Asian cinema 2007 - 2009

Ip Man - This is one of the better action movies to come out of Hong Kong in the last few years. The story is actually strong enough to hold your attention (WAY better than the awful "Dragon Tiger Gate," which was the previous film from this writer / director combo). And yes, there is plenty of ass-kicking.

The Chaser - This was a big hit in Korea, and I can see why. While it doesn't break any new ground in the police / serial killer thriller genre, it focuses on a small story and does it very well. The less you know about the story, the better. Just go in blind and enjoy the ride.

The Show Must Go On - I had high hopes for this Korean film, and it lived up to them. Director Han Jae Rim brings the same style he used for "Rules of Dating" to this unusual gangster story...handheld photography, jumpy editing, and plenty of moments that straddle the line between humor and discomfort. The mighty Song Kang Ho (The Host) plays a mid-level gang boss who has seen better days. He flirts with leaving his dangerous line of work but never gets around to it, all the while finding himself pushed further away from the family he's trying desperately to support. He's a good guy who earns our sympathy, but he doesn't always make the best choices. The story makes a nice companion piece to "A Dirty Carnival" but there are enough differences to make this film unique. I really enjoyed it, particularly the amazing tension that builds as things get out of hand.

Memories of Matsuko - This bold, ambitious Japanese film is actually from 2006, but I never miss a chance to talk it up. If you recognize director Tetsuya Nakashima's go-for-broke visual / editing style from "Kamikaze Girls," then it'll be obvious that this movie is the next step in his evolution. At a glance, it appears to be another upbeat feast of color (complete with catchy musical numbers!), but it's actually quite a downer of a tale about a woman who repeatedly chooses terrible relationships because of her fear of being alone. The second act drags a bit, but in the end, the journey is well worth it. I've watched it half a dozen times since.

This is from 2006 but Tazza: High Rollers is an entertaining gambling movie, even if it is over two hours and a smoking hot Kim Hye-Soo.

Mad Detective is one of the best films released last year not just from HK but in general, Lau Ching Wan puts in a great performance.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/maddetective/

Sparrow was also released last year and a real change of pace for Johnnie To, very light on plot but I love it, Simon Yam has charisma to burn.

Like you, I've drifted away from asian cinema in the last couple of years so I really can't give you any recommendations for overlooked Korean and Japanese films (I'm not really into Japanese films, to be honest)

Legendary Assassain...starring...Wu Jing is excellent. It is an old school Kung Fu Classic (not the David Carridine series).

Same here. While I don't think it's because the quality of films has deteriorated, but western media simply doesn't pay that much attention to it anymore, especially after all the fuss around Korean film "explosion" has gone down a few years ago.

Otherwise, some good suggestions were mentioned here already. "Sparrow" is one of my favourite films of 2008 and "Tazza: The High Rollers" was a lot of fun too.

There have been a lot of big epics, mostly coming from China. Woo's "Red Cliff" (I have only seen the first part) is best of all the new historical epics, but it is nowhere near flawless. "The Warlords" is watcahble, too. "Assembly" is a bit like "Flags of Our Fathers", but only slightly better. So nothing particular stands out from the crowd.

I really liked japanese film called "Adrift in Tokyo". It's a bittersweet dramedy about a Yakuza and a poor student walking around Tokyo talking about many subjects and meeting different people. One of those movies where the city is just as an important character as the people.

You should watch Mad Detective, such a great film.

I love Failan but for totally different reasons. While it starts out as a gangster movie (with a main character who is a lot more burned out), the movie then goes into a completely different tone. If I remember correctly, Failan is a much more emotional film (mainly in the second half), whereas The Show Must Go On is more about tension.

I haven't gotten around to Red Cliff, mainly because it's sold as two separate films, and the blu-rays are damn expensive. There are a lot of raves for it, but I get the feeling that they're coming from fans who love any Asian historical epic that is even slightly above mediocre. I'll wait until it makes its way to the US and then rent it. Even if it's a truncated version of the four-hours-plus story, it should be enough to help me decide whether to mess with the full-length original.

The SHOW MUST GO ON is indeed pretty great. Hilarious in parts, too. Loved that bit in the news broadcast where they lay out the weapons used in the convenience store attack, and you see the box of chocolate moon pies.

Lust, Caution is definitely worth watching.

Since you mentioned the KFC forums, have you heard anything about when they will be back up? It's such a great place to learn about obscure Asian films.

EDIT: Nevermind. I heard they're shooting for next week.