Asian Films

[signal]

We had a pretty good thread back on NeoGAF, so time for a renaissance.

Some stuff I've watched over the past couple of months. 任逍遥 / Unknown Pleasures, a 2002 Chinese film. Can't say I enjoyed it that much, but nothing too bad.


Another was 牯嶺街少年殺人事件 / A Brighter Summer Day, a 1991 Taiwanese film by Edward Yang. Honestly not that knowledgable about Asian cinema but I think this is pretty well known. It has a Criterion version at least! I enjoyed this one much more. A pretty simple film, and 4 hours long, but comforting to watch.

 

[signal]

Second post (so I can link a trailer) is for 陽光燦爛的日子 / In the Heat of the Sun, a Chinese film from 1994. Enjoyed this a lot as well. Mostly carefree / dreamlike atmosphere, and a cool ending.

 

[tabris]

The greatest Asian movie of all time. The one that Scorcesse finally won an Oscar by copying in The Departed (unfortunately in my opinion it didn't match the original's theme).

It turns into a trilogy but can be self contained. I thought the trilogy was fantastic as well.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Asian horror was better than American horror for some time years ago, but I kind of lost track and fell behind. I loved A Tale of Two Sisters, specifically.

 

[KillLaCam]

"A Touch of Sin" is pretty good. It's about 4 different people who driven to violent ends by the pressures of China's rapid modernization. A few of the characters were inspired by real events like the first Foxconn suicides. It was censored in China for a while for being too negative, but I like it.

Drug War.

It's a crime thriller directed by Johnnie To. Watch most of his movies lol.

 

[Messofanego]

"A Touch of Sin" is pretty good. It's about 4 different people who driven to violent ends by the pressures of China's rapid modernization. A few of the characters were inspired by real events like the first Foxconn suicides. It was censored in China for a while for being too negative, but I like it.

Drug War.

It's a crime thriller directed by Johnnie To. Watch most of his movies lol.

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A Touch Of Sin is brilliant. Worth watching just for the cinematography.

 

[Chairmanchuck (另一个我)]

One of Jackie Chans serious movies. Really enjoyed it:

Here the synopsis from Imdb:

A humble businessman with a buried past seeks justice when his daughter is killed in an act of terrorism. A cat-and-mouse conflict ensues with a government official, whose past may hold clues to the killers' identities.[/img]

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[Fubuki]

HK crime movie is always top notch. It is a shame our movie industrial is tainted by China's capital.

 

[Excuse me]

For me the asian cinema has been bit of a pill lately. Korea still produces good movies but at the same time everything feels stagnated. I just wait same directors drop their movies but there are very few new directors that actually do interesting work. I think last Korean movies I saw were A Taxi Driver and The Outlaws and while they vere good, they weren't all that special.

At least from Japan I have rediscovered Yoiji Yamada. I really like What a Wonderful Family! -series. Most certainly not for everybody but I can't get enough of them. Hopefully Yamada keeps cranking these up. Tokyo Family was also good, felt like protoversion of the series. I have been meaning to watch Kore-eda's Third Murder but haven't had the chanche yet.

One of Jackie Chans serious movies. Really enjoyed it:

Here the synopsis from Imdb:

Click to shrink...

I was bit dissapointed with this. I was expecting more action. But Brosnan was boss and it is nice to see Jackie do different type of roles in english movies.

 

[Lidl]

My problem with Asian movies is that they are either slow and boring (especially Japanese dramas) or over the top and simplistic, but not fun like old HK action movies.
I also came to hate that unnatural, uber expressive Japanese acting. Is that some sort of remnant of the kabuki theater? So annoying.

Maybe I should stop focusing on Japanese cinema. Thank you for the recommendations.

 

[Luvlaskan]

Just watched Anarchist from Colony which was really great. Very bittersweet with a lot of heart.

