Late Spring (Japan, 1949)

Noriko is 27 years old and is still living with her father Somiya, a widower. Noriko just recovered from an illness she developed in the war, and now the important question pops up: when will Noriko start thinking about marriage? Everybody who is important in her life tries to talk her into it: her father, her aunt, a girlfriend. But Noriko doesn't want to get married, she seems extremely happy with her life. She wants to stay with her father to take care of him. After all, she knows best of his manners and peculiarities.

Late Spring has been called "one of the most perfect, most complete, and most successful studies of character ever achieved in Japanese cinema", and has widely been referred to as director Yasujiro Ozu's best work. With a fantastic screenplay, it's a well-told story about ordinary lives in Japan's immediate post-war era.

Another essential classic.

Genre: Drama

The Woodsman and the Rain (Japan, 2011)

Katsu, a 60 year-old lumberjack, lives in a small, tranquil village in the mountains. When a film crew suddenly arrives to shoot a zombie movie, Katsu finds himself unwittingly roped into assisting the production and is increasing frustrated by the pushy crew, especially the young, seemingly spineless director Koichi. However, an improbable friendship soon develops between Katsu and Koichi, as Katsu comes to see joy in the filmmaking process, and gradually helps Koichi to recover his sense of self. 

Koji Yakusho (Cure, 13 Assassins) is back in a very feel-good type of movie. The cinematography is very soothing, due to being shot in the beautiful Japanese countryside which I haven't seen so much of in other movies so this was definitely interesting. 

Genre: Drama

Cyclo (Hong Kong/Vietnam, 1995)

A young man who struggles through life by earning some money with his bicycle-taxi in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city) gets contact to a group of criminals. They introduce him to the mafia-world of drugs and crime.

Cyclo is a raw, unforgettable story about a young man trying to escape his dangerous life and has some brutally stunning visuals. Directed by Tran Anh Hung (Norwegian Wood, The Scent of Green Papaya), it's one of the most powerful dramas I've ever seen, with many scenes that alone deserves a handful of prizes. Acting like this doesn't grow on trees, as it is quite extraordinaire. 

A film that truly leaves you breathless, amazing direction and storytelling.

Genre: Crime/Drama

From Up on Poppy Hill (Japan, 2011)

Umi, a 16-year old girl, lives in Kokuriko Manor, a house that overlooks Yokohama harbour. Every morning, Umi raises a set of signal flags with the message "I pray for safe voyages". The identity of the person raising the flags arouses much local interest, and a poem about her is published in a school newspaper. The author of this poem, Shun, always sees this flag from the sea as he rides a tugboat to school. The two students eventually meet, and a strong friendship is formed.

Another year, and finally another Studio Ghibli-film. From Up on Poppy Hill is one of those few Ghibli-movies that doesn't feature a storyline with lots of fantasy, thus making it more reminiscent of Whisper of the Heart (1995). Set in the year 1963, Poppy Hill explores the growing relationship between two students and the problems surrounding them. Ghibli's rendition of Tokyo in the 60's looks great, and many sceneries are spectacular in that distinctive Ghibli-kind of way. A warm and more subtle Ghibli-film. 

Genre: Animation/Drama/Romance

5 Centimeters Per Second (Japan, 2007)

Takaki and Akari are two classmates in elementary school. During their time together they have become close friends. Their relationship is tested when Akari moves to another city because of her parents' jobs. Both of them struggle to keep their friendship alive, as time and distance slowly pulls them apart. When Takaki finds out that he is moving further away, he decides to visit Akari one last time.

Before animation genius Makoto Shinkai created the incredible Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011), he directed the equally beautiful 5 Centimeters Per Second and immediately made a huge name for himself. It pulls on your heartstrings, and it's hard not to get moved by this portrayal of a doomed, yet very strong relationship. The animation is flawless. I want to eat every cloud that floats across the many gorgeous, purple skies this film has to offer. 

