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Hlynur was going to start this thread, but I'll just go ahead and get it going. Off the top of my head, I can think of the following important film movements:

- The Golden Age of Japanese Cinema (the 1950s)
- The Japanese New Wave (the 1960s)
- The Taiwan New Wave (the late 1980s to about 2000)

Also, of course, is the distinction between mainland China films, Hong Kong films, and Taiwan films. Older films and contemporary films from the entire region should be discussed.

And finally, for those who aren't well versed in these films, please view the thread, ask questions, and so on, as some of the most famous films ever made came from Asia. The Asian film canon is rich and diverse.

The first thing one must do is disabuse themselves of the idea that Asian cinema is solely the domain of samurais, kung fu masters and crime thrillers. With that said, where to start? Well, if you're a newbie, like Phinnaeus Gage, Kyle91, or faiza1990, and looking to expand your cinematic knowledge, a good place to start is modern Hong Kong cinema. And a good film to begin with is Wong Kar-Wai's Chungking Express: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjd7PFf_TFw

Well, I enjoyed 2046 a lot. So I'll put that one on the list!

But I strongly urge people to see Zhang Yimou's The Road Home. Very human, yet a work of transcendent beauty.

The wayward cloud.

Wong Kar-Wai's 2046 is a masterpiece of love and longing, no doubt about it. For neophytes, I'd recommend starting with his Chungking Express, and then progressing into his more cerebral works, those of course being his trilogy Days of Being Wild, In the Mood for Love, and 2046.

Some people can't digest 2046. Others call it one of their favorite films of all time. I'm definitely the latter. Best to watch all three films in random order, and then repeat, in random order, and then again.

Flagel8, what are some of your favorite moments, shots, scenes from 2046?

That one's on my want to watch list. I haven't yet had a chance to explore the works of Tsai Ming-liang yet. Oh, but I want to!

- What Time is it There?
- Goodbye, Dragon Inn
- The Wayward Cloud
- The Hole
- Vive L'Amour

My suggestions:
Shichinin No Samurai ( unfortunately a remake is in progress scheduled for 2014, so go and see this now if you haven't already)
Rashomon
and of course Mononoke Hime  :-*

Are Rashomon and Seven Samurai your favorite Kurosawa films? Which Kurosawa films have you seen? My favorites are actually Red Beard, Seven Samurai, No Regrets for our Youth, and the The Idiot. Have you watched any films from the other masters of Japan's golden age - i.e. Ozu, Naruse, Mizoguchi, Kobayashi, or Kinoshita?

Sorry, not one of my favorite films. I enjoyed it, but was initially drawn in by the Science Fictional elements. So I enjoyed it for the visuals. The sense of place, style, and especially time. I actually found it a bit cold, though. Are the characters in his other films easier to empathize with?



Miyazaki-sama! The opening sequence of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is masterful, one of the best I've ever seen. The beauty of the cave in which she first sees the Ohmu's molted (?) shell is hypnotic. And of course, the flying scenes.

Oh, oh - Woman in the Dunes.

By the way, my criterion for a good movie is simple: being memorable. Leaves that feeling behind that persists throughout years.

A Teshigahara/Abe/Takemitsu collaboration from the Japanese New Wave. An existential exploration of identity. Have you seen Teshigahara's The Face of Another? I rank it even slightly higher than Woman in the Dunes, and that's saying a lot. It's pretty much in my top 20. The Face of Another is probably the second greatest science fiction film of all time, if you so choose to qualify it as science fiction.

Well, you just said you enjoyed it a lot. Is that the only Wong Kar-Wai film you've seen? There's a saying: "The more you put into a Wong Kar-Wai film, the more you get out of it." No way around it. 2046 is a masterpiece of allegory, stories within stories, an exploration of unrequited love and longing. And Zhang Ziyi's performance is nothing short of stunning. As one reviewer said: "She expresses bottomless agony with a single teardrop."

