Asian History
by mpirt | created - 09 Jan 2016 | updated - 10 Jan 2016 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
R | 114 min | Action, Drama, Romance
During China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.
Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Ye Liu
Votes: 45,963 | Gross: $6.57M
2. Ran (1985)
R | 160 min | Action, Drama, War
In Medieval Japan, an elderly warlord retires, handing over his empire to his three sons. However, he vastly underestimates how the new-found power will corrupt them and cause them to turn on each other...and him.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryû
Votes: 136,208 | Gross: $4.14M
3. Red Cliff (2008)
R | 148 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The first chapter of a two-part story centered on a battle fought in China's Three Kingdoms period (220-280 A.D.).
Director: John Woo | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Fengyi Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 48,496 | Gross: $0.63M
4. Red Cliff II (2009)
142 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Second and final part of epic tale about a legendary battle that changed the course of China history.
Director: John Woo | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Fengyi Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 25,355 | Gross: $0.63M
5. Three Kingdoms (2010)
45 min | Drama, History, War
Long story of the rivalry, intrigues and wars of the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. Based on the classical Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms and other related sources.
Stars: Hewei Yu, Yi Lu, Kai Kang, Jianbin Chen
Votes: 1,324
6. The Lost Bladesman (2011)
Not Rated | 109 min | Action, Biography, Drama
The story of legendary Guan Yu crossing five passes & slaying six generals. He played a major role in the civil war that led to the collapse of Han Dynasty & the establishment of Shu Han of the 3 Kingdoms, making Liu Bei its first emperor.
Directors: Felix Chong, Alan Mak | Stars: Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang, Li Sun, Bing Shao
Votes: 4,534
7. Mulan: Rise of a Warrior (2009)
Not Rated | 114 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
The epic story of the Chinese girl-warrior, Mulan, who fights to defend her father.
Directors: Jingle Ma, Wei Dong | Stars: Wei Zhao, Kun Chen, Rongguang Yu, Jiao Xu
Votes: 6,874
8. The Assassins (2012)
Not Rated | 107 min | Drama, History
Set in the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, the story focuses on Cao Cao in his old age, exploring the areas of military tactics, love, and the relationship between father and son.
Director: Linshan Zhao | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Liu Yifei, Hiroshi Tamaki, Alec Su
Votes: 2,123
9. Confucius (2010)
TV-MA | 125 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life story of the highly-influential Chinese philosopher, Confucius.
Director: Mei Hu | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Xun Zhou, Jianbin Chen, Quan Ren
Votes: 3,989
10. The Fatal Encounter (2014)
PG-13 | 135 min | Action, Drama
King Jeongjo (Hyun-Bin) attempts to protect his royal powers from the conflict of two factions: Noron and Soron.
Director: J.Q. Lee | Stars: Hyun Bin, Jeong Jae-yeong, Jo Jung-Suk, Jung Eun-chae
Votes: 1,305
11. Three Kingdoms (2008)
R | 102 min | Action, Drama, History
Based on "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" by Luo Guangzhong. It ranks as one of China's four most important pieces of literature.
Director: Daniel Lee | Stars: Andy Lau, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Maggie Q, Cunxin Pu
Votes: 6,675
12. White Vengeance (2011)
Not Rated | 135 min | Action, Drama, History
White Vengeance tells the story of two brothers contending for supremacy during the fall of the Qin Dynasty, which ruled Imperial China from 221 to 206 BC. As rebels rose, the nation fell ... See full summary »
Director: Daniel Lee | Stars: Shaofeng Feng, Leon Lai, Hanyu Zhang, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong
Votes: 2,008
13. The Warring States (2011)
Not Rated | 125 min | Drama, War
Rival Chinese military strategists Sun Bin (Sun Hong-lei) and Pang Juan (Francis Ng) clash in this historic war adventure set during the Era of Warring States.
Director: Chen Jin | Stars: Tian Jing, Honglei Sun, Kim Hee-seon, Francis Ng
Votes: 574
14. The Warlords (2007)
R | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
China, 1860s: Having his army slaughtered, General Qingyun joins 2 bandit leaders in raids on rebels and in blood oath. They form a Qing loyal army with eyes on rebel held Suzhou and Nanjing.
