Has Breathless been mentioned yet? That's one of my favorites. Le Samourai, Plein Soleil, La Piscine. I'm an Alain Delon fan. If you think Brad Pitt and Robert Redford are sexy, in the words of the most annoying Game of Thrones character, "You know nothing."
Also:
La Vie En Rose
Tell No One
A Very Long Engagement (very first French--possibly foreign genre in general--that I ever watched) The Intouchables (Omar Sy ) Sarah's Key A Christmas Tale (especially if you're in love with Mathieu Amalric as I am)
I love french films, I dig almost every Isabelle Huppert film, I'm also a big fan of Truffat and Godard,recently I saw "Love me if you dare" (Sorry, I can't remember the name in french) it's a nice comedy, I'd recommend it along with "Hors de prix". Rust and bone was pretty okay too.
Has anyone seen Diva? It's one of my first french films I fell in love with. I also like The Apartment, Hiroshima,mon amour , The Bridesmaid, Un coeur en hiver and many more.
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All that I desire to point out is the general principle that life imitates art far more than art imitates life. Oscar Wilde
I'll second La Reine Margot. My god, saw this back in the 90s and it's a film that haunts me still. It's brutal, raw, disturbing and tender. The urgency in this film is untouchable. Isabelle Adjani is amazing amazing amazing as Queen Margot-- just no words to describe her performance and her beauty. I would confuse her with Monica Bellucci all the time.
I know there's a cult around this film that praises it as a masterpiece, but I think La Samourai is extremely overrated. It may have worked for the time it came out in, but it's too simple with too many plot-contrivances/conveniences that just aren't acceptable to me for modern standards. Very strong and graphic art direction, though. Alan Delon, on the other hand, is deserving of all the praise he gets, and he is too beautiful for words, it's true, chickadee-- but I'm sure Ygritte will still us... we "know nothing..."
The first French film I saw was Subway (1985) & I found it wonderful cinematic experience that I remember to this day. French movies always leave me with a lasting emotion that runs the gauntlet from happy to sadness but not a shallow quick fix sentiment of a blockbuster.
Camille Claudel (1988)
Au revoir les enfants (1987)
My Father's Glory (1990)
My Mother's Castle (1990)
Jesus of Montreal (1989) Canadian but in French - does that count?
I recently saw Delicacy (2011) starring Audrey Tautou which was a perfectly titled "romantic dramady" about a young widow who finds new love in an unexpected place.
I also saw Hearbreaker not too long ago. That was just a lot of fun. It was sweet and silly.