The Best 100 Oriental Movies of All Time (under construction)

9.52/10 (51st viewing)

"Find hungry samurai: Even bears leave the forest when they are hungry."

"I remember how I felt when I was your age. I tried to distinguish myself in war and become the owner of a castle. But time flies as swiftly as an arrow. Look at my grey hair, what there is left of it; I've got nothing out of fighting, I'm alone in the world."

"What do you take farmers for? Saints? They're the most cunning, untrustworthy animals. Ask them for rice and they'll deny they have any. But they have everything. Dig up the ground, search the rafters...you'll find their rice, salt, beans, sake. They hide in their mountain farms. After a battle they hunt the wounded and defeated. Farmers are deceitful, miserly, cowardly, mean, stupid, murderous. You make me laugh. But who made animals of them? You did. You damned samurai! Whenever you fight, you burn villages, destroy corps, take away food, rape women, enslave men, kill them if they resist. Do you hear, you damned samurai?"

Perfection. By anyone's standards, the greatest oriental movie of all time and one of the top ten movies of all time and region. A simply flawless movie: Superb photography (Asakazu Nakai), excellent score (Fumio Hayasaka), memorable characters, amazing story, first-rate direction, epic atmosphere, deeply thoughtful.
Note the scene when samurai are first introduced. They are reckless but also immensely proud ("I may be poor, but I'm a samurai, not a beggar"). The farmers' look says it all: They admire the strength and the pride of a samurai. The music lifts the viewer to another dimension. But the fact that the farmers can only offer three meals a day provides also a standard for virtue. Surely, this is an insult for any samurai, but the viewer immediately understands that those who will accept the offer will be "special." This is Kurosawa's intention.
The contrast between farmers and samurai is achieved effortlessly and masterfully by the actors. Excellent acting by all, and, I would argue, especially by the farmers. Kokuten Kodo, as the wise Old Man of the village, is a joy to watch.
An adventure like no other: SEVEN SAMURAI

AFTER THIS WATCH: The Magnificent Seven (John Sturges, 1960)

OSCAR NOMINATIONS (2): Art Direction, Costume Design

WINS: Silver Lion (Venice Film Festival)

READING:
Mellen, J., Seven Samurai (BFI Publishing, 2002)
Prince, S., The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa (Princeton UP, 1999)
Stafford, R., Seven Samurai (Longman, 2001)
Yoshimoto, M., Kurosawa: Film Studies and Japanese Cinema (Duke UP, 2000)

9.12/10 (9th viewing)

"In a mad world only the mad are sane."

"Imagine that: Lady Sue was a fox in disguise! Clever fox - first becomes human, then turns herself to stone. There are many foxes hereabouts. It is said they take human form. Take care, my lord. They often impersonate women. In Central Asia a fox seduced King Pan Tsu and made him kill 1,000 men. In China she married King Yu and ravaged the land. In Japan, as Princess Tamamo, she caused great havoc at court. She became a white fox with nine tails. Then they lost trace of her. Some people say she settled down here in your house."

Absolutely awesome epic movie about feudal Japan, corruptive politics, powerful families and the recurring theme of how women generate disaster in politics. Photography, cinematography, direction, costumes, historical sites, landscapes and ESPECIALLY the battles are second to none. The pace is slow, but this is necessary if the viewer is to exercise her latent reflective abilities. Essentially a revenge story: Great Lord Hidetora Ichimonji did many evil deeds while trying to establish his reign and now that he has reached an old age fate pays him back with the self-destruction of his whole family. One of my top ten movies of all time and of all region. Perfect! (Probably the only film in cinematic history to be as perfect and as epic as "The Godfather.")

OSCAR WINS: Best costume design (Emi Wada)

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Best art-direction-set decoration, best cinematography, best direction

WINS: Amanda Awards, Japanese Academy, BAFTA, Blue Ribbon, Bodili Awards, Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, David Di Donatello Awards, Joseph Plateau Awards, London Critics Circle Film Awards, Los Angeles Film Critics Awards Association Awards, Mainichi Film Concours, National Board of Review, National Society of Film Critics Awards, New York Film Critics Circle Awards, San Sebastian International Film Festival

8.85/10 (4th viewing)

"You cannot change fate. However, you can rise to meet it, if you so choose."

