What is your favorite Asian film?

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What is your favorite Asian film?

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1lnlamb
aug 31, 2006, 10:39 am

I thought I'd start another thread: What is your favorite Asian film?

I want to recommend an excellent Indian film "Lagaan." "Lagaan" was nominated for an Academy Award in 2002 and has won numerous prizes. I have greatly enjoyed "Beijing Bicycle" and "King of Masks" which are both Chinese films. I also think "Oasis", a Korean film, exhibits some of the best acting I have ever seen.

All of these are at the top of my list of favorite movies of all time. I just thought it might be interesting to share some of our favorite Asian films. I'll be interested to hear from the rest of you.

2SqueakyChu
Redigeret: sep 1, 2006, 3:08 am

I haven't seen that many Asian films.

The most recent one I saw was the Japanese film Nobody Knows. The film, released in 2005, was taken from a true story of four children who were abandoned by their mother in a Toyo apartment. It was a very good film. Has anyone else seen it?

3LyzzyBee
sep 1, 2006, 2:12 am

Is Lagaan the one with the cricket match in it? If so, it is the film featured in Chris England's excellent From Balham to Bollywood. I have yet to see the film but am going to borrow it from a friend soon.

4udey
sep 1, 2006, 3:15 am

The star of Lagaan starred in another recent hit titled "Rang De Basanti". Its about how youth in India needs to think.

The characters are a bunch of boys who tour with a foreigner for a documentary and then discover India.

They then get involved in patriotic fervour as a fighter plane safety issue makes them turn revolutionary which gets labelled as terrorism.

Dont want to ruin the ending so if you liked Aamir Khan in Lagaan - then watch his films about India's youth in his other 2 films:
1) "Dil Chahta Hai" (Heart Wants to...)
2) "Rang De Basanti" (its an Indian phrase)

Best Regards,
Ujjwal Dey
Bombay, India

5udey
sep 1, 2006, 3:20 am

I love the Black and White Hindi movies starring the yesteryear Superstar - Dev Anand. I think I have all the VCDs of his B&W movies, great stories, great songs, great actors...

Also watch from recent lot - "Munnabhai MBBS" starring Macho star 'Sanjay Dutt'
Its about a hoodlum who enters Medical college to please his parents after they find out his illegal life.

Its a comedy, social commentary and a lot of fun

Discover how Munnabhai cures people with "Jaddu ki Jhappi" - a loving hug that cures everyone of any unhappiness or illness.

Hugs to All,
UD

6pechmerle
sep 1, 2006, 5:15 am

A few classic, terrific Asian films:

Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy (India)
See them all, but I was particularly moved by the second one, in which Apu marries.

Zhang Yimou's Raise the Red Lantern (China)
A striking and rare look at the inner workings of a traditonal upper class multiple-marriage. Gong Li stars as a young woman sold by her poor family to become the rich man's fourth wife -- and what that turns out to be like.

Kurosawa's Ikiru
A Japanese bureaucrat is told he has a fatal illness. A very moving tale of the iconoclastic ways he decides to spend his last months.

7Sivani
Redigeret: sep 15, 2006, 4:51 pm

My favorite modern Indian film is Raincoat, not the least for the evocative voice of Shobha Mudghal and the riff on an O. Henry story.

I find something elemental in Rashomon, despite the dated appearance.

8lohengrin
sep 1, 2006, 5:36 pm

The Korean film Typhoon is my current favourite.

9Jargoneer
sep 1, 2006, 6:28 pm

There is always 'Seven Samurai' which is simply one of the greatest films ever made.

'Eat Drink Man Woman' is a good pre-famous Ang Lee film.

For fun, "Mr Vampire" is hard to beat.

10Lunawhimsy
Redigeret: sep 1, 2006, 8:26 pm

I've been watching a lot of Japanese Cult Horror, like Ju-on, Suicide Club, Battle Royale, Premonition. I really liked Premonition. I have to choose carefully which ones to watch as I really don't care for Horror--the very gory kind. I prefer the suspense to the gore. I've yet to finish period pieces, I always fall asleep.

I saw a really good Korean (I think it was) movie, I don't remember the name. It was about a boy sent to stay with his grandmother in the countryside while she looked for a new job.

Another really good movie I can't remember the title of was about monks trying to see the world cup on tv.

11Rakgi
sep 1, 2006, 10:29 pm

Opinicus that movie wouldn't be The Way Home would it? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312841/ even if it isn't that is a good movie

I also like

Arahan (I think this is Korean but I'm not sure)
Together (Chinese)
Monday(Japanese)
Beyond Our Ken (Hong Kong)
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring (Korean)

There is this other movie (Japanese) that I can't remember, I think is called sl2k or something like that, about two actresses who share an apartment. They both want this acting part and things start to get, well violent between them

12udey
sep 2, 2006, 6:37 am

Who doesn't love "Shaolin Soccer"

Using Kung-Fu to win a football tounament.

And the first time a striker marries his team's goal-keeper in the history of football. LOL.

Plenty of good Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies, after all isn't cinema's primary purpose to entertain.

13Lunawhimsy
sep 2, 2006, 9:23 am

Udey & Rakgi! Yep, those are the ones!

oh yeah, gotta love Jackie Chan! My 6yo daughter and I love staying up late to watch those!

14Airycat
sep 5, 2006, 12:00 am

There are so many Asian movies I love.

First off, my favorites -- anything with Leslie Cheung in it... "Farewell My Concubine," "Happy Together," "Days of Being Wild," "Ashes of Time," ... well, ALL of them! Cheung was a consumate actor and gave his all even to silly movies.

But it's hard to not include movies like "King of Masks," "The Road Home" "Raise the Red Lantern" and "House of Flying Daggers" was beautiful ... there are more, but I can't think of titles at the moment.

Two I like from Korea are "Il Mare" and "The Way Home" (this is the one with the little boy who goes to his grandma).

I'm mad at myself because I can't think of the titles of the ones I like from Japan. In one two women end up on the roof at the end (I think this was Japanese -may have been Chinese). The other is about an old man and a little boy. Oh, and some older ones ... "Kikojiro" (not sure of spelling) and a couple that go with it as a trilogy. And "Ran," a King Lear story.