Directors: Peter Ho-Sun Chan, Wai-Man Yip | Stars: Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jinglei Xu
Votes: 27,818 | Gross: $0.13M
15. Battle of the Warriors (2006)
R | 133 min | Action, Drama, War
Story centers on a battle during China's Warring States Period, a series of civil wars, which spanned from the 5th to the 3rd century B.C. Based on a popular Japanese manga, which was in turn based a Japanese novel inspired by Warring States history in China.
Director: Chi Leung 'Jacob' Cheung | Stars: Andy Lau, Ahn Sung-ki, Zhiwen Wang, Bingbing Fan
Votes: 4,404
16. A Frozen Flower (2008)
TV-MA | 133 min | Drama, History, Romance
A historical drama set in the Koryo dynasty and focused on the relationship between a king and his bodyguard.
Directors: Shin Jae Myung, Kim Su-Jin-I, Ha Yoo, Park Young-Sik | Stars: Zo In-sung, Ju Jin-mo, Song Ji-Hyo, Cho Jin-woong
Votes: 5,139
17. Saving General Yang (2013)
Not Rated | 102 min | Adventure, History, War
In ancient China, the seven heirs of the Yang family face a horde of enemies to rescue their father.
Director: Ronny Yu | Stars: Fan Xu, Adam Cheng, Ekin Cheng, Bo Yu
Votes: 2,892
18. The Hidden Blade (2004)
R | 132 min | Drama, History, Romance
A 19th Century samurai, held in low esteem due to an action by his late father, must resolve his history with a maid and with his close friend.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yukiyoshi Ozawa
Votes: 7,202 | Gross: $0.04M
19. The Twilight Samurai (2002)
129 min | Drama, Romance
As the feudal Japan era draws to a close, a widower samurai experiences difficulty balancing clan loyalties, 2 young daughters, an aged mother, and the sudden reappearance of his childhood sweetheart.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa, Nenji Kobayashi, Ren Ôsugi
Votes: 25,508
20. Love and Honor (2006)
PG-13 | 122 min | Drama, History, Romance
A look at the relationship between a young blind samurai (Kimura) and his wife, who will make a sacrifice in order to defend her husband's honor.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Takuya Kimura, Rei Dan, Mitsugorô Bandô, Takashi Sasano
Votes: 4,284 | Gross: $0.02M
21. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)
R | 103 min | Drama, Romance
A boy is raised by a Buddhist monk in an isolated floating temple where the years pass like the seasons.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Kim Ki-duk, Oh Yeong-su, Jong-ho Kim, Kim Young-min
Votes: 86,820 | Gross: $2.38M
22. A Distant Cry from Spring (1980)
95 min | Drama
A mysterious stranger appears at door of a farmhouse on a stormy night and asks for shelter.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Ken Takakura, Chieko Baishô, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Tetsuya Takeda
Votes: 682
23. When the Last Sword Is Drawn (2002)
Not Rated | 143 min | Drama, History
A samurai goes to extraordinary lengths to provide for his family.
Director: Yôjirô Takita | Stars: Kiichi Nakai, Kôichi Satô, Yui Natsukawa, Takehiro Murata
Votes: 5,360
24. Seven Samurai (1954)
Not Rated | 207 min | Action, Drama
Farmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima, Yukiko Shimazaki
Votes: 366,843 | Gross: $0.27M
25. After the Rain (1999)
91 min | Drama
During a downpour, a generous ronin and his supporting wife are stranded at a country inn. The ronin comes to the attention of a lord who wants to hire him as an instructor for his men, who treat the ronin with disrespect.
Director: Takashi Koizumi | Stars: Akira Terao, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Shirô Mifune, Fumi Dan
Votes: 4,461
26. The Steel Edge of Revenge (1969)
PG | 124 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A guilt-haunted samurai warrior attempts to stop a massacre taking place.
