Blu-ray Community Top Asian Films [Read OP--due Feb 16]

[Al_The_Strange]

Kon’nichiwa! Nǐ hǎo! Namaste! S̄wạs̄dī kraup! Anyoung haseyo!

Vote for your favorite Asian films—you have until February 21st 2018 (extended from Feb. 16th, Chinese New Year).

There is no minimum requirement. Even if you’ve only ever seen one Asian film, you’re free to vote. Maximum is 50. Scoring per movie is the same as other polls: your top picks will have the most weight.

1. 25 Points
2. 19 Points
3. 18 Points
4. 17 Points
5. 16 Points
................
16. 5 Points
17. 4 Points
18. 3 Points
19. 2 Points
20. 1 Point
................
21. 1 Point
...
30. 1 Point

The only rule for this poll is that the movie has to be produced, either in whole or in part, in an Asian country. This includes Russia and the Middle East as well. Some films may share its production equally between eastern and western nations—these can be valid too, but I encourage you to vote on films that have an authentic Asian flavor to them—films with Asian stars, locations, culture, martial arts, and more. Also beware of imitations: films like Big Trouble in Little China, Kill Bill, The Matrix, Kung Fu Panda, Disney’s Mulan may look Asian, but they’re 100% American and will not count. If you are in doubt about a film’s origins, consult imdb or other resources.

Aside from that, all mediums and genres are allowed—films can be live-action, anime, CGI, or anything. I’ll even permit short films longer than 40 minutes, and anime OVAs that can be viewed as one feature (between 40 and 180 minutes altogether).

Other usual formalities:

• Please make only one list and update it as-needed with the edit button.
• For films made more than once, please indicate the year of production in parenthesis. For example, 47 Ronin (1941) or 47 Ronin (1994) (the 2013 one is listed as all-American and would not count anyway). If you don't indicate, then I will assume you mean the most popular title, or the first, original version.
• Do not combine multi-part or multi-volume movies into one line. Battles Without Honor or Humanity is five separate films, please list which part you're voting on. EXCEPTION: Films meant to be shown as one whole film split into parts can be considered as one entry--currently, Red Cliff is the one exception I know of so far. The standards should be the same as when evaluating anime OVAs.
• Be respectful of other members and their choices. If somebody were to vote on Hard Gun, that is their choice and everybody is entitled to their own tastes. Please keep your discussions civil--if you don't have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself.
• OPTIONAL: Feel free to write about your film choices, what you like about them or how they impact you. Any write-ups I see will be gathered and presented in the results.
• As a reminder, the deadline is February 21st 2018.

[Abdrewes]

In the Realm of the Senses
Tokyo Story
Happy Together
Branded to Kill
Fallen Angels
Harakiri
Ugetsu
Millenium Mambo
Sansho, The Bailiff
Chungking Express
Right Now, Wrong Then
Pale Flower
The Scent of Green Papaya
A Touch of Zen
Secret Sunshine
Spring in a Small Town ('49)
Tokyo Sonata
Ikiru
Farewell My Concubine
Rashomon
Brighter Summer Day
Seven Samurai
Legend of the Drunken Master
Mountains May Depart
Yi Yi
Late Spring
The Horse Thief
Yojimbo
Kuroneko
The World
Godzilla ('54)
The Story of The Late Chrysanthemums
Hidden Fortress
Poetry
Kagemusha
Violence at Noon
Lust, Caution
Ran
Woman in the Dunes
Audition
Tokyo Drifter
Pistol Opera
The Wedding Banquet
Still Walking
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring
High and Low
Three Outlaw Samurai
Hard Boiled
Gate of Hell
A Touch of Sin
Project A, Part II

[AaronJ]

I'm not particularly familiar with Asian cinema in general, though I have been digging into Iranian cinema a bit lately. I'm glad there's no minimum, or I would be in trouble.


01 In the Mood For Love (Wong Kar-Wai, 2000)
02 Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979)
03 A Separation (Asghar Farhadi, 2011)
04 Solaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972)
05 Woman in the Dunes (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1964)
06 2046 (Wong Kar-Wai, 2004)
07 Late Spring (Yasujiro Ozu, 1949)
08 Certified Copy (Abbas Kiarostami, 2010)
09 Late Autumn (Yasujiro Ozu, 1960)
10 Close-Up (Abbas Kiaorstami, 1990)
11 Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu, 1953)
12 Ran (Akira Kurosawa, 1985)
13 Raise the Red Lantern (Zhang Yimou, 1991)
14 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2000)
15 Farewell My Concubine (Kaige Chen, 1993)

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

EDIT: I know Russia is half in Europe and half in Asia, more or less. Do Russian movies count?

I was contemplating that myself, and I will say yes. Russia itself seems to be cut in half, but I am interested to see how much representation it gets, and I figure why not? Some of its neighboring countries (like Kazakhstan) do fall into the category of Asia too.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I was contemplating that myself, and I will say yes. Russia itself seems to be cut in half, but I am interested to see how much representation it gets, and I figure why not? Some of its neighboring countries (like Kazakhstan) do fall into the category of Asia too.

OK, thanks. I foresee some serious Tarkovsky representation in my list.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Godzilla

Had to check to make sure--it looks like all three versions of Godzilla (1954, 1998, 2014) are eligible. I take it you're voting on the original?