From India, "Lagaan," "Bhoot" (a great ghost story without singing or dancing), "Mohbattein" (a love story with plenty of singing and dancing),.. I know there are more here, too that I would recommend if I could think of titles

15Airycat
sep 5, 2006, 12:01 am

Oh and how??? could I forget Jackie Chan??? It's because of him that I found all the rest.

16ocgreg34
sep 5, 2006, 1:53 am

I enjoyed "Lagaan" but would have to say that my favorite Asian film is "Raise the Red Lantern" from Zhang Yimou (China). "Oldboy" (S. Korean) is also excellent.

17bric
sep 5, 2006, 1:15 pm

The Japanese film with the women on the roof (after a typhoon) was 'The Sea is Watching", yet another film set in a brothel.
And yes, Leslie Cheung is sadly missed here too, as a singer as well as an actor, what an awful end to his life!

18pechmerle
sep 6, 2006, 2:16 am

I recently watched "Oldboy" (Korea). Watch it if you want, but be warned that it is gruesomely graphic in places, psychologically quite morbid, and altogether extreme. This is, no doubt, in large part because the script was adapted from an adult comic book (manga).

Note: Director Park has two other films thematically related to this one. Each is focused on acts of revenge. The third in this series has not yet been released.

19loloma Første besked:
sep 7, 2006, 8:19 am

My favourite is Satyajit Ray's "Pater Panchali". I really like Bengali movies and I think Ray was a very talented director.

20Cathytg66
sep 12, 2006, 12:06 am

I've gotten mildly obsessed with Bollywood recently and have seen a whole slew of Indian films -- in addition to Lagaan and Dil Chahta Hai, I loved Bunty aur Babli, Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam, Sholay, Mughal-e-Azam, Duplicate, Asoka ... the Bombay film industry is incredibly prolific, and there are thousands more I haven't even touched!

Airycat, did you like Mohabbatein? I've heard mixed things about it.

Raise the Red Lantern is a beautiful movie. I also love A Chinese Ghost Story and Rashomon, nice spooky films from China and Japan respectively.

21Airycat
sep 14, 2006, 1:57 am

Cathytg66, Yes, I liked Mohabbatein? It's been a while. I don't think it was a great movie, but it was good and entertaining.

22Lunawhimsy
Redigeret: sep 14, 2006, 8:59 am

Bollywood! Can't get enough! I wish they'd show more on cable. I did get to see Bride & Prejudice very cool! I also saw another good one, I don't know the title. About a man, playing criket against british colonials--for less taxation? or to leave an area? I forget. This is the one that made me want to see more. The music and dance scenes were amazing.

23n.e.s.s.
sep 14, 2006, 9:06 am

would like to recommend Philippines' "Kubrador" or The Bet Collector.

24Lunawhimsy
Redigeret: sep 14, 2006, 9:38 am


I just checked it out in the Internet Movie Database, sadly it's not playing in my area, but I will see if it makes it to DVD or cable, Does look interesting.

25readingmachine
sep 14, 2006, 9:46 am

Has anyone mentioned Ju Dou? I also like Ray's Apu trilogy.

26Sivani
sep 15, 2006, 4:38 pm

Opinicus, the cricket movie you mentioned is Lagaan

27TimFootman Første besked:
sep 18, 2006, 12:04 pm

Hello. Just joined this group, thanks to a kind invitations from Opinicus. Seems odd for my first message to be about films rather than books, but hell, who needs normality.

My favourite Asian film of all time is Tampopo (dir Juzo Itami, 1985). Some scenes - the meek salaryman showing up his bosses with his knowledge of French food - the climactic discussion of yam sausages in the rain - make me laugh just by thinking about them.

I'm particulary fond of Japanese movies, with a particular fondness for the movies of Seijun Suzuki (Branded To Kill, Tokyo Drifter) and some Kurosawa (Hidden Fortress, Throne of Blood).

Also on the list are a few Thai movies: Last Life In The Universe; My Girl; and Tears Of The Black Tiger. And, credibility be damned, I loved Crouching Tiger and cried like a baby at the end.

28Tex.13
sep 18, 2006, 12:08 pm

Chungking Express is a superb flick.

29marietherese
sep 18, 2006, 6:05 pm

CulturalSnow wrote:"And, credibility be damned, I loved Crouching Tiger and cried like a baby at the end."

Me too! The date I was with when I saw it was shocked! He'd assumed up until the end that I hated it because I'd sat rigid and unmoving through the whole film-but that was because I was transfixed!

Most of my other favorite Asian films are Japanese. I'm especially fond of films by Ozu Yasujiro and Mizoguchi Kenji. My favorite Ozu films include both versions of 'Floating Weeds', 'Late Spring', 'Early Summer', and 'Tokyo Story'. Favorite Mizoguchi films are 'Sisters of Gion', 'Utamaro and His Five Women', 'Ugetsu', and 'The Life of Oharu'. While I can't say I always "enjoy" their films, I really admire the work of Ichikawa Kon, Imamura Shohei and Oshima Nagisa. And then there's Kurosawa, of course!

Outside Japan, I'm completely captivated by the films of Wong Kar-wai. I'd like to explore Chinese cinema further, as there seem to be a lot of remarkable directors I'm too little familiar with there.

30bookgrl
sep 18, 2006, 9:56 pm

My favorite is Il Mare (Korean) - please skip The Lake House though, or don't judge it based on that because it really stripped out the beauty of Il Mare.

There are a few noteworthy Korean movies i watched this year - Welcome to Dongmakgol, Sad Movie.

Perhaps Love is pretty good too but I wouldn't say it's a favorite.

31AndrewL
sep 20, 2006, 12:55 am

Off the top of my head, Spring, Summer... or The Samsara.

32Airycat
Redigeret: sep 21, 2006, 4:11 am

I loved Il Mare. I wondered if The Lake House measured up after I saw the ads for it.

I heard that there is a planned US remake of Infernal Affairs (HK). It'll have to be really very good to measure up to the original. Possible, but with Hollywood's recent track record....

(If this posts twice it's because it showed up blank the first time.)

33Airycat
sep 22, 2006, 2:47 am

I was so surprised , after my post last night. I'd been seeing this ad for The Departed , but tonight I actually listened to it and THIS is the Infernal Affairs remake. I am so curious to see it. I'm braced for it not being as good as the original, but it has a good cast, so even if it's not as good, it might be ok.