 

[Fubuki]

My problem with Asian movies is that they are either slow and boring (especially Japanese dramas) or over the top and simplistic, but not fun like old HK action movies.
I also came to hate that unnatural, uber expressive Japanese acting. Is that some sort of remnant of the kabuki theater? So annoying.

Maybe I should stop focusing on Japanese cinema. Thank you for the recommendations.

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Departures is still one of the best non-ghibli movie I have ever seen.

 

[signal]

My problem with Asian movies is that they are either slow and boring (especially Japanese dramas) or over the top and simplistic, but not fun like old HK action movies.
I also came to hate that unnatural, uber expressive Japanese acting. Is that some sort of remnant of the kabuki theater? So annoying.

Maybe I should stop focusing on Japanese cinema. Thank you for the recommendations.

Click to shrink...

Hopefully this thread gets some more 'obscure' recommendations. The neogaf thread definitely had some. Especially on western forums, it's probably easy for "asian film discussions" to be filled with derivative korean and japanese films. Let's hope some god of taiwanese cinema or something comes in the thread.

 

[Chairmanchuck (另一个我)]

I was bit dissapointed with this. I was expecting more action. But Brosnan was boss and is nice to see Jackie do different type of roles in english movies.

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I like Jackie far better in those roles than in his comedy roles in his movies lately.

Another one I really liked was You are the apple of my eye:

Taiwanese "coming of age" movie that a lot of people liked because it reminded them of their school time. It also spawned A LOT of copycat movies.

There was a Chinese movie I saw recently with my wife but I cant remember the name of it. Spoilertagging, since I spoil the ending:

Spoiler

First half of the movie was a pretty standard lovestory. Guy falls in love with girl, girl falls in love with guy. Then after the halfway point the girl gets a tumor in her brain, opted to do the operation, operation fails, she is a "vegetable", notices everything but cant move anything and asks her husband to kill her, what he did.

 

[Excuse me]

My problem with Asian movies is that they are either slow and boring (especially Japanese dramas) or over the top and simplistic, but not fun like old HK action movies.
I also came to hate that unnatural, uber expressive Japanese acting. Is that some sort of remnant of the kabuki theater? So annoying.

Maybe I should stop focusing on Japanese cinema. Thank you for the recommendations.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, Japan has really lost it. There are still some great directors around but overall out put from Japan has been lackluster these past two decades.

 

[Alice]

Yeah, Japan has really lost it. There are still some great directors around but overall out put from Japan has been lackluster these past two decades.

Click to shrink...

Japan still makes some goodies here and there, you just have to look much harder for them. Overall I still think Korea and Hong Kong are the absolute kings of Asian cinema.

 

[Fubuki]

Stephen Chow comedy is something I would recommend also

Kung Fu Hussle & Sholin Soccer

 

[Firemind]

Watched Wolf Warrior 2 last month or so. That was a film alright. Probably not even going to bother with The Mermaid anymore, even though I like most of Stephen Chow's works.

Also watched this Hong Kong-Chinese film, which was pretty decent if only for the food porn:

And this Hong Kong film:

The first one is tighter and more funny in my opinion, mainly because of Dongyu Zhou's performance, but the second one has a better story premise and setting invoking Hong Kong in the early 90's if you're into that sort of thing.

 

[CassCade]

My problem with Asian movies is that they are either slow and boring (especially Japanese dramas) or over the top and simplistic, but not fun like old HK action movies.
I also came to hate that unnatural, uber expressive Japanese acting. Is that some sort of remnant of the kabuki theater? So annoying.

Maybe I should stop focusing on Japanese cinema. Thank you for the recommendations.

Click to shrink...

I have never been a fan of Japanese cinema, I love south Korean cinema thou.

"A Touch of Sin" is pretty good. It's about 4 different people who driven to violent ends by the pressures of China's rapid modernization. A few of the characters were inspired by real events like the first Foxconn suicides. It was censored in China for a while for being too negative, but I like it.