Genre: Animation/Drama/Romance

Floating Weeds (Japan, 1959)

A troupe of travelling players arrive at a small seaport in the south of Japan. Komajuro Arashi, the aging master of the troupe, goes to visit his old flame Oyoshi and their son Kiyoshi, even though Kiyoshi believes Komajuro is his uncle. The leading actress Sumiko is jealous and so, in order to humiliate the master, persuades the younger actress Kayo to seduce Kiyoshi.

Legendary director Yasujiro Ozu decided to make a remake of his own A Story of Floating Weeds (1934), and the fruit of that production was this fantastic film which is one of his most outstanding works. It's a well-told drama that slowly unfold itself, the kind of movie Ozu was a master of. With an exquisite color palette, Yasujiro Ozu portrays life in the most realistic and respectful way possible. There isn't much about the way Ozu shoots his films that hasn't been said, but one can at least join in on the vast amount of praise given to him. The restorations of his films absolutely makes the colors glow and give that Hitchcock technicolor (Eastmancolor here) look, and objects you didn't think could ever be important makes scenes much more rememberable. You're never as much aware of the sets as you are with Ozu, given the care he took when filming his actors.

A wonder of human drama and skill in moviemaking, Floating Weeds is the film you return to when it feels as if modern directors have forgotten how to make this kind of quality. 

Genre: Drama

Branded to Kill (Japan, 1967)

The story follows Goro Hanada in his life as a contract killer. He falls in love with a woman named Misako, who recruits him for a seemingly impossible mission. When the mission fails, he becomes hunted by the phantom Number One Killer, whose methods threaten his sanity as much as his life.

The controversy surrounding Branded to Kill is almost as interesting as the movie itself. Director Seijun Suzuki was hired to rewrite the original script, and threw in all sorts of crazy ideas just before shooting the scenes. After it's release, the film company fired Suzuki for making "movies that make no sense and money". Since then, Branded to Kill has become a cult classic and has grown a strong following. It's a cool story about ice cold assassins and gangsters, with visuals that got a man fired from his job. Literally.

Genre: Action/Crime/Drama

Rashomon (Japan, 1950)

A woodcutter and a priest is sitting beneath Rashōmon gate to stay dry in a downpour. A commoner joins them and they tell him that they've witnessed a disturbing story, which they then begin recounting to him. The woodcutter claims he found the body of a murdered samurai three days earlier while looking for wood in the forest; upon discovering the body, he says, he fled in a panic to notify the authorities. The priest says that he saw the samurai and the woman traveling the same day the murder happened. Both men were then summoned to testify in court, where they met the captured bandit Tajōmaru, who claimed responsibility for the rape and murder.

With Rashomon, Akira Kurosawa became a worldwide star. Considered one of his ultimate masterpieces, the film features an original story with screenplay way ahead of its time and a superb Toshiro Mifune in the lead role. Mifune was told by Kurosawa to act like a lion, so one of the biggest pleasures with the film is seeing his absolutely savage performance. A shining gem in Asian cinema.

Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery

Seven Samurai (Japan, 1954)

A gang of bandits continuously raid a small, defenseless village in the mountains. Without much hope, the village chief decides that they're gonna hire seven samurai to help them with their problem. 

There isn't much that has not been said about Akira Kurosawa's classic. Known as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made, Seven Samurai is one of those unforgettable moment in film history. The fantastic Toshiro Mifune (Yojimbo, High and Low) plays the seventh samurai, and is my personal favorite of the bunch of warriors, all with their own characteristic traits. Film techniques that are standard in todays movies first appeared in this film. It was such a large production that it nearly forced the film company Toho into bankruptcy, but every time they paused the production Kurosawa would go fishing and wait it out because he knew they'd spent too much money on the movie to cancel it.

But all the sweat, blood and tears amounted to one of the most important films in history. 

Genre: Adventure/Drama

Howling (South Korea, 2012)

Detective Jo Sang-Gil gets handed a case of suicide involving self-immolation, but soon the clues start to point to homicide. Meanwhile he's forced to work with Eun-Young, who's not only has to deal with being the only woman on the squad but also with harassment from the other policemen. So while being opposed by the police force, the two detectives must try to find out why more and more people show up dead with bite marks on their throats...