So much is being said in this wordless scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRfPF3tLIGQ

Yeah, but I enjoy a lot of stuff, some of which I acknowledge is not of the highest quality, for whatever unfathomable reasons. Guilty pleasures, if you will. I can tell that the film is of high quality, but it didn't move me.

And it  IS the only Wong Kar-Wai film I have seen, and Zhang Ziyi's character is the one I most liked in that film. But in The Road Home, I LOVED her character, both young and old, such is the power of her performance.

Well, consider:

1. I assume you've watched the film only once.
2. You haven't seen the other two films, which play a role in appreciating 2046.
3. You had expectations of a science fiction film, so you weren't getting exactly what you expected.

The film is layered. Mr. Chow is portrayed as he is, due to prior events. And in fact, there is a point where he realizes why things are the way they are. The other women, played by Faye Wong, Gong Li, Carina Lau, and Zhang Ziyi, all have their stories, and one can relate to them.

Here's a key: consider the moments of reflection the characters play as they ponder things on the hotel rooftop. Those are important moments.

flagel8,

This seven minute clip is monumentally important to the film, and stunningly beautiful, from beginning to end. Its combination of music, revelation to the main character, and final goodbye to Faye Wong's character, are just stunning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rg1QB_h6mY

And the whole damn movie is like that, it seems. Just a breathtakingly gorgeous confluence of emotion, realization, and heartbreak.

All three points are correct! I saw this at a dinner party about 10 years ago. A friend who was notoriously secretive, so secretive that none of us knew where he lived suggested that we have a picnic. I was in the car following his car. He stopped by a park, and got out, telling us to wait right there, and walked into the park. We were mystified. He drove off, and we wondered just what the hell was going on. Ten minutes later he came running out of the park, hopped in the car, and said," Drive."

He guided us to a nondescript bungalow on the other side of the park and said, "Let's have the picnic here. In my house." We were flummoxed. So we had the picnic in his living room, and watched a bootleg copy of the as yet unreleased 2046. I really enjoyed it, but maybe it wasn't exactly the movie that was so enjoyable!

You do realize that you might not have watched the correct cut of 2046? Wong Kar-Wai's films go through a development stage during release. Ten years ago was at the time of release.

You seriously need to rethink your take on the film. And the clip I just shared with you? I could go through some key points on it. But first, you should agree to watch it all the way through. Some points:

1. It's Christmas Eve.
2. He takes Wang out to dinner. He is in love with her.
3. Wang is in love with a Japanese man.
4. Wang says some things during dinner which are kind of rude and heartbreaking to him.
5. He offers a means for her to call her boyfriend.
6. He realizes how good he feels for doing this.
7. At 4:04, his eyes look downward, wistfully, and reflects.
8. He's going to tell you the conclusions he has come to.
9. That is a culmination of his prior failed relationships, and the big one, from the earlier film.
10. We see the character from the story he's writing walk away in the train.
11. That character is actually the Japanese Man Wang loves in real life.
12. That character has been rejected by the android in the story Mr. Chow is writing.
13. The android represents Wang
14. The Japanese Man in the story represents Mr. Chow.
15. So the character, and Mr. Chow simultaneously have a revelation.
16. And on the hotel rooftop, we see a still photo of Mr. Chow.
17. This is akin to a nostalgic moment.
18. We see the android look wistfully out the window of the train.
19. She's longing for the man she loves, which in the story is someone else.
20. But in real life, it's analogous to Wang's longing for the Japanese man.
21. And the opera music plays.
22. Wang's father is the fan of opera music, and so the opera music is like Wang's theme.
23. Other characters have different themes for music.
24. And so Mr. Chow reveals to himself that love is all a matter of timing.
25. Wang turns towards the camera, and it's her effective goodbye.
26. This final scene is an echo of Rebecca Pan's goodbye in Days of Being Wild.

Oh, and Mr. Chow mentions (on Christmas Eve) that the sections 1224 and 1225 on the train lack heating, and are very cold. And that is symbolic of the coldness he feels on this Christmas Eve, being alone.

