Global cinema hits you may have missed

One of the great things about streaming entertainment is the fact that it’s helped many of us movie fans gain the ability to watch a much greater range of films than back in the Dark Ages of the 20th century.

And it’s world cinema that’s really benefitted from this, as it’s now easier than ever to check out the exciting movies coming out of Scandinavia, the casino movie genre of 1980s Hong Kong, or even indulge in multi-story gangster violence from Indonesia. This is a look at some of the global cinema hits worth checking out

Scandinavia that’s really spoiled us with some great movies in the past ten years. Particular favourites include the 2014 drama Force Majeure which was darkly funny despite dealing with illustrating the plight of a father who seemingly betrays his family by deserting them in the midst of an avalanche.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkT5yzZrml8

And 2011’s magnificent Headhunters was an almost Tarantino-esque take on Nordic Noir with one of the finest toilet scenes in modern movie history. The movie, which was based on the Jo Nesbø novel, follows the fate of an art thief and was director Morten Tyldum’s previous film to the Oscar-winning The Imitation Game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f6f_kfp1Z8

But for intense action we must look further east, as the Indonesian movie The Raid managed to deliver one of the bloodiest and most entertaining gangster films in recent times. Featuring a cop who has to battle his way to the top of a tower block to take down a vicious crime lord, it’s gave us some iconic fight scenes and a sequel that was more wide-screen but no less violent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o6y0g8adho

Violence is something that movie makers in the Far East seem to do exceptionally well. And when director Wong Jing single-handedly pioneered the Chinese gambling movie genre with the hilarious and brutal God of Gamblers movie in 1989, it helped showcase the region’s love felt for intense poker games. This passion for gambling shows no sign of slowing down thanks to the online casino explosion that’s seen the likes of Betway offering anybody the chance to play mobile-friendly slot machine games, no matter what the location.

Such movies have clearly influenced the likes of maverick movie-makers like Quentin Tarantino, and the star director has repeatedly rated the 2000 Japanese film, Battle Royale, for its hugely-entertaining blend of Lord of the Flies-esque storylines and ultra-violence that’s a world away from the somewhat pompous Hunger Games franchise.

So whether you’re dealing with the emotional complexities of modern life in the latest Scandinavian movie hit or you’re finding the inspiration for your next online slots game via Wong Jing’s Chinese gambling epics, there’s plenty out there to keep even the most ardent movie fan entertained.