Filmyzilla

The film world has always been filled with surprises. What do you think?

Films are not limited to just the art of making them alone, but it also includes all that surrounds it. There is a vast number of films that have captivated audiences and enthusiasts alike from around the globe, including unseen gems you would never find otherwise.

As the film industry becomes more saturated, with more and more titles being churned out every year, it's not easy to find these unique gems from below the clouds. With that said, they do exist and we have uncovered some of them here.

For the sake of simplicity we've placed them in 4 categories:

Top 10 Unseen Gems (those that are not readily accessible elsewhere); Top 10 Hidden Gems (recognizable titles that are not well known) and Underrated Gems (those that people may have overlooked because they may be harder to access).

Without further ado, let's begin! #10. The Birth of Tarkovsky A great filmmaker will always go down in history for his contributions to the art. And this is an absolute must have for the admirers of Tarkovsky. The film chronicles the early life of director Andrei Tarkovsky, as well as his inspirations and motivations for making movies. This one details some of his early work, including some shorts he directed and some experimental films that he made with his schoolmates. #9. Dalida A French film set in 1930s Egypt, Dalida tells a fascinating story of an entertainer who comes to Cairo and quickly becomes a radio singing sensation and movie star. The story follows her rise to stardom, her career highs, tragedies and personal life. Definitely a one of a kind experience for all those who love this era, as well as those who love French films. #8. The Belly of an Architect This film is based on the life of Frank Gehry, an American architect who is known for his wacky modern designs. The film chronicles his rookie years in Texas and how it affected his work, as well as his personal life. It also goes into details regarding his famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and some of the struggles he had to face with the people living around it. #7. More Funny Games This is an Austrian piece that was written by Michael Haneke and stars Tim Roth and Naomi Watts, among others. The movie is about a young couple who get lured into a remote vacation house in the woods by an unknown caller. They do not know that their lives are in danger until it's too late. It's a complex film with multiple plot lines at play and will certainly keep you on your toes. #6. The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser This is a German film based on the true story of Kaspar Hauser, who was abandoned as an infant, raised in total isolation and then appeared out of nowhere as a teenager, asking for his identity. It shows how this event affected the public and media as they tried to find answers for his odd behavior. It also includes some of his music compositions for one of his albums as well. #5. Music Box (Music Box-Kreuzstich) This is a German film that tells the story of a musician named Alex, who was supposed to be executed after being caught looting in World War II. However, he is pardoned and released to perform in front of the German people, who applaud him while they are tired of war. It's an interesting film that has some heavy themes, but it's also a decent piece as well. #4. Pi This is a film that was shot in black & white and is about a mathematician and his sudden interest in the stock market after reading about the value of pi. It's an interesting film and definitely one of the most unique films out there. #3. The Green Ray This is a French film that takes place all along the coast of France, including locations like Nice, Saint Tropez, Calais and many more. It tells a story about a group of people who are enjoying their summer vacations until some tragic events take place. The original title translates into "The Green Ray" - which refers to when you see that beautiful green ray in the sky just before sunset. #2. The Sixth Sense This is a film that will change the way you look at children, as well as movies in general. It tells the story of a child psychologist who helps a boy who can see ghosts. The movie's title refers to the "sixth sense" which helps us define our reality. #1. I Am Cuba This is a Russian film set during the Cold War that takes place in Cuba, but it mostly focuses on their people and how they live life to its full potential no matter what happens around them. It's an interesting movie and one that should be watched for all those interested in history and rarities from the past.

Top 10 Hidden Gems

#10. The Last Laugh (La Dernière Pluie) This is a French comedy film that takes place in the 1960s and involves several comedians as they form a band. It's an entertaining movie that you can watch on Netflix. #9. Lovers of Jerusalem (Les Amants du Jourdain) This film tells the story of a Jewish chef in Paris who falls in love with a Christian woman and wants to circumcise himself so that he could be accepted into her family as their son-in-law. The resulting film tells the story of their relationship and intermingling of cultures, as well as interfaith romance. It's a worthwhile watch for those who love romantic stories about relationships from different backgrounds. #8. The Tree (Le Père Noël est une Ordure) This is a French comedy film that follows the story of a man who gets fired from his job and decides to hide out in a giant tree outside his office. He has no idea that it will change his life forever and he will be stuck there for years. It's not your usual holiday film, but definitely one of the most entertaining ones out there. #7. The House (La Casa mia) This is an Italian movie about two sisters who leave their abusive husbands and venture into the world on their own. They are forced to get jobs and make lives for themselves instead of relying on their husbands for money. #6. L'Esclavage dans les Hautes-Seilles This is a French film that tells the story of a slave who escapes to become a smuggler and ends up in the French territory living in poverty. It also shows how current times are very different from those of the past as slavery is no longer a necessity for any culture. #5. Le Front de Libération de France This film is based on actual events that happen during World War II and features famous actors such as Jean Gabin, Gérard Philipe and others. The film follows its plot nicely, but one thing to remember is that there are actual photos of the events shown throughout this movie as well. #4. Free Men (Hommes libres) This is a French film that takes place during the 1990's and follows the lives of several people who are trying to redefine their lives after being released from prison. It shows how they attempt to make something out of their new lives, as well as trying to figure out what went wrong in their past lives that landed them in prison. #3. The Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel) This is a German film that tells the story about a high school teacher who falls in love with one of his students, but she only cares for him for his musical abilities. It's an interesting movie with some comedic elements. #2. The Human Condition III: Road to Eternity (Shin Kikaku) This is the third and final part of a series that takes place during World War II. It shows the lives of soldiers on their last mission before having to attempt to reach the Japanese mainland. #1. The Silence (Das Verschwinden) This is an Austrian film about a woman who goes to Venice and meets two men, one who is an American journalist and another who is her cousin. She ends up going back with her cousin, but he disappears with their luggage and she must find help from her journalist friend in order to get it back. It's a fun movie that will keep you engaged throughout.