Finally, watching a bootleg copy of 2046, probably with botched subtitles, possibly not Wong Kar-Wai's final cut, with a bunch of guys is not the proper way to watch a Wong Kar-Wai film, ever. You watch it alone, or with a girlfriend who appreciates that kind of film.

Hey! There were girls there! One of them drove his car to the house! LOL, what kind of geek do you think I am! Heh!

Anyway, I'll put it on the list, since your OTHER picks seem likely to be good!

But after these!

Hark hsu plus Jet Lee's films, very strong Chinese tranditional flavors.

Still, the more people involved, the better chance one single person is not attuned to the film, and that draws focus away. Not a good thing. Wong Kar-Wai films need focus. And it's not just my OTHER picks that are good. 2046 is the movie. Unless you just want to watch action flicks.

Of course. Hideko Takamine and Setsuko Hara, respectively.

And watch Hiroshi Teshigahara's Woman in the Dunes and The Face of Another for avant-garde explorations of identity. And watch Masahiro Shinoda's Pale Flower, With Beauty and Sorrow, and The Petrified Forest for nihilistic themes. And don't miss out on Masaki Kobayashi's The Human Condition. And Nagisa Oshima's Cruel Story of Youth. And Imamura's Pigs and Battleships. Want more Naruse? Watch Hideko Takamine in Yearning and Floating Clouds. And don't miss out on Keisuke Kinoshita's Twenty-four Eyes for a brilliant performance from Takamine. And absolutely, you need to see Kenji Mizoguchi's three masterpieces starring Kinuyo Tanaka: The Life of Oharu, Ugetsu, and Sansho the Bailiff.

Yes, tomorrow! LOL!



Well, I really liked House of Flying Daggers. OK, I really liked Zhang Ziyi in House of Flying Daggers.

I actually have a copy of Woman in the Dunes, but haven't watched it yet. The syndrome again. I've read the book though.

The book. The book by Kobo Abe. They made movies. That is, novelist Kobo Abe, composer Toru Takemitsu and artist/director Hiroshi Teshigahara. They didn't just stick to their roles. They collaborated and made four movies. Incredible stuff.

hey first ascent, i finally sobered up  :P
so yea where to begin.
relating wong kar-wai's movies i have perhaps a quite stupid question. some years ago i talked with a fully-hearted cineast about in the mood for love and 2046.
i can't remember everything he said at that time, but he saw a heavy connection between the different characters of these movies. His analysis was that both movies represent a connected story just in different timezones. He even had the opinion that in several key scenes the arrangement in 2046 expresses a continuation of those in "in the mood for love" and it shines through as kind of "pale memory" during the whole movie.
can you confirm this? I've seen these two with a pause of several years inbetween so I was not sure if he was right about it.
well, it seems I have to do a double feature next weekend  ;D

I've always been blown away by Park-Chan Wook's films. Even his English-language film Stoker is stunningly beautiful.

:) i just was about to start...

besides the trilogy of kar-wai i have to add southkorean director Park Chan-Wook's "Trilogy of Revenge" here. (I don't know if he belongs to a certain movement or if he's just a "one-man driven innovation").


The first movie is "Sympathy for Mr Vengeance".
http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTkwMTk1NDMzOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTA2NDIzMQ@@._V1_SY317_CR2,0,214,317_.jpg
plot: A recently laid off factory worker kidnaps his former boss' daughter, hoping to use the ransom money to pay for his sister's kidney transplant.

Perhaps caused by the low budget Chan-Wook couldn't completely unfold this story in the spectular way like the other two. But you already get a good impression how he really cares about every character in a story and knows how to arrange them. Unfortunately it flopped quite hard and Chan-Wook was forced to make a commercial movie (he even admitted this in an interview) to get his following projects financed.
This movie is "JSA" or "Joint security area". Even though it is apparently oriented towards the common taste it has an interesting plot that shows the life of two soldiers securing the border between north and southkorea.