34psflannery Første besked:
sep 23, 2006, 3:55 pm

After being slightly disapointed by 2046, I recently got persuaded to watch In the Mood for Love, wrong order, I know, but I absolutely love it. The excitement friends felt for 2046 suddenly makes sense. Although, I need to watch that again to see if I change my mind.
Favourite Asian film: it's a violent one, but there are few films of any denomination better than Oldboy.

35bookishbunny
okt 17, 2006, 9:26 am

I was going to say 'In the Mood for Love', psflannery. It was beautiful. Another one I love is 'The Pillow Book', which actually layers European and Asian influences. I haven't seen it since it first came out (ten-ish years ago) and I really want to see it again. It made quite an impression. It was on the 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list, but it (among others) got pushed out by the likes of Fahrenheit 9/11. I really take issue with that.

36avaland
okt 19, 2006, 5:12 pm

So many! I second the recommendations for "Lagaan", "Ju Dou" and "Raise the Red Lantern"...also I would add "Shall We Dance" (the Japanese original) and "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress."

I recently acquired and watched Deepa Mehta's "Water" and "Fire" and found them both well done and very moving. I have "Earth" yet to watch.

37Bahiyya
okt 19, 2006, 8:27 pm

SqueakyChu wrote: The most recent one I saw was the Japanese film Nobody Knows. The film, released in 2005, was taken from a true story of four children who were abandoned by their mother in a Toyo apartment. It was a very good film. Has anyone else seen it?

Yes, it was my first Koreeda film and there was not one scene of that film that did not hold my utmost attention. It was so mesmerisingly directed and shot...just incredible. You should try to see his "After Life", available on DVD. Excellent film as well, if not better.

As for my favourite Asian films I love Kurosawa's "Yojimbo" and practically everything Wong Kar Wai, especially his loose trilogy of "Days of Being Wild", "In the Mood for Love" and "2046". I have his "Chungking Express" which my friends swear on, although a first viewing left me sadly...unaffected. I plan to try it again.

I'm also a big Mifune fan so I've been trying to get my hands on his films on DVD.

38pechmerle
okt 20, 2006, 1:53 am

Anybody seen all 20 or so of the Zatoichi - The Blind Swordsman movies? Any suggestions which of them are the best? I've seen the first and second -- thought the first was amusing and interesting, but the second slow and confusing.

39Precipitation
okt 20, 2006, 3:08 am

I can tell you what my least favorite is: Visitor Q. This is the most messed up movie ever put on film.

40Airycat
okt 23, 2006, 12:21 am

Amarante wrote "trilogy of "Days of Being Wild", "In the Mood for Love" and "2046". "

I understand that "In the Mood for Love" and "2046" are connected (though I've yet to see "2046"), but I don't see how "Days of Being Wild" would be considered the first of that 'trilogy.' Did I miss something about it (or the other two) that shows this to be connected?

41bookishbunny
okt 23, 2006, 10:21 am

it is considered a 'loose' or 'informal' trilogy, which I didn't know until Amarante's post, forcing me to research it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Days_of_Being_Wild

I loved 'In the Mood for Love'. I saw '2046' on the shelf and had no idea they were connected. Now I really need to get it and 'Days'

42ielfling Første besked:
okt 23, 2006, 4:58 pm

I'm a big fan of Asian horror - some of the creepiest ghost stories out there, if you don't mind a plot so unfathomable you have to browse wikipedia for explanations afterwards...but who needs a linear plot and character development when you're being squicked out by the supernatural? Favourites include Kairo, the various Ju-ons, Hypnosis and the Eye. Oddly enough, when I had a baby and had to get up a lot at night, in the dark, I stopped watching the horrors...

Also love Infernal Affairs, and almost anything with Lau Ching Wan in it, specially Running Out of Time and My Left Eye Sees Ghosts.

43Bahiyya
okt 24, 2006, 8:52 pm

Airycat said: I understand that "In the Mood for Love" and "2046" are connected (though I've yet to see "2046"), but I don't see how "Days of Being Wild" would be considered the first of that 'trilogy.' Did I miss something about it (or the other two) that shows this to be connected?

Yes, as bookishbunny said, it's considered a loose trilogy. If you've seen "Days of Being Wild" you'll notice the similar themes and plot points, even the same music if you pay attention to the soundtrack.

44bookishbunny
okt 25, 2006, 8:45 am

Once again, I'd like to say how much I loved 'In the Mood for Love' :)

The music was wonderful. Yet another reason to check out the other two.

45lingjun.shen Første besked:
nov 6, 2006, 4:15 pm

I have to second your vote of Eat Drink, Man Woman. One of the first Asian movies I ever really saw and it has made, to this day, a really wonderful lasting impression both about food and family.

46kidsilkhaze
nov 7, 2006, 11:05 pm

My first semester Chinese class had a test every Friday. They were brutal. On Friday nights, my classmates and I (there were only about 8 of us) used to get together, get some Chinese take out, have a bottle of wine and watch a Chinese film.

My favorites were Eat Drink Man Woman and Chunking Express. But I also need to add my Pillow Book love.

I really like Bollywood, but have a hard time finding Bollywood films with subtitles. Are they there? Or do I just need to watch without subtitles and make up the dialogue?

47dizzi
Redigeret: nov 7, 2006, 11:33 pm

Opinicus, the Korean movie you're referring to is The Way Home or "Jip uh ro".
My favorite would have to be a Korean short shown at Tribeca called a "Smoke Filled Life". Otherwise, it would probably be "Spring, Summer..."
Or this comedy, "He was wonderful" (I guess that's the English translation?). 3 Iron was really good too.

48Airycat
nov 8, 2006, 8:47 pm

Message 46: kidsilkhaze, I've gotten several Bollywood films here (http://store.nehaflix.com/). You do have to watch and make sure they have subtitles. Not all films do.

Ooooh! They have a bunch on sale today!

49davidals
dec 11, 2006, 9:03 am

re. message 37:
Kore'eda is one of my fave contemporary Asian filmmakers - his first two ("after life" & "Maborosi") are both excellent; extremely thoughtful. His 3rd film "Distance" (preceding "Nobody Knows") is a real masterpiece.

Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu, Masaki Kobayashi, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse have all made some favorites of mine, and Satyajit Ray is one of my greatest heroes as well...

50Lunawhimsy
dec 14, 2006, 5:06 pm

Sheedtastic36 ----You are so right!

