Lost in translation (sorry to be so fucking obvious but i am no film fanatic). Nothing happens and it's absolutley brilliant! I'd watch a sequel.

fits this perfectly.

but i think the darjeeling ltd might fit what you're looking for

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0838221/

not seen any of these as i've only just started properly watching films. i spent years hating all films for some reason.

Dir: Mike Leigh

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
What was the question?

on paper it is hard to convince people, theres not much plot to it: boy gets botched sex change opperation to escape east germany, tours america with band, stalking the band of ex lover who jilted her and stole her songs. It is a really funny but sweet film that captures a feeling of yearning, being incomplete and dealing with bitterness. The songs are really great too here is a preview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2PQN0FPHNU

great film - 's like Shakespeare

kinda hard to find, but well worth it I think. Goes absolutely nowhere, contains almost zero plot, mostly moves like a documentary. In the best way possible.

ghost world
taxi driver

(see Top 5 Films thread)

There is no real storyline, just lots of isolated "illuminating" episodes loosely held together about an impoverished family in rural India. It was made by a guy called Satyajit Ray in the 1950s and has a beautiful score by Ravi Shankar. Its absolutely incredible and was a major influence on Kurosawa. Its heartbreaking/warming in equal measures and has cinematography that you just want to eat off the screen. Every time Im asked for a movie recommendation I suggest this.

It's set during the 60s/70s in Ireland and various parts of England, and brings in at some points the troubles between the two countries at the time. Anyway, it is a simple story of a transvestite looking for his real mother (he was adopted, ya see) and all the people he meets along the way.

It's funny, it's sad and it's full of great charachters. Cillian Murphy is brilliant in this.