Asian

  • Rentarô Mikuni – Shinran: Shiroi michi AKA Shinran: Path to Purity (1987)

    1981-1990AsianDramaJapanRentarô Mikuni

    In the early part of the 13th Century in Japan, warring clans turned the country into a bloody playing field. Ritual execution was the order of the day, and expulsion to the far reaches of the empire–to endure extremes of weather on barely fertile land–was the height of mercy.Read More »

  • Hiroshi Shimizu – Odoriko aka Dancing Girl (1957)

    1951-1960AsianDramaHiroshi ShimizuJapan

    In Asakusa, Tokyo, a couple of a violinist Yamano and a revue dancer Hanae lives in poverty. One day Hanae’s little sister rolls into their apartment and begins to stir things up with her riotousness.Read More »

  • Isshin Inudou – Bizan (2007)

    2001-2010AsianDramaIsshin InudouJapan

    Sakiko returns home to care for her mother, who is dying of cancer. What she doesn’t expect is that she will come to discover the existence of her father, the truth of which her mother has concealed for many years. Going through her mother’s box of love letters, she decides to go Tokyo to seek out her father. Her hope is that she will be able to fulfill her mother’s last wish before it is too late.Read More »

  • Mrinal Sen – Genesis (1986)

    1981-1990ArthouseAsianIndiaMrinal Sen

    A farmer (Naseeruddin Shah) and a weaver (Om Puri) exchange their products for goods provided by a regular passing trader (M.K. Raina). A woman (Shabana Azmi) arrives, forcing the two men’s desires but also urging them to obtain more recompense from the trader. After a visit to a village fair , the two men become more acquisitive and jealousies break out over the now pregnant woman who simply ups and leaves .As the two men fight each other, the trader’s men attack and enslave the workers again.Read More »

  • Han Hsiang Li – Ying tai qi xue AKA The Last Tempest (1976)

    Han Hsiang Li1971-1980AsianDramaHong Kong

    Despite Kuang Hsu’s (Ti Lung) enthronement as the last reigning Emperor of China, his ability to rule effectively is overshadowed by the ever-present power of the Dowager Empress (Lisa Lu). When his attempts to reform the Imperial system are thwarted by the Dowager Empress, he attempts to curb her power. His efforts are not successful, and this failure leads directly to his own death and the end of Imperial rule in China. The Dowager Empress, though, ends her days comfortably and in peace.Read More »

  • Satyajit Ray – Heerak Rajar Deshe aka Kingdom of Diamonds (1980)

    1971-1980AsianClassicsIndiaSatyajit Ray

    Synopsis

    Hirak Rajar Deshe is the second movie of the Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne series directed by Satyajit Ray. An unique aspect of the film is that most of the dialogues exchanged by the protagonists of the film are rhyming. Satyajit Ray was initially apprehensive whether this approach would be liked by people as it was a novel one but it was a great success.Read More »

  • Satyajit Ray – Kanchenjungha (1962)

    1961-1970AsianClassicsIndiaSatyajit Ray

    Summary
    A wealthy family from Calcutta is on the last day of their vacation in Darjeeling, a hill station at the foot of Mount Kanchenjungha, the second highest peak of the Himalayas. Until now, they have been unable to catch a glimpse of the peak Kanchenjungha.The family members are dominated by the father, Indranath (Chhabi Biswas), an industrialist. He wants his daughter to marry a man of his choice and hopes that the man will propose if they are left together alone for some time.Read More »

  • Kyoshi Sugita – Haruharasan no uta AKA Haruhara San’s Recorder (2021)

    AsianDramaJapanKyoshi Sugita

    Sachi quits her job at a museum, starts working part-time at a café, and moves into an apartment recommended by a regular customer. Although she has started a new life, Sachi is still haunted by the memory of her partner whom she will never see again.Read More »

  • Jeffrey Lau – Ching din dai sing AKA A Chinese Tall Story (2005)

    2001-2010ActionAsianHong KongJeffrey Lau

    Synopsis
    Taking place in the younger days of the famous monk, Tripitaka (known for bringing the sacred Bhuddist sutras from India to China), the film tells a fantastical adventure of the monk and his three disciples. On their way to the city of Shache, the monk narrowly escapes an attack from a group of demons. While trying to think of a way to rescue his disciples, he is captured by the king of reptiles and placed under the vigilance of Meiyan, an ugly demon who falls in love with the monk. Luckily, a princess from another galaxy rescues the monk, deeply affecting Meiyan, who pursues the two. In a twist of fate, the ugly Meiyan decides to help her beloved and teams up with the princess to rescue Tripitaka’s three disciples.Read More »

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