Asia

Best Asian films

If you’re looking for the best Asian films, there’s plenty to choose from. Asia holds approximately 60% of the world’s population, so it’s no surprise the continent has a wealth of great films. The continent hosts one of the world’s largest (if not the largest) film industries in India’s Bollywood, the most famous animation studio outside the U.S. in Japan’s Studio Ghibli, as well as the second largest film market in the world by box office receipts in China (second only to the U.S.).

But that’s not all. The Iranian art-house cinema scene is still booming despite government bans. Southeast Asia holds two of the most famous torch-bearers of the transcendental film movement in Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Lav Diaz. Plus, there’s South Korean, Bong Joon-ho, whose Parasite became the first foreign language film to win the Best Picture. And we haven’t even mentioned the growing film presence of the countries in Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, and the Caucasus.

So scroll down to see some of the best Asian films. Or, if you know where you want to go, pick a country from the links below.

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, East Timor, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

*We’re still looking for the best Asian films from countries without links. Send us your recommendations.

Omar

Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Omar reminded me of a Shakesperian-esque epic. He fights for love and carries the patriotism of Palestine, but for what? Think of a Mexican drug-war thriller like Heli, Miss Bala, or even a film like Zero Dark Thirty shot from the other side and you will be getting close to the kind of film that Omar is. There’s no drugs in Omar, but there is one man fighting for normality whilst dealing with the expectation that he must fight for his people.

Why Watch Omar?

Learn a little bit about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian.
Romantic love vs. Patriotism – which would you choose?
It was nominated for an Academy Award!
It was even screened at the United Nations = must be important!

The Breakdown

Omar starts with a man standing by a large concrete wall watching cars pass by. As soon as the cars on the road disappear he climbs up a long rope attached to the concrete wall. As he reaches the top gun shots fly by him and he drops down quickly on the other side. He made it but his hands are bloodied from the rope burns. He disappears into the streets to dodge any potential chasers.

The tension in Omar is always present. You never know when Omar is going to be chased. He never has complete freedom as the Israeli police are always watching his and everybody else’s actions. Right from the start, the great big West Bank Wall obstructs his freedom of passage from the place he lives to where his girlfriend goes to school. Later in the film, as the pressure mounts on Omar, he struggles to actually climb the wall – showing the extra limits on the already limited freedom he already had. This wall, and Omar’s relation to it, symbolise the oppression of Omar and the Palestinian people.

Another thing to watch out for are the billboards and messages that appear in the background of some of the scenes. One of the billboards has a happy looking commercial for something or other with the words ‘Planting Hope’. Other billboards carry similar positive messages which the director has planted in the background to dramatically contrast with the oppressed Palestinians. The Israeli billboards mark the difference between what the Israelis can do and what the Palestinians cannot. Just like the Wall, they are symbols of the lack of freedom for the Palestinian people.

This is an important film for everyone to watch – plus it’s available on Netflix. So, what are you waiting for? Watch this one now!

Ong Bak – An Incredibly Fun Muay Thai Action Thriller

Ong Bak Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

If you’re looking for some of the most awesome stunts and acrobatics you can see on screen, you’ve come to the right place. Ong Bak is a martial arts stunts fest that you can watch again and again. Yes,the script is a little basic and predictable, but, ultimately you won’t care, because this film is so much fun to watch. It’s a thrill ride from start to finish.

From: Thailand, Asia
Watch: Trailer, Rent on Amazon, Buy on Amazon
Next: Enter the Dragon, Kung Fu Hustle, Steamboat Bill Jr.

Made in Bangladesh – Standing Up to Factory Owners

Made in Bangladesh Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Why Watch Made in Bangladesh?

See Dhaka full of life
Fight for worker’s rights against exploitation
Choose marriage or work – either way the Patriarchy is unavoidable

From: Bangladesh, Asia
Watch: Trailer, Vimeo, IMDb
Next: American Factory, Salt of the Earth, I, Daniel Blake

When the Tenth Month Comes (Vietnam) – Prepare to be Moved

When the Tenth Month Comes Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

When the Tenth Month Comes will move you. Other films may have better story-lines and better cinematography, but this one has the most vital ingredient: pure emotion. Watch it for free here on YouTube – let me know if you find it anywhere else!

Image result for when the tenth month comes

Why Watch When the Tenth Month Comes?

If you want to watch a great film from Vietnam
Witness the emotional impact of war – it’s emotional!
There’s ghost towns!
It’s currently available to watch for free here on YouTube – let me know if the video is taken down or you find it available elsewhere!

