290. The punishment room (1956)

Country: Japan Directed by Kon Ichikawa Absurdly ignored and unknown in the West but high respected inside the country, the Punishment room is the finest and more resistent against the time example of the first generation of Sun tribe movies that shook the morals of society of the era, expressing the nihilism and frustration of the youth (but also its sexuality and its need to escape from the traditional values) in post war Japan. Talking about cinema, Punishment room is one of the very few movies that paved significaly the way for the Japanese New Wave if not a part of it. It's amazing how modern the film looks and how few weaknesses, if any, it has, even with today's standards. A hidden gem but this is not surprising as the Ichikawa of the 50's gave to us many masterpieces

289. A river called Titas (1973)

Country: India/Bangladesh Directed by Ritwik Ghatak A film with major weaknesses regarding the plot, the rythm, the consistency of aesthetics, the acting etc, A river called Titas seems disoriented and disappointing at times, without real balance and gravity. A genius as Ghatak though, even if he is unable this time to wrap everything up successfully, couldnt let us with a mediocre film. Still give us many intense unforgetable moments, a rich cultural, historical and social canvas to think about and a haunting, visually stunning photography, "a breathtaking black and white" as some critic wrote that deserves a big screen to be fully appreciated

288. Women of the night (1948)

Country:Japan Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi Although not among the major works of Mizoguchi, Women of the night remains a movie that is not appreciated enough: very few know about it and even fewer mention it or include it in lists. It's a pity because, with all its weaknesses, the film still has many great moments and undeniable qualities. Raw, daring, full of emotion, depicts,from an almost feminist point of view, the heartbreaking position of countless young women in post war Japan, who were trying hard to survive in totaly inhuman conditions, with an unfiltered way that very few movies of the era managed to achieve

287. Manta ray (2018)

Country: Thailand Directed by Phuttiphong Aroonpheng A powerful, captivating movie that approaches with a humanistic and poetical way the refugee issues in general, Manta Ray ends up as the reflection of the guilty conscience of the Thai society for the crimes that were committed by the Thai state against the Rohingya people during the recent Rohingya refugee crisis. However, more than anything else, even if we take the film out of its political context, Manta Ray, inspired directly from the magical and mystic world of Apitchatpong Weerasethakul, is a visually stunning film, a small precious stone that shines in the bushes of a Thai jungle at night

286. 36 (2012)

Country: Thailand Directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit A film not for everyone, as its slow without much things going on,36,with its experimental form, minimal editing, internal pace and action that ignores all the standards of commercial cinema, is without doubt an important moment of the Thai "New Wave". A bittersweet film about time,memory,loss and feelings between people who are so close but at the same moment so far

"https://youtu.be/4sMJiQodf4Q"

285. Suk suk (2019)

 

Country: Hong Kong

Directed by Ray Yeung

Simple and real, Suk Suk is a tender film about the lives of closeted gay men at their 60's and 70's who are forced to keep hiding their true sexual identity and to content themselves with just fractions of happiness and intimacy in a society that not yet fully accepts anything different from the traditional gender roles. Without much drama, without to be very emotional, without a cheesy happy end, Ray Yeung presents beautifully a sober reality that is relevant not only in Hong Kong but pretty much everywhere on the planet involving millions of oppressed people

You can watch the full movie here: https://youtu.be/R420mU4aoDc

284. Downpour (1972)

 

Country: Iran

Directed by Bahram Beyzai

A totally unknown and unappreciated masterpiece of Iranian cinema, "Downpour" begins as a rather unimpressing and goofy typical story of the young idealistic teacher who goes to teach in a small city, an environment that it's hostile at first but then, you guess, it gonna embrace him etc. However, as the film progresses, you realize that it's much more than that: it's an almost devastating depiction of various social problems of the era, a bitter and emotional comment about the woman's position in that given society, an elegy about murdered dreams, a trip back and forth from hope to the total darkness. All of those though not as a simplistic social protest in your face but incorporated as hints to the plot, with a way that they hit the hardest, infused with poetical, surreal notes. A film that, seriously, they should teach in every film school