After the commercial success the next movie was funded and ready to be made.
"Oldboy"
http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTI3NTQyMzU5M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTM2MjgyMQ@@._V1_SY317_CR0,0,214,317_.jpg
plot: A guy named Oh Dae-Su  is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years in one room and is finally released just with the purpose to find his captor with in 5 days.
This time Chan-Wook shows all his craftmanship. The arrangement of scenes, used colours, lighting, camera angles and good acting makes this movie a piece of art.
In combination with the strong classical soundtrack I even started to prefer the term "opera" instead of "movie" when speaking of it.

Th conclusion of the trilogy is build with
"Lady Vengeance"
http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTM3MzUxODIxMF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDMyODczMQ@@._V1_SY317_CR1,0,214,317_.jpg
plot:After thirteen and half years in prison for kidnapping and murdering the boy Park Won-mo, Geum-ja Lee is released and tries to fix her life. (a bit vague but i don't want to spoil it)
This is one of a handful of movies in my life that really provoked controverse feelings inside me after watching. It changed my whole theory of how I dealt with the feeling of revenge and justice before and if a human being should or could weigh them up against each other. The classical soundtrack again harmonizes perfectly with the opera-like style of the scenes.
sidenote: In the asian release Chan-Wook added the subtle effect of all colours slowly fading away over time until the whole picture is black and white in the end to support drive of the story. Concerned producers removed this effect for the release in western cinema.

I have to add that all three movies include several really violent scenes (especially oldboy). That's perhaps another reason why his movies weren't very successful in the west but just in the fanbase for asian movies.
In an interview Chan-Wook put this into perspective with the argument that every expression of violence and death has an important meaning and strongly is related to the character who executes it in his movies,
while he criticized that in western movies hundreds of anonymous background actors are murdered just for entertainment and the viewer is ok with it because he isn't emotionally connected at all.
I also have to add that scenes with sex or violence can be much more drastic in asian movies in general because asian audience handles it in a completely other way. (a good example is the fighting scene in KillBill with the bride and the crazy 88. This scene was presented in full colour in asian cinemas, while the western version was changed to black and white because the common audience can't handle the red colour of so much blood in the west)

After the trilogy Chan-Wook oriented towards new innovative and experimental approaches. He directed the already mentioned "Stoker" or "I'm a cyborg, but that's ok".
I can't wait for more movies from this guy, because at a certain point of sucess a director can show and express the true quality of his art without any restrictions by producers.

The main character in both movies is Mr. Chow. He found the perfect love in In the Mood for Love, but lost it. In 2046, he always measures his current love affair against that one, and finds it doesn't measure up. But 2046 is a meditation on that, but also stuff from Days of Being Wild as well, and a summary of the themes explored in the other two.

2046 touches on how memory often interferes with our ability to enjoy the present, and how love is a matter of timing, unrequited love, and failing to recognize what you have. Lulu continues to long for her deceased boyfriend, Bai Ling can't get over Mr. Chow, Wang Jing-wen longs for her Japanese boyfriend, and Su Li-zhen seems to be a bit of an enigma, both as interlude to represent memories, as a means to revive Mr. Chow's memories of the other Su Li-zhen, and as a way for Mr. Chow to better understand himself. The android, as played by Wang Jing-wen, represents the real Wang Jing-wen, and the man on the train represents Mr. Chow, but Chow has him played by the Japanese man Wang Jing-wen loves in real life.

Then there is the Chinese proverb about hiding a secret inside a hole in a tree, which was actually enacted by Mr. Chow in In the Mood for Love, and in 2046, it is explored by the man on the train as he tries to understand where the android's love lies, which, in a sense, is what Mr. Chow is trying to do with regard to Wang Jing-wen.

....
wow, beautifully summarized here, but I really neet to watch the movies again in a row to get that context.
(I just realized I can't even remember most of the character names after such a long time  :-\)
 

And you'll want to watch Days of Being Wild as well.

