Chocolate (Thailand, 2008)

When Zin, former girlfriend of a Thai mob boss, falls for Masashi, a Japanese gangster in Thailand, the boss banishes them: Masashi to Japan, and Zin, with her small daughter Zen, to live next to a martial arts school. Zen is autistic, with uncanny swift reflexes. She watches the students next door and Muay Thai movies, absorbing every technique. She's now a teen, and her mother needs chemotherapy. Zin has taken in a chubby kid, Moom, who watches over Zen. Moom finds a ledger listing business men who owe Zin money; he goes to them one at a time to collect in order to pay for Zin's treatment. Zen, with her martial skills, becomes his enforcer. 

First things first, Chocolate is directed by the same man who gave us Ong-ak (2003) and The Protector (2005), and if you know anything about martial art movies that should immediately peak your interest. Awesome action, a  sweet and quirky story but not without emotional depth and the camera work to back it up. Chocolate should be seen by anyone who's looking for a fight-heavy film with a lot of heart. 

Genre: Action/Drama

Death Bell (South Korea, 2008)

At an exclusive high school in Seoul, examination marks matter and so do parents' social status. To prepare for a visit from students from England, two popular teachers, Mr. Kim and Ms. Choi, gather top pupils for a Saturday study session. Things go awry: one by one, students disappear, dying in grisly ways, sometimes in view of the others via closed circuit TV. A voice on the P.A. system warns of death if anyone tries to leave. The voice also asks questions, and Mr. Kim leads the students in trying to solve them, hoping to save a student.

Death Bell is a not too serious horror flick with a playful plot, a bunch of students are being targeted by a murderer who wants them to solve puzzles in order to save their lives. I read that it was very gory and had some very shocking deaths, which I wouldn't exactly agree on but there's enough thrills to make you want to see the whole thing through. There's also a sequel, but it's very mediocre and not recommended. 

Genre: Horror/Thriller

The Clone Returns Home (Japan, 2008)

Kohei Takahara, an astronaut who dies in the line of duty, is legally resurrected as a clone: however, contrary to the scientist's expectations, he reverts to his childhood memories when his twin brother drowned sacrificing his life for Kohei.

The Clone Returns Home is a thought-provoking, light sci-fi story that explores the right and wrongs of cloning, but above all it's a tale of two brothers that never got to grow up together. It has a relatively small cast, but makes up for it with great performances and some really, really lovely cinematography. There's a handful of scenes that was a pure joy to watch, and along with the beautiful music those moments really struck a chord with me. The scene where a human body is being grown and is viewed like from an X-ray was one of my favorites. All in all, just a lot of visual candy in this film. 

Maybe you know by now if you're interested or not in seeing this movie, but I urge you too give it a chance. It may have a bit of a slow tempo, but it's worth it all the way. 

Genre: Drama/Sci-Fi

Dream (South Korea, 2008)

Jin awakes from a dream where he causes a traffic accident to find that the accident actually took place. The police suspect a woman, Ran, though she denies any involvement as she was asleep the whole time. It transpires that while Jin dreams, Ran acts out those dreams in her sleep.

Apparently, Dream isn't one of director Kim Ki-duk's most well-received films, but i found it very intriguing and lovely unusual, as you would come to expect from Kim Ki-duk. Joe Odagiri (The Great Passage) is great in one of the main roles, and Dream also contains a lot more dialogue than many other Kim Ki-duk films. If you're interested in seeing a surreal fantasy inspired romance with an original plot, I would recommend this one.

Genre: Drama/Mystery

Nightmare Detective 2 (Japan, 2008)

Still haunted by his unwanted abilities, which allows him to enter other people’s dreams, and memories of his mother dying when he was a child, Kyoichi Kagenuma contemplates suicide while slowly drowns in his world of misery. Yukie Mashiro, having heard rumours about Kagenuma's extraordinary abilities, visits his home to beg for his help. She tells him she suffers from nightly nightmares that are getting scarier. The murderous ghost in the dreams has already killed two of her friends and she's afraid she's the next to die.

Nightmare Detective 2 is directed by Shinya Tsukamoto, and even though he already has an impressive filmography, this movie stands out as one of his best. Probably because it doesn't go off in any crazy direction, and just stays on path the whole way and tells a interesting story. One of his more mainstream films, you could say.