51bookgrl
Redigeret: dec 14, 2006, 10:13 pm

It's an old-ish movie from earlier in the year or last year, but I just watched Death Note (Japanese). Found that it was surprisingly good even though this usually isn't my sort of movie. Very well-constructed and executed. Totally surprised me.

52pechmerle
dec 15, 2006, 3:29 am

I just watched Kurosawa's Sanjuro the other night. Winner in a somewhat odd category: the wittiest Samurai movie ever made!

53tedmahsun
dec 15, 2006, 3:58 am

If you guys ever get the chance, watch Yasmin Ahmad's Sepet, a Malaysian movie about inter-racial love.

I'm guessing it's hard to get the DVD outside Malaysia and Singapore though.

54Airycat
dec 16, 2006, 4:23 am

Sepet is available at YesAsia (US) in VCD format. http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/code-c/section-videos/pid-1004034356/

55modelcitizen Første besked:
dec 17, 2006, 7:48 am

I really liked Last Life in the Universe, by Thai director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang. Christopher Doyle did the cinematography, so it's just as beautiful and moody as In the Mood for Love.

56jc_hall Første besked:
jan 5, 2007, 2:01 pm

I watched Nobody Knows a couple of years ago and found it disturbing and harrowing. It was just so very, very sad. But the children were amazing though, gave such a natural, realistic, performance.

Here's a review I wrote on it, if you're interested: http://www.epinions.com/content_193519521412

JC

57jc_hall
jan 5, 2007, 2:08 pm

I absolutely loved Lagaan and King of Masks. More recently, I've watched and reviewed the 'Elemental Trilogy' (Fire, Earth and Water) by Deepa Mehta. In my opinion, Earth was the best, though Fire was good too. Water was a little tepid for me.

Just the other day, I had a very bad experience with Zhang Yimou's latest oeuvre: Curse of the Golden Flower. It's definitely for die-hard fans only. A terrible disaster overall, compared to Hero or even House of Flying Daggers. Oh, how the mighty have fallen..

Anyone thinking about spending your hard-earned cash on Curse of the Golden Flower, stop right there and read this first:
http://www.epinions.com/content_301993725572

JC

58jc_hall
Redigeret: jan 5, 2007, 2:24 pm

The Japanese original Shall we dance? is better than the Hollywood version, but then for a Hollywood movie, it wasn't so bad.

I haven't heard anything good about the remake Lake House(of the Korean Il Mare). Anyone who watched it and liked it (despite having watched the original version)?

I was pleasantly surprised by Memoirs of a Geisha. Hadn't heard much good about the movie and I had loved the book, but then the movie turned out not bad at all.

I'm thinking of watching the Hollywood remake of the Hong Kong original Infernal Affairs . Anyone watched both original and remake?

Also, I'm looking for the Indian ghost movie 'Bhoot'. Anyone watched it? Any comments appreciated.

59bookishbunny
jan 5, 2007, 3:05 pm

I watched Hero last week and loved it, even though it is outside my usual genre. It was a beautiful, poetic film.

60bookgrl
jan 9, 2007, 11:47 pm

jc_hall

Shall We Dance? - I watched both the Japanese version and the Hollywood version (Jennifer Lopez, Richard Gere) .. over the past month or so. I preferred the Japanese one - for example, they would allow things to be conveyed just from their faces rather than having to use loads of words - something I've noticed about Hollywood vs. foreign films. They usually change it so the character will have someone (a best friend, comedic factor type) to bounce things off instead.

Lake House - it wasn't too bad but compared to Il Mare, they changed things around i.e. like above. They added in characters so .. Keanu (forgot the character name) would have someone to talk to .. while in the other it was mostly .. silence, in their heads or reflected on their faces. The beauty of Il Mare was that solitary feeling throughout the movie .. and once you strip it (which Lake House did completely), the magic is gone.

Recently caught King & The Clown - a Korean movie about a band of minstrels (especially two of them). This was possibly one of the best movies I've watched recently, inclusive of all the big-budget Hollywood stuff. It was beautifully shot (breathtaking scenes), wonderfully acted out, amazing music/sound etc.

61bookishbunny
Redigeret: jan 12, 2007, 1:59 pm

#60, missbookwormy,

Is Il Mare the Japanese version of The Lake House? I have shied away from the latter out of fear of corn. Much like the American diet for refined sugar, I see the same "sweetness" in film.

62Airycat
jan 12, 2007, 1:34 pm

Both The Lake House and the remake of Infernal Affairs are on my list to watch. I definitely liked both originals.

I also saw Bhoot and would recommend it. It's been quite a while, so I can't really say anything about it, except that it was good and not a musical as so many Indian movies are.

63twacorbies
jan 12, 2007, 7:47 pm

Wow- I think I've seen the majority of the films posted above and love them all, from "Battle Royale" to "Farewell my Concubine." But I'd like to give a shout out to "The Story of Qui Ju." Like most of Zhang Yimou's films it's a story of one person's personal trials. But the main character isn't up against, say, the insanity of the Cultural Revolution. Instead, her problems arise from a rather embarrassing family incident and the focus is on her agonizing attempts to navigate the local bureaucracy to get some measure of justice. It had a similar feel to it as "The Bicycle Thief," to me anyway.

Also a further nod to "In the Mood for Love" as well as "Shanghai Express" (specifically the second story in the latter film).

64bookishbunny
Redigeret: jan 15, 2007, 3:25 pm

Just saw In the Mood for Love (again) about 5 minutes ago. I have 2026 next. This second time that I saw Mood, I made the connection with 2046. I thought it was some futuristic reference.

65jc_hall
jan 14, 2007, 6:28 pm

Thanks, missbookwormy and Airycat,

now I know to give Lake House a miss and get Bhoot. I keep meaning to watch In the Mood for Love and will do so asap. Didn't know there was a connection between Mood and 2046. I was very annoyed with 2046 when I was watching it, but maybe I need the backstory.

66bookishbunny
Redigeret: jan 15, 2007, 3:24 pm

#65,

It's loose trilogy. I forget the name of the other movie. I thought it was Eros, but that is an anthology.

I just checked, and the third movie (actually the first) is Days of Being Wild.

67Airycat
jan 16, 2007, 1:45 pm

Since I made absolutely no connection between Days of Being Wild and In the Mood for Love could someone explain it. Are the same characters in it? I know Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung were both in DoBW. Maybe I need to re-watch both of them. I got 2046 and it turned out not to have subs, so I haven't seen that one, yet.

