My Top Ten Asian movies

I started compiling top Ten list of best Asian movies.
Still I am watching many Asian movies.
But this is my list at this point of time

My top ten Asian movies you must watch before you die.

1) Rashomon - Kurosawa {masters Master movie}
2) Seven Samurai - Kurosawa {Another Master movie}
3) In the Mood For love - Wong {An unique love story}
4) Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon - Lee {best stuff Lee.}
5) Spring, Summer, Winter...Spirng- Kim Dunken {A circle of life in a unique way.}
6) Memories of Murder - Joon Bong {Asian version of Silence of the Lambs. Even it was better.}
7) Internal Affairs - Wai Keung Lau {The best undercover cop story.}
8) Apu Trilogy - Satyajit Ray {A long journey of life. Definitely a monumental work}
9) The 36th Chamber of Shaolin -Liu {Master movie for all kung fu fans.}
10) To Live aka Huozhe - Yimou Zhang {A long journey of a couple. Masterful work.}

Honorable mention
Kung Fu Hustle - Chow
YI YI - Edward Yang
Maya Bazaar- (Indian, Telugu)
Enter The Dragon (Not sure it was released in Hollywood first or in Hong Kong. Idea is you can not compile any list without Bruce lee)

My small review of To Live aka Huozhe (1994)

Set under the back drop of Mao's Revolution, this film examines one couples long journey. Splendidly photographed & brilliant action from the lead cast really engage you whole two plus hours. Movie is not about heroism but rather realism of common people life during troubled times in China. Movie just examination one particular family & but it also comments the Mao's Revolution era & life honestly. Once rich, lead actor losses everything in the gambling & father & wife kid leaving him. This all happens in the first 10 to 15 minutes of movie beginning. Rest of the story revolves around his struggle as ordinary man in the same town, family reunion, son’s death & daughter wedding & loss etc. under very harsh, uncertainty times of china. Movie execution flow was as near to flawless & Yimou Zhang direction is masterful.
One particular scene in the movie (wife & kids come back after he was changed & living normal life. He sees his son first time & asks
What did you name our son?
Answer: Don't Gamble".
You will see very good no of scenes like this in this movie.
My rating 9.5/10

19/6/07 weekend movies

Very busy with volunteer work. (Nearly 30 hours work.) Watched only one movie. I have to write lot about previously watched movies too.
For this week following is my update.

Movie: Central Station ( On DVD) Country: Brazil

Brief plot is a boy's journey to find his father.
Movie start with an old lonely wicked woman helping the illiterate people at Rio's train station where she writes letters dictated to her by the all sorts of people. This introduction scene was very very funny. (In particular few letters.) Later a boy & mother come to the same station to send letter his father. Unfortunately boy’s mother dies with an accident in front of station. From next scene onwards that boy’s journey to find the father with the help of women. Movie makes many abrupt shifts & ending was nearly a catastrophe. Very heart-warming realistic movie. Good movie for serious movie lovers.

An interesting take on movie director

"A painter paints, the sculptor sculpt, the story writer writes - but the director he makes monuments. It is the most expressive of all the arts. On film you are affecting the people’s emotions, their hearts - they are living with you. You have got them. You have got them in the palm of your hand! i.e. the power of film making."