Best of Asian Cinema i've seen....
by nofacemonster | created - 09 Dec 2014 | updated - 05 Jan 2022 | PublicI thought i'd make a list of the best Asian films i've seen to date. Some of these are real gems that has to be seen by any Film Buff. Take a look at my list and let me know what you think. All your comments are welcome, if i miss out something please don't hesitate to let me know. PS: It is not in any paticular order....
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1. Oldboy (2003)
R | 120 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Byeong-Ok
Votes: 636,528 | Gross: $0.71M
If you haven't seen it, i recommend you see it immediately...
2. Fallen Angels (1995)
Not Rated | 99 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
This Hong Kong-set crime drama follows the lives of a hitman, hoping to get out of the business, and his elusive female partner.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Leon Lai, Michelle Reis, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Charlie Yeung
Votes: 50,977
Definitely my favorite wong kar wai movie.... loved it to bits for no specific reason...
3. Bedevilled (2010)
Not Rated | 115 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
A woman subject to mental, physical and sexual abuse on a remote island seeks a way out.
Director: Cheol-soo Jang | Stars: Seo Yeong-hie, Ji Seong-won, Min-ho Hwang, Min Je
Votes: 17,057
Probably one of the best Korean films i've seen to date. Loved every single second of it and the finale.... it is brutal as it can be.
4. I Saw the Devil (2010)
Not Rated | 144 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.
Director: Jee-woon Kim | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jeon Gook-hwan, Chun Ho-jin
Votes: 146,393 | Gross: $0.13M
Absolutely brilliant potrayal of true evil.... Enjoyed it to last bit...
5. Samsara (2001)
R | 138 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
A spiritual love-story set in the majestic landscape of Ladakh, Himalayas. Samsara is a quest; one man's struggle to find spiritual Enlightenment by renouncing the world. And one woman's ... See full summary »
Director: Pan Nalin | Stars: Shawn Ku, Christy Chung, Neelesha Barthel, Lhakpa Tsering
Votes: 8,253
A beautiful film about Love and Buddhism... how it effects human beings and what is explained in buddhism. I just totally fell in love with this film and it's beautiful landscape.... Recommended for any one who looks for a great buddhist film.
6. The Bow (2005)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama, Romance
On a fishing boat at sea, a 60-year old man has been raising a girl since she was a baby. It is agreed that they will get married on her 17th birthday, and she is 16 now. They live a quiet and secluded life, renting the boat to day fishermen and practicing strange divination rites. Their life changes when a teenage student comes aboard...
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Han Yeo-reum, Seo Ji-seok, Jeon Gook-hwan, Seong-hwan Jeon
Votes: 11,802
Another good korean film with a buddhist theme...
7. Travelers and Magicians (2003)
Not Rated | 108 min | Adventure, Drama
The two men embark on parallel, if separate, journeys. Their yearning is a common one--for a better and different life. Dondup, delayed by the timeless pace of his village, is forced to ... See full summary »
Director: Khyentse Norbu | Stars: Tshewang Dendup, Gup Kado Duba, Dasho Kado, Sonam Lhamo
Votes: 2,332 | Gross: $0.51M
Another beautiful film coming from bhutan, enjoyed it to the last second of it.... Proud of asian cinema when it comes to films like this.
8. In the Mood for Love (2000)
PG | 98 min | Drama, Romance
Two neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Siu Ping-Lam, Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung
Votes: 167,056 | Gross: $2.73M
Suddenly i have drift away in to the work of Wong Kar wai.... Just simply amazing piece of art.
9. 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: 86,863 | Gross: $2.38M
Simply took my breath away... another great buddhist themed film with very little dialog....
10. Lady Vengeance (2005)
R | 115 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
After being wrongfully imprisoned for thirteen years and having her child taken away from her, a woman seeks revenge through increasingly brutal means.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Nam-mi Kang, Jeong-nam Choi, Hye-Sook Go, Bok-hwa Baek
Votes: 86,171 | Gross: $0.21M
belongs to the vengeance triology.
11. Lust, Caution (2007)
NC-17 | 157 min | Drama, History, Romance
During World War II era, a young woman, Wang Jiazhi, gets swept up in a dangerous game of emotional intrigue with a powerful political figure, Mr. Yee.
Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Tang Wei, Joan Chen, Leehom Wang
Votes: 45,551 | Gross: $4.60M
In to love stories....? don't watch it, In to stories about love? watch it right away :D
12. Ashes of Time (1994)
R | 100 min | Action, Drama
A broken-hearted hit man moves to the desert where he finds skilled swordsmen to carry out his contract killings.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-wai
Votes: 16,984 | Gross: $0.17M
A great poetic work of Wong Kar Wai.... i simply drift away again... what a beautiful film it is...
13. Valley of Flowers (2006)
155 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
A great Asian love story, an unforgettable tale about passion, death and reincarnation. A mesmerizing Himalayan epic that spans two centuries, from the Silk Route of the early 19th century to the bustling metropolis of modern-day Tokyo.
