The Berlin File (South Korea, 2013)

JUNG Jin-soo, a South Korean intelligence agent, comes across an unidentifiable operative, a 'ghost,' while surveilling a North Korean weapons deal in Berlin. The mystery figure is a North Korean secret agent, PYO Jong-seong, whose information cannot be found on any intelligence database. Jung quickly goes after Pyo to unveil his identity and gets himself embroiled in a vast international conspiracy. In the meanwhile, another North Korean operative, DONG Myung-soo, is dispatched to Berlin with a secret agenda to purge Pyo and take control of the North Korean embassy. Dong sets a trap to frame Pyo's wife, RYUN Jung-hee, for treason and tightens the noose around Pyo's neck. 

The Berlin File feels like a modern Bond movie done by asians. It packs some serious firepower, contains a lot of well-directed fighting scenes and is all about agents versus agents. Nothing new really, but nothing bad either. Also features some of South Korea's best actors.

Genre: Action/Thriller

Days of Being Wild (Hong Kong, 1990)

Set in 1960, the film centres on the young, boyishly handsome Yuddy, who learns from the drunken ex-prostitute who raised him that she is not his real mother. Hoping to hold onto him, she refuses to divulge the name of his real birth mother. The revelation shakes Yuddy to his very core, unleashing a cascade of conflicting emotions. Two women have the bad luck to fall for Yuddy. One is a quiet lass named Su Lizhen who works at a sports arena, while the other is a glitzy showgirl named Mimi. Perhaps due to his unresolved Oedipal issues, he passively lets the two compete for him, unable or unwilling to make a choice. 

Days of Being Wild is one of the earliest movies made by the universally praised director Wong Kar-wai, and even here we get to see his own characteristic film style that becomes more prominent in his later work. 

Genre: Drama/Romance

Once Upon a Time in China (Hong Kong, 1991)

Set in late 19th century Canton this martial arts film depicts the stance taken by the legendary martial arts hero Wong Fei-Hung (1847-1924) against foreign forces' (English, French and American) plundering of China. When Aunt Yee arrives back from America totally westernised, Wong Fei-Hung assumes the role of her protector. This proves to be difficult when his martial arts school and local militia become involved in fierce battles with foreign and local government. As violence escalates even Aunt Yee has to question her new western ideals, but is it possible to fight guns with Kung Fu?

Once Upon a Time in China is a showcase of brilliant kung fu and slapstick brawls. Jet Li plays the hero, but the real protagonist is the advanced martial art that's being unleashed on all the thugs and turns them into stew. A very entertaining fighting movie.

Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama  

Made in Hong Kong (Hong Kong, 1997)

Autumn Moon, a low-rent triad living in Hong Kong, struggles to find meaning in his hopelessly violent existence.

Made in Hong Kong is a stylish crime drama that almost has the feel of a Wong Kar-wai (Chungking Express) film, and that's a fantastic achievement. It earned a ton of awards and prizes upon its release, and rightfully so, because it's a well-crafted and convincing story that takes a handful of turns.

Genre: Crime/Drama/Romance

Green Fish (South Korea, 1997)

Having just been discharged from the military, Mak-dong is on the train home when he finds himself in possession of a pink scarf. From the beginning, Mak-dong is entangled in a relationship that becomes his undoing. Home, Ilsan, is not the same for Mak-dong anymore. The fields and rice paddies have gone, replaced by high rise apartments, and the family has moved on while he has been away. All of his siblings except an invalid brother have left home, struggling to make a living. Mak-dong dreams of a time when the whole family can live together again.

Green Fish is a story about a man who makes the wrong decisions in life. It's a well acted drama with Han Suk-kyu (The Scarlett Letter, The Berlin File) in the lead role, and he plays his part really, really good. Check it out if you want a moody and great film.

Genre: Drama 

Linda Linda Linda (Japan, 2005)

Linda Linda Linda tells the story of a group of four high school girls who decide to put together a band for Hiiragi-sai, their school cultural festival. Three days before they are to play the festival, the guitarist and singer quit the band. The remaining members, Kei, Kyoko, and Nozomi must figure out what to do or risk cancelling. They decide to perform covers of The Blue Hearts songs, but all agree that they need to find a new member to be the singer. They ask the first girl that walks by - Son, a Korean foreign exchange student.

Linda Linda Linda is a sweet coming-of-age tale that you might think doesn't have much of a plot, but it has a cult following and is recognized as one of the more popular Japanese drama's in recent years. A likeable cast, good direction and enough side stories to keep things interesting makes the film an enjoyable watch.

Genre: Drama/Music 

The Foul king (South Korea, 2000)

Dae-Ho is an unproductive bank clerk who is late to work every morning and the object of his manager's frustrations. He was a fan of TV wrestling as a child, but can't get out of a headlock. He finds a local wrestling trainer and through a series of events eventually starts to train. He is slowly transformed as he begins his second job as the cheating villain wrestler known as the Foul King. He starts to stand up for himself in odd ways that are not really in his own best interest. Events get out of hand as conflicting influences come together.