Drug War.

It's a crime thriller directed by Johnnie To. Watch most of his movies lol.

Click to shrink...

A touch of sin was amazing, I also love Zhangke Jia's Mountain's May Depart and Still Life, one of them left me feeling down.

Johnnie To is amazing, Drug war, Exiled and Triad Election are his best pieces of work.

 

[fierrotlepou]

Going to watch this thread. Watched some great Asian films because of the thread on NeoGAF. Mostly Korean crime movies, which I think almost everyone has seen by now, but here goes:

The Man From Nowhere
A quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug-and-organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend.
– I really loved this movie and I think it was the first movie I saw because of the GAF thread. It's absolutely brutal and kinda badass.

Chaser
A disgraced ex-policeman who runs a small ring of prostitutes finds himself in a race against time when one of his women goes missing.
– Great film and just completely surprises you.

A Dirty Carnival
A small time thug collecting debts for the local triad is torn between his criminal aspirations and his devotion to family.
– Stunning cinematography, great crime movie.

New World
A melodrama revolving around an undercover cop who finds it difficult to play both a cop and a goon.
– This movie really surprised me. Great action scenes.

I Saw The Devil
A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.
– Absolutely fantastic (horror?) movie. Keeps you on the edge of your seat.

 

[Firemind]

Johnnie To is amazing, Drug war, Exiled and Triad Election are his best pieces of work.

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No The Mission? I think it's his best work.

 

[Excuse me]

Japan still makes some goodies here and there, you just have to look much harder for them. Overall I still think Korea and Hong Kong are the absolute kings of Asian cinema.

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Absolutely.

And I also should reconnect myself with both Chinese and Hong Kong cinema. I have been submerged with SK and JP far too long.

 

[Ratrat]

Yeah, Japan has really lost it. There are still some great directors around but overall out put from Japan has been lackluster these past two decades.

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Out of curiosity, how many Japanese movies have you seen in the past year?

 

[Messofanego]

My problem with Asian movies is that they are either slow and boring (especially Japanese dramas) or over the top and simplistic, but not fun like old HK action movies.
I also came to hate that unnatural, uber expressive Japanese acting. Is that some sort of remnant of the kabuki theater? So annoying.

Maybe I should stop focusing on Japanese cinema. Thank you for the recommendations.

Click to shrink...

Ever seen any Hirokazu Kore-eda films?

If not, would recommend Still Walking, Nobody Knows, Our Little Sister, and his latest, After The Storm (2016). Both Still Walking and After The Storm are on Amazon Video.

 

[signal]

Since it's still page 1 let's get babbys first Thai films out of the way (literally the only two Thai films I've seen iirc)

 

[Ratrat]

I should watch more Koreeda. I've only seen Like Father, Like Son and thought it was really good.

 

[CassCade]

No The Mission? I think it's his best work.

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I liked the mission. I think the shootout in the mall is one of the best shootouts in cinematic history but otherwise the movie was good not great just good.

 

[Excuse me]

Out of curiosity, how many Japanese movies have you seen in the past year?

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I haven't kept a list. But past two decades I have seen easily over hundred movies produced in 2000-2018. Past three years I have slowed down considerably and followed certain directors and watched some random movies that have sounded interesting.

 

[Grim]

The Man From Nowhere.

Old Boy.

The Vengeance Trilogy (Old Boy, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, Lady Vengeance)

Confessions (Japanese film)

I Saw The Devil

The Man From Nowhere

The Admiral: Roaring Currents

Bedevilled

No pics cause I'm at work, sorry.

 

[Excuse me]

I should watch more Koreeda. I've only seen Like Father, Like Son and thought it was really good.

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Koreeda is one of those directors that you can relay on making good movies. I have been procrastinating on his latest since I have heard murmurs that it isn't all that good. I did same with Three Sisters and absolutely loved it. I really should watch it.