Director: Pan Nalin | Stars: Milind Soman, Mylène Jampanoï, Naseeruddin Shah, Jampa Kalsang Tamang
Votes: 1,914
Another great film from Pan Nalin... I loved every bit about it.
14. So Close (2002)
R | 111 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A conflict of interest between two high-kicking assassin sisters is complicated as they're pursued by the criminals who hired them and an equally high-kicking female cop.
Director: Corey Yuen | Stars: Shu Qi, Wei Zhao, Karen Mok, Song Seung-heon
Votes: 8,048 | Gross: $0.08M
In to asian action flicks? well this one is for you.
15. Naked Weapon (2002)
R | 90 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Madame M, kidnaps forty pre-teen girls to train them as the most deadly assassins. CIA operative follows the case for 6 years with no leads, but when a series of assassinations begin to occur, he suspects that Madame M is back in business.
Director: Siu-Tung Ching | Stars: Anya, Marit Thoresen, Maggie Q, Daniel Wu
Votes: 8,089
Liked it's story and how charachters came to be.
16. Shinjuku Incident (2009)
R | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A simple Chinese immigrant wages a perilous war against one of the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet.
Director: Tung-Shing Yee | Stars: Jackie Chan, Naoto Takenaka, Daniel Wu, Jinglei Xu
Votes: 13,581
It's so good to see jackie chan in a serious role....
17. Righting Wrongs (1986)
Not Rated | 85 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Yuen Biao plays Jason Chan, a lawyer angry at the way the law seems to protect the bad guys. He decides to take the law into his own hands when a key witness and his entire family are ... See full summary »
Director: Corey Yuen | Stars: Biao Yuen, Cynthia Rothrock, Melvin Wong, Roy Chiao
Votes: 2,017
saw it long time ago... awesome action flick
18. Crime Story (1993)
R | 103 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A Special Agent is assigned to protect a wealthy business magnate. However, when the businessman is kidnapped in a daring ambush, he teams up with a seasoned detective to crack the case. But soon he discovers the case isn't that simple.
Directors: Kirk Wong, Jackie Chan | Stars: Jackie Chan, Kent Cheng, Christine Ng, Kar-Ying Law
Votes: 7,444 | Gross: $0.19M
Another serious flick from Jackie Chan..
19. Jan Dara (2001)
108 min | Drama, Romance
Jan Dara grows up in a house devoid of love, but rich in lust. He soon takes up the sinful lifestyle of his stepfather, Khun Luang, who married his mother after she was raped.
Director: Nonzee Nimibutr | Stars: Santisuk Promsiri, Christy Chung, Wipawee Charoenpura, Eakarat Sarsukh
Votes: 2,448
This is a erotic tale coming from thailand...
20. 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: 367,076 | Gross: $0.27M
When it comes to films from Asia, We can't simply miss Akira Kurasawa's Seven Samurai. I watched it for the first time about ten years ago and i was wandering... is this really made back in 1954?
21. Rashomon (1950)
Not Rated | 88 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The rape of a bride and the murder of her samurai husband are recalled from the perspectives of a bandit, the bride, the samurai's ghost and a woodcutter.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Machiko Kyô, Masayuki Mori, Takashi Shimura
Votes: 180,630 | Gross: $0.10M
Another great masterpiece from Akira Kurasawa
22. The Chaser (2008)
Not Rated | 125 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A disgraced ex-policeman who runs a small ring of prostitutes finds himself in a race against time when one of his women goes missing.
Director: Na Hong-jin | Stars: Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Seo Yeong-hie, Kim Yoo-jung
Votes: 72,833
A movie that will keep you on the edge of the seat until very end...
23. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.
Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 281,739 | Gross: $128.08M
Beautiful fairy tail which will paint it's story right before you...
24. The Host (2006)
R | 120 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-Bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona
Votes: 132,851 | Gross: $2.20M
One of the milestones in south korean cinema
25. The Eye 2 (2004)
R | 95 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
After a failed suicide attempt, a pregnant woman gains the ability to see ghosts.
Directors: Danny Pang, Oxide Chun Pang | Stars: Shu Qi, Eugenia Yuan, Jesdaporn Pholdee, Thanarat Poonnarattanakul
Votes: 5,083
Loved this Asian Horror Movie...
26. Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)
R | 92 min | Horror
A mysterious and vengeful spirit marks and pursues anybody who dares enter the house in which it resides.
Director: Takashi Shimizu | Stars: Megumi Okina, Misaki Itô, Misa Uehara, Yui Ichikawa
Votes: 48,119 | Gross: $0.33M
Considered to be the scariest horror movie of all time... :D
27. Mother (2009)
R | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A mother desperately searches for the killer who framed her son for a girl's horrific murder.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yun Je-mun
Votes: 71,715 | Gross: $0.55M
Another awesome thriller from Korea
28. Ringu (1998)
Not Rated | 96 min | Horror, Mystery
A reporter and her ex-husband investigate a cursed video tape that is rumored to kill the viewer seven days after watching it.
