Everyone loves a good blockbuster, but there's a special place in cinephiles' hearts for arthouse films. These are movies, typically independent, that are made on a smaller budget and with a more intimate scope to appeal to a specific niche rather than to mainstream audiences. They are usually experimental and driven by the auteurial voice of the director at their helm, exploring difficult and even challenging yet intriguing subjects.

Throughout the world, many artistic voices from non-English-speaking countries have redefined what an arthouse movie can be. From poetic directors like Andrei Tarkovsky and his Stalker to Latin American icons like Alfonso Cuarón and his Y Tu Mamá También, there are plenty of foreign arthouse masterpieces that have stood the test of time. They're a window into different realities, a portal that takes audiences into a completely different way of making artistic cinema.

10 'Tokyo Story' (1953)

Directed by Yasujirō Ozu

The Japanese master filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu had one of the most distinctive voices the film industry has ever seen. Known for his naturalistic and slow-burning narratives about real human conflicts, filmed with some of the most inconspicuous cinematography one can find in Asian cinema, Ozu was one of the most influential auteurs to ever come out of Japan. His most popular film, arguably his best, is Tokyo Story, about an old couple visiting their children and grandchildren in the city, where they find that they may not be as welcome as they'd have liked.

Tokyo Story is one of the best and most influential movies of the '50s, telling a deeply moving story of gut-wrenching emotional power in a way so admirably understated that it makes it all the more of a tearjerker. It displays all of its director's greatest artistic skills in all their splendor, and though its slow pace and simple story may not be to general audiences' taste, it's a fantastic introduction to Ozu's style for those interested.

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9 'Y Tu Mamá También' (2001)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Mainstream cinema tends to be pretty afraid of sex-heavy and intimate films — so arthouse tends to be the perfect home for them. Alfonso Cuarón proved that with Y Tu Mamá También, one of the most beloved Mexican films by international audiences. It's about two teenage boys and an older woman who embark on a road trip that teaches them a thing or two about life, each other, and themselves.

On the surface, Y Tu Mamá También is sexy and jovial until it becomes emotionally devastating. Beneath that surface lies a powerful critique of Mexico's political and socioeconomic state at the time, which can be appreciated and enjoyed by audiences of any nationality. It's a tremendously potent film with three exceptional lead performances by Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, and Diego Luna, proving that there's nothing wrong with movies that aren't scared to get a little steamy, especially if sexuality is used to explore the character's psyche.

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8 'A Brighter Summer Day' (1991)

Directed by Edward Yang

The late Edward Yang was one of the greatest Taiwanese filmmakers of all time, and A Brighter Summer Day is arguably his best movie. One of the best arthouse epics of all time, this nearly 4-hour-long teen crime drama is based on a true story about a conflict between two youth gangs. The clash between the head of one of the gangs and a 14-year-old boy's girlfriend leads to a violent climax.

This powerful coming-of-age may be set in Taipei, but A Brighter Summer Day's themes are relatable to anyone who has ever experienced issues of identity and generational conflict. The runtime is certainly daunting for a film like this, but those willing to patiently watch how Yang's fascinating characters and story unfold will be treated to a timeless classic that will stay with them for a long time.

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7 'Come And See' (1985)

Directed by Elem Klímov

It may not exactly be a horror movie, but Come And See is perhaps the most horrifying arthouse film ever made. Set during WWII, it follows a young boy who finds a rifle and joins the Soviet resistance against German forces. Experiencing the horrors and atrocities of the war through the eyes of a child (particularly one played as impeccably as Aleksey Kravchenko plays his role) is a truly harrowing experience.

The way director Elem Klimov paints the Russian countryside as a violent and unpredictable hellscape is as admirable as it is devastating. As Flyora's soul is slowly twisted and corrupted as the war rages on, audiences are forced to sit through some of the most discomforting scenes they will ever watch. It may not be an easy experience, but Come And See is absolutely worth the effort for its sheer power and willingness to confront some of the darkest aspects of the human experience.

6 'The Holy Mountain' (1973)

Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky

Chilean-French filmmaker and artist Alejandro Jodorowsky is definitely an acquired taste, but his contributions to defining and redefining cinematic surrealism are undeniable. The Holy Mountain is the head-scratching work that's typically praised as his best. In its corrupt world fueled by greed and not governed by the typical rules of reality, a powerful alchemist leads a messianic figure and seven colorful characters to the Holy Mountain, where they will achieve enlightenment.

Bizarre, graphic, gorgeous, and transcendentally spiritual, The Holy Mountain is the work of a master in full control of his craft. The movie is pure and unrestrained arthouse goodness, unafraid of being controversial with its themes of religion and humankind's inherent corruption or with how it depicts them. Getting into Jodorowsky as a newcomer will always be a challenge, but one might as well start with his masterpiece.

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5 'Angel's Egg' (1985)

Directed by Mamoru Oshii