Asian gems of the last decade - post 2000
by pat_bateman_87 | created - 03 Jun 2011 | updated - 30 Jul 2013 | PublicSome of the great asian movies made in the recent past .... luckily most of these have been untouched by hollywood ... heres a testament as to why asian films are much better than hollywood ... also the list is my no means exhaustive and will never be .... also feel free to recommened any movies ive missed out and i ought to see ....Cheers !!!
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1. The Chaser (2008)
Not Rated | 125 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A disgraced ex-policeman who runs a small ring of prostitutes finds himself in a race against time when one of his women goes missing.
Director: Na Hong-jin | Stars: Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Seo Yeong-hie, Kim Yoo-jung
Votes: 72,734
a thriller which most ppl wudn know abt ... what makes this movie even btr is that its the debut film by the director .... just amazing !!!
2. Oldboy (2003)
R | 120 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Byeong-Ok
Votes: 635,365 | Gross: $0.71M
Has the be the first that comes to mind and first on everyones list !!!
3. A Bittersweet Life (2005)
Not Rated | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Things go wrong for a high ranking mobster when he doesn't follow his boss's orders.
Directors: Jung Doo Hong, Jee-woon Kim | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-a, Kim Yeong-cheol, Hwang Jung-min
Votes: 42,905
anyone wondering how action films can be poetic and beautiful too watch this .... the ending is just amazing !!
4. Memories of Murder (2003)
Not Rated | 132 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Roe-ha, Song Jae-ho
Votes: 216,144 | Gross: $0.01M
5. Peppermint Candy (1999)
Not Rated | 129 min | Drama
Following a man's suicide, time traverses back to reveal six chapters of his life on why he committed suicide.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Yeo-jin, Moon So-ri, Se-beom Park
Votes: 10,813
i know its 1999 but im including this coz i jus love this film and i was surpirsed to find that many ppl havent even heard abt this
6. Joint Security Area (2000)
Not Rated | 110 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
After a shooting incident at the North-South Korean border DMZ leaves two North Korean soldiers dead, a neutral Swiss and Swedish team investigates what actually happened.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Lee Yeong-ae, Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho, Kim Tae-woo
Votes: 34,185
7. Mother (2009)
R | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A mother desperately searches for the killer who framed her son for a girl's horrific murder.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yun Je-mun
Votes: 71,609 | Gross: $0.55M
8. Lady Vengeance (2005)
R | 115 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
After being wrongfully imprisoned for thirteen years and having her child taken away from her, a woman seeks revenge through increasingly brutal means.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Nam-mi Kang, Jeong-nam Choi, Hye-Sook Go, Bok-hwa Baek
Votes: 86,067 | Gross: $0.21M
9. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
R | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A recently laid off factory worker kidnaps his former boss' friend's daughter, hoping to use the ransom money to pay for his sister's kidney transplant.
Director: Park Chan-wook | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Shin Ha-kyun, Bae Doona, Lim Ji-eun
Votes: 75,107 | Gross: $0.05M
if we needed any more proof why chan wook park is the master of korean thrillers !!!
10. In the Mood for Love (2000)
PG | 98 min | Drama, Romance
Two neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Siu Ping-Lam, Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung
Votes: 166,747 | Gross: $2.73M
one word - beautiful !!!!
11. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)
R | 103 min | Drama, Romance
A boy is raised by a Buddhist monk in an isolated floating temple where the years pass like the seasons.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Kim Ki-duk, Oh Yeong-su, Jong-ho Kim, Kim Young-min
Votes: 86,793 | Gross: $2.38M
one of my favorite films !!!
12. I Saw the Devil (2010)
Not Rated | 144 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.
Director: Jee-woon Kim | Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jeon Gook-hwan, Chun Ho-jin
Votes: 146,112 | Gross: $0.13M
theres something about asians and revenge flicks .... well as long as they are this good keep them coming ... if u liked oldboy ul love this too !!!!
13. The Isle (2000)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama, Thriller
Working at a fishing resort in an idyllic location, but surrounded by various facets of human unpleasantness, a young mute woman falls in love with a man on the run from the law for committing murder.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Jung Suh, Kim Yu-seok, Cho Jae-hyun, Jang Hang-seon
Votes: 14,711 | Gross: $0.02M
14. Three... Extremes (2004)
R | 125 min | Horror
An Asian cross-cultural trilogy of horror films from accomplished indie directors.
Directors: Fruit Chan, Park Chan-wook, Takashi Miike | Stars: Bai Ling, Lee Byung-hun, Kyoko Hasegawa, Pauline Lau
Votes: 20,861 | Gross: $0.08M
id say watch this just for chan wook park's "Cut " .... on par with most of his other films even though its a short
15. Infernal Affairs (2002)
R | 101 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.