Director: Hideo Nakata | Stars: Nanako Matsushima, Miki Nakatani, Yûko Takeuchi, Hitomi Satô
Votes: 77,560
haven't seen this and think you have seen scary movies....? Well watch Ringu and get back to me on comments :D
29. A Bittersweet Life (2005)
Not Rated | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Things go wrong for a high ranking mobster when he doesn't follow his boss's orders.
Directors: Jung Doo Hong, Jee-woon Kim | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-a, Kim Yeong-cheol, Hwang Jung-min
Votes: 42,941
Korean Action flick with a not so deep story....
30. 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: 51,557 | Gross: $0.85M
A story about blind swordsman... :D
31. The Grandmaster (2013)
PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Biography, Drama
The story of martial-arts master Ip Man, the man who trained Bruce Lee.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Ziyi Zhang, Jin Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 36,806 | Gross: $6.59M
Love at first site.... a beautiful film and again Wong Kar Wai
32. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
R | 99 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
In Shanghai, China in the 1940s, a wannabe gangster aspires to join the notorious "Axe Gang" while residents of a housing complex exhibit extraordinary powers in defending their turf.
Director: Stephen Chow | Stars: Stephen Chow, Wah Yuen, Qiu Yuen, Siu-Lung Leung
Votes: 150,960 | Gross: $17.11M
Wanna see a really funny enjoyable marshal art film? here's one for you.
33. Dynamite Warrior (2006)
Not Rated | 103 min | Action, Comedy, Thriller
The story is set in 1890s Siam. Siang (Dan Chupong) is a young Muay Thai warrior and rocketry expert who steals back water buffalo taken from poor Isan farmers by unscrupulous cattle ... See full summary »
Director: Chalerm Wongpim | Stars: Dan Chupong, Panna Rittikrai, Samart Payukaroon, Leo Putt
Votes: 1,693 | Gross: $0.01M
I laughed to death for some reason :D
34. The Man from Nowhere (2010)
R | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug-and-organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend.
Director: Lee Jeong-beom | Stars: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Hee-won
Votes: 74,901 | Gross: $0.01M
35. 3-Iron (2004)
R | 88 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A transient young man breaks into empty homes to partake of the vacationing residents' lives for a few days.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Lee Seung-yun, Jae Hee, Hyuk-ho Kwon, Joo Jin-mo
Votes: 58,305 | Gross: $0.24M
A Dreamy film that i watched twice... loved the ending...
36. The Isle (2000)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama, Thriller
Working at a fishing resort in an idyllic location, but surrounded by various facets of human unpleasantness, a young mute woman falls in love with a man on the run from the law for committing murder.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Jung Suh, Kim Yu-seok, Cho Jae-hyun, Jang Hang-seon
Votes: 14,727 | Gross: $0.02M
Another art house like dreamy film from Kim-Duk-Kim...
37. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.
Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 281,739 | Gross: $128.08M
Loved it then.... love it still... one of the best i've seen to date... :)
38. Days of Being Wild (1990)
Not Rated | 94 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A man tries to find out who his real mother is after the woman who raised him tells him the truth.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Carina Lau
Votes: 25,521 | Gross: $0.14M
Another dreamy classic from Wong Kar Wai
39. Chungking Express (1994)
PG-13 | 102 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Two melancholic Hong Kong policemen fall in love: one with a mysterious female underworld figure, the other with a beautiful and ethereal waitress at a late-night restaurant he frequents.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Faye Wong
Votes: 95,941 | Gross: $0.60M
Probably my least favorite Wong Kar Wai movie.... i don't know why because according to other viewers it is one of the best....
40. Time (2006)
Not Rated | 97 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
To save her relationship, a woman puts herself through extensive plastic surgery.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Ha Jung-woo, Park Ji-yeon, Baek Gwang-Doo, Jung Gyu-woon
Votes: 12,879 | Gross: $0.01M
Kim Ki Duk did it again... awesome movie.
41. Sweet Home (2020– )
TV-MA | 52 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Hyun, a loner high school student who lost his entire family in a terrible accident, is forced to leave his home and has to face a new reality where monsters are trying to wipe out all of humanity. Now he must fight against all odds to try and race against the clock to save what is left of the human race before it's too late.
Stars: Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young, Park Gyuyoung
Votes: 32,111
I recently got in to watching Asian TV shows, this is a good one!
42. Squid Game (2021– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits with deadly high stakes: a survival game that has a whopping 45.6 billion-won prize at stake.
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Dylan Besseau, Yasushi Iwaki
Votes: 543,373
Need I say more...? best of the best!
43. Burning (2018)
Not Rated | 148 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Jong-su bumps into a girl who used to live in the same neighborhood, who asks him to look after her cat while she's on a trip to Africa. When back, she introduces Ben, a mysterious guy she met there, who confesses his secret hobby.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Soo-Kyung
Votes: 76,440 | Gross: $0.72M
Took my breath away....! that scene with music from Miles Davis....
44. Thirst (2009)
R | 134 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Through a failed medical experiment, a priest is stricken with vampirism and is forced to abandon his ascetic ways.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Kim Ok-bin, Choi Hee-jin, Seo Dong-soo
Votes: 51,443 | Gross: $0.30M
Loved it...! she was cute as a vampire!
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