50 Must-see Asian Movies part 1

Everybody's coming out with their must-watch movies nowadays.
Here's my list of the finest in Asian cinema.
The 50 rankings are not final. Any comment would be appreciated.

50. 5 Deadly Venoms

I watched this movie so many times as a child because its my fath

er’s favorite. Directed by Hong Kong Kung fu auteur Chang Cheh, its about five kung-fu fighters with unique animal styles: The Centipede, The Snake, The Scorpion, The Lizard and The Toad.

Country of origin – Hong Kong

49. Kung Fu Hustle

You already probably seen this film but it borrow a lot of punchlines from classic Stephen Chow movies but still a fun, fun movie to watch. A parody of the Matrix

Country of origin – Hong Kong

48. Jenny, Juno

How do you deal with teen pregnancy? Make it look ok and treat it with kids gloves. Yep, the movie where Juno is based. This is the real deal, folks.

Country of origin – South Korea

47. Jan Dara

Peek into mystical Thai culture with this film about sex, coming of age, weird parents, an eye-popping breastfeeding scene, and more sex. Also stars the divinely sexy Christie Cheung.

Country of origin - Thailand

46. Samurai Fiction

The film that “inspired” Kill Bill. Well, Tarantino sort of “copied” the black and white hacking scene where in the screen flashes red when someone is killed.

Country of origin – Japan

45. Fist of Fury

Who can forget Bruce Lee with nun chucks and that trademark yellow jumpsuit? Yep.

Country of origin – Hong Kong

44. Dark Water

Eerie and scary. About a child ghost looking for her mother.

Country of origin - Japan

43. Muro Ami

A movie about the plight of child reef divers and how they are exploited and forced to live in subhuman conditions.

Country of origin – Philippines

42. The Soong Sisters

An epic about the 3 legendary sisters who influenced and change the course of power in China . One is married to Gen. Chiang Kai Shek of the Kuomintang. One is married to Dr. Sun Yat Sen (China’s Rizal) One married one of China’s wealthiest. Trivia: This movie is very political, because during the time of release Hong Kong was getting ready for the handover to China.

Country of origin – Hong Kong

41. Untold Story

Anthony Wong stars as a serial killer who makes women into meat buns (siopao).

A deeply disturbing journey into the macabre. My fave scene: He stuck a chopstick into the girl’s privates.

Country of origin – Hong Kong

40. One Armed Swordsman

This is the cult wuxia film that started it all, starring Jimmy Wang Yu as a warrior who’s arm got cut off by his master’s daughter. Don’t miss the scene where his arm got cut-off, bloodbath galore.

Country of origin – Hong Kong

39. Drunken Master

The movie that launched Jackie Chan to a worldwide icon.

Country of origin – Hong Kong

38. Bullet in the Head

This is the undiscovered gem in John Woo’s treasure trove of masterpieces. It tells of a story of 3 friends who discover money, power, and betrayal in the Vietnam War. Stars Tony Leung and Jackie Cheung.

Country of origin –Hong Kong

37. Lies

A film about sadomasochistic sexual relationship between a sculptor and an 18 year old female student. If you didn’t cringe at 2 Girls, One Cup, this movie will not disappoint.

Country of origin: South Korea

36. Farewell, My Concubine

A period film during the China’s Cultural Revolution starring Gong Li and Leslie Cheung. This movie launched both of them to fame.

Country of origin - China

35. A Chinese Ghost Story

Leslie Cheung sta

rs as a debt collector who falls in love with a beautiful female ghost. Excellent fight scenes and a haunting soundtrack makes this movie a must-watch.

Country of origin – Hong Kong

34. Scorpio Nights

I love the original and the remake. They don’t movies as good as this anymore.

Country of origin - Philippines

33. Temptation Island

How can something so campy be so cool. It c

an only be from the twisted minds of Joey Gosengfiao and legendary producer Mother Lily. I hope they release a re-mastered version soon.