The Breakdown

When the Tenth Month Comes starts with a young woman named Duyen returning home. We first see her walking along a dirt road before she hops into a canoe to cross the river. Throughout the opening scene, her blank expression, partially obscured by her conical hat, makes it look like she’s preoccupied or not totally present. Whilst she’s on the canoe, she loses balance and falls in, losing a letter from her satchel. Combined with the dramatic opening music, it’s clear that she’s bravely holding back her emotions.

The story patiently reveals what has happened. First, we find out she has a husband who has not sent a letter to his family. When she is asked why he has not sent anything home, she never gives a clear answer. She says his duty as a Vietnamese soldier is keeping him busy. Whilst the answer convinces his family, the close-ups of her face do not convince us. It’s obvious she’s hiding her husband’s death from his loving family for fear of upsetting them.

Only one person finds out about the death of her husband, a local teacher and poet named Zhang. He agrees to held out Duyen by writing letters to her family signed by her dead husband to keep her family happy and excited for his return.

Pure Tragic Emotion

There’s one scene in this film that will stick with you. In the scene, teacher Zhang stops at a public theatrical performance with his girlfriend which the majority of the town appear to be watching. They watch for a minute before his girlfriend gets restless. But just when they start to walk on, Duyen appears on the stage and starts singing her part in the performance. Zhang, his girlfriend, and the whole audience are captivated as she sings emotionally for her lost love. Only us (the viewer) and Zhang know the pain she must be feeling, but she keeps singing the tragic lines of the song. In every line it feels like she is about to break down but she keeps singing for a few minutes until she finally breaks down and disappears behind the stage curtain. Pure cinematic emotion.

Conclusion and what to watch next

Some films are harder to pinpoint than others. The story line of When the Tenth Month Comes is a bit cliched and the music is often a bit overly dramatic, but this film succeeds where many of the greats don’t: it manages to translate raw emotion to film. As a result, it’s this transcendent portrayal of raw emotion is what makes this film one of the greats.

For more raw emotion I recommend checking out Umberto D. , one of the most emotional Italian neo-realist films. It follows the tragic plight of an old man trying to get by without a pension.

If it’s something more arty you’re looking for, check out Lav Diaz’s From What is Before. It’s a 5 hour 30 minute epic that charts life in a small village in rural Philippines under the Marcos dictatorship.

Melancholia

Melancholia Film Difficulty Ranking: 5

As one of the longest cinematic films in existence, watching Melancholia is no easy feat. It is twice as long as Gone With the Wind or over twice as long as Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. In addition, this film feels long. There are plenty of scenes where we are watching one person in one position for five minutes or more. But you’ll miss out on a Filipino film talent if you ignore this one, and a chance to get to know the country without the long-haul flight!

Why Watch Melancholia?

You haven’t seen a 7 hour film before and fancy a challenge (14th on the longest cinematic film list on Wikipedia)
To understand the effect of the Marcos dictatorship on Filipino people – there were many desparacidos like in Argentina!
An opportunity to see different segments of Filipino society
With no music, hear the true sounds of the Philippines

The Breakdown

The film starts with a still shot of a woman in a bedroom folding clothes. After she folds her clothes and places them onto her bed, she pauses for a few minutes to contemplate. It sounds like she is sobbing as she sits on the bed, with her back to the camera. Next a fixed shot on a balcony shows her leave her room dressed up in skimpy clothes and big boots. She is a new prostitute in a small Filipino town in the country.

There is a lot you can say about this film because it is so long. However, there are a few things which remain constant throughout the film. Firstly, the pairing of fixed cameras and long takes (each around five minutes long) forms most of this film. These shots make us feel like a fly on the wall for the whole film. Unlike a Hollywood blockbuster, everything appears in real time. We see the banal acts of folding clothes, sitting down contemplating, and even sleeping. As a result, things seem more real, it is almost like we are spying on someone we don’t know.

Also unlike Hollywood blockbusters, there are no intrusive close-ups in the entire film. We cannot see the character’s faces clearly, making it harder for us to interpret their emotions. It’s hard to describe so I’ll try and distinguish it from the emotion triggered by close-ups of crying faces. Close-ups of crying faces makes the viewer sad and sometimes cry. It is also very obvious and open, creating an emotional bond between the character and the viewer. In contrast the distanced shots of people sobbing in Melancholia is partly concealed. As we cannot see their faces clearly we feel distanced and slightly intrusive. As a result, it does not feel like we can help the character’s share their emotional burdens. Their sadness is inevitable and unavoidable: Melancholia.

Conclusion

If you can afford seven and a half hours and have any interest in the Philippines, I’d recommend checking out Melancholia. It’s an intense dive into the psyche of the Marcos ruled Philippines. If you are daunted by the length but are interested in Filipino film, check out some other films from Lav Diaz (the director) such as Norte, the End of History. He is a talent!