An amazing movie! Probably the best animated feature of all time, together with Howl's Moving Castle by the same director. It works both as a unique action movie and as a movie with a deep (very deep!) ecological message. Extremely complex and rich in its depiction of (a) the relationship between nature/animals and humans and (b) traditional japanese elements (factual and mythical). Extraordinary close attention to details. It requires multiple viewings to be fully appreciated. Beautiful score, perfectly balanced and lifting. Miyazaki develops at least ten characters extremely well throughout the story of the film. The animation is spectacular and unusual, with tens of never-seen-before animatic elements. It has clearly raised the bar for animated movies and established Miyazaki as THE Master of Animation.

AWARDS
* Saturn Award (2001)
* Japanese Academy (1998)
* Blue Ribbon Special Award (1998)

8.75/10 (34th viewing)

"Ecce Homo: behold the man. A Christ bearing the cross of cancer. If you were told you had cancer, you'd drop dead at once. But he's different. From that moment he began to live."

Oh my God, what an amazing movie, intensely lyrical and moving, rebelious! Respect to the master Kurosawa. Epical, sardanapalian ethics. Unforgettable score and acting by Takashi Shimura. The "song of awakening" will haunt you forever:

"Life is brief
fall in love, sweet maiden
before your red lips fade
before passion cools
for there will be no tomorrow
fall in love, sweet maiden
while your hair is black
while your heart is still aflame
for today will never return."

Live your life to the fullest and screw the imperatives of the state and society. IKIRU (to live)!

***WARNING: See this movie alone - company will ruin the magical experience for all of you.

8.46/10 (38th viewing)

"Desire leads to attachment. Attachment leads to intention of killing."

"Didn't you know the secular world is like that? Sometimes you have to let go of the things you have. Can't you understand that other men can like what you like?"

Superb film-making. The wisdom of the simple life and the breathtaking beauty of unspoiled nature married in perfect harmony. Spirituality at its heighest (comparable to such milestones as "Andrei Rubliev" and "Into Great Silence"). Life is tragic, independently of how one lives it. This is the unavoidable nature of humanity: death, passion of the flesh, failure, evil. But there is something humans can gain by leading a monastic life: the spiritual dimension of their existence, a dimension that has disappeared from the secular world. And peace. This is a movie for those who long for our long lost spirituality and peace.

WINS: Silver Condor, Blue Dragon, Chlotrudis, Grand Bell, Locarno International, San Sebastian International, Sofia International

8.41/10 (3rd viewing)

"Be a good son while your parents are alive. [...] None can serve his parents beyond the grave."

"Look how big Tokyo is. Yes, isn't it? If we got lost, we'd never find each other again."

"We can't expect too much from our children. Times have changed. We have to face it."

"Nowadays some young men kill their parents without a thought. Mine at least wouldn't do that."

"Sometimes I feel I can't go on like this forever. Often I wonder, when I can't sleep, what will become of me if I stay this way. Day passes and night comes, yet nothing happens, and I feel a kind of loneliness. My heart seems to be waiting for something. I'm selfish."

So this is what they mean when they say that Ozu is a master of the seventh art! Gentle, realistic depiction of the development of the family and the alienation of children from their parents. The pace is slow, but rewardingly so. Time consumes everything and the wisdom of life is not to be found in grand theories but in the interrelationship of humanity. Death is inevitable, and causes sadness, but at the same time it functions as a reminder of what is important in this life: To love the people who are close to you and show that love explicitly when the opportunity arises.

Pure cinema!

PS. Colossal performance by Setsuko Hara as "Noriko."

8.41/10 (5th viewing)

"Well, one nice thing about getting old is that nothing frightens you anymore."

"When you're old, all you want to do is stare at the scenery."

"I see no point in living if I can't be beautiful..."

Arguably the best animation of all times (only "Princess Mononoke" of the same director can compete with it). Powerful, mystical, magical, humane, visually stunning, emotional, thoughtful, terrifying - in short, sheer genius.

8.39/10 (28th viewing)

Overall excellent, somewhat let down by the "fourth version" of the events, which includes a bit of silly acting. Mifune is fantastic, as well as the female protagonist. Amazing shading and even more amazing score. Greatly entertaining, from beginning to end. Food for thought as well.

8.21/10 (3rd viewing)
"Shuhei: You know, sons are actually best.
Nobuko:It's true.
Shuhei: There's no point having a daughter.
Shuzo: Boy or girl, it's all the same. They all go sooner or later.
Horie: And leave the aged behind. [...]
Shuhei: It's hardly worth bringing them up.
Nobuko: It's true.
Shuzo: As the Gourd said, "in the end, we spend our lives alone."