Howling has been one of my most anticipated movies for a long time. A mystery thriller with my favorite actor Song Kang-ho (Memories of Murder, Thirst) just sounded too exciting to pass up on, and I wasn't disappointed at all. The plot goes in quite a surprising direction and it avoids being just another uninspired cop thriller, so check it out if you want something that feels fresh and enthralling. 

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Wu Xia (Hong Kong/China, 2011)

Liu Jinxi and his wife Yu are an ordinary couple with two sons, living together in Liu Village. One day two bandits enter the village and attempt to rob the general store. Jinxi happens to be in the shop and fights them when they turn violent towards the shopkeeper, ending up killing them both. During an autopsy, detective Xu Baijiu, who is sent to investigate the case, discovers that one of the dead bandits was among the government's ten most wanted fugitives.

Wu Xia (a.k.a. Dragon) is a beast of a martial arts film, and an interesting take on the genre. Beautiful cinematography and slow-motion fist fights is the perfect match, and director Peter Chan does a great job of developing an intriguing plot. Wu Xia has just as much elements of a detective mystery as it has of martial arts, which makes it one hell of an entertaining movie.

Genre: Action/Drama

Kids Return (Japan, 1996)

Two friends visit the schoolyard of the high school they used to attend, and remember their young and carefree days. They used to be the bullies in the school, until they find their own ways of life; one as a boxer, and the other as a member of the yakuza. 

Around the time director/actor Takeshi Kitano (Battle Royale, Kikujiro) had his near-fatal motorcycle accident where he damaged most of his face, he directed Kids Return. Many thought that he wouldn't be able to ever direct again, but he did. He wrote a fantastic film about two guys who find themselves at a crossroad in life. The character development is amazing here, and at the end of the film you can't help but think back of all the things they've gone through and how small events became huge stepping stones on the road to something else. 

My Way (South Korea, 2011)

In colonial era Seoul, 1938, two young men have had a strong sense of rivalry since they were young. Joon-sik is a Korean man who dreams of becoming the Olympic marathon gold winner. Tatsuo is a top Japanese marathon runner and lived with Joon-sik as his family worked for Tatsuo's as servants. One day, Joon-sik falls into trouble and is conscripted into the Japanese army. One year later, Joon-sik faces Tatsuo who is now a captain for the Japanese Imperial Army. 

What it lacks in plot, My Way makes up for in epic warfare. It contains a ton of huge scale battle scenes which are all very well-done, but the plot is rather thin and doesn't exactly break new ground with its story about two rivals who go into war together. But it's still a very enjoyable and touching movie that definitely will appeal to fans of war films.

Genre: Action/Drama/History

A Moment to Remember (South Korea, 2004)

A Korean love story about a young couple's enduring love, which is tested when 27-year old Sun-jin is diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.

A Moment to Remember can easily be dismissed by some for being a chick flick. Others might have low tolerance against its melodrama and frequent attempts at making you cry. But instead of rolling my eyes, I totally gave in to its heartbreaking story about a man who tries to hold on to his wife who's slowly being destroyed by a horrible disease. It was a nice paus from all the martial art/war/action-films I've plowed through lately, and I know there's many more who might appreciate a tragic love story.

Genre: Drama/Romance

Violent Cop (Japan, 1989)

Kitano plays sociopathic detective Azuma, a Dirty Harry-type whose single-mindedness leads him to self-destruction. After the suicide of his friend and colleague Iwaki (a vice cop who was involved with drugs), and the kidnapping of his sister by yakuza gangsters, Azuma breaks all the rules of ethical conduct. He responds to every situation with violence, and resorts to unethical methods if they produce results.

Violent Cop is the directorial debut by now famed actor and critically acclaimed filmmaker Takeshi Kitano, who starred in films such as Battle Royale (2000) and Hana-bi (1997). Violent Cop is in many ways the type of movie he would continue to make for years to come; whether it's the Yakuza, young thugs or a corrupt police force, Kitano is up against them all by himself and everyone standing in his way is about to have a really bad day.

Genre: Action/Crime/Drama