[Ray Jackson]

All Films Matter!

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Had to check to make sure--it looks like all three versions of Godzilla (1954, 1998, 2014) are eligible. I take it you're voting on the original?

Wow, really? Yes. The original

[esteban²]

01 Hero (2002)
02 The House of the Flying Daggers (2004)
03 Bin Jip (2004)
04 Life of Pi
05 Waltz with Bashir (2008)
06 Gwoemul (2006)
07 Okja (2017)
08 Howls Moving Castle (2004)
09 The Eye (2002)
10 Shaolin Soccer (2001)
11 Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
12 Turtles Can Fly (2004)

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by esteban²

* Movies that are in 'best Asian' lists, but not sure if valid.

I have to digg very deep, under the impression I haven't seen a lot of Asian movies.

Unfortunately, it looks like Letters From Iwo Jima is solely a US production and wouldn't count. Shame though, it definitely had authenticity in its locations and actors.

Waltz with Bashir--I don't think Isreal is considered part of Asia.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Unfortunately, it looks like Letters From Iwo Jima is solely a US production and wouldn't count. Shame though, it definitely had authenticity in its locations and actors.

Waltz with Bashir--I don't think Isreal is considered part of Asia.

The entire Middle East is part of Asia. Though, if you told a Syrian, a Jordanian, or Israeli that he was Asian, he'd look at you like you were crazy.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

The entire Middle East is part of Asia. Though, if you told a Syrian, a Jordanian, or Israeli that he was Asian, he'd look at you like you were crazy.

Well, alright then. Middle East counts.

Asia gets bigger all the time it seems.

[esteban²]

Okay. Yeah, I knew that it was Asian because of that reason, but wasn't sure this production was. I didn't think of it, but since 'East' productions are Asian too, I can add titles like 'Turtles Can Fly' and stuff.

[Markgway]

If you meant Far East Asia (i.e. Hong Kong, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, etc.) you could just say that...

[Trollhunter]

1. Oldboy
2. Seven Samurai
3. Spirited Away
4. Hero
5. In the Mood for Love
6. House of Flying Daggers
7. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
8. 2046
9. Princess Mononoke
10. Rashomon
11. Grave of the Fireflies
12. Ran
13. Raise the Red Lantern
14. Yojimbo
15. Akira
16. Chungking Express
17. Infernal Affairs
18. Howl's Moving Castle
19. Ringu
20. My Neighbor Totoro
21. The Host
22. I Saw The Devil
23. Fireworks
24. Throne of Blood
25. Ip Man
26. Audition
27. Kung Fu Hustle
28. Kagemusha
29. Ghost In The Shell
30. Mother
31. Lust, Caution
32. A Separation
33. The Killer
34. Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior
35. The Handmaiden
36. Farewell My Concubine
37. A Tale of Two Sisters
38. 13 Assassins
39. Ponyo
40. Hard Boiled

[Hucksta G]

1. Memories of Murder
2. I Saw the Devil
3. The Raid 2
4. City of Life and Death
5. Why Don’t You Play in Hell
6. Hana-bi
7. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring
8. The Chaser
9. Like Father, Like Son
10. Fallen Angels
11. The Handmaiden
12. The Act of Killing
13. The Look of Silence
14. The Wailing
15. Okja
16. New World
17. Oldboy
18. Ran
19. Seven Samurai
20. Perfect Blue
21. Rashomon
22. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance
23. Grave of the Fireflies
24. Yojimbo
25. Snowpiercer
26. Made in Hong Kong
27. Sympathy for Mr Vengeance
28. The Host
29. Tokyo Story
30. Train to Busan
31. Battle Royale
32. Your Name
33. Brotherhood of War
34. Joint Security Area
35. My Neighbour Totoro
36. Princess Monokone
37. Spirited Away
38. When Marnie Was There
39. Audition
40. The Raid
41. A Bittersweet Life
42. Chunking Express
43. Bandit Queen
44. In the Mood for Love
45. Hard Boiled
46. Infernal Affairs
47. The Killer
48. A Touch of Sin
49. Ghost in the Shell
50. Porco Rosso

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Hucksta G

Let me know if any of these don’t count, I’m expecting a few

27. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days

Though it's one hell of a movie -- and depressing as hell -- that definitely doesn't count. It's Romanian, which puts it solidly in Europe.

[MechaGodzilla]

Russia counts too? ****. Well, I'll get to work!

[Hucksta G]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Though it's one hell of a movie -- and depressing as hell -- that definitely doesn't count. It's Romanian, which puts it solidly in Europe.

Cheers for that, I mistakenly and ignorantly thought it was Russian haha

[Alister_M]

I Saw The Devil
Naked Killer
Way of the Dragon
The Big Boss
Riki-oh
Oldboy
Sukiyaki Western Django
Ichi the Killer
Hard Boiled
Bullet in the Head
Battle Royale
Enter the Dragon
The Chinese Connection
The Killer
The Raid
The Raid 2
Fearless
Ip Man
Ong Bak
Ong Bak 2
Ong Bak 3
Ip Man 2
Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend
Ninja Scroll
Bodyguards & Assassins
In The Realm of the Senses
Shogun's Sadism
The Protector
Spriggan
Guinea Pig: Flower of Flesh and Blood
Ip Man 3
Audition
Versus
Starship Troopers: Invasion
Biohazard: Damnation