68bookishbunny
jan 16, 2007, 2:45 pm

It's a loose trilogy. I haven't seen Days of Being Wild 0r 2046 yet, so I couldn't tell you (but both are high on my Netflix list). If you google both titles and the word 'trilogy', you may get some more information from movie-based sources. It may be like the Blue, White, and Red french trilogy, where the characters play subtle background features to the story at hand.

69pechmerle
jan 16, 2007, 8:36 pm

Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung are both in "2046." They don't play the same characters as in the other two films. As bookishbunny said, these three films are only loosely a trilogy, sharing somewhat in overall style and mood.

I didn't much care for 2046; it has a futurist science fiction element (not the whole movie, or even a majority of it) that seemed poorly integrated. That element undercut the mysterious/romantic mood of the main sections, which hurts the film badly considering that its plot is deliberately diffuse and ambiguous. (The director had no written script when he started shooting, though as an ex-TV script writer he's perfectly capable of producing well-structured plots when that's what he wants.)

I do admire director Wong's use of color, cinematography, etc. His story telling, however, can go beyond 'edgy' to 'unintelligible.'

70blackdog Første besked:
jan 17, 2007, 4:44 pm

My all-time favorite is _Ashes of Time_ by Kar Wai Wong. I think this film is his best.

71belleyang
Redigeret: mar 5, 2007, 5:12 pm

Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring, a Korean film released 2 or 3 years ago. Its as luminous and deep as Siddhartha. I don't buy dvds, but this one I had to have. The music is phenomenally haunting. The film says everything that needs to be said about LIFE with minimum of words.

72dizzi
feb 23, 2007, 10:07 pm

I recently watch 'In the mood for love' in my film noir class and loved it. We had this whole discussion on whether the kid is his or not.

I think it's maybe my favorite Chinese film though I did really like Crouching Tiger back in the day.

73mefreader Første besked:
mar 4, 2007, 11:25 pm

Favorite Asian films:
#1 To Live
#2 Chunhyang
#3 The Story of Qiu Ju
#4 Yi Yi
#5 Happy Times
#6 The Road Home

74e-wijaya
mar 5, 2007, 4:10 am

The works by Hou-Hsiao Hsien should not be missed, especially his earlier films:
1. Time to Live and Time to Die
2. Dust in the Wind
3. Summer at Grandpa
4. Boys from Fengkuei

75fictiondreamer
Redigeret: mar 5, 2007, 8:23 am

The following films show the elegant cultures, complex social history, beautiful poetry and other arts of the Indian sub-continent and are universally seen as classics:

Pakeezah (India; 1971)
Heer Ranjha (Pakistan; 1971)
Umrao Jaan (India; 1981)
Mother India (India; 1960)

76JoseBuendia
mar 7, 2007, 1:16 pm

The Seven Samurai. Each frame is truly a work of art.

77zlguocius
Redigeret: mar 7, 2007, 7:25 pm

It's interesting how much you can learn about someone by asking their favorite _______s. For example, Oldboy seems kind of polarizing, and I can learn a lot about someone just by asking whether they liked it (assuming they've seen it).

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned any anime though.

I have three Asian favorites, all movies that I'm still eager to re-watch, even though I've seen each several times already, and I'm including anime:

*My Neighbor Totoro*
*Tokyo Story*
*In the Mood for Love*

Also *All about Lily Chou Chou* gets an honorable mention, if only because no one has mentioned it yet.

One last thing. Ironically, though I really enjoy *In the Mood for Love*, I've found all Wang Kar Wai's other movies to be pretentious and insufferable. (Though I've only seen about five of them, including the other two in the "loose" trilogy.)

78Superninja Første besked:
mar 10, 2007, 6:11 am

The "Seven Samurai" tops my list. "Rashomon" is also a classic, as are "Yojimbo" & "Sanjuro" - pretty much anything Kurosawa made. I also love "Ugetsu" and Oshima Nagisa's "Death by Hanging." More recently I enjoyed "Gemini" and "Casshern", though I'm not sure I'd say they're favorites.

In Chinese film I think Wong Kar Wai is a master. "Ashes of Time" is my favorite of his. I also have to say that I love "Dragon Inn" (the "new" one with Bridgette Lin) and I must admit a nostalgic fondness for some of Chang Cheh's films, particularly "The Water Margin" (or "7 Blows of the Dragon" as it was known when it first came to the states).

Moving toward South Asia, Satyajit Ray obviously stands out as a stellar filmmaker. I think I was 13 or 14 when I first saw "Pather Panchali" which I thought was awesome, even then. As for Bollywood, like many others here, I loved "Laagan." I also like "Sholay." "Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam" has been recommended to me but I haven't seen it yet.

Also, I've been trying for years to get my hands on a subtitled copy of King Hu's "Raining in the Mountain," so if anyone can help, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

79almigwin
Redigeret: mar 11, 2007, 9:49 pm

I saw a chinese film recently about a 12 year old girl who was selected to be the schoolteacher for a village. I don't remember the name of the film or the director, but I'm sure someone in the group knows it. It is a fairly new film and it was wonderful. my favorites were all listed above except for ran, andthrone of blood. I also like raise the red lantern, farewell my concubine, seven samurai,women in the dunes,a taxing woman and tampopo.
Ghandi was done by english and american actors, but it certainly was about asia as were a passage to india, gunga din, the painted veil, the rains came, sadie thompson, the letter and apocalypse now. I think they should be included or would you rather have a new thread- or just forget it?

80zlguocius
mar 12, 2007, 3:21 pm

#79: The film you're referring to is probably *Not One Less* (*Yi Ge Dou Bu Neng Shao*), a 1999 movie by Zhang YiMou.

81laughingwoman Første besked:
mar 12, 2007, 3:31 pm

i just recently watched akira kurosawa's yojimbo and its sequel, sanjuro. i was surprised at how wry, funny, sad and nuanced each were. it makes perfect sense now to know that clint eastwood drew heavily on yojimbo for a fistfull of dollars.

i didn't think i "did" westerns. but these were so enjoyable, i found myself wishing kurosawa had made more of them.

