We've picked out a selection of our favourite foreign language movies in other languages and written a short review of each. They are all very different, but excellent viewing - and of course will motivate you to get the language advantage.

Spirited Away has been heralded as one of the must-see children's films of all time and is indeed captivating for adults and children alike. It is an animated film (that the Japanese seem to be so good at) with Chihiro, a 10-year old in the centre of the plot. She is moving with her family to a new house and on the way her father takes a detour and they end up going for a walk through a tunnel. What happens on the other side of the tunnel in this new world is the result of an amazing imagination. Chihiro has to give up a lot to survive, even her name. However, it can be a bit intense and edgy though - I watched it with my seven-year old and he covered his eyes at many points. To me, it is a cross between Monsters Inc and Harry Potter, without any comedy. If you look closely at the DVD cover you will get an idea of the types of characters you'll come across in the film.

On the DVD that we watched, it was a double DVD with the film in the Japanese language but it also had an English language version. If you are watching it with younger kids who don't speak Japanese, I would go for the English version first as I think the 'scare' factor is increased if they can't understand the words and are instead picking up on every nuance of the music soundtrack as they can't keep up with subtitles.

Winner of the 2003 Oscar for Best Animated Film and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. It has been the most successful film release ever in Japan.

The Director of the film is Hayao Miyazaki, who also directed Princess Mononoke. In Japanese with English subtitles. Some DVDs in English. Rated PG in the UK.

Cidade de Deus (City of God) is set in a slum in Rio de Janeiro where the lives of many characters sometimes intersect each other through drugs and gun warfare. It is a notoriously violent slum where even the police rarely go and the residents are lucky if they live beyond their childhood. Busca Pé (Rocket) is the narrator of the story, but he is also an example of hope for the other kids who live in the slums. He is too scared to be a hoodlum but also too clever to work in menial jobs. His interest in photography is what draws him back into the slums and records the violence and reality of life there, through the eye of the lens.

This is an entertaining yet powerful film showing real life in the favelas (shanty towns) in Rio de Janeiro. It's particularly shocking and hard to watch in places and even more disturbing to know that it is based on a true story. It shows clearly what life is like for the people and kids who have to live surrounded by drugs, guns and fear.

This film won several awards including a Bafta, a British Independent Film Award and nominations at both the 2004 Oscars and the 2003 Golden Globe Awards. It shows clearly what life is like in the shanty towns overshot with the music of samba, bossa nova and seventies funk.

The language is particularly difficult to understand even if you understand Portuguese as most of it is in 'favela' slang and Brazilian colloquialisms. It's compelling stuff and definitely worth watching. In Brazilian Portuguese with English subtitles. Rated 18 in the UK.

The film is set in ancient Japan; the story begins with a Curse God approaching a small village and destroying everything that gets in its way. Prince Ashitaka (Billy Crudup) rides out to stop the God and he succeeds in killing it. The God puts a curse on him, which will eventually kill him. The village wise woman tells Ashitaka that he must travel west and find the Forest Spirit who is his only hope for survival. The film portrays his trek to find the Forest Spirit and the encounters he finds along the way.

On his travels the Prince becomes friends with a monk (Billy Bob Thornton) and he comes to the edge of a forest where Lady Eboshi (Minnie Driver) has built a village with a large ironworks. With the creation of her village she has caused a lot of animals to die, leading to near extinction. The animal gods of the forest begin attacking humans who come too near to them and who pose a threat. This is where we meet Princess Mononoke (Claire Danes) who is fighting alongside the animals and will stop at nothing to kill Eboshi.

Princess Mononoke is a Disney film, but when watching it you would not think so. Yes, there is a prince and a princess and of course the moral of man vs. nature but that is as far as the traditional story tale from Disney goes. The film has violent images and a lot of bloodshed, but this helps to tell the story. The visual images of the film are fantastic and Miyazaki really is a genius when it comes to directing. If you enjoyed Spirited Away you will definitely enjoy Princess Mononoke.

Language is Japanese with English subtitles.

Akira is a Japanese animation. Directed and written by Katsuhiro Otomo, Akira begins on July 16 1988. What seems to be an atomic bomb is dropped on Tokyo completely destroying the city and beginning WW3. We are taken 31 years later to Neo-Tokyo (a city risen from the ruins of old Tokyo). The city is experiencing problems caused by biker gangs. Tetsuo, a member of a bike gang has a near accident with a young boy. The military capture both the young boy and Tetsuo. They discover that Tetsuo has a psychic ability.

Tetsuo is then used as a test subject to find Akira (the cause of the explosion that destroyed Tokyo in 1988). The military's plan to find Akira using Tetsuo backfires and Tetsuo becomes a medium for Akira. Tetsuo has incredible powers and begins to go on a rampage that leads to violent and bloody death, nearly destroys Neo Tokyo, and reveals Akira's secrets which have been buried for over 30 years.

Akira is a fantastic visual film. It verges on a little too much violence at times but this only adds to the impact of the film. Even though it is an animation Akira shows a scary future which is very real. The characters are so well thought out that you cannot help but feel for them even though they are animated. This film is a must although I would not recommend it for children as it is anything but a Disney film. It is very graphic and violent and there are brief scenes of nudity during the film.

A Japanese animation with English subtitles.

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, Solaris is a Russian film in which a psychologist, Donatis Banionis (Chris Kelvin) is sent to a Russian space station on a mysterious planet Solaris, to investigate trouble with the scientists who work there. This film is a favourite and it is easy to see why. All but three scientists on the planet have either gone insane and killed themselves or killed each other. As Donatis investigates what has happened to the scientists, his wife appears on the planet, which is impossible as she has committed suicide.

Donatis tries everything in his power to get rid of his dead wife but she always manages to come back unharmed. Consequently he discovers it is in fact the planet which is creating these images and manipulating people's memories as a way of communicating with them.

This film is fantastic, I loved every bit of it and the representation of the different relationships is superb especially between Donatis and his wife. I have yet to see the remake but if it is anywhere near as good as the original then it is a definite hit.

In Russian language with English subtitles.

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