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Asian Movies

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Garcin:
First my controversial opinions.  I found Hero patently offensive (but beautiful).  I couldn't get over the fact that Zhang Yimou, previously a furiously independent director, had been coopted by China's dictatorship, and had created a blatant apologia for authoritarian rule, and indirectly, for the human rights abuses that territorial control over culturally distinct minorities implies.

You might be thinking "Jeez man, it's just a friggin movie -- chillax!" -- and I wish I could chillax -- but I can't.  I couldn't get out of my head what the message of the movie was, and it completely destroyed the meaning of the movie for me -- to the extent that when the assassin spares the emperor's life, I wanted to leave the theater.

House of Hidden Daggers I found again beautiful, but so laughably incoherent that again, I was unable to enjoy it.  One of those movies that I really wish came with a stupid pill.  Although I saw it on my friend's projection TV in the company of some very fine chilled vodka, so we we laughed our way through it a la Mystery Science Theater 3000, and overall it was a good experience.

On the plus side?  I could go on and on (in fact -- I have already!) but fans of anime should definitely check out Mamoru Oshii's (Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell II) Avalon, which is live action in sepia tones, and out-Matrixes the fuck out of the Matrix.  To quote some clever reviewer dude, it is also the first time that modern day Poland has been used as a special effect.

The Wong Kar Wai trilogy is obviously stellar, and Ong-Bak was fun if somewhat pandering. I'm one of the people who loved Oldboy, and next on my list of Asian cinema is definitely Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, followed by Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.

Also -- Kurosawa? The Seven Samarai?  The Hidden Fortress?  Kagemusha?  Rashomon?  Need I say more?

Finally -- Infernal affairs.  Shee-it, that was a rush.  John Woo, eat your heart out.

EDIT: Grammar & spelling.

shrimp:
Has anyone seen "A tale of Two sisters"? I really liked that movie.

I LOVE asian Horror :) check it out, its great! :)

JLM:
Are we talking specifically about movies from asia, or asian cinema?  

If it's the latter, has anyone seen Better Luck Tomorrow  I was thinking of watching it but I wanted some opinions.

Since I'm already on the topic...one of the strangest (and funnier) Indian films I've ever seen is Srinivas Krishna's Masala, a little Canadian gem that you should really check out if you get the chance.

decklin:
Moiche: to be honest, I found that part (the end) moving. I did not read it politically. Are you saying he was co-opted because of the result, or was there actual arm-twisting going on here?

Garcin:
Both actually.  But I have no intention of threadjacking with my personal take on South-East Asian politics and its effects on Chinese cinema.  If you're interested in chatting about this, shoot me a PM.

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