I have around more than hundred asian dvds, and I'm not going to list them here. But I want to talk about few movies that I find fascinating.
First is Casshern: A weird Japanese film made in the Sky Captain and World of Tomorrow style, it's bit hard to follow at times since Japanese style to make movies is rather strange. Worth every penny you pay even if you buy the most expensive DVD edition of it, I recommend to anyone with a taste for bizarre story and neat CG effects and Japanese superhero movies like Ultraman.
New Police Story: If you have ever wondered how Jackie Chan performs in a role that is not part comedy but all action. Well, look no further, a strong presentation of Jackie Chan on how he does emotions and kicks butt without the stupid comedy bits. The movie might tickle your funny bone tho, the computer game sequences look like something from way back.
Returner: This movie just raised the bar on cool, well.. ultra cool, if you like fast gunmen and sci-fiesque settings this movie will suite you best, the lead actor Takeshi Kaneshiro is just way too good actor and way too cool to put on a film, they should leave him out of the film and send him visit everyone who bought the film personally, he is just that cool. So, if you liked Matrix and want it with an asian twist, here is your pick.
Kung Fu Hustle: Movie well known already I bet, it's another great and hilarious slapstick film from Stephen Chow, the man who brought us another film that was a success in the western markets: Shaolin Soccer.
The story is absolutely bizarre, and the CG effects are way cool, fighting scenes are well coordinated and the setting is just awesome. If chinese had good old capone gangsters, I believe this is what it would have been.
Natural City: Korean sci-fi film that might just be the most expensive film ever made in Korea. Think Bladerunner but ditch everything in common sense and add Korean touch. The film tells a grim story of a world where scientists due to banning of human cloning, make cyborg clones (swoosh!) and the cyborgs rebel. The movie is worth a thousand dollars just to see the awesome Jin-Roh style cops!
Jin-Roh: I mentioned the battle armors in Natural City... well, how could I not mention this, it's about one of the coolest Animes you can see. Don't be fooled though, it's not your average Evangelion or Gundam, this is very serious Anime about post-WW2 world where Germany was victorious and Japan gained autonomy, the totalitarian goverment fights against rebel terrorists with everything they got, and boy, what do they got. If you don't like Anime in general, and think that it is just purple tentacles raping girls, you are a retard and should shoot yourself OR you could open your eyes and watch this Anime, it will change your perspective of the genre forever.
Suicide Club: If you like gore anime like Battle Royale and Ichi the Killer, you might want to check this out. It's very very very very bizarre movie about a.. pop group, suicide, a roll of human skin and well.. basics are these, there are several mass suicides, some cryptic message that tells where and how these happen and everything is just way too bizarre to tell, but I must warn you, if you are not used to these kind of gore, you'll take a serious mental hit from this, most people will hurl after 15 minutes. Nice!
Double Vision: Taiwanese movie made with big money, and it shows, this film will lose you, several times, this just shows how Taiwanese culture experiences horror very differently from us, this film is not just cheap thrills like some recent Hollywood horrors, this film will make you think, but after saying that I'll say that graphically this film is very intense, you have never squeezed your seat so hard than you will when you watch this film. A defined pick for anyone who likes a brain teaser.
Battlefield Baseball: Ok, this movie is based on a Manga, and it shows from a mile away, slapstick comedy, a story that will lose you definedly and you keep asking "what" a month after you saw this film. Long story short, Japanese high school Seido was once the baseball champion, they have a history of having some of the best players in high school baseball. But that was long time ago, the sport has changed, the rules were changed, or rather, wiped away. Seido has entered in to the baseball tournament where the Gedo High is the favourite team, mostly because they are all undead and they kill their opponents, but that is the name of the game. So Seido has a goal to find a player to bring them victory, and ofcourse, to stay alive. This is a movie like you have never seen.
Phew.. that was alot of typing, there are bound to be some severe typos there, but if you want to bitch, you can tell to the stones.
I'll add more movies to the list when I have the time, OR if people even care to hear what I have to say about Asian cinema, I have been a fan for around a decade so I got some great picks and it's all valuable info.
Other movies I want to quickly recommend for various reasons are:
Versus: one word, slapstick.
Volcano High: superhero school, asian style.
Oldboy: has already gained great success in europe.
Shaolin Soccer: if you are going to watch kung fu hustle, you are definedly interested in this too.
Azumi: great samurai flick done in modern style.
That is all for now.