Directors: Andrew Lau, Alan Mak | Stars: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Eric Tsang
Votes: 131,374 | Gross: $0.17M
one of the many scripts lifted into hollywood ... luckily marty did justice to this masterpiece !!!
16. Ichi the Killer (2001)
R | 129 min | Action, Crime, Drama
As sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to inflict levels of pain that Kakihara has only dreamed of achieving.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Nao Ômori, Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Paulyn Sun
Votes: 60,025 | Gross: $0.02M
one of my personal favs ... again not for everyone !!!
17. Gozu (2003)
R | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A yakuza enforcer is ordered to secretly drive his beloved colleague to be assassinated. But when the colleague unceremoniously disappears en route, the trip that follows is a twisted, surreal and horrifying experience.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Yûta Sone, Kimika Yoshino, Shohei Hino, Keiko Tomita
Votes: 12,729 | Gross: $0.05M
fans of david lynch might wanna see this !!!
18. Spirited Away (2001)
PG | 125 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
During her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Stars: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Miyu Irino, Rumi Hiiragi
Votes: 848,722 | Gross: $10.06M
19. Battle Royale (2000)
Not Rated | 114 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill one another under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Tarô Yamamoto, Chiaki Kuriyama
Votes: 194,366
20. Water (I) (2005)
PG-13 | 117 min | Drama
Set in colonial India against Gandhi's rise to power, it's the story of 8-year-old Chuyia, who is widowed and sent to a home to live in penitence; once there, Chuyia's feisty presence deeply affects the lives of the other residents.
Director: Deepa Mehta | Stars: Lisa Ray, John Abraham, Seema Biswas, Sarala Kariyawasam
Votes: 15,357 | Gross: $3.22M
few indian masterpieces of the recent past
21. Waltz with Bashir (2008)
R | 90 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography
An Israeli film director interviews fellow veterans of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon to reconstruct his own memories of his term of service in that conflict.
Director: Ari Folman | Stars: Ari Folman, Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag, Ori Sivan
Votes: 60,395 | Gross: $2.28M
22. Audition (1999)
R | 115 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies is not who she appears to be after all.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura
Votes: 89,185
23. The Man from Nowhere (2010)
R | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug-and-organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend.
Director: Lee Jeong-beom | Stars: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Hee-won
Votes: 74,821 | Gross: $0.01M
24. The Host (2006)
R | 120 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-Bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona
Votes: 132,659 | Gross: $2.20M
25. No Mercy (2010)
Not Rated | 123 min | Action, Crime, Mystery
Despite being nearly proven the murderer, a serial killer threatens to kill the daughter of a forensic pathologist if he doesn't get him bailed out.
Director: Hyeong-Joon Kim | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Ryu Seung-beom, Han Hye-jin, Sung Ji-ru
Votes: 9,461
another revenge flick ... the movie is ok but its the powerful ending of the film coz of which i recommend this movie !!!
26. Paprika (2006)
R | 90 min | Animation, Drama, Fantasy
When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients' dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it.
Director: Satoshi Kon | Stars: Megumi Hayashibara, Tôru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori, Tôru Furuya
Votes: 96,776 | Gross: $0.88M
27. 3-Iron (2004)
R | 88 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A transient young man breaks into empty homes to partake of the vacationing residents' lives for a few days.
Director: Kim Ki-duk | Stars: Lee Seung-yun, Jae Hee, Hyuk-ho Kwon, Joo Jin-mo
Votes: 58,249 | Gross: $0.24M
28. Castaway on the Moon (2009)
PG-13 | 116 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A failed suicide attempt leads a heartbroken man to live a life in the wilderness.
Director: Lee Hae-jun | Stars: Jeong Jae-yeong, Jung Ryeo-won, Yeong-seo Park, Yang Mi-kyeong
Votes: 19,709
29. Failan (2001)
Not Rated | 115 min | Drama, Romance
A marriage of convenience between a petty gangster and an illegal immigrant he has never met has unforeseen consequences for them both.
Director: Hae-sung Song | Stars: Choi Min-sik, Cecilia Cheung, Son Byung-ho, Kong Hyeong-jin
Votes: 6,216
30. Oasis (2002)
133 min | Drama, Romance
An irresponsible and childish ex-con befriends a girl with cerebral palsy and develops a progressively stronger bond with her.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Sol Kyung-gu, Moon So-ri, Ahn Nae-sang, Ryu Seung-wan
Votes: 10,391
31. Nobody Knows (2004)
PG-13 | 141 min | Drama
In a small Tokyo apartment, twelve-year-old Akira must care for his younger siblings after their mother leaves them and shows no sign of returning.
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Yûya Yagira, Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura, Momoko Shimizu
Votes: 31,389 | Gross: $0.68M
32. The Classic (2003)
127 min | Drama, Romance
A college student finds a diary detailing a long-ago love triangle involving her mother, her future father, and his best friend.
Director: Jae-young Kwak | Stars: Son Ye-jin, Zo In-sung, Cho Seung-woo, Lee Ki-woo
Votes: 10,129
33. Marathon (2005)
117 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
An autistic boy discovers he has a talent for running and with the help of the mother participates in a major marathon.
Director: Yoon-Chul Jung | Stars: Cho Seung-woo, Kim Mi-sook, Lee Ki-young, Baek Sung-hyun
Votes: 2,499
34. Symbol (2009)
Not Rated | 93 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery
A man wakes up in a white room empty other than buttons on the walls, he must find out which button to push to get what he wants.
Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto | Stars: Hitoshi Matsumoto, David Quintero, Luis Accinelli, Lilian Tapia
Votes: 4,444
35. Kutty Srank: The Sailor of Hearts (2009)
127 min | Drama
Kutty Srank is a short-tempered, lonely, but law-abiding boatman whose work leads him to travel the back waters of Kerala. One day, when the local police station discovers an unidentified ... See full summary »
Director: Shaji N. Karun | Stars: Mammootty, Kamalinee Mukherjee, Meena Kumari Perera, Padmapriya
Votes: 654
36. Udaan (2010)
Not Rated | 134 min | Drama
Expelled from his school, a 16-year old boy returns home to his abusive and oppressive father.
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane | Stars: Rajat Barmecha, Ronit Roy, Manjot Singh, Ram Kapoor
Votes: 47,399 | Gross: $0.01M
37. Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (2009)
Not Rated | 195 min | Action, Biography, Drama
Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja is a 2009 Malayalam historical drama film based on the life of Pazhassi Raja, a Hindu king who fought against the British in the 18th century.
Director: T. Hariharan | Stars: Mammootty, Mohanlal, R. Sarathkumar, Manoj K. Jayan
Votes: 3,375
38. Padam Onnu Oru Vilapam (2003)
105 min | Drama
Shahina is studying in school but she can't go to school because she is pregnant. And she conceived from her divorced husband..
Director: T.V. Chandran | Stars: Meera Jasmine, M.R. Gopakumar, Mammukoya, Suja Karthika
Votes: 96
39. Virumandi (2004)
Not Rated | 175 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A temperamental farmer gets embroiled in a bloody clan feud in a southern Tamil Nadu village.
Director: Kamal Haasan | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Abhirami, Pasupathy, Napolean
Votes: 7,763
40. Pithamagan (2003)
Not Rated | 139 min | Action, Drama
Chittan, a social outcast, has grown up in a cemetery. A drug dealer finds him a job in a cannabis farm. In prison, he meets a conman, Shakti. This friendship transforms him from his stony existence.
Director: Bala | Stars: Vikram, Suriya, Laila, Sangeetha
Votes: 7,487
41. Mother (2009)
R | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A mother desperately searches for the killer who framed her son for a girl's horrific murder.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yun Je-mun
Votes: 71,609 | Gross: $0.55M
42. Poetry (2010)
TV-PG | 139 min | Drama
A sixty-something woman, faced with the discovery of a heinous family crime and in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, finds strength and purpose when she enrolls in a poetry class.
Director: Lee Chang-dong | Stars: Yun Jeong-hie, Lee Da-wit, Kim Hee-ra, Ahn Nae-sang
Votes: 13,530 | Gross: $0.36M
43. Still Walking (2008)
Not Rated | 115 min | Drama
A family gathers together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear.
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Hiroshi Abe, Yui Natsukawa, You, Kazuya Takahashi
Votes: 18,601 | Gross: $0.16M
44. Ee Adutha Kaalath (2012)
162 min | Thriller
The movie features the lives of six different persons from different strata of the social life of the city, interconnected due to unexpected events beyond their control.
Director: Arun Kumar | Stars: Indrajith Sukumaran, Tanu Roy, Murali Gopy, Lenaa
Votes: 1,057
45. Papilio Buddha (2013)
108 min | Drama
A band of displaced untouchables in Western Ghats of India embrace Buddhism in order to escape from caste oppression.
Director: Jayan Cherian | Stars: Kallen Pokkudan, Saritha, Prakash Bare, David Briggs
Votes: 144
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