Good Japanese and Korean movies
- Thread starter bmwquay
- Start date
There are some great Japanese films out there but I will argue Korea makes superior stuff overall
Curious why restricting to just Japan / Korea though? Too many Chinese films or no interest in other Asian countries?
Just to throw a curve ball out there:
Last Life in the Universe (Pen-Ek Ratanaruang gets my vote as best director of all time if you want to watch some art / oddball films)
Curious why restricting to just Japan / Korea though? Too many Chinese films or no interest in other Asian countries?
Just to throw a curve ball out there:
Last Life in the Universe (Pen-Ek Ratanaruang gets my vote as best director of all time if you want to watch some art / oddball films)
I like the 7 Samurais Japanese movie. I didn't remember its title but it was very old movie. The movie was about the villagers asked the 7 Samurais to help protect their village and training the villagers to fight with the bandits from the raids of bandits who frequently raided the village, killed villagers and took many of women in the village with them to use as sexual slaves.
The villagers didn't have much to offer the 7 Samurais in return. So they offered "rice balls" to the 7 Samurais everyday in return of their protection. It's very classic and down-to-earth movie which I really like it a lot just by the virtues of the 7 Samurais to accept only the "rice balls" to provide the protection to the poor villagers. I think it's a real story in the old day in Japan perhaps in the Meiji Era or something.
The villagers didn't have much to offer the 7 Samurais in return. So they offered "rice balls" to the 7 Samurais everyday in return of their protection. It's very classic and down-to-earth movie which I really like it a lot just by the virtues of the 7 Samurais to accept only the "rice balls" to provide the protection to the poor villagers. I think it's a real story in the old day in Japan perhaps in the Meiji Era or something.
Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai":
[video]http://velangimovie.stream/movie/346/seven-samurai?platform=hootsuite[/video]
This is an entire category unto itself with no particular end in sight.
Directors are the best way to start:
China
~ Feng Xioagang
~ Zhang Yimou
~ Wong Kar Wai
~ Jia Zhangke
~ Ang Lee
~ John Woo
Korea
~ Park Chan Wook (brilliant, mad, poetic genius)
~ Kim Ki-duk
~ Lee Chang dong
~ Kim Jee-woon
Japan
~ Yasujirô Ozu
~ Hayao Miyazaki
~ Masaki Kobayashi
~ Akira Kurosawa (FILM 101!!!)
In particular, the Korean Film industry is going through a creative boom. A country of only 40 million people is creating films all demanded at Venice, Berlin and Cannes. Figures such as Jeon Do-Yeon, Son Ye-Jin and Byung-Hun Lee are credible, talented actors of the highest order.
Check out 'The Wailing' (Ridley Scott wants to do an English Language remake). 'Burning' (presently playing at TIFF) and 'The Villianess' (hold on to something).
Directors are the best way to start:
China
~ Feng Xioagang
~ Zhang Yimou
~ Wong Kar Wai
~ Jia Zhangke
~ Ang Lee
~ John Woo
Korea
~ Park Chan Wook (brilliant, mad, poetic genius)
~ Kim Ki-duk
~ Lee Chang dong
~ Kim Jee-woon
Japan
~ Yasujirô Ozu
~ Hayao Miyazaki
~ Masaki Kobayashi
~ Akira Kurosawa (FILM 101!!!)
In particular, the Korean Film industry is going through a creative boom. A country of only 40 million people is creating films all demanded at Venice, Berlin and Cannes. Figures such as Jeon Do-Yeon, Son Ye-Jin and Byung-Hun Lee are credible, talented actors of the highest order.
Check out 'The Wailing' (Ridley Scott wants to do an English Language remake). 'Burning' (presently playing at TIFF) and 'The Villianess' (hold on to something).
You can't go wrong with any Kurosawa film, particularly if Toshiro Mifune is in it. If you're a foodie, Jûzô Itami's Tampopo is a must see, and Joji Matsuoka's Midnight Diner is equally as entertaining.
If you are looking for something different, Chan-wook Park's Oldeuboi is a good choice (much better than the Spike Lee remake, IMHO). The hallway fight sequence is considered one of the best on film, and is worth a watch.
If you are looking for something different, Chan-wook Park's Oldeuboi is a good choice (much better than the Spike Lee remake, IMHO). The hallway fight sequence is considered one of the best on film, and is worth a watch.
I haven't watched any Japanese films beyond Kurasawa. As for Korean, I've only seen one but I get a big kick out of it: The Host.
The best Oriental film I've seen recently comes from Indonesia: The Raid - Redemption.
The best Oriental film I've seen recently comes from Indonesia: The Raid - Redemption.