Brilliant Ozu, the master of the simple life, family relations, and the meaning of life and death. Spectacular deep colours (dominant yellow, green and, especially, red), excellent - as always - camera work (photo shots), first-class acting. This is a more eerie, enjoyable film than previous ones by the same director - this is due to the uplifting musical score, bright colours and frequent witty conversations. There is background social commentary on the japanese sentiments about Japan's loss of the war (note the two bar scenes in particular - the one uplifting, the other depressing). Highly recommended, especially in an autumn afternoon!

8.20/10 (9th viewing)

8.20/10 (4th viewing)

7.97/10 (1st viewing)

7.96/10 (1st viewing)

7.96/10 (1st viewing)

"Chiild: The Great Warrior is dead.
Obaba: It's for the best. The Ohm's rage is the fury of the Earth itself. There's no reason to live if our lives depend on a monster."

Wow. An epic sci-fi adventure. An amazing, realistic depiction of the real Evil and Good forces of the Earth. What surprises is how the film slowly reverses the initial symbolic intake; the earth-as-the-enemy-of-humanity is revealed as our home and protector. The Human gives only a superficial reading of its situation and does not understand what's really beneficial to it. The Unknown is not always the Enemy, it can be your very own Soul.

7.96/10 (13th viewing)

7.75/10 (1st viewing)

7.60/10 (10th viewing)

"Revenge will only bring us more bloodshed. [...] We must instead try to become triumphant."

Epic kung-fu movie, the best I have seen so far (even compared to such classics as "Fist of Fury," "Enter the Dragon" and "The Drunken Master"). What makes the movie so unique is Jet Li's excellent acting, the costumes and the middle part, the part which depicts his finding of himself as a human being - this part allows the movie to acquire a spiritual character that exerts a powerful influence on the viewer. The fight scenes are great - even though not so realistic in the first one-third of the film. The movie can be understood on many levels: cinematic, historical, psychological, spiritual, cultural. For example, it indirectly provides an in-depth portrait of the Chinese people of a certain historical period (1869-1910). It is a film that greatly honours the master Huo Yuanjia, the founder of the Jin Wu Sports Federation.

7.60/10 (2nd viewing)

"The Geishu ex-warrior, Motome Chijiiwa, was a lad of some slight acquaintance!"

Intense samurai thriller with underlying sociological commentary. Slow pace. Acting could be better (especially in the first half), but story, photography and direction are superb. Highly thoughtful about morality and class structure.

7.60/10 (2nd viewing)

The simple story of a Professor, who was adored by his students, not because he was learned, but because he was a Good Man. Minor Kurosawa, somewhat close to 'Ikiru', but not as brilliant. Slow at parts, the story does not develop as smoothly as one would expect from a Kurosawa movie. It works mostly as a cinematic portrait of a complex, but inherently good person. Recommended for solitary viewing.

7.60/10 (2nd viewing)

7.57/10 (2nd viewing)

Extraordinary horror-drama movie, with philosophical messages about lust, desire, death and evil. The message is that everyone eventually pay the price for their actions. Emotions such as jealousy and envy always lead to catastrophic results. The significance of the hideous mask is the representation of a higher form of punishing force. The film develops the rather simple story of the relationship between a mother-in-law, her daughter-in-law and the former friend of the mother-in-law's son, who got killed in the war that was raging in 14th-century Japan. This simplicity works in its favour, as it provides plenty of cinematic space for detailed, systematic and coherent character-development. The film contains some amazing black-and-white scenes, such as reeds being moved majestically by the wind, the two women eating a dog with bulimia, and the two lovers making love in the rain. Highly recommended.

7.53/10 (3rd viewing)

7.53/10 (2nd viewing)

7.51/10 (2nd viewing)

"Sadder than blossoms swept off by the wind...
a life torn away in the fullness of spring."

A film of extraordinary beauty; each of its frames is like a painting. The lyrical music is in absolute harmony with the story. The whole film tells a well-known epic story in Japanese samurai culture and very much succeeds in its task. It is slow at times and there are some minor problems with editing. First-rate acting. Its major problem is that the viewer who is not familiar with the story will get lost in a myriad of names and details. There is a central event that drives the film - the desire of Lord Asano's men to revenge their wrongfully accused master - but there are so many people and subplots involved in its development that sometimes one must even take notes to comprehend what is going on. Maybe the story could be told in a better way if the director had focused on only one or two protagonists. It requires repeated viewings, but one could not watch it more than once per year. All in all, this is a classic film and many consider it one of the best oriental movies of all time; it is certainly a unique experience to watch it (especially because of its spectacular photography and the detailed exposition of its historical background), but it is by no means flawless. A faster pace and more economical plot would help it age in a better way.

7.49/10 (1st viewing)