 

[Hank Hill]

Probably my favorite asian movie.

 

[Nabs]

Devils on the Doorstep, it's a dark comedy starring Jiang Wen. He also directed, co-wrote and produced it. I loved it.

 

[Ratrat]

I haven't kept a list. But past two decades I have seen easily over hundred movies produced in 2000-2018. Past three years I have slowed down considerably and followed certain directors and watched some random movies that have sounded interesting.

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Right. The few times I've asked people this, turns out they've just stopped watching Japanese films. I don't necessarily disagree about the quality thing, I just want to know if its an informed opinion or just a feeling.

 

[MusclesAreGirly]

This is definitely my kind of thread. :D

 

[RyoonZ]

I love old HK film. I watched Ebola Syndrome when I was 4 at my grandma house, that shit desensitized me.

 

[Excuse me]

I love old HK film. I watched Ebola Syndrome when I was 4 at my grandma house, that shit desensitized me.

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I think I have seen this as well, I have hazy memory of brutal chopstick scene. Not 100% if it was the same movie but it was one of those gory HK films they used to produce by the hundreds at some point.

 

[CharlesAznable]

My problem with Asian movies is that they are either slow and boring (especially Japanese dramas) or over the top and simplistic, but not fun like old HK action movies.
I also came to hate that unnatural, uber expressive Japanese acting. Is that some sort of remnant of the kabuki theater? So annoying.

Maybe I should stop focusing on Japanese cinema. Thank you for the recommendations.

Click to shrink...

This is your issue right here. Modern Japanese cinema is pretty bad imo. SK is where it's at right now. Taiwan and HK are also really good for older stuff.

 

[Alice]

Can we also get some sources for the films? If something interests me I'll wanna watch it, and eventually get disappointed that there's no DVD release outside of its original language.

 

[luca]

Another one I really liked was You are the apple of my eye:

Taiwanese "coming of age" movie that a lot of people liked because it reminded them of their school time. It also spawned A LOT of copycat movies.

Click to shrink...

And this Hong Kong film:

The first one is tighter and more funny in my opinion, mainly because of Dongyu Zhou's performance, but the second one has a better story premise and setting invoking Hong Kong in the early 90's if you're into that sort of thing.

Click to shrink...

I would love to watch these two films, but where can these Asian films be found? Is it often importing DVD's or are they available on any digital platforms?

 

[cj_iwakura]

I vastly prefer Chungking Express to In The Mood For Love, very eclectic film.

Few other classics: Hard Boiled(that late 80s/early 90s Hong Kong + jazz, yum), Kung Fu Hustle(Chow at his finest, though The Mermaid is great too), Lone Wolf & Cub(it hits the ground running, I think the films peak at 3/4), Harakiri(the original), Twilight Samurai, etc.

They all have US releases, my library carried most if not all of them.

Local libraries are a godsend for import films, most can order from other libraries.

 

[Chairmanchuck (另一个我)]

I would love to watch these two films, but where can these Asian films be found? Is it often importing DVD's or are they available on any digital platforms?

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Seems for whatever reason You are the apple of my eye is only available on Japanese Netflix:

https://whatsnewonnetflix.com/japan/m/you-are-the-apple-of-my-eye-2011

Edit: Tencent made it available on Tencent Video for free:

https://v.qq.com/x/cover/tu0bpgju3a1xno6/9mCwfKJ6QJC.html

To watch the 720p version though you need to log in with a QQ or WeChat account.

Edit 2: The HK one too:

https://v.qq.com/x/cover/s0l4rucgmzfb3ju.html

Tencent is investing a lot to deliver those movies for free and thank god they dont actually have an IP check like Youku.

 

[Firemind]

I would love to watch these two films, but where can these Asian films be found? Is it often importing DVD's or are they available on any digital platforms?

Click to shrink...