Hlynur,

So as I understand it, you haven't watched any films from Japan's golden era of cinema nor the Japanese New Wave?

has anyone here seen "i'm a cyborg, but that's ok"?

definitely not a master piece, but it has some merit.

great thread, btw. my public library list of holds is growing...

Have you watched any films from Yasujiro Ozu, Mikio Naruse, or Kenji Mizoguchi? If so, which ones?

nope, sorry if i kind of misguided you there :-[
as i mentioned in pm i striped rather chaotically through world of asian movies without analyzing the several movements.
The oldest one I remember was Kurosawa's "Rashomon", was directed in the 50s if i recall correctly, would belong to the golden era then.
My overall problem is that I've watched a lot of movies (really a lot!!! lost overview at some point) for more than 15 years from all eras and countries,
and since the last 3-4 years I try to rewatch and get more backround info for a better overview and substantial knowledge.

 

Well, have you watched Ozu, Naruse, or Mizoguchi?

And from the Japanese New Wave, have you watched Yoshida, Imamura, Shinoda, Oshima, Teshigahara, Masumura, or Kurahara?

I really want to see Shûji Terayama's Pastoral: To Die in the Country. It's a little bit avant-garde.

Here's a fan made "Three Reasons for Criterion Consideration" montage of the film: https://vimeo.com/30090257

...now i really feel embarassed,  :-[

just scrolled through the different filmographies. I recognized only 3-4 familiar titles.
Compared to your knowledge about this subject I admit I haven't even scratched the surface neither do I feel capable of discussing them well-founded.
But I'm eager to your recommendations in the future.
For this weekend I plan to dive into some of Ozu's movies.
I just realized that one of my favourite german directors Wim Wenders made a documentary about Ozu being his antetype.
It's called "Tokyo-Ga" and seems like a good approach to get started.

Yes. Wim Wenders loves Ozu. Start with Late Spring. It takes about two Ozu films to get into his rhythm, and then something magical happens. I recommend Early Summer or Tokyo Twilight as your second Ozu.

Tokyo Story is the one you'll hear the most about, but it's a little different from his favorite theme that he normally explores. Also, it's considered to be a very important film, but that's a slightly different thing.

Start with Late Spring. It's also a very important film in its own right.

thanks for the recommendations.
i see you now as my future mentor for asian cinema.  :D
please be patient, looks like there's a lot to catch up with.
In exchange I can provide you with much background info if you're interested in european directors and movements, eg dogma-style from scandinavia (founded by Lars von Trier).
As mentioned in pm I'm engaged right now with russian director Andrei Tarkovsky and his theories about cinema, I will put that project on the sideline for some time.

Ichi the Killer is a great Japanese movie :D

Infernal Affairs Part 1 - 3 - Very good film
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infernal_Affairs

Fighter In The Wind - A true story of a martial art legend
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416499/

I will list some more later.

I've seen Infernal Affairs (1). Are you familiar with Tony Leung in his most famous roles - notably in Wong Kar-Wai films? Also, he was in Ang Lee's Lust, Caution, which I really want to see, and Tran Anh Hung's Cyclo, which I really want to see.

I earnestly encourage you to follow this thread at a deep level. Unless you're a serious Asian film cinephile, there's whole worlds in here that you might not know about. Then again, maybe you do, I don't know.

Feel free to start a European Cinema thread. I have two Lars von Trier movies sitting on deck, and I desperately want to see Tarkovsky's work, especially The Mirror. I have his book Sculpting in Time.

Please stick with this thread. So much more to touch on. Ozu alone deserves much more discussion and analysis.

I actually met Tony Leung in person, once when I was a little kid. He just started to get famous. Most of Tony Leung's film is quite good. Have you seen his newest film? The Grandmaster http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1462900/. Ziyi Zhang is also in it, too.

I have not seen Wong Kar-Wai's latest, but I definitely want to. I'm torn, because the American cut is in the theaters, yet the Chinese cut is the one that most reflects Wong Kar-Wai's muse. Which Wong Kar-Wai films have you seen? Which ones did you like?