82jc_hall
mar 17, 2007, 9:52 pm

I just watched "The Departed" and I cannot believe what a piss-poor rip-off it is of the original (the Hong Kong-made "Infernal Affairs" starring Tony Leung and Andy Lau). I'm shocked--shocked, I tell ya--that "The Departed" won anything, let alone Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

And no, Ellen, the original screenplay was not Japanese, get your facts right, it was MADE IN HONG KONG. To say I'm indignant is putting it very, very mildly...

Anyone else watched the original?

83pechmerle
mar 18, 2007, 3:18 am

Yes, certainly, I have watched "Infernal Affairs." Very well made and brilliantly paced.

I will later watch "The Departed." But I am not expecting that it will be better than the HK source. DiCaprio and Damon cannot be better than Tony Leung and Andy Lau were.

I was a little suprised that "The Departed" did so well at the Academy Awards, though I'm long since incapable of being shocked by anything that happens there. Scorsese was rather obviously rewarded for being wrongly passed over so many times before. But his film surely wasn't so deserving considering that it is totally derivative of an excellent HK work.

84Airycat
mar 18, 2007, 3:40 pm

I saw Infernal Affairs (all 3 of them) and thought they were excellent. I will, however save any comments on The Departed until I actually see it, which probably won't be until this summer when my son is here and I and force him to watch the original first.

I'm not against remakes of foreign film because I have seen it done well. That said, I also think we have reached a time of world communication that really makes it unnecessary. I love subtitled movies, and dubbing, done right, can work for those who can't read subs (like my brother with MS)

85chamekke
Redigeret: mar 23, 2007, 8:33 pm

> 10

Another really good movie I can't remember the title of was about monks trying to see the world cup on tv

Opinicus, that would have been The Cup (also known as Phorpa: The Cup, directed by Khyentse Norbu - who is better known in Tibetan Buddhist circles as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche). It took place in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in north India. Full synopsis and other film details are here:
http://www.finelinefeatures.com/thecup/frameset.html

And I agree -- it was excellent!

86jc_hall
mar 23, 2007, 11:59 pm

I finally calmed down enough (a whole week after watching the darn thing) to write a review on The Departed. I gave it 1 star out of 5 and posted the review on epinions where over 40 people had given it 4 or 5 stars, so I was expecting some backlash. But the good folks there are very civilized and didn't even rough me up. :P

http://www.epinions.com/content_336629436036

87pamelad
apr 21, 2007, 3:01 am

My favourites are Ozu's Tokyo Story, Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Zhang Yimou's Not one Less. I've seen quite a few films from these three directors - all of them good.

The most interesting thing about In the Mood for Love was the way Maggie Cheung's dresses matched the wallpaper. Mesmerising.

88margd
apr 21, 2007, 4:34 am

These three films with women protagonists were terrific:

From Afghanistan: "Osama"
(I wept.)

From India: "Bandit Queen"
(I marvelled at the real story behind the film.)

From Thailand: "The Legend of Suriyothai"
(A lush Francis Ford Coppola presentation of the much longer Thai film by Prince Chatri Chalerm Yukol.)

89pechmerle
apr 21, 2007, 5:32 am

I caught up with "The Departed." Not a bad movie. (jc_hall, I'd give it three starts out of five.) Good performance from Nicholson; not grossly over the top, for him. The movie is not superior to "Internal Affairs," which leaves me annoyed that Departed -- as a merely derivative work -- won for best picture. Departed has a small credit, very near the end in small print, acknowledging that it was adapted from the Hong Kong movie.

90pechmerle
apr 21, 2007, 5:38 am

Something to avoid: Just out on DVD in the U.S. is "The Sword of Tipu Sultan," the story of an intrepid ruler of Mysore who -- for a time -- successfully resisted the spread of British rule in India. (He was ultimately defeated by forces whose commanders included the then very young Marquis of Wellesley -- later Duke of Wellington.) Good material, but the DVD is an Indian TV serial which is very badly acted, poorly directed, agonizingly slow, and runs nearly 12 hours. Did I mention it's bad?

91NJO
maj 10, 2007, 8:22 am

Favourite Martial Arts film has got to be Hero. It stunning to watch and the scenes between Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai are really touching. The fight scenes in Fist of Legend are amazing. Its a Jet Li remake of Bruce Lee's fist of fury.
I've watched quite a few bollywood films as my friends are really into them but can't say theres one in particular that I like. Maybe Dil To Pagal Hai(sp?)Probably because its got Madhuri and SRK in it. I liked their scenes together in Devdas but I didn't really believe the romance between Sha Rukh and Ashwariya, and the ending was tooo sad.

92lilisin
jun 21, 2007, 5:25 pm

Some Asian films that I really love and keep finding myself re-watching are:

Dare mo shiranai (Nobody knows)
In the Mood for Love
Grave of the Fireflies
Seven Samurai
Beijing Bicycle
Himalaya
The Road Home
My Neighbor Totoro

I'm sure there are more but I need to backtrack some more to figure out what they are.

93digifish_books
jun 29, 2007, 7:43 pm

>92 lilisin: 'My Neighbour Totoro' is brilliant! :)

94silouan92
jul 4, 2007, 5:47 am

Where have you people been all of my life? Seriously.

My favorites are:

In the Mood for Love
Vertical Ray of the Sun
Scent of Green Papaya
Three Tales
Yojimbo
Late Spring
2046

I could go on and on and on.

95jeniferbal
jul 12, 2007, 1:39 am

Okay. I think that I've finally found the right group to ask...I am traveling to Tokyo and Kyoto in October. Can anybody suggest some fiction that take place in either of these cities?

96mamu
sep 14, 2007, 1:28 pm

My top of mind would be these three:

Dreams, Kurosawa
2046, Wong Kar Wai
Sassy Girl (well, this is cute)

97Cariola
sep 14, 2007, 6:17 pm

Tampopo
Scent of Green Papaya
Devdas
RAN!
Jou du
Shanghai Triad

98eyelesbarrow
sep 16, 2007, 6:50 am

yeah, sassy girl's cute, but too long for me. my brother loves it, though. he watched it nine times!

I love Infernal Affairs and yes, I agree that the hollywood version pales in comparison with the original. leonardo di caprio has nothing on tony leung, if i may say so.

hayao miyazaki's spirited away.

anything with tony leung and stephen chow, ill watch it. and those cheesy hongkong action movies are brilliant!

99catlon01 Første besked:
sep 24, 2007, 3:06 am

All i can think of at the moment...

