Interest and attention towards world cinema have greatly increased over the years, and it shouldn't be all that surprising. We live in a very connected, digital age where people have unprecedented access to films around the globe.RELATED: 10 Most Anticipated Foreign Films Coming In 2022With that being said, it's a little daunting to get into international films. There's a whole world of movies out there, literally: at the same time, there's no one specific way to get into the broader world of film. When it comes to foreign films, there are so many unique and talented voices there's practically a movie for everyone.

'Once Upon a Time in the West' (1968)

Once Upon a Time in the West

It's hard to think of another film that simultaneously condemns and elevates the myth of the Western than Once Upon a Time in the West. Italy's Sergio Leone, coming right off the heels of his Dollars Trilogy, used his experience from those movies to take the Western to new heights while simultaneously breaking it down.

Even though it was bankrolled by Paramount Pictures, Once up a Time... isn't your run-of-the-mill cowboy flick. It's a tangled tale of revenge, conspiracy, and American expansionism. Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson act opposite of each other as the evil enforcer Frank and the nameless gunslinger, "Harmonica," respectively. Their rivalry is electrifying, and it's all backed up by breathtaking shots of the Old West and an unforgettable score by Ennio Morricone.

'The Raid & The Raid 2: Berendal' (2011 & 2014)

The Raid 2

It may be cheating to include two films as one entry, but Gareth Evans' Indonesian martial arts classics are a packaged deal: you simply can't have one without the other. The Raid duology functions less as separate entities and more like two halves of a single, action-packed epic.

The Raid films follow the exploits of rookie Brimob cop Rama (Iko Uwais) as he braves the criminal underbelly of Jakarta. The first Raid film is fairly straightforward: it features Rama and a team of officers trying to take down a merciless kingpin who turned a high-rise apartment building into his personal castle. The film is held up by the amazing fight choreography of the Indonesian martial art, Pencak silat, as well as rock-solid performances and an unfolding plot. The Raid 2, taking place right where the first film leaves off, scales all these elements up with creative fight sequences, a new cast of well-written and rounded characters, and a deeper look into the criminal underworld. The Raid duology is thrilling as it is thoughtful.

'Dogtooth' (2009)

Dogtooth

Before Yorgos Lanthimos was collecting awards by the dozens with his film The Favorutie (2018), his breakthrough film came in the form of the psychological drama Dogtooth. Made on the relatively minuscule budget of €250,000 (roughly $345,000, in USD and adjusted for inflation) Dogtooth is a disturbing, darkly comic look at one of the most twisted family dynamics ever put to film.

The film focuses on a family that lives under the iron fist of their father (Christos Stergioglou). The father treats his children (Angeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Christos Passalis) like they're amoebas in a petri dish rather than living, autonomous beings. He's coerced his wife (Michelle Valley) into taking part in his "experiment" of keeping his children cut off from the outside world until they lose a "dogtooth" (their Canine tooth). The comedy of the film comes from the children having no understanding of societal norms and common knowledge, but things quickly go from being funny to being uncomfortable and disturbing. Dogtooth is not for everyone, but it's an unforgettable and unique film.

'Shin Godzilla' (2016)

Shin Godzilla
Image via TOHO

Godzilla has undergone a cultural resurgence in the last few years. From the larger-than-life live-action films from Legendary Pictures to a trilogy of computer-animated films with a futuristic, sci-fi angle distributed through Netflix, the King of the Monsters is back.

While these films have their place in the ever-growing franchise, Shin Godzilla occupies a niché position, being the polar opposite of these films in terms of tone, intent, and style. Directed by Shinji Higuchi and Hideki Anno of Neon Genesis Evangelion fame, the duo takes Godzilla back to his roots as an allegory for humanity's worst mistakes coming back to haunt them, being directly inspired by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The film takes a clinical approach to the Godzilla mythos, showing a grounded look at how exactly the Japanese government would handle an unprecedented disaster. The destruction that Godzilla creates is played for tragedy and horror rather than something to be reveled in. Shin Godzilla is an epic and sobering detour for the franchise.

'Aguirre, the Wrath of God' (1972)

Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Wener Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God is a scathing indictment of Spanish colonialism in the 16th century. The historical epic follows a small detachment of conquistadors as they venture into the Amazon jungle in search of El Dorado, but are instead confronted with starvation, violence, and their distorted psyches.

RELATED: Why Werner Herzog Hypnotized His Actors for 'Heart of Glass'

Klaus Kinski stars as the titular megalomaniac, Lope de Aguirre, the de facto leader of the detachment that drives them further into the jungle. Kiniski, despite his history of abuse and hostility on set, delivers a masterful performance as Aguirre, from his cold gazes to his deluded, grandiose speeches. His fellow conquistadors are at the mercy of his power trip: either they believe him and his fantasy, or are summarily executed. The film is expertly paced, running at a lean 94 minutes, and is shot on location in the Amazon rainforest, documentary style. The trials of the characters trudging through the jungle feel real because it is real. Aguirre is a bite-sized epic that serves as a character study and is philosophically, psychologically, and politically potent.