Not sure about Netflix (I don't have Netflix), but Hong Kong films and Hong Kong versions of foreign Asian films offer English subtitles. I use YesAsia for importing Asian films (and music). Watch out for blurays though since they're region locked. Luckily, region A includes NA, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

 

[Chairmanchuck (另一个我)]

Not sure about Netflix (I don't have Netflix), but Hong Kong films and Hong Kong versions of foreign Asian films offer English subtitles. I use YesAsia for importing Asian films (and music). Watch out for blurays though since they're region locked.

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Both are available on Tencent Video for free.

 

[RyoonZ]

I hated You're the Apple of my Eye because the main guy look like typical bully in my school.

 

[Timbuktu]

Another was 牯嶺街少年殺人事件 / A Brighter Summer Day, a 1991 Taiwanese film by Edward Yang. Honestly not that knowledgable about Asian cinema but I think this is pretty well known. It has a Criterion version at least! I enjoyed this one much more. A pretty simple film, and 4 hours long, but comforting to watch.

Click to shrink...

It is really sad that Edward Yang passed away so young, I enjoyed all his films and Yi Yi in particular. In a way I think Koreeda has picked up where Yang left off. There is a great affinity between the two and I am glad we still get those kind of films.

Last year I did enjoy a few small films from Hong Kong that gave some hope that there will be a new generation of directors and potential for another new wave. These are namely, Chun Wong's Mad World 一念無明, Chan Chi-fat's baseball movie Weeds On Fire 點五步 and Trivosa 樹大招風.

Of the three I think Mad World is the most accomplished and I found it very affecting in a similar way that Ann Hui often did, with her Tin Shui Wai films for example, that focus on the stress and displacement of the ordinary working class people. I didn't expect such a good performance from Shawn Yue.

Weeds on Fire isn't as good as Taiwan's Kanu as a baseball movie, a bit melodramatic, but it was decent and I loved it since I used to play baseball in HK and never imagined a movie about this ever getting made.

Trivosa is a strange one, it is produced by Johnnie To and it felt like it could be a one of his off-beat crime dramas. I know people who loved it and others who hated it, but I thought it did what it set out to very well and reflects the mood I feel in HK. I still want a proper Johnnie To crime movie though, it's been a while since he made Election 1 and 2, a third one is long overdue.

I think these small movies is where HK cinema is at, the commercial scene as others said have been tainted by mainland market pressures and censorship. The old masters have somewhat moved on from Cantonese films.

 

[Firemind]

Both are available on Tencent Video for free.

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You sure they have English subtitles though?

 

[luca]

Seems for whatever reason You are the apple of my eye is only available on Japanese Netflix:

https://whatsnewonnetflix.com/japan/m/you-are-the-apple-of-my-eye-2011

Edit: Tencent made it available on Tencent Video for free:

https://v.qq.com/x/cover/tu0bpgju3a1xno6/9mCwfKJ6QJC.html

To watch the 720p version though you need to log in with a QQ or WeChat account.

Edit 2: The HK one too:

https://v.qq.com/x/cover/s0l4rucgmzfb3ju.html

Tencent is investing a lot to deliver those movies for free and thank god they dont actually have an IP check like Youku.

Click to shrink...

Hmm, I'm checking out that Tencent service, and it seems to stop very often to buffer the film I guess. It takes a long time to load, anything I should do about that? Should it just load for a while?
Also, I only see it with Asian subtitles, do they have English subs?

 

[Buckle]

Korean cinema is so goddamn good.

Don't know what it is but South Korea just has the magic touch.

 

[honest_ry]

Everybody has seen it, everybody loves it. But i got to post it again.

I honestly think its one of the best films ever made.

 

[Skiptastic]

Wong Kar-Wai films were my jam for a while. I haven't seen it in years, but Ashes of Time was my favorite movie of all time for a long while. I like it more than Chungking Express or In the Mood for Love, but both of those movies are great.

Also love The Killer and Hard Boiled for some nice John Woo gun action.