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tetsurô Tanba, Yôko Tsukasa, Ruriko Asaoka
Votes: 2,618
27. Samurai Fiction (1998)
111 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A noble young samurai searches for a thief who has stolen a precious treasure and killed one of his clansmen and meets an older samurai who tries to deter him from the violence of revenge.
Director: Hiroyuki Nakano | Stars: Morio Kazama, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Tomoyasu Hotei, Tamaki Ogawa
Votes: 2,759
28. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)
R | 116 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
The blind masseur/swordsman comes to a town in control of warring gangs, and while bunking with a farming family, he meets two women with their own agenda.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Yui Natsukawa, Michiyo Yasuda
Votes: 51,535 | Gross: $0.85M
29. 13 Assassins (2010)
R | 141 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A group of assassins come together for a suicide mission to kill an evil lord.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yûsuke Iseya, Ikki Sawamura
Votes: 68,611 | Gross: $0.80M
30. 14 Blades (2010)
R | 114 min | Action, History, Thriller
A kung fu thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and centered on a secret service agent (Donnie Yen) in the emperor's court who is betrayed and then hunted by his colleagues.
Director: Daniel Lee | Stars: Donnie Yen, Wei Zhao, Chun Wu, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
Votes: 8,471
31. Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005)
R | 107 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
Star-crossed lovers must fight on opposing sides in a battle that will determine the next Shogun.
Director: Ten Shimoyama | Stars: Yukie Nakama, Joe Odagiri, Tomoka Kurotani, Erika Sawajiri
Votes: 12,943
32. Azumi (2003)
Not Rated | 128 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Raised to deal in cold blooded death, the teenage assassin girl Azumi must defeat three evil warlords while also battling her own heart.
Director: Ryûhei Kitamura | Stars: Aya Ueto, Kenji Kohashi, Hiroki Narimiya, Takatoshi Kaneko
Votes: 15,160
33. Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)
Not Rated | 139 min | Action, Drama, History
In 1905, revolutionist Sun Yat-Sen visits Hong Kong to discuss plans with Tongmenghui members to overthrow the Qing dynasty. But when they find out that assassins have been sent to kill him, they assemble a group of protectors to prevent any attacks.
Director: Teddy Chan | Stars: Xueqi Wang, Tony Ka Fai Leung, Jun Hu, Bo-Chieh Wang
Votes: 8,542
34. An Empress and the Warriors (2008)
R | 99 min | Action, Drama, History
After the death of her father, a woman is forced to take over as empress and fight to save her kingdom.
Director: Siu-Tung Ching | Stars: Kelly Chen, Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Xiaodong Guo
Votes: 4,140
35. The Pirates (2014)
Not Rated | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A band of pirates and a group of bandits fight to catch a gray whale that has swallowed a royal stamp.
Director: Seok-hoon Lee | Stars: Kim Nam-gil, Son Ye-jin, Yoo Hae-jin, Kim Won-hae
Votes: 4,575 | Gross: $0.38M
36. The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014)
Not Rated | 128 min | Action, Drama, History
Admiral Yi Sun-sin faces a tough challenge when he is forced to defend his nation with just 13 battleships against 300 Japanese enemy ships in the Battle of Myeongryang.
Director: Han-min Kim | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Ryu Seung-ryong, Cho Jin-woong, Kim Myung-gon
Votes: 13,052 | Gross: $2.59M
37. Ye yan (2006)
Not Rated | 131 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
A loose adaptation of Hamlet, "The Night Banquet" is set in an empire in chaos. The Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince, the Minister and the General all have their own enemies they would like to finish off at a night banquet.
Director: Xiaogang Feng | Stars: Ziyi Zhang, You Ge, Daniel Wu, Xun Zhou
Votes: 7,171
38. San guo yan yi (1995)
TV-14 | 3,840 min | Drama, History, War
In 2nd century China, chaos reigns as warlords divide a land facing famine, drought and invasion. In times of disorder, heroes emerge.
Stars: Guoqiang Tang, Yanjun Sun, Guoan Bao, Jing-fei Li
Votes: 1,019
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