'Children of Men' (2006)

Theo and Kee walk amongst soldiers in 'Children of Men'

Alfonso Cuarón adapted Children of Men from the P.D. James novel of the same name and made a film that rings true to this day. The film seems to have predicted the growth of far-right authoritarianism and the displacement of marginalized groups around the globe over the past few years.

The film takes place in 2027 and paints a United Kingdom that has been upended by the sudden infertility of all humans 18 years prior. Disgruntled government worker Theo (Clive Owen) suddenly finds himself at the center of a huge breakthrough: an anti-government group has found the first pregnant woman in years, Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), and Theo has been tasked with getting her out of the country and to safety. Children of Men's biggest strength, aside from its writing, acting, direction, and cinematography, is its lived-in and textured, dystopic, world. Although the film is bleak, there is an underlying message of hope: we have to do everything we can so that future generations have it better than the ones before it.

'The Turin Horse' (2011)

The Turin Horse

The Turin Horse is the final film by Hungarian auteur Béla Tarr. The film details the monotonous and hard life of a farmer (János Derzsi), his daughter (Erika Bók), and their horse as they make meager living farming potatoes in a desolate, rural wasteland. The horse abruptly decides to stop working and eating, and things get worse from there.

The film lacks a traditional plot and instead places a great emphasis on its atmosphere and themes. The film is black-and-white and shot in 30 expertly choreographed takes. You're left to sink into the decaying, wind-scarred countryside and the tiny shack the family is isolated in. The cinematography turns the film into a living, ever-changing landscape painting by an old master. Thematically, in Tarr's words, the film is about the "heaviness of human existence" when you have very little to do or even live for. It's a film that wasn't made to please a crowd, but if you open yourself up to it, you'll find a film to treasure and meditate on for years to come.

'Rashomon' (1950)

Rashomon

If there's one thing Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon teaches viewers, truth is a nebulous thing that's hard to grasp. How else could you describe the wildly varying details of the crime at the center of this Heian-era thriller?

RELATED: 7 Best 'Macbeth' Adaptations, Ranked

These are the definitive facts of the case. A samurai (Masayuki Mori) and his wife (Machiko Kyō) journey into the wilderness. A notorious bandit (Toshiro Mifune) follows them. The husband is tied up, released, then killed and the wife is raped. A woodcutter (Takashi Shimura) reports the samurai's body to the authorities. Everything else, like who exactly murdered the samurai, and why, is subject to debate and contradiction. Between the three parties involved, each of them claims that they alone were the murderer for wholly different reasons. The film is less about the search for the truth itself and more about why people try to cover it up. Rashomon is a film you can keep coming back to and walk away with a different interpretation each time.

'Andrei Rublev' (1966)

Andri Rublev

Andrei Tarkovsky is a giant of Soviet cinema and it's a testament to his talent that his second movie is practically a masterpiece. Andrei Rublev is a historical drama that conveys the struggles of one of Russia's greatest artists, and the struggles of artists everywhere.

Andrei Rublev (portrayed by Anatoly Solonitsyn) was a Russian monk and iconographer in the 15th century: the film presents a fairly loose portrait of Rublev's life, but historical accuracy isn't the point of the film. It's to show how an artist copes with doubt, social upheaval, and political oppression. Rublev undergoes a lifelong, spiritual pilgrimage to discover his purpose in the universe, and it's not an easy journey. The scale of the film is truly breathtaking, jumping from quaint orthodox monasteries to grand medieval castles and townships all shot in crisp black-and-white. Andrei Rublev is a parable for all the artists of the world, for all time.

'Who Killed Captain Alex?' (2010)

Who Killed Capt Alex Still

If you were to look up a definition of a "diamond in the rough" in the dictionary, you would find a picture of Nabwana I.G.G. holding a copy of his breakthrough film, Who Killed Captain Alex? Who Killed Captain Alex is a no-budget action-comedy film out of Kampala, Uganda, that is not only a love letter to the martial arts and action films of the '80s but also based on Nabwana's personal experiences in the Ugandan Bush War.

Captain Alex (Kakule William) is the best commando in all of Uganda, and he's been tasked with cleaning up Kampala's streets by eliminating the nefarious Tiger Mafia and its evil mastermind, Richard (Sseruyna Ernest). Captain Alex is suddenly killed under mysterious circumstances, and it's up to his brother, Shaolin Monk Bruce U (Bukenya Charles), to avenge him and destroy the Tiger Mafia. The film is tongue in cheek, but as its behind-the-scenes prelude indicates, it's a labor of love on the part of Nabwana, his friends, and his community. The kung-fu and action sequences are exciting and fun, the acting is earnest, and the presence of VJ Emmie, a disembodied voice that humorously riffs over the film, is a welcome one. To quote VJ Emmie: when you watch Captain Alex, "Expect the unexpectable!"

NEXT: The 10 Best Criterion Collection Releases of 2021