Genre: Drama/Horror

Kabei: Our Mother (Japan, 2008)

Set in Tokyo in 1940, the peaceful life of the Nogami Family suddenly changes when the father, Shigeru, is arrested and accused of being a Communist. His wife Kayo works frantically from morning to night to maintain the household and bring up her two daughters with the support of Shigeru's sister Hisako and Shigeru's ex-student Yamazaki, but her husband does not return. WWII breaks out and casts dark shadows on the entire country, but Kayo still tries to keep her cheerful determination, and sustain the family with her love.

A tragic story that's both grim, and warm of love. Naturally, this was a hard time to live in Japan, and the movie portrays one family's hard struggle through those rough years. 

Genre: Drama

Tokyo Gore Police (Japan, 2008)

The film is set in a near future chaotic Japan. A mad scientist known as "Key Man" has created a virus that mutates humans into monstrous creatures called "Engineers" that sprout bizarre weapons from any injury. The Tokyo Police Force has been privatized to deal with this new threat of engineers. However, unlike the average police force, the Engineer Hunters are a private quasi-military force that utilize violence, sadism, and public executions to maintain law and order.

One of the bloodiest movies ever made. The insane amount of gore never stops, which means there are countless scenes that is impossibly over the top. If you want to see an amputee with knives as limbs, or a woman with a huge alligator jaws as a vagina, it's your lucky day. No matter how you look at it, Tokyo Gore Police is a shining gem in the world of Japanese craziness that has to be seen to be believed. 

Genre: Action/Horror

Still Walking (Japan, 2008)

Still Walking is a family drama about grown children visiting their elderly parents, which unfolds over one summer day. The aging parents have lived in the family home for decades. Their son and daughter return for a rare family reunion, bringing their own families with them. They have gathered to commemorate the tragic death of the eldest son, who drowned in an accident fifteen years ago. Although the roomy house is as comforting and unchanging as the mother's homemade feast, everyone in the family has subtly changed.

Director Hirokazu Koreeda (Nobody Knows, I Wish, Air Doll) is a master of making a seemingly subtle drama, but with so much emotions and unspoken words underneath the surface. Still Walking portrays a family over roughly 24 hours with such realism and an ocean of little details, that it'll stay with you long after the credits roll. 

Genre: Drama

Love Exposure (Japan, 2008)

Three emotionally abused individuals from the fringes of society get locked in a convoluted love triangle. Yuu, a Catholic boy searching for true love ends up taking "panty shot" photos of women in public until he discovers Yoko, whom he sees as his Virgin Mary. Yoko, an anti-family girl finds that her foster mother will be marrying Yuu's father. Koike, an "original sinner" and the regional leader of a brainwashing cult, co-ordinates a plan to convert Yuu's family to her cult. Under her careful direction, their lives come crashing together in one fateful street fight.

Love Exposure gained notoriety for its four-hour long duration, and themes of religion mixed with learning the art of upskirt photography. It's kind of a love it or hate it film, but there's so much content that you most likely will gain something from watching the whole film. One critic called it a "romantic sex comedy family drama martial arts action movie." I'd say that's a spot on description.

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Tokyo Sonata (Japan, 2008)

In the suburbs of Tokyo, a man loses his job at a big company, and is faced with the harsh reality of unemployment. Meanwhile, his family is drifting further and further away from each other. 

Tokyo Sonata focuses on the everyday struggles and hardships of every member of a family falling apart, and we get to follow them on their own paths that leads further and further away from each other. Even though it's made by Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure, Pulse), I can't help but seeing some of Hirokazu Kore-eda (Nobody Knows) in the seams, with the family focused narrative and ability to seriously portray the relationships that makes a home.

It also deals with shame culture in the Japanese society, which might come as a culture shock to some people but is actually a big part of their way of life. Tokyo Sonata touches on some of that, but mostly strives to tell a story about the fragile bonds between ourselves and them we care about.

Genre: Drama. 2h.

The Chaser (South Korea, 2008)

Joong-Ho is a former detective, and now devotes his time in being a pimp. Two of his girls have gone missing, leaving Joong-Ho with no other choice than sending Mi-Jin, one of his most beautiful girls, to a customer. Not before long he realizes that the customer is the one who have been kidnapping his girls, and sets out to find him no matter what it takes.

Fact: The Chaser will make your heart beat like there's no tomorrow. It will leave you out of breath. Many times. Everything with this movie is extremely well-done. From tempo to acting. The antagonist fills you with anger over his almost in-human casual appearance, while Joong-Ho is painfully desperate to save Mi-Jin from a psychopath. A must-see in every way.

Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller