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

Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (Japan, 2011)

A tale of revenge, honor and disgrace, centering on a poverty-stricken samurai who discovers the cruel fate of his ronin son-in-law, setting in motion a tense showdown of vengeance against the house of a well-respected feudal lord.

Just as its title implies, Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai is a remake of the great 1962 classic Harakiri (a.k.a. Seppuku). Being directed by Takashi Miike (13 Assassins, Ichi the Killer), it's a well-composed and beautifully shot movie where the violence takes a backseat and leaves more room for the unfolding of a tragic tale of samurai honor and revenge. It doesn't come close to the original, but Miike does a great job at honoring the minimalistic approach with the cinematography, and his idea of gore is of course way bloodier than it was in the 60's. 

Genre: Drama

Lady Snowblood (Japan, 1973)

Yuki's family is nearly wiped out before she is born by a band of criminals. These criminals kidnap and brutalize her mother but leave her alive. Later her mother ends up in prison with only revenge to keep her alive. She creates an instrument for this revenge by purposefully getting pregnant. Though she dies in childbirth, she makes sure that the child will be raised as an assassin to kill the criminals who destroyed her family. Young Yuki never knows the love of a family, but only killing and revenge.

This is the original film which more than inspired Quentin Tarantino to make Kill Bill. It's a violent, bloody road of vengeance that Yuki faces when she tracks down the four people that ruined her family. The story originates from a manga by the same author who wrote the Lone Wolf and Cub series, so the man really had a thing for gory samurai violence. Meiko Kaji (Female Prisoner 701) is such a foxy and cool main actress, and she also sang the main theme of the movie. 

A sequel was released in 1974, called Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance, but wasn't nearly as good as the first one.

Genre: Action/Drama/Thriller

Redline (Japan, 2010)

“Sweet” JP – so named for his endearing personality and his reluctance to weaponize his tricked-out Trans Am – is mixed up with the mafia, purposefully losing in a series of illegal intergalactic races that lead up to Redline, the most dangerous, rules-free championship in the universe. A freak occurrence slots JP in for Redline after he throws the qualifier, meaning he's got to contend with the other hardcore racers on a planet overflowing with menacing alien military technology. 

Produced by animation studio Madhouse, Redline took seven long years to complete. Yes. Seven years. In terms of animation quality, it doesn't take long until you see why. Everything imaginable explodes, implodes, crashes and gets smashed into a burning rain of scrap metal with unparalleled animation. So if you're going to see it, you better make sure it's in high quality, or else it doesn't live up to its full potential. 

Buckle up and get ready for a ride through space!

Genre: Animation/Action/Sci-Fi

Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (Thailand, 2003)

The story begins in a small and peaceful village. One day a sacred Buddha statuette called Ong Bak is stolen from the village by a immoral businessman who sells it for exorbitant profits. It soon becomes the task of a young man, Ting, to track the thief down to Bangkok voluntarily and reclaim the religious treasure. Along the way he uses his astonishing athleticism and traditional Muay Thai skills to combat his adversaries.

Ong-Bak is without a doubt one of the grand champions of martial art movies. It delivers a huge amount of both satisfying fist fights and chases full of crazy stunts through the narrow streets of Bangkok. 

The actor playing Ting trained for four years in preparation for the film, and it clearly shows in every bone breaking punch and face destroying kick. 

Genre: Action/Thriller

City of Life and Death (China, 2009)

Set in 1937, shortly after the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Imperial Japanese Army has just captured Nanjing, capital of the Republic of China. What followed is historically known as the Nanjing Massacre, a period of several weeks wherein massive numbers of Chinese prisoners of war and civilians were killed.

One of the best historical epics ever made. It's a horrifying and brutal portrayal of one of the darkest pages in human history, where almost 300,000 lives were taken. Director Lu Chuan is a master behind the camera and doesn't leave a single detail out, making it a more effective and violent experience. It's definitely reminiscent of Schindler's List (1993), with shockingly violent scenes, being filmed in black-and-white and also based on true events. An unforgettable masterpiece about the cruelty mankind is capable of.

Genre: Drama/History/War

You Are the Apple of My Eye (Taiwan, 2011)

The year is 1994. For Ko-teng, school is all about slacking off and having fun. He's the class clown and never worries about anything. But eventually the teachers assign Chia-yi, every guy's love interest, to help him with his studies. Between the two students a bond is made that will last for many years to come.

... Apple of My Eye is a cute coming-of-age film and also a love story with a decent dose of humor. Some people might find it a bit too cheesy sometimes but stick with it and you'll hopefully appreciate its story about a bunch of friends who must learn to leave their childishness behind.

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

The Raid: Redemption (Indonesia, 2011)

Deep in the heart of Jakarta's slums lies an impenetrable derelict apartment building which became a safe house for the cities most dangerous murderers, killers and gangsters. The rundown apartment block has been considered untouchable by rivals of the notorious crime lord Tama Riyadi and even the police. It all changes when an elite team is tasked with raiding the building in order to take down Tama once and for all.

From Indonesia, this beast of an action film is born and set loose to wreak havoc across the world. The story is next to non-existent, but things like character development and plot twists are very trivial matters when compared to the all-out war and countless shootout scenes that The Raid is filled with. 

Genre: Action/Crime