Asian cinema is under a global spotlight right now. Thanks to the success of movies like Parasite and the rising profile of Asian actors and TV shows, east Asian productions are surging in popularity with mainstream and arthouse audiences alike. While recent hits such as Past Lives and Tainted Love are garnering plenty of attention, and we eagerly wait for Lulu Wang’s Expats to drop, here are four seriously underrated East Asian movies to check out in 2024.
Breathless (2009)
Director: Yang Ik-june
Directed by and featuring Yang Ik-june in a lead role, 2009’s Breathless is a great example of Korean cinema that’s very much a hidden gem. Exploring the unlikely friendship between a hard-nosed debt collector and a student, the movie delivers an unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities of life.
The narrative unfolds as Sang-hoon (Ik-june) and Yeon-hee (Kim Kkobbi), two strangers from different ends of the spectrum dealing with great personal distress,...
Breathless (2009)
Director: Yang Ik-june
Directed by and featuring Yang Ik-june in a lead role, 2009’s Breathless is a great example of Korean cinema that’s very much a hidden gem. Exploring the unlikely friendship between a hard-nosed debt collector and a student, the movie delivers an unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities of life.
The narrative unfolds as Sang-hoon (Ik-june) and Yeon-hee (Kim Kkobbi), two strangers from different ends of the spectrum dealing with great personal distress,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Peter Adams
- AsianMoviePulse
The Foreign Duck, The Native Duck & The God In A Coin Locker
Stars: Gaku Hamada, Eita, Megumi Seki, Kei Tamura, Nene Ohtsuka | Written by Yoshihiro Nakamura, Ken’ichi Suzuki | Directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura
There are some film titles that just make you think, they aim to confuse you and offer no explanation as to what they mean. A prime example is The Foreign Duck, The Native Duck & God in a Coin Locker. It’s not until you get to the end of the film and take in the full story that you truly understand the concept and realise what a good film this is.
Shiina (Gaku Hamada) is moving into the city to be a student and moves into an apartment building. Upon meeting his neighbour Kawasaki (Eita) they soon find friendship through their mutual love of Bob Dylan. Feeling like an outside in the city Shiina is taken under...
Stars: Gaku Hamada, Eita, Megumi Seki, Kei Tamura, Nene Ohtsuka | Written by Yoshihiro Nakamura, Ken’ichi Suzuki | Directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura
There are some film titles that just make you think, they aim to confuse you and offer no explanation as to what they mean. A prime example is The Foreign Duck, The Native Duck & God in a Coin Locker. It’s not until you get to the end of the film and take in the full story that you truly understand the concept and realise what a good film this is.
Shiina (Gaku Hamada) is moving into the city to be a student and moves into an apartment building. Upon meeting his neighbour Kawasaki (Eita) they soon find friendship through their mutual love of Bob Dylan. Feeling like an outside in the city Shiina is taken under...
- 1/18/2013
- by Pzomb
- Nerdly
The Foreign Duck, The Native Duck & God in a Coin Locker
A film by Yoshihiro Nakamura (Fish Story, Golden Slumber)
Starring: Eita (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, Memories of Matsuko)
Gaku Hamada (Fish Story, Space Brothers)
Ryuhei Matsuda (Nightmare Detective, Blue Spring, Gohatto)
Japan / 2007 / 110 Mins / In Japanese with English subtitles / Colour / 35mm
Out on DVD January 11th, 2013
DVD Special Features:
35 minute ‘Making Of’, Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailer
College student Shiina (Gaku Hamada from Fish Story) has just moved into his new flat in Sendai. Meets his new neighbour Kawasaki (Eita from Hara Kiri: Death of a Samurai) Excluding both the tremendous physical and psychological differences between both characters, an unexpected friendships grows up out of a mutual interest in Bob Dylan.
The rigid and predictable Shiina is dragged by the magnetism of Kawasaki’s looney world of anarchy and creativity. Kawasaki’s crazy ideas, like his paranoia about pet...
A film by Yoshihiro Nakamura (Fish Story, Golden Slumber)
Starring: Eita (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, Memories of Matsuko)
Gaku Hamada (Fish Story, Space Brothers)
Ryuhei Matsuda (Nightmare Detective, Blue Spring, Gohatto)
Japan / 2007 / 110 Mins / In Japanese with English subtitles / Colour / 35mm
Out on DVD January 11th, 2013
DVD Special Features:
35 minute ‘Making Of’, Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailer
College student Shiina (Gaku Hamada from Fish Story) has just moved into his new flat in Sendai. Meets his new neighbour Kawasaki (Eita from Hara Kiri: Death of a Samurai) Excluding both the tremendous physical and psychological differences between both characters, an unexpected friendships grows up out of a mutual interest in Bob Dylan.
The rigid and predictable Shiina is dragged by the magnetism of Kawasaki’s looney world of anarchy and creativity. Kawasaki’s crazy ideas, like his paranoia about pet...