Country of origin - Philippines

32. Ringu

Japan’s most famous horror movie and also its best that launched Sadako to fame. Scary and original. This movie reinvigorated the Asian horror genre.

Country of origin - Japan

31. In The Mood for Love

Don’t watch this movie for the narrative, watch it for the treatment.

Country of origin – Hong Kong

30.Battle Royale

Banned in Japan.

Why? It’s about high school students killing each other creatively. By the twisted mind of Kinji Fukasaku who didn’t live to finish the sequel. Good thing his son’s mind is twisted as him.

Country of origin: Japan

29. Audition

This is the most shocking and disturbing horror film I’ve seen in years. Helmed by the great horror master Takashi Miike, you just have to see it or you die.

Country of origin: Japan

28. Raise the Red Lantern

One of Zhang Yimou’s early works about concubines in China starring Gong Li. Raising the red lantern meant in Chinese terms meant somebody was getting married.

Country of origin - China

27. The Eye

What if you’re blind and get a chance to

see again but you inherit the eyes of a person with third eye? Catch the scene in the Chinese restaurant where the ghosts lick the food.

Very, very creepy.

Country of origin - Hong Kong

26. Curse of the Golden Flower

Another visual masterpiece from Zhang Yimou. Very Shakespearian. And they didn’t scrimp on the details of every scene. This is Zhang Yimou’s answer to Chen Kaige’s The Promise.

Country of origin - China

50 Asian movies to see before you're die

Here's my top 100 list so far in no particular order.

100. Akira
99. Grave of the Fireflies
98. Kung Fu Hustle
97. Battle Royale I and II
96. The Ring
95. Shutter
94. Crying Ladies
93. Tiyanak
92. Hero
91. A Better Tomorrow
90. Old Boy
89. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance
88. A Chinese Ghost Story
87. My Sassy Girl
86. Il Mare
85. 5 Deadly Venoms
84. Lust, Caution
83. Crouching tiger, Hidden Dragon
82. Himala
81. Dark Water
80. Seven Samurai
79. Infernal Affairs
78. Bullet in the Head
77. Spirited Away
76. Howl's Moving Castle
75. The Eye
74. Silmido
73. House of the Flying Daggers
72. Jenny and juno
71. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
70. Drunken Master
69. Godzilla vs. Mothra
68. Election
67. Farewell to my Concubine
66. Raise the Red Lantern
65. Hard-boiled
64. Once Upon a time in China
63. One-armed Swordsman
62. New Dragon Gate Inn
61. God of Gamblers
60. the Promise
59. Not One Less
58. 200 pounds beauty
57. Taekukgi
56. In The Realm of the Senses
55. Princess Mononoke
54. Rashomon
53. Machine Girl
52. Three
51. One more chance
50. the classic
49. Lies
48. Oasis
47. A Love Story
46. Magnifico
45. Kubrador
44. Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros
43. Temptation Island
42. Sister Stella L.
41. Jan Dara
40. Scorpio Nights
39. Maynila Sa Kuko ng Liwanag
38. Oro, Plata Mata
37. Tinimbang Ka ngunit Kulang
36. Crippled Avengers
35. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
34. The Wedding Banquet
33. City of Joy

the chaka list

i'm bored.
and sleepy.
and tired.

para di masayang ang oras ko dito sa opis, sulat-sulat muna
ako biglang may idea at maiayos ko na ang script kong tinatapos.

so i tried to list down the stuff i'd like to hate or in other words,
mga chaka. (pahiram chocaloy, miss na kita katrabaho)

chaka ang american idol.
poteks kahit paano mo pagbaligtarin obvious namang mananalo si danny gokey.
maglokohan pa tayo.
boring na ang show. boring na ang tema.
natutuwa na lang kami kung lumalabas ang greenwich tvc ni anne curtis
at gagayahin ni jhett ang kanyang dialogue na "bora" na sobrang high-pitched.
tapos biglang susundan ni nicole parang duet ng mga chipmunks. sumasakit ulo ko.

chaka ang commercial na greenwich ni anne curtis.
see prvious post.

