The Asian Film Thread

I've seen a couple of asian films lately:


Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean

A fairly unambitious Japanese remake of the classic Das Boot (with a paranomal twist!). Basicly a good score saved it from being a complete waste of time.

The Quiet Family

Another film heavily inspired by an old European film. In this case the hysterical Delikatessen. It's got good performances by Song Kang-ho and Choi Min-sik (among others) and an engaging (and very funny!) story. I can definitely recommend this one.

Koi no Mon

The best romantic comedy I've seen in ages. Definitely recommended. There's a good review of it on it's imdb page. So read that if you're interested.


Add to that a row of more-or-less low budget HK kung fu films, with names such as 18 Fatal Strikes, 46 Deadly Fists and Bruce Lee The Invincible (starring one of the countless Bruce Lee imitations that came along after his death). Great stuff for sleepless nights!

Originally Posted by evergreen

Oh yeah, and Crying Fist I saw a while back. Choi Min-Sik never disappoints.

I liked this film as well. My favorite Korean film of last year together with A Bittersweet Life.

Originally Posted by The GreyFox

I also want to check out Election, by Johnnie To.

I heard good things about it as well. In fact I haven't seen a single bad review of it, which suprises me since I didn't think it was anything to get particularly excited about. Felt like a very standard Johnny To film to me.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Sepharite

My Wife is a Gansta

Is this a ghetto version of My Wife is a Gangster or what? I liked that film a lot, as well as the sequel.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by sprouticus

Has anybody seen Park Chan-wook's first film, JSA (Joint Security Area)?

I've seen it. It's my personal favorite of the films I've seen by him as well as one of my favorite Korean films overall.


oh, and it was not really his first film

Originally Posted by Jan

Currently I'm most interested in Korean movies an dramas. Korea is currently the collest place on earth so can anyone advice on some good movies other then Oldboy and the obvious. ^^

I wonder which the obvious ones are!

Anyway, here is a gang of films I can recommend wholeheartedly:

JSA
On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate
...Ing
Reversal of Fortune
My Wife is a Gangster
My Sassy Girl
A Good Lawyers Wife
3-Iron
Barking Dogs Never Bite
Samaria
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
Bad Guy
Who's got the tape
Crying Fist
A Bittersweet Life
Malaton
Friend
The Quiet Family

Originally Posted by jouhou

People say Stephen Chow (Chow Sing Chi) movies are pretty funny.
I've only seen about 2-4 of his movies. It has stupid comedy but it's so funny.
Anyway, maybe someone can recomend some of his title since I haven't seen many.

Take your pick. If you like one you're likely to like them all, really.

Some of my personal favorites include Love on Delivery and Royal Tramp 1 and 2.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by of pom

Do any of you like older asian movies? Yasujiro Ozu stuff? "Tokyo boshoku" and "Tokyo monogatari" are pretty good movies; i have monogatari on here if someone wants and can't find or anything.

As far as Japanese cinema goes I generally prefer the films made in the black & white days (particularly when compared to the often bleak films made today). There is a veritable goldmine of great stuff to be found from this era if you look deep enough. And few have contributed to it as much as Yasujiro Ozu.

Originally Posted by of pom

What are some good "Kurosawa" films?

All of his films are good. There's simply no such thing as an Akira Kurosawa film not worth watching. Some of my personal favorites include:

Madadayo
Ran
Yume
Kagemusha
Sanjuro
Ikiru
Rashomon
No Regrets for My Youth
Drunken Angel

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?