Asian Movies and What you like about them.

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Permalink Reply by ImmortalBeloved on August 10, 2008 at 8:20am

I quite enjoyed films like Raise the Red Lantern, Cyclo, Happy Times, The Wedding Banquet and In the Mood for Love.

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Permalink Reply by Howard on August 10, 2008 at 8:43am

Very impressive, I've queued them all.

I was looking through those titles, and found that I had already rated "Happy Times". Watching the trailer gave me somewhat of an idea what the movie was about. And I seem to vividly recall a made up massage table in an abandoned building. But I may have already forgotten the plot of the movie. I'll definite try to watch it over again.

As for "In the Mood for Love" & "2046" they were both a bit too film noir for my taste. I'm a fan of Wong Kar Wai(WKW) but mainly his earlier works like "Chungking Express" or "Fallen Angels". His recent "My Blueberry Nights" was just average IMHO, even with the all star cast.

As someone who understand Mandarin and some Cantonese, I find it somewhat disappointing that when these Asian directors try to cross the cultural divide and attempt to make it into Hollywood the overall theme of their movie changes and the message(from the movie) never quite actually makes it across.

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Permalink Reply by Howard on August 10, 2008 at 9:00am

I tend to disagree with "beat around the bush" point.
I've found Japanese movies in particular to be very drawn out. Even with something like a horror genre, they tend to focus on backgrounds, landscapes and other minute details. They can be rather lengthy too, but that's also why I like them.

Movies from Taiwan(which is where "Yi Yi" & "Eat Drink Man Woman" are from) tend to be a bit lengthy as well with very subtle social cues thrown in. These type of movies almost rely on the audience to know how societal norms operate in order to really understand the message.

Chinese films(ones from Hong Kong) are a bit more direct, but again with movies like "In the Mood for Love" and "2046", the message tends to be echoed mainly through facial and pivotal expression rather than from dialogue.

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Permalink Reply by Howard on August 11, 2008 at 10:34am

Well to be honest, I'm trying to criticize any particular genre or method of storytelling. I think Asian films have their advantages as well as American films. I'd glad that we have the option and liberties to pick and choose the various types of movies out there.

But you've mentioned a good point. Perhaps a discussion on the way US adaptations of remakes on Asian cinema should be raised. I'd start a thread but it doesn't appear to be a big Asian cinema population around here.

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Permalink Reply by lunchboxmonkey on August 10, 2008 at 3:20pm

if you like action movies, anything with john woo/chow yun fat is always great. i especially love the killer. actually i can watch chow yun fat in pretty much anything :)

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Permalink Reply by Gabriel_w/o_Wings on August 10, 2008 at 3:32pm

I saw an asian movie - think it was banned in the country it was made in (China, I think)
Forgot the name, was about a performance artist who committed a ritualistic suicide as a performance art piece. He was avant-garde obsessive. I kind of liked it-although a bit extreme. I forgot if it was based on a true story or not.

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Permalink Reply by Howard on August 10, 2008 at 3:47pm

Sounds interesting... I'd love to find out what the title of this movie your talking about is.

Is it a documentary? or a fictional piece?

Keep in mind that the Chinese Film Bureau and Ministry of Radio, Film and Television ban movies all the time. Even movies that were made or filmed in China. Though the country is diversifying, it's still a Communist nation. Censorship is still pretty widespread. Case in point, "Farewell my Concubine" had been banned several times, even with it's success overseas in the US and other countries + Cannes awards!

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Permalink Reply by Gabriel_w/o_Wings on August 10, 2008 at 3:52pm

Is it a documentary? or a fictional piece?

It's a drama - might have been based on a true story- I forgot.
Think it was based on a true story. I saw it like maybe 8 years ago.

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Permalink Reply by Howard on August 10, 2008 at 4:00pm

It sounds like your talking about "Frozen".

This is the blurb from Netflix:
"Based on a true story, Frozen provides a rare look at the youth subculture of post-Tiananmen Square Beijing and the mood of hopelessness shared by those youths. In the film, a performance artist (Jia Hongshen) stages a series of ritual suicides, eventually planning to publicly kill himself by melting blocks of ice with his own body to protest a numbing existence. Director Wang Xiaoshuai's acclaimed film is still banned in China."

Sadly the availability date is unknown....

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Permalink Reply by Gabriel_w/o_Wings on August 10, 2008 at 4:32pm

yep that's it. Good movie.

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Permalink Reply by Illuminatus on August 10, 2008 at 6:01pm

I have been a fan of Asian cinema for quite some time now and have seen many films. I would tend to say Asian movies are usually quite slow and drawn out compared to American films but that is just their style. It doesn't mean they're not good movies. Hong Kong movies are usually the most action-oriented. Many Japanese and Korean films seem to be on taboo subjects or controversial material. Thai movies are usually pretty goofy. Filipino movies are always about a love triangle. Of course that is a generalization but I tend to find those themes are true for the most part.

Some of my favorite Asian films have been from Korean director Ki-Duk Kim. My favorites were:

"Bad Guy"
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Bad_Guy/70013031?trkid=147042

"3-Iron"
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/3-Iron/70020717?trkid=147042

"Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring"
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Spring_Summer_Fall_Winter_..._and_Spri...

"The Bow"
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/The_Bow/70060910?trkid=147042

His movies usually deal in some pretty taboo subject matter, the cinematography is always great, the colors are always great and the stories are slow but very powerful. I would highly recommend seeing some of these.

Japan produces some of the most outstanding horror/thriller films I have ever seen. Some of the films I have seen have made me cringe. In particular the films made by director Takashi Miike. Check out "Audition" and "Ichi The Killer."

http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Audition/60026319?trkid=95561

http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Ichi_the_Killer/60032644?trkid=95561

I just recently saw one of the latest films from Ang Lee who makes both Chinese language and English films. The movie was called "Lust, Caution" and it was very good. Some very good acting in this film.

http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Lust_Caution/70059999?trkid=222336&...

These are just some of my recommendations because they have been my favorites.

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Permalink Reply by Howard on August 10, 2008 at 6:16pm

Loved a lot of the movies you mentioned.

Oddly I think, my attention span just couldn't handle "Lust, Caution". I don't doubt it was cinematic masterpiece but I simply couldn't handle it.

I believe with any movie, the viewer really has to be in the right mindset to truly enjoy it.

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