My favorite films about Asia
I’m a big fan of Asian culture for some reason. Lately, I’m being in special nostalgia for Asia because every Asian country is closed and I can’t travel there.
So I started to pay even more attention to films made in Asia or at least about Asia. Here is my list of those I found particularly good.
[there are no spoilers]
A Taxi Driver (2017)
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_taxi_driver_2017
A dramedy about a man in the middle of political events in South Korea in the 1980s. Song Kang-ho from Parasite is a leading actor here and I really like his performance.
The Lunchbox (2013)
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_lunchbox
Really heart-warming movie about an office worker in India. Although it is not the main subject of the film, the lunchbox handling itself really fascinated me and made me think how different other cultures can be in little elements of daily life. A nice fit to watch with your partner with a glass of good wine and some camembert.
Dangal (2016)
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dangal
Another Indian film but this time about how one can defy even strong cultural norms and reach their goals. Very inspiring film and I think a good fit to watch together with the whole family.
Minari (2020)
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/minari
Really strong drama about Korean immigrants in the US in the 1980s. Their struggles to survive on little money and keep the family relations really trigger you to think about your own life.
Shoplifters (2018)
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/shoplifters
Japanese drama film that reminded me of Parasite in a way, although there is less comedy and more drama. The script is really exciting and the movie keeps your attention till the end.
Tokyo Sonata (2008)
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tokyo_sonata
I should warn you this is a very slow-paced movie so if it might feel as boring to some. I encourage you to watch it though when you have the right mood because I really enjoyed it. It shows one of the most interesting and common Japanese cultural quirks related to office work (go read the description on rottentomatoes.com, I promised no spoilers).
A Land Imagined (2018)
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_land_imagined
Another slow-paced movie and this time it may seem boring to most people (hence the 50% audience score). It passed my filter because I really love Singapore and everything related to this country. Still a nice recommendation to those of you who don’t crave a typical movie built by Hollywood rules.
Parasite (2019)
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/parasite_2019
I understand that this is an obvious choice and probably everyone saw this film. But since the film is absolutely brilliant, I need to mention it just in case there is someone who hasn’t seen it yet. This is a perfect example of a dramedy where amusing situations only increase the drama side of the film.
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