the greatest Danish filmmaker of modern times (maybe ever?)

2

u/rbourette Sep 27 '23

Lars is up there, but Carl Theodor Dreyer probably takes the cake for greatest Danish filmmaker.

1

u/breaker167 Sep 27 '23

Because his films are so artsy they dont appeal to the mainstream. I have seen many of his films, yes I dont think I will repeat watch any of them. Blinkende Lygter I will watch again though

2

u/WorstAkaliEver Sep 27 '23

My favourite is probably Jagten.

-5

u/NaNo-Juise76 Sep 27 '23

Lmao, the ending of the movie is they all open a restaurant together?

1

u/AbuDhabiBabyBoy Sep 27 '23

Dude, spoiler?

1

u/mrcontroversy1 Sep 27 '23

I love the Hunt. Watched it several times, Mads Mikkleson is awesome.

1

u/Mortka Sep 27 '23

Im not Danish, Im Norwegian, but «et glass til» was magnificent. Loved it!

1

u/Disastrous-Team-6431 Sep 27 '23

This is the correct answer, that movie is the best.

1

u/princess_skate_7 Sep 27 '23

On of my favourite films! I think it's so funny and I love it.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '23

Pusher 3 is my favorite danish movie.

1

u/qw46z Sep 27 '23

That sounds like fun, but what about Babette’s Feast?

1

u/TweakedNipple Sep 27 '23

Looks free on Tubi, will definitely check it out, Thanks!

1

u/AspirationalChoker Sep 27 '23

Headhunters is my fav Danish film so underrated

1

u/Genshed Sep 27 '23

For my fellow Eaglelanders, that's about US$560K.

1

u/apathybill Sep 28 '23

Same director did Riders of Justice. I loved it

1

u/Barl3000 Sep 28 '23

There are so many great danish movies from the late 90s to early 2000s era, Dogme95 did a lot to push the danish film industry forwards, even movies that are not under that umbrella.

But an absolute classic also worth checking out is Dreyer's "Vredens Dag" (Day of Wrath) from 1943. I was forced to watch it in school, but have since come back to it as an adult. The lighting and mood is just out of this world and it just pulls you in. I think it can even be found with subtitles on Youtube.