The Foul King brings two massive names together: director Kim Ji-woon (I Saw the Devil, A Bittersweet Life) and actor Song Kang-ho (Thirst). It's quirky and a lot of fun, Kang-ho is such an amusing actor and really can save any scene that he's in. 

Genre: Comedy/Sport

After Life (Japan, 1998)

After people die, they spend a week with counselors, also dead, who help them pick one memory, the only memory they can take to eternity. They describe the memory to the staff who work with a crew to film it and screen it at week's end. 22 dead arrive that week, assigned to three counselors and a trainee. One old man cannot find a memory, so he watches videotapes of his life. Others pick their memory quickly, and the film crew gets right to work.

After Life is directed by one of Japan's best directors, Hirokazu Kore-eda, who gave us great films like Nobody Knows (2004) and Still Walking (2008). After Life is his brilliant view of life after death, and the complications that follows. It's like a personal investment in people's lives, and not just actors as Kore-eda wanted genuine emotions and real stories so we see many people that talks about real experiences. The film was planned a decade before being made and was directly inspired by Kore-eda's childhood memories of his grandfather's dementia, which made him aware of just how important memories are to our identity. 

Genre: Drama. 1h 58min.

Moonlight Whispers (Japan, 1999)

An offbeat study of the adult games that men and women play filtered through the actions of two seemingly innocent Japanese school kids, Satsuki and Takuya, two 17-year-olds who first meet practising kendo but later fall head over heels in love. They then discover the ways they can most exuberantly express their love for one another, no matter how perverse.

Moonlight Whispers (a.k.a. Sasayaki) portrays a twisted relationship that only becomes more disturbing as time goes on. A teenage romance gone perverse and deranged, but also a romance that feeds off the students own bizarre desires.

Genre: Drama/Romance

Karas (Japan, 2005)

Karas tells the story of Otoha, a former yakuza, living in a fictional version of Shinjuku, Tokyo populated by humans and yōkai (Japanese spirits). He is one of the titular karas, humans appointed as superpowered agents of the land. Able to transform into a car, an aircraft, and an armored crusader; the skilled swordsman is to stop his corrupt predecessor, Eko, from taking over Tokyo. Supporting characters such as Eko's former henchman, Nue; the yōkai; and Homura, the karas of another city, help Otoha in his quest. 

Karas was originally released as six episodes, and was later compiled into two feature length films. They featured extremely fast paced action, some incredible enemy design and gorgeous animations techniques that made viewers drool. It's a little light on the story, but that's okay, with visuals like these you can forgive a lot of things.

Genre: Action

Dreams for Sale (Japan, 2012)

A married couple finds themselves in a dire financial situation after they lose their restaurant in a fire. The couple determined to run a restaurant again turn to crime. The wife scopes out potential targets and her husband commits marriage fraud.

"Movies about crooks and scammers after the big score, from Stanley Kubrick’s “The Killing” (1956) on, nearly all have a certain story arc, and Nishikawa’s is no exception. What sets her film apart is its sharpness about its characters’ psychologies, particularly its women. I don’t mean that Nishikawa has some special insight by virtue of being a woman herself, but she does see them — and care about them — as real individuals, not representative types." Japantimes 'Dreams for Sale' review 

Genre: Drama/Crime

Sunny (South Korea, 2011)

New high-school transfer student Na-Mi comes from a small town in Jeolla Province to her new school in the capital city of Seoul. On her first day at her new school she is bullied by others. Coming to her help is a group of girls. The girls are Choon-Hwa - known for her strong sense of loyalty & excellent fighting skills, heavyset Jang-Mi - who badly wishes to have plastic surgery, Jin-Hee - excellent when it comes to spewing profanity, Geum-Ok - interested in literature, Bok-Hee - dreams of one day becoming Ms. Korea and Su-Ji - always arrogant. Na-Mi quickly becomes part of their group. These seven girls then form their own group named "Sunny", and they make a vow to stay together forever.

Funny, exciting, sad but also full of joy. Sunny is all of these things, as it explores the eventful school years for seven very different and colorful girls. Definitely a happy pill in movie form.

Genre: Drama

Blind (South Korea, 2011)

A missing person case involving a female university student and the victim in a hit and run case appears to be the same person. Detectives look for a witness. A witness, Min Soo-Ah appears, but Min Soo-Ah is blind. She used to be a promising student at the police academy. With her acute senses, Min Soo-Ah is able to reveal important clues on the hit and run case. Another witness, Kwon Gi-Seob then appears. Gi-Seob, who witnessed the case with his own eyes, gives contradictory statements to Min Soo-Ah. The investigation then goes through many twists and turns, while Min Soo-Ah finds herself up against the killer.