Top 10 under-rated dramas

#10. The Light Shines Only There (Kiekebel) This is a German film from 1990 that takes place in Berlin when the wall was still up. It tells the story about three high school students and their lives in East Germany where they have no freedom to do what they want. It's a sad film, but it also has moments of comedy which makes it very interesting. #9. The Quiet American (The Quiet American) This is a British film that follows the actions of an American journalist who meets a young girl while he is reporting on the French war in Vietnam and falls in love with her just before she ends up getting killed by some Viet Cong soldiers. It's a drama film that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. #8. The Devil's Backbone (El Espiritu de la Colmena) This is a Spanish movie that takes place during the Spanish Civil War and follows the story of a boy who must cope with his father being killed and his mother institutionalized as he is sent to live with his new guardian, an orphanage. It's an interesting film for those who love history or are interested in learning about what happened during that time period. #7. Enemy at the Gates (Enemy at the Gates) This film is based on actual events that occur during World War II during the Battle of Stalingrad. It shows two soldiers who meet on the battlefield and begin to fight against each other in order to help their country, but once they get to know each other more they realize that it doesn't matter what country or side anyone is on, as long as all of them are willing to put their lives on the line for their country. It uses actual photographs from the battle and has great visual effects which make this movie worthwhile. #6. The Last Snows of Spring (Les derniers temps des Puissances) This film takes place in a small village in Ankara during World War II and follows the story about two brothers who are forced to move as a result from a flood that destroyed much of the village. It's an interesting film that showcases what life and times were like during the war, despite the fact that it takes place in a very small village. #5. The White Badge (La Croix rouge) This film is a French film that takes place during World War I and follows the story of a boy named Jean who is sent to France from Germany to look for his father. He ends up crossing paths with a woman and her son who help him find his father, but it's not until he sees how they are treated by other soldiers does he learn why they have white badges on their uniforms. #4. The American Friend (Der Amerikanische Freund) This is a German film from 1977 that follows the story about a woman who falls in love with a man who works for the CIA and follows him everywhere he goes without knowing his true intentions. It's an interesting film, but one thing to note is that it is considered by many to be one of the best films ever made by Wim Wender. #3. The Time to Live, the Time to Die (Yi nian hao wei ji) This film is based off of a novel called "The Death of Yin'e-Ji" and takes place in Manchuria during World War II. It follows the story of a man who is close to death and tries to make peace with his life, but he must do so before he finally passes on. It's an interesting movie for those that are interested in Chinese history, as well as a good film overall. #2. A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (Die Frau, die eine Pistole und ihr Hamburger) This is a German film from 1968 that focuses on two women who are being separated by their husbands during the difficult times of World War II. They manage to meet up while looking for scrap metal to sell and fall in love with each other. It's an interesting drama which is good to watch if you are interested in German history. #1. The Green Hours (Die Elemente) This French film is based on a novel of the same name and follows the story of a two young boys who must stay at his aunt's home when their family home is destroyed by a bomb during World War II. It's another interesting war film that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

How to be a better writer

#3. Learn how to write with your head - I experienced this first hand myself while going through the writing class that I've been doing over the past six months. The first time I wrote I did it by writing with my heart as I've always done, and it worked fine, but as the class progressed my writing became better and better the longer I went without doing so. It's something that all writers need to learn how to do in order to become better because if they can't make a connection with their work than they are going to have a lot of problems getting it out there.

#2. Work on your characters - This is something that is very important for authors to do because readers are interested in what happens next based on the characters and how they react in different situations. It's good for authors to realize this and put time into developing their characters so that their work is not only interesting, but worth reading more than once.

#1. Read a lot - This is something that a lot of authors forget to do because they are too busy writing, but it's important for them to do so because if they don't know what's out there than how will they be able to make sure that their work is good enough? Reading also allows you to discover different ways of writing and different styles so that you can make your own unique style of writing.

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