Best East/Southeast Asian Movies
East and Southeast Asian cinema has been booming recently, and here are a few of my favorites varying from all genres.
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- DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsJohn LoneJoan ChenPeter O'TooleBernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning dramatisation of the life story of China's last emperor, Pu Yi.It's dramatic, and the ending is masterfully done.
- DirectorAndrew LauAlan MakStarsAndy LauTony Leung Chiu-waiAnthony Chau-Sang WongA story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.This movie is tense, twisted, and entertaining. Andy Lau and Tony Leung bring out decent performances as morally grey men, while Kevin Chang kills it as the unpredictable Triad boss.
- DirectorHu GuanStarsZhizhong HuangJunyi ZhangHao OuIn 1937, 800 Chinese soldiers fight under siege from a warehouse in the middle of the Shanghai battlefield, completely surrounded by the Japanese army.This movie is brutally tense, thoughtful, and bears an intimidating, brooding, and realistic atmosphere. It really draws the line between patriotism and propaganda.
- DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenSimon YamSiu-Wong FanDuring the Japanese invasion of China, a wealthy martial artist is forced to leave his home when his city is occupied. With little means of providing for themselves, Ip Man and the remaining members of the city must find a way to survive.This movie is a classic. It has well-choreographed fights, and fleshed out characters. Sure, it's a little cliché, but besides that, Ip Man is a staple of action movies.
- DirectorYeon Sang-hoStarsGong YooJung Yu-miMa Dong-seokWhile a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan.There is no doubting that this movie hit hard with many audiences. The characters all had depth and interestingness to it, the atmosphere was tense but wholesome and emotional when it needed to be, and it was a simple yet complex movie. Must-watch.
- DirectorGareth EvansStarsIko UwaisAnanda GeorgeRay SahetapyA S.W.A.T. team becomes trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs.The Raid has a very simple plot, but despite its simpleness, it has the quality for a perfect survival movie. The atmosphere is tense and relentless. The protagonist is clearly scared, and clearly didn't ask to be in a situation like this. He's humane and to an extent, relatable. This movie tops many other movies with a similar plot because of this relentlessness.
- DirectorStephen ChowStarsStephen ChowWah YuenQiu YuenIn 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.Stephen Chow is a great director. He can make the most hilarious movies ever. He can keep everyone engaged with his exaggeration.
- DirectorRonny YuStarsJet LiLi SunYong DongA biography of Chinese Martial Arts Master Huo Yuanjia, who is the founder and spiritual guru of the Jin Wu Sports Federation.Jet Li’s “Huo Yuanjia” is probably his best and biggest film. It has patriotic (not propaganda) themes, awesome and entertaining fights, and well-rounded characters. Great movie.
- DirectorBenny ChanShane Comley-WhiteStarsDonnie YenNicholas TseLan QinBong is a hardline cop with a long history of success, but his past comes back to haunt him when a sting is attacked by a group led by his former protégé, a man set on destroying everyone who ever wronged him.Benny Chan’s police thriller has an intimidating antagonist, great action sequences, and a pretty fleshed out plot and story. Recommended for action lovers.
- DirectorDante LamStarsHanyu ZhangEddie PengBaoguo ChenInspired by the true story known as the Mekong Massacre--two Chinese commercial vessels are ambushed while traveling down the Mekong River in the waters of the Golden Triangle, one of the largest drug-manufacturing regions in the world. 13 sailors are executed at gunpoint, and 900,000 methamphetamine pills are recovered at the scene. Upon discovery, the Chinese government immediately sends a band of elite narcotics officers led by Captain Gao Gang (Zhang Hanyu) to the Golden Triangle to uncover the truth behind the murders. Tea field owner and Golden Triangle-based intelligence officer Fang Xinwu (Eddie Peng) joins the investigation. After it is discovered that the drugs seized on the Chinese ships had been planted by the henchman of a notorious drug cartel leader named Naw Khar, the governments of Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and China launch a joint task force to apprehend the criminal. The road to justice is, however, paved with dangerous and deadly obstacles.Based on the “Mekong Massacre,” this movie is fast-paced, thrilling, and action-packed. It’s hard atmosphere makes it a very enjoyable watch.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsChow Yun-FatMichelle YeohZiyi ZhangA 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.This is only lower than some other movies because it’s TECHNICALLY Hollywood (although it has a Taiwanese director, and the stars are from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia). Anyway, the scenery is beautiful, the fights scenes are graceful, and it throws back to traditional wuxia movies.
- DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenSimon YamSammo Kam-Bo HungA near retired inspector and his unit are willing to put down a crime boss at all costs while dealing with his replacement, who is getting in their way. Meanwhile, the crime boss sends his top henchmen to put an end to their dirty schemes.SPL: Sha Po Lang is hard, gritty, and brutal. It’s also very entertaining and has a pretty good plot. Solid movie with a talented cast.
- DirectorTimo TjahjantoStarsIko UwaisJoe TaslimJulie EstelleIto, a gangland enforcer, is caught amidst a treacherous and violent insurrection within his Triad crime family upon his return home from a stint abroad.This movie has awesome fight scenes and good acting, but I gotta warn you if you’re going to watch it: it’s gory as hell. Gorier than the Raid movies combined.
- DirectorPrachya PinkaewStarsTony JaaPhetthai VongkumlaoPumwaree YodkamolWhen the head of a statue sacred to a village is stolen, a young martial artist goes to the big city and finds himself taking on the underworld to retrieve it.Ong Bak reinvented the martial arts genre with its non-rhythmic movements, perilously epic stunts and parkour sequences, and bone-snapping fight scenes.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsLung TiLeslie CheungChow Yun-FatA reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.This movie is entertaining and has stylish fight sequences mixed with an above-average storyline. This is peak John Woo.
- DirectorGareth EvansStarsIko UwaisYayan RuhianArifin PutraOnly a short time after the first raid, Rama goes undercover with the thugs of Jakarta and plans to bring down the syndicate and uncover the corruption within his police force.It’s not as good as the first Raid, which is shorter and a lot more tense, but the Raid 2: Berandal still entertains the viewer with visceral fight sequences, and talented martial artists.
- DirectorJason KwanJing WongAman ChangStarsDonnie YenAndy LauPhilip KeungAn illegal immigrant from Mainland China sneaks into corrupt British-colonized Hong Kong in 1963, transforming himself into a ruthless and emerging drug lord.Underrated crime drama. It’s beginning is a little slow, but after the first 50 minutes, you can tell things are getting more tense. I don’t know why they chose Donnie Yen to portray this kind of character, but it actually was a pretty solid performance.
- DirectorKa-Wai KamStarsDonnie YenJoe ChenMing-Kit LokA soldier-turned-high school teacher uses unusual methods to reach to a class of poor students, while dealing with a greedy entrepreneur and his gang of fighters as well as the government.It’s kind of wholesome, kind of funny, and the action scenes are well-done, given Donnie Yen is in the cast.
- DirectorSoi CheangStarsTony JaaJing WuSimon YamWhile undercover officer Kit is taken prisoner by the syndicate, he befriends his keeper and discovers an organ trafficking ring.SPL 2 has a tense atmosphere, good acting, great fight sequences, and a sense of neo-noir.
- DirectorLee Jeong-beomStarsJang Dong-gunKim Min-heeBrian TeeA hit man traumatized from accidentally killing a young girl during a job is given the mission to eliminate her mother, and begins the ultimate fight to save her life.This movie rushed the plot a little, but it makes it up with good directing, tense gunfights, and great acting. Pretty solid thriller.
- DirectorJae-Hoon ChoiStarsJang HyukKim Hyeon-sooJoe TaslimThree different swordsmen -- a swordsman who is going blind, the best swordsman in Joseon Dynasty, and the best swordsman in Qing Dynasty who aspires to be the best even in the Joseon Dynasty -- meet each other for their own reasons.Joe Taslim kills it as the villain, while Jang Hyuk plays as a quiet, reserved martial artist. Pretty good movie.
- DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenLouis KooRay LuiA hot-headed inspector takes on a small but powerful Vietnamese-Chinese gang, after a series of crimes and murder attempts committed and putting an undercover cop and his girlfriend in great danger.This movie is hella entertaining, with its great MMA fight sequences and brutality and blood.
- DirectorSicheng ChenStarsBaoqiang WangHaoran LiuHe ChenAfter being rejected from the police academy, a mild-mannered young man travels to Bangkok where he and an energetic distant relative must solve a murder case.Detective Chinatown is entertaining, funny and hilarious. It’s “unseriousness” makes it very enjoyable.
- DirectorPrachya PinkaewStarsTony JaaNathan JonesXing JinA young fighter named Kham must go to Australia to retrieve his stolen elephant. With the help of a Thai-born Australian detective, Kham must take on all comers, including a gang led by an evil woman and her two deadly bodyguards.This movie has awesome parkour scenes, great stuntwork, and awesome fight sequences. Pretty good action movie.