I don't get it.

What is it you don't get?

The nihilism in Masahiro Shinoda's films? How the traditions of society impinge upon women in Yasujiro Ozu's films? The plight of women in Mikio Naruse's films? The themes of identity in Hiroshi Teshigahara's films? The artful direction depicting unrequited love in Wong Kar-Wai's films? The expressive loneliness of individuals in urban society in Edward Yang's films? The fall of women in Kenji Mizoguchi's films? The sexuality in Nagisa Oshima's films? The outside influences and their effects upon rural societies in Keisuke Kinoshita's films?

What exactly don't you get?

Oldboy

The film won the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and high praise from the President of the Jury, director Quentin Tarantino. Critically, the film has been well received in the United States, with an 81% "Certified Fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes.  Film critic Roger Ebert claimed that Oldboy is a "powerful film not because of what it depicts, but because of the depths of the human heart which it strips bare. 4/4". In 2008, voters on CNN named it one of the ten best Asian films ever made.


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009S2T0M
(Read the comments!)

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/oldboy-2005

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldboy_(2003_film)#Plot

I have the Oldboy Blu-ray. I haven't watched it yet. The thing is, it always gets recommended in topics like this. I kind of feel like it's one of the ten Asian films outside of the Criterion Collection that you can go buy at Barnes and Noble. I definitely want to watch it though. Thank you for doing more than just typing a movie name.

Do you respect Roger Ebert's opinions, for the most part?

No...but this film will blow you away!!!!  I saw it with subtitles (don't know if there is an English dubbed one).  I know Spike Lee is doing an english remake of it this year.  It was a jaw dropping, amazing, fucking crazy movie!!  

I'm sure it will blow me away. And I do want to watch it. But you must understand that it's what everyone watches, and doesn't indicate any real familiarity with Asian cinema. I still don't know if you have that familiarity or not. I want you to! I want you to stay with this thread and discover some of the most wonderful films you can imagine.

And you never watch Asian cinema dubbed. Except anime, if you want, because even in their native language, it's dubbed. But never watch live action films dubbed. You are removing a portion of the film - the auditory component of the actor's acting. I cannot imagine watching someone wonderful like Setsuko Hara or Hideko Takamine without hearing their voices.

Now, you still need to answer my question: do you respect Roger Ebert's reviews, in general? I do. Please answer.

the review is a good summary but its filled with so much spoilers. You should watch this movie without any prior influence.
Then it really blows you away by its sheer intensity. (have to chime in  :D)
It's an opera of revenge...

I've seen original version with subs in the cinema and later a german synchro on dvd (quite bad, perhaps english one is better but wouldn't recommend it).

But I can't stand spike lee doing this remake. So many good movies got an US-remake and one was worse than the other. (watched remake of Haneke's "funny games" some weeks ago...absolutely disappointing)

Already answered you...NO.


Are you asking for more of an explanation? I feel his reviews are sometimes over critical and his movie choices do not fit a majority of peoples reviews.  Sometimes it felt like he was paid to promote or slam a film.  I know that is highley unlikey but it still seemed like it when I compared his reviews to my personal likings.  I prefer to read yahoo movies comments to get a feel of a movies quality.

I will have to check on some of the other recommends from this thread.  They sound interesting.  Regarding Oldboy, it is definitely not for everyone.  You need to like weird/twisted movies....which I do.  It is also best NOT to read the storyline or plot because it will ruin the ending.


-edit-


Take hlynur's advice!!

I'm not reading any in depth reviews of the film or storylines, because I want to watch the film. It is on my list. But I'm trying to get a sense of how in depth your Asian cinematic knowledge is, and how interested you are in exploring some of the Asian film canons. Could you elaborate?