- 12/23/2012
- by tealgranate
- AsianMoviePulse
It marks the first time a samurai period film will screen in competition at the 34th Montreal World Film Festival. The latest adaptation of a Shuhei Fujisawa short story, Hisshiken Torisashi is set to change things up a bit for this festival. If you find yourself in Montreal during this festival don't miss out!
Etsushi Toyokawa stars as Kanemi Sanzaemon, a skilled swordsman and the tending president of the Unasaka clan. Three years ago, he dealt with a case of misgovernment by murdering a former prostitute named Renko (Megumi Seki) who was abusing the influence she had gained by becoming the mistress of a powerful daimyo (Jun Murakami). However, he received a lenient punishment for his actions and was eventually allowed to return to his duties within the clan.
After the death of his wife (Naho Toda), Sanzaemon takes care of her niece, Satoo (Chizuru Ikewaki), but doesn't realize she...
Etsushi Toyokawa stars as Kanemi Sanzaemon, a skilled swordsman and the tending president of the Unasaka clan. Three years ago, he dealt with a case of misgovernment by murdering a former prostitute named Renko (Megumi Seki) who was abusing the influence she had gained by becoming the mistress of a powerful daimyo (Jun Murakami). However, he received a lenient punishment for his actions and was eventually allowed to return to his duties within the clan.
After the death of his wife (Naho Toda), Sanzaemon takes care of her niece, Satoo (Chizuru Ikewaki), but doesn't realize she...
- 6/30/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Excellent. The long line of films adapted from Shuhei Fujisawa short stories keeps growing and we keeping asking for more. Nothing absolutely wrong with having these finely crafted samurai/chambara films coming out so often. Enter Hisshiken Torisashi from Fujisawa's 'Hidden Blade' series.
Etsushi Toyokawa stars as Kanemi Sanzaemon, a skilled swordsman and the tending president of the Unasaka clan. Three years ago, he dealt with a case of misgovernment by murdering a former prostitute named Renko (Megumi Seki) who was abusing the influence she had gained by becoming the mistress of a powerful daimyo (Jun Murakami). However, he received a lenient punishment for his actions and was eventually allowed to return to his duties within the clan.
After the death of his wife (Naho Toda), Sanzaemon takes care of her niece, Satoo (Chizuru Ikewaki), but doesn't realize she harbors a secret love for him. Meanwhile, a situation arises which...
Etsushi Toyokawa stars as Kanemi Sanzaemon, a skilled swordsman and the tending president of the Unasaka clan. Three years ago, he dealt with a case of misgovernment by murdering a former prostitute named Renko (Megumi Seki) who was abusing the influence she had gained by becoming the mistress of a powerful daimyo (Jun Murakami). However, he received a lenient punishment for his actions and was eventually allowed to return to his duties within the clan.
After the death of his wife (Naho Toda), Sanzaemon takes care of her niece, Satoo (Chizuru Ikewaki), but doesn't realize she harbors a secret love for him. Meanwhile, a situation arises which...
- 5/26/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Toei has released a longer trailer for Hideyuki Hirayama‘s Hisshiken Torisashi, the latest in a long line of film adaptations of stories by the late Shuhei Fujisawa. This particular film is based on a short story taken from Fujisawa’s “Hidden Blade” series, a compilation of stories which involve a character (not always the protagonist) mastering a secret sword technique to be unleashed on his enemies later on.
Etsushi Toyokawa stars as Kanemi Sanzaemon, a skilled swordsman and the tending president of the Unasaka clan. Three years ago, he dealt with a case of misgovernment by murdering a former prostitute named Renko (Megumi Seki) who was abusing the influence she had gained by becoming the mistress of a powerful daimyo (Jun Murakami). However, he received a lenient punishment for his actions and was eventually allowed to return to his duties within the clan.
After the death of his wife...
Etsushi Toyokawa stars as Kanemi Sanzaemon, a skilled swordsman and the tending president of the Unasaka clan. Three years ago, he dealt with a case of misgovernment by murdering a former prostitute named Renko (Megumi Seki) who was abusing the influence she had gained by becoming the mistress of a powerful daimyo (Jun Murakami). However, he received a lenient punishment for his actions and was eventually allowed to return to his duties within the clan.
After the death of his wife...
- 5/26/2010
- Nippon Cinema
Director: Takuji Kitamura. Review: Tim Irwin. Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge is a rather charming romantic drama/coming-of-age film, gorgeously shot on some fabulous locations. Young Yosuke (played by pretty-boy Hayato Ichihara) is a fairly typical high school kid. He lives in a boarding school, goes to class, has a couple of close friends, and is fairly apathetic about life. His coolest friend, Noto (Yôsuke Asari), dies in a motorcycle accident, leaving Yosuke confused about life. He can never be as cool as Noto (Yôsuke Asari), a kid who runs the laps received as punishment for being tardy in double-time. A kid so cool he can't stand to see two rival gangs face off only to have their leaders apologize to one another, forcing him to take on both gangs simultaneously. A kid so cool that he drives his motorcycle very fast, not caring whether there might be a car around the next corner.
- 3/31/2010
- 24framespersecond.net
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