Spirited away has to up there as one of my favorites
Also:
In the mood for love
Eat drink man woman
Scent of the green papaya
To live
Fire
Water
Earth
Chungking express
Floating life

100almigwin
sep 24, 2007, 6:15 am

Rashomon,
Raise the Red Lantern
Balzac and the little chinese seamstress
Empire of the Sun
Memoirs of a Geisha
Farewell, My Concubine
A Taxing Woman

Many of my favorites have already been listed above.

101poetontheone
sep 26, 2007, 10:33 am

Mine has to be "Last Life in the Universe"

"Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring" is very good too.

102gscottmoore
sep 26, 2007, 9:34 pm

I'm please by almost all Japanese films with very few exceptions. Of course generally in the USA we only have access to the very best movies from other countries, they don't send us much shlock. So among my many favorites are most of the works of Kurosoawa, and everything else I can manage to track down or stumble upon.

Over the past month I've run into a new stash of Yasujiro Ozu which was released in a box set called "Late Ozu". It includes Early Spring, Tokyo Twilight, Equinox Flower, Late Autumn, and The End of Summer. In conjuction with this assault rewatching Tokyo Story, Floating Weeds, Late Spring, Early Summer and Good Morning.

I only have a couple left to view. I just love these things. They have such a very different, quiet personal feeling. There is a book called "Ozu, The Poetics of Cinema". I didn't know about it until snooping through some other Nippon-centric reader on LibThing. It's completely unavailable, but I may try run down a copy via inter-library loan.

-- Gerry

103marietherese
sep 26, 2007, 11:00 pm

Gerry, are you familiar with the Ozu Resource hosted by Masters of Cinema? It's great! An absolute must visit internet destination for Ozu fans.

104gscottmoore
sep 27, 2007, 3:42 pm

Yikes, I did not know of the Ozu Resource. Many thanks for your input. I didn't realize that Richie had a book on him. I'm thinking about foisting 3 movies and an essay onto the participants in my film salon when the selection next falls to me.

-- Gerry

105torontoc
okt 29, 2007, 9:23 am

Just saw Lust,Caution by Ang Lee. Wow! The publicity concentrates on the love/sex scenes , but the relationships and plot twists are fascinating.

106pechmerle
okt 31, 2007, 5:35 am

>105 torontoc:: Looking forward to seeing that.

107atbskn
aug 5, 2008, 12:57 am

Here's a good movie, "Samurai Rebellion". It has a meaningful plot and this actor who is/was famous in Japan has made many excellent Samurai movies.

108Tamaal
mar 6, 2009, 11:34 am

# 6 As a Calcutta-born expat, Satyajit Ray is with Tagore, in the cultural stratosphere for me.
I'm a journalist and did an article on his early years- focussing on first of the Apu trilogy
(http://www.helium.com/items/1363062-a-star-of-india-satayajit-ray).
It was only during research that I discovered that he'd been awarded what is probably the 'ultimate' Oscar, that for Lifetime Achievement.

109slickdpdx
mar 6, 2009, 5:06 pm

Yellow Earth

110pechmerle
mar 7, 2009, 12:56 am

Kobayashi's Hari-kiri (1962) is a very different take on the samurai movie. The film builds tremendously, and the ending is devastating. You'll be thinking about it for a while after you've seen it.

>108 Tamaal:: Tamaal, I enjoyed your article on Ray. Some minor errors, though. For instance, Calcutta was not the capital of the Raj in 1921 (Delhi was, from 1911).

111starrywisdom
mar 9, 2009, 1:25 pm

Denne meddelelse er blevet slettet af dens forfatter.

112mercure
mar 10, 2009, 10:38 am

Some favourites from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia:
Farewell to my Concubine
Chungking express
In the Mood for Love
Dumpling
Yi Yi
Three Times
Daun di atas Bantal

113hemlockclock
Redigeret: mar 10, 2009, 3:27 pm

I don’t that I have anything to add.
I see Seven Samurai was added by jargoneer and Throne of Blood was added by TimFootman
I think I saw Deepa Mehti’s Water posted which is a great movie and if I hasn’t been posted I would like to recommend Kama Sutra: a tale of Love directed by Mira Nair.

114slickdpdx
mar 10, 2009, 3:36 pm

Mr. India might not be a great film but its a great movie!

115marietherese
mar 10, 2009, 8:29 pm

Putting a vote in for 'When a Woman Ascends the Stairs' (Onna ga kaidan wo agaru toki) directed by Naruse Mikio, starring Takamine Hideko. I just recently saw this for the first time and think it's one of the finest Japanese films I've ever seen. Truly great. Any fan of Ozu should appreciate this movie.

116nobooksnolife
mar 28, 2009, 5:38 am

>115 marietherese: thanks for a recommendation aimed at "fans of Ozu". I've not yet seen 'Onna ga kaidan wo agaru toko' but hope to rent a copy sometime soon. Every now and then, especially when I need to reconnect with the finer points of the Japanese Character, I drag out "Tokyo Story" or "Late Summer", or any of Ozu's films and watch them again. :)

117marietherese
mar 29, 2009, 5:25 am

>116 nobooksnolife: It's a wonderful film and I really can't recommend it highly enough. I'm just about certain that anyone who likes the two great Ozu films you mentioned will also appreciate this Naruse masterwork.

If you can find a Criterion Collection copy, be sure to rent it. It features a couple of excellent bonus options, including audio commentary by Donald Richie and a really interesting interview with Nakadai Tatsuya.

118nobooksnolife
jun 30, 2009, 9:00 am

>117 marietherese: Thanks, Marietherese---I haven't checked this thread for a while, but I'm glad to read your comment. Maybe I'll find the movie this summer.

119chidori
jul 12, 2009, 8:54 pm

Most favorite Asian films are Si, jie (Lust, Caution), Xiang ri kui (Sunflower), Huozhe (To Live), and The Painted Veil.

120soffitta1
apr 10, 2010, 4:40 pm

Dumplings is excellent, but don't sit down to watch it with a bowl of noodles like I did! I am a big HK film fan and love Tony Leung. I also second Chungking Express. I did get hooked on the really trashy 80s kungfu films while living in China and would watch anything with Andy Lau in it!

Infernal Affairs - the best was the original, but you can't beat it for great scenic shots.

Indochine - Catherine Deneuve

121Violette62
apr 11, 2010, 7:56 pm

Wow! I didn't realize that there were so many Asian films to watch. I hope to find some of them. I haven't seen too many Asian films other than the Hollywood productions such as Memoirs of a Geisha, The Last Emporer and Empire of the Sun.

