The two Asian entries are acquired tastes. Stick around long enough, and you’ll be rewarded.

BLACK DOG (China) 

Stories about man and man’s best friend are dime a dozen, but there’s something uniquely whimsical about Guan Hu’s Black Dog, even though it’s hard to tell from the gloomy palettes. Set in the outskirts of the Gobi Desert, the tale follows ex-convict Lang (Eddie Peng) who befriends the rabid stray he’s ordered to dispatch. That, of course, happens after he’s bitten twice and contracts rabies symptoms in the process, to subtly comedic effect.

Along the way, the dog becomes a loyal companion, as Lang reintegrates himself with society and comes to terms with his unresolved family issues. Much as the story eventually takes absurd turns, it still manages to be a heartbreaker. And note that it didn’t even need to take the Old Yeller route to achieve that impact. Don’t worry, though: the actor ended up adopting the dog in real life.

A TRAVELER’S NEEDS (South Korea)

When the synopsis is already on the poster, who needs Google? This is French actress Isabelle Hupert‘s third team-up with South Korea’s Hong Sang-Soo, who’s reputed for his ultra-simple storytelling and near-lack of style. Here, Hupert plays a woman who teaches French regularly to an assortment of clients while chugging makgeolli on the side, though it’s never made clear why she’s stuck in Korea in the first place. Eavesdrop through her sessions and you’ll somehow gather why. There’s intrigue to spare, if you can sit through Hong’s snail-paced storytelling.