I totally understand your point.
But let me say here that Oldboy was the movie that lit up my whole obsession with asian cinema in the first place more than 10 years ago. (out of chan-wook's bubble i then started to look what else is around)
I know your problem, but sometimes you have to commit yourself that you like something although if it irradiates a commercial touch every whole-hearted fan despises.
That's the problem of commercialism, it blurs the borders of what's designed to be consumed like everydaytrashtv and what's the real innovation that expands your perception.
This is a movie where these lines are not visible, because of the disturbance with cannes prize (which is a good choice, but it brings marketing with it). Chan-Wook did a much more westernized and commercial film with "JSA", just because he needed the money to make Oldboy good.
it's like biting into the poisoned apple to just get the seeds out and grow your own tree.
directly after he continued with his vision of the trilogy where he began, without any influence of JSA from my perception. (there's just an amazing increase of visual perfection and intensity in the chronology of all three movies)

without Cannes prize this movie wouldn't even have reached out that far into the commercial side of western cinema

I'm not making any statements about the film and how excellent it might be. I bought the Blu-ray months ago because I consider it essential and a movie to watch. Please have no concerns that I don't want to watch it.

My real point is only that it is typically one of the first Asian films that people watch, and it's been my experience that when someone brings it up, it's not possible to tell if that person has truly sampled many of the great films in Asian cinema.

Conversely, if someone brings up Equinox Flower, Yi Yi, Center Stage (The Actress), Days of Being Wild, The Face of Another, Spring in a Small Town, Woman of the Lake, Sansho the Bailiff, Floating Clouds, With Beauty and Sorrow, The Vertical Ray of the Sun, What Time is it There?, and Platform all in the same breath, then my ears prick up!

I'm only trying to discern Singlebyte's level of immersion into Asian cinema, and how far he wants to go.

For the record, some of the films I just listed, I haven't even seen yet, but they're representative.

Hlynur,

Are you familiar with the Chinese silent film actress Ruan Lingyu? Tragic story. I recommend Stanley Kwan's 1992 biopic of her entitled Center Stage starring Maggie Cheung. See the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwp-_UL2PlY

Singlebyte,

I haven't yet really discussed the Japanese New Wave or its origins, and I want to. But for the time being, I recommend Masahiro Shinoda's nihilistic noir, Pale Flower. Scored by Toru Takemitsu, and starring Ryo Ikebe and the gorgeous Mariko Kaga, it's a pretty fantastic example of the New Wave. Here's a trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOOr4nuWFqU

Best seen sourced from the Blu-ray. Gorgeous squid ink blacks.

Hlynur,

Donald Richie has always been a guy worth listening to. Sadly he passed away recently. Always read his essays and listen to his commentaries when given the chance.

http://criterioncast.com/news/japan-society-to-hold-two-part-tribute-to-donald-richie/

Don't really have time to respond too much because I am typing on an Ipad and getting ready to go out for the evening.  That being said,

I am not familiar with very many Asian films, nor would I be able to recommend one over another.  I do enjoy movies (of all cultures) and would enjoy watching some of the other recommended flicks members have posted.  I would really be curious to see how others compare Oldboy to the other posted movies because I feel this was a great (mind twisting) movie.  Usually I am not in favor of subtitled movies, but there are a few great ones out there. (Like DownFall!) 

It's a shame that lots of people are really closed minded and will not take the time to watch movies of another culture.  Foreign produced films have contributed a lot of quality films over the years.  I will at some point try to watch some of these Asian titles posted in this thread!

Anyhow, have to run..   have a great night everyone.   

Some of the most important films ever made are foreign and subtitled, among them many Asian films. I've been mentioning them.

FirstAscent,

Recommend ONE Asian film that you feel is as good as Downfall or Oldboy (and as highly rated on imdb.com) and I will take the time to watch it over the weekend if I can get a hold of it.  I enjoy great movies and will gladly watch anything rated higher than either of those two.  Pick me out a great one and I will report back my review.

i think it just takes some exercise for your brain. when I can't find german subtitles and watch a japanese movie with english subs as a foreign speaker it feels exhausting after some time and I can't concentrate as much to the scene arrangement as I want to.
on the other side asian language is simply too hard to be synchronized well enough for western intonation and conversations always sound like they're "pasted" onto the atmo.