122Violette62
apr 11, 2010, 7:56 pm

Denne meddelelse er blevet slettet af dens forfatter.

123atbskn
apr 13, 2010, 1:10 am

Another excellent Asian film, is "The Burmese Harp", it is a Japanese film made in 1957 and won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It has a strong message that would even apply to today.

124MarshOutlaw
jul 27, 2010, 7:39 pm

I might not call it my favorite, but i just watched and loved Kurosawa's One Wonderful Sunday. A definate must see..

125winterreise
aug 12, 2010, 6:22 pm

Ten essential Indian films:

A Throw of Dice (Franz Osten, 1929)
Awaara (Raj Kapoor, 1951)
Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray, 1955)
Pyaasa (Guru Dutt, 1957)
Mother India (Mehboob Khan, 1957)
The Cloud-Capped Star (Ritwik Ghatak, 1960)
Mughal-E-Azam (K Asif, 1960)
Charulata (Satyajit Ray, 1964)
Teesri Manzil (Vijay Anand, 1966)
Pakeezah (Kamal Amrohi, 1971)

Ten essential western films and TV programmes about/set in India (but not necessarily filmed there):

Delhi Durbar (1912)
Black Narcissus (Michael Powell, 1947)
The River (Jean Renoir, 1951)
Shakespeare Wallah (James Ivory, 1965)
Phantom India (Louis Malle, 1969)
The Man Who Would Be King (John Huston, 1975)
Staying On (Silvio Narizzano, 1980)
The Jewel in the Crown (1984)
Nocturne indien (Alain Corneau, 1989)
The Warrior (Asif Kapadia, 2001)

126twiglet12
sep 10, 2010, 12:49 pm

I love “The Cup” (Phorpa) 1999 which is possibly the nicest film I have ever seen without being over sentimental. IMDb has this summary:

While the soccer World Cup is being played in France, two young Tibetan refugees arrive at a monastery/boarding school in exile in India. Its atmosphere of serene contemplation is somewhat disrupted by soccer fever, the chief instigator being a young student, the soccer enthusiast Orgyen. Prevented by various circumstances from seeing the Cup finals on television in a nearby village, Orgyen sets out to organize the rental of a TV set for the monastery. The enterprise becomes a test of solidarity, resourcefulness and friendship for the students, while the Lama, head of the monastery, contemplates the challenges of teaching the word of Buddha in a rapidly changing world.

It probably doesn’t sound like the most exciting film ever and an odd choice for someone who doesn’t like football and just loves his action (although Shaolin Soccer is brilliant) but it’s just great.

Other favourites, and more typical of my tastes, would include:

Oldboy
Ring
Battle Royale
Hero
House of Flying Daggers
Seven Samurai
Yojimbo
Iron Monkey

127liao
sep 13, 2010, 11:47 pm

A few of my favorites would be:

Huozhe (To Live)
The Blue Kite
City of Sadness
Sopyonje -- a beautiful Korean film about the traditional singing style/genre of p'ansori. Here's a link to a nice write-up about it (be warned it does contain a spoiler or two) http://www.koreafilm.org/feature/100_94.asp

128brianjungwi
sep 15, 2010, 5:12 am

Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood has been made into a film. Looking forward to watching it...

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/09/06/norwegian-wood-on-film-finally/

1291morechapter
Redigeret: maj 24, 2012, 5:36 pm

A few favorites -- I might add some more later. The first three are the best.

Departures (Grade: A+; Japanese; Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film)
review on my blog:
http://www.1morechapter.com/2011/02/11/departures-friday-foreign-film-review/

Fear and Trembling based on the book by Amelie Nothomb, Grade A+
review of the book and film on my blog:
http://www.1morechapter.com/2009/01/29/fear-and-trembling-by-amelie-nothomb/

After Life (Japanese), -118 minutes – A
In After Life, after they die, people go to what looks like an abandoned school of sorts and they get to choose one memory of their lives to be re-enacted. This is a slow, but beautiful movie. I’m just the geeky sort to love slow, thoughtful movies, though, so I loved it.

Late Spring (Japanese), a.k.a. Banshun, Grade: A-
About a girl's devotion to her father.

The Kite Runner (Grade: A+)
Based on the book by Khaled Hosseini. Made me appreciate the book even more.

Last Life in the Universe – 103 minutes – B+
In Last Life in the Universe, a Japanese neat-freak librarian is living in Bangkok and is constantly thinking of committing suicide. After a tragic event, he meets a Thai girl who is a total slob. Opposite attract, though, right? Very weird but interesting movie. In Japanese, Thai, and English.

1301morechapter
maj 24, 2012, 5:35 pm

Oh, and I cannot forget Bride and Prejudice -- awesome film!

131lilisin
Redigeret: maj 24, 2012, 7:31 pm

Didn't realize they made a film version of Fear and Trembling. I'll definitely have to check that out as it is one of my favorite Nothomb!

Didn't enjoy the film version of Norwegian Wood though. Nor did the four others with me, three of them having loved the book.

1321morechapter
maj 24, 2012, 9:02 pm

>131 lilisin: Too bad -- I'll probably still watch it, though. Yes, I think you will like Fear and Trembling. I don't believe they changed much of the book at all.

1331morechapter
Redigeret: maj 24, 2012, 9:06 pm

I also forgot Slumdog Millionaire aka Q & A. Wonderful movie. Saw it in the theatre at a second run house for only $1.50.
http://www.1morechapter.com/2009/04/04/q-a-aka-slumdog-millionaire/

134fictiondreamer
Redigeret: okt 4, 2012, 5:44 am

Pakeezah, by Kamal Amrohi, for all the sumptuousness of the sets, costumes, beautiful classical music and, of course, Meena Kumari!

:Ditto: for Umrao Jaan (1981), by Muzaffar Ali.

Merchant & Ivory's In Custody, for lamenting of the loss of Urdu in India. Also their wonderful Heat and Dust, for all that it says on the British in India! And it's beautiful to look at too.

135GoodKnight
nov 18, 2012, 11:05 pm

Tokyo Story by Yasujiro Ozu. Subtle yet powerfully emotional. A great classic.

136Blastarse
jul 18, 2018, 5:37 pm

probably Right Now, Wrong Then