With an interesting plot, Blind manages to be a suspenseful thriller that takes more than one unsuspected turn. The fact that the main character is blind also makes it stand out and doesn't just use that fact as a gimmick. Recommended for those who want a tight, enthralling thriller.  

Genre: Drama/Thriller

As One (South Korea, 2012)

Table tennis player Hyun Jung-Hwa wins silver medals, but always comes up short in the gold medal matches against a rival Chinese table tennis player. One month prior to the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba, Hyun Jung-Hwa hears that a single Korean table tennis will be formed from South and North Korea. The South Korean players and its coach oppose the idea. Despite the opposition, the united Korean table tennis team is formed. Players from South and North Korea meet at a training camp in Chiba, Japan. They are forced to become one team, but from their practice routines, to how they talk and how they live all cause clashes. 

As One is a heartwarming true story about friendship, teamwork and the love for table tennis. A solid sports drama with  good actors and just the right amount of melodrama.

Genre: Drama/Sport

The Happiness of the Katakuris (Japan, 2001)

The Happiness of the Katakuris is a morbid musical comedy about a family of oddballs who open an inn in the mountains. Unfortunately, through no fault of their own, none of their guests leave their rooms alive. In order to protect their business, the family resorts to burying the corpses in the backyard, but this only leads to a zombie problem.

If you're looking for something different, something that's just so out of control you almost can't believe it, you can stop now. The Happiness of the Katakuris features zombies, clay animation, musical numbers and more, all on top of a hilarious black comedy. Director Takashi Miike (Audition) loosely based the plot on the exceptional South Korean film The Quiet Family (1998). You could watch that one first, then see this version which has taken the plot and run it through a wacky Japanese filter.

Genre: Comedy/Horror/Musical

Patlabor: The Movie (Japan, 1989)

A mysterious suicide and a series of unmanned robot run-aways sparks off a Police investigation into the suspicious software on-board thousands of industrial robots around Tokyo. Step by step, the police find themselves tangled up by the web of a perfect crime which awaits the approaching Typhoon to activate thousands of virus affected robots. As time runs out, Asuma and his team must complete a task that is doomed to be a failure before the Typhoon lands Tokyo.

You may think Patlabor is going to be the most awesome animated robot-film you've seen, but here's the thing; it isn't for everyone. Yes it has giant mechas that can turn other giant robots into scrap metal, but that stuff isn't what the main focus is on. Patlabor is a slow-paced film that takes time to develop a story about ethics regarding robot workers, and a crime which is way bigger than you'd thought. A sequel was made in 1993, and that one is even more complex. Sophisticated robot drama.

Genre: Animation/Action/Crime

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (Hong Kong/China/Japan, 2005)

Gouichi Takata, an aged Japanese father who, ever since his wife died, has not been in good terms with his son. When he learns that his son has been diagnosed as having liver cancer, he decides to travel to the Yunnan province in China in his son's place to film Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, a traditional item in the local nuo opera, of which his son is a leading scholar. The father hopes that by doing so, he might finally gain the forgiveness of his son.

Riding Alone... is directed by one China's best filmmakers, Yimou Zhan, who's work include Raise the Red Lantern (1991) and Hero (2002). It's a magnificent drama that packs a strong emotional impact, and has a bittersweet feel to itself.

Genre: Drama 

A Scene at the Sea (Japan, 1991)

Born with a hearing impairment, Shigeru is a part timer working for the sanitation service. His girlfriend Takako has the same condition as well. On his usual pickup route, Shigeru finds a broken surf-board in a pile of garbage, and is introduced to the world of surfing. Shigeru fails in his attempt to catch a waves, but un-hindered by the world around them, Shigeru and Takako commute to the beach every day. Not to be discouraged, Shigeru's love for surfing consumes everything around him. 

Behold, a film by Takeshi Kitano. This was actually his first project that didn't include crude violence and yakuza, which is almost what he specializes in for his other movies. A Scene at the Sea is instead a quiet, poetic portrayal of a relationship, that nearly becomes a love triangle between Shigeru, his girlfriend, and his strong love for his newfound surfing obsession.

Genre: Drama

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (Japan, 1999)

Ten years after the end of World War II; anti-terror policeman Fuse gets suspended from service after the suicide by self-detonation of a young terrorist girl during an operation, as he failed to shoot her in time. When he tries to gather some information about her, he meets her sister and befriends with her. Both get dragged into the rivalries between the administration of the police and the counter terrorism commando unit 'Jin Roh' (human wolves).

Jin-Roh portrays a bleak and gritty alternate history where Germany has conquered Japan, and a special police force has been formed to defend the capital. With Jin-Roh, animation studio Production I.G created a terrifying, cold and grim universe, but kept it free from fantasy elements so that it feels more like a realistic 'what if'-scenario. Also, the animation is fantastic.

Genre: Animation/Drama