Yi Yi
The Face of Another
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
2046
Sansho the Bailiff
Late Spring

But they may not be what you are looking for in cinema. But tastes evolve as you become more familiar with the cinematic landscape. I can assure you that those are all masterpieces.

I just watched Mikio Naruse's Scattered Clouds. Lovely movie.

That makes nine Mikio Naruse films that I've watched now:

Repast
Wife
Sound of the Mountain
Late Chrysanthemums
Floating Clouds
Flowing
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
Yearning
Scattered Clouds

FirstAscent, what do you feel about 3-Iron? Have you ever seen its like?

It's on my watch list. Rated fairly highly. I definitely want to watch it. It seems to be fairly popular, like Oldboy. 2046 is popular too. There is nothing wrong with such films, although people think I might be looking down my nose at such films. I am not! Heck, you know I love 2046.

I'm just trying to point out that the best way to discover these great movies is to apply different methods together. The methods are:

- Follow the essays and commentaries of Asian film scholars, such as Donald Richie, Tony Rayns, David Bordwell, Audie Bock, etc.
- Get intimate with the Criterion Collection over at criterion.com, and use the Explore section
- Build a familiarity with the directors and their filmography
- Build a familiarity with the actors, and follow their filmography
- Get familiar with the different film movements, and learn how to differentiate them
- Discover the films being discussed at Mubi.com
- Use a film social networking site to see what others like
- Pay attention to the Sight & Sound directors and critics polls
- Get familiar with Roger Ebert's list of "Great Films"

Speaking of Korean films, I recommend Secret Sunshine and Poetry, both by Chang-dong Lee. I have only seen Secret Sunshine, but Poetry is rated highly.

So I watched Mikio Naruse's Mother last night, starring Kinuyo Tanaka. So that now makes ten Naruse films for me!

I think you should watch the Chinese Cut. The ending in the American cut should be different. Actually I think his latest The Grandmaster is the best.

Sounds good. My suspicions are that the Chinese Cut is the one to watch. But you didn't answer my other question. Which Wong Kar-Wai films have you seen?

I have seen:

The Grandmaster
In the Mood for Love
2046
Chungking Express
My Blueberry Nights
Ashes of Time
Days of Being Wild
Fallen Angels
The Eagle Shooting Heros <-- Actually I like this one a lot
Chinese Odyssey 2002

Ahh. A comprehensive list. More than me. I see that Eros and As Tears Go By are missing from your list.

I have seen:

Days of Being Wild
Ashes of Time Redux
Chungking Express
In the Mood for Love
2046

I have the Blu-ray for Fallen Angels and expect to watch it soon. I'm going to take a pass on My Blueberry Nights, given what I've heard of it. As for the ones I've seen, I've seen them two to four times each. I love Wong Kar-Wai.

The Eagle Shooting Heroes was produced by Wong though. He didn't direct it. Same with Chinese Odyssey 2.

Really I didn't know that but I like both of them still. I have read the books, so it is good to see it in movie.

Wong Kar-Wai is an auteur. His style is very recognizable. Which Wong Kar-Wai film(s) do you like the best, not including The Grandmaster?

It will have to be In the Mood for Love

Can you elaborate, as if you were actually a fan of the movie, or Wong's work?

Who has watched some films from the Taiwanese New Wave or the Taiwanese Second Wave?

A directrospective of Wong Kar-Wai: http://inreviewonline.com/inreview/home/Entries/2013/8/13_Directrospective_11_-_Wong_Kar-Wai.html

Why is Indian kept out of Asian League ? Asian means East Asian (China/Taiwan/Japan/Korea) ?

It means what one wants it to mean. Did I specify some constraint earlier in the thread? I do not recall. In my case, I have much more knowledge, experience and interest in the four you mentioned, plus, perhaps Vietnam and the Philippines.