chaka ang fantasy nba.
puro injured mga superstar.
walang revelation na player this year.
boring na. sana naman di matalo ang pusta ko sa liga ng jro.
tinatamad na talaga ako at gusto ko ng idrop mga players
dahil pag pinapasok ko naiinjure agad.

chaka ang pet society.
wala na silang pwedeng gawin sa pets kundi patakbuhin.
can they kill each other for a change?

chaka ang gold's gym.
simula lumipat ako wala pa akong nagamit kundi treadmill at stair climber.
wala yung mga equipment na nakasanayan ko.
tipid nga ako, mukha naman akong kawawa.

e-heads from upstairs

took this pic from the 5th level parking of SM Moa
30 minutes before the concert started.
I used my trusty Canon digicam because my SLR's lens are not wide enough
Just sharing the experience.

Who Watches the Watchmen

This post is bloody delayed.
But I felt I needed to post something to shush the haters.

Watchmen is not your typical movie.
If you come in expecting a superhero-ish flick, you're going to be disappointed.
Yes it has over-the-top violence and sex scenes abound.
And Dr. Manhattan's blue penises steals the movie's thunder, well almost.
Zack must be infatuated with dicks, there were way too many unnecessary exposures
but I guess its his way of flicking his middle finger at the system.

This is a movie about the Cold War and alternate realities.
don't go around saying this situtation never happened etcetera, etcetera, punyeta alternate reality nga.

There's no "major villain" in this movie.

The opening scene rocks.
Zack managed to condense a lot of the comic book in one scene.

After watching the movie, read the graphic novel. You'll notice that they were so faithful to it, even to the framing of the scenes.

Did I mention Dr. Manhattan's pututoy kept making peek-a-boo again and again?
Till then I'm waiting for the DVD.

Who Watches the Watchmen

This post is bloody delayed.

E-heads, Finally...

I've run out of words to describe
E-heads: The Final Set. The word Spectacular is an understatement and eargasm seems too mild a word to describe it. This is THE concert that the band should have given us the first time around. But after all the hullabaloo I'm not complaining.

Great setup. the place was waaay better than the ruins of Taguig. Huge videowalls gave justice to the band's performance (esp. to us who watched it from far away.)

By 5 pm, the venue was already crawling with people. I even took pics from the 5th floor of North Parking of SM MOA. The bay was a perfect complement to a the sea of people watching. The venue was large and breezy enough and it wasn't as "rocky" as Taguig. The mall even piped-in Eheads songs all day. I loved it. So off I went with Les (who made abono my tickets) to early dinner at Gram's and meet her friends.

By 8, the tribute avp was already rolling. As we hurried to the "Silver" gate, the big burly guy from security stopped me and said he can't allow to bring in my Canon SLR. I wonder what's wrong with bringing an SLR to the venue, we were so far away as if it posed a security threat. So like happened during the first concert I had to hurry back to my car and stuff my slr. I had to make "tiyaga" with my digicam...
We almost missed the first song which was Magasin and place was already crowded, more crowded than the Taguig concert. Then the songs came one after the other I noticed Eli's mood was lighter and he was reacting to the crowd. Marcus sang a lame regggae version of... I can't remember the title. Raimund brought the house down with Alcohol... they should've gotten Radioactive to jam with them but it sounded great. The place was superjampacked but people were more behaved. No hint of maryjanes in here, hehe.

Some high points in the concert:
1) Eli singing Kaleidoscope World as tribute to Francis
2) the unexpected encore, which made people rush back to the venue buti di nagkastampede
Raimund was saying: Bitin ba? Asan si Marcus?
3) the Group Hug, which I felt was sincere
4) Eli giving the mike to Tim Yap, and making him look like a total loser and faker for not even knowing the lyrics to Toyang. (Boo Gucci gang)
5) Amazing fireworks
6) And... the burning of the old piano from Sticker Happy

This concert is Eraserheads at its memorable best.
Thanks guys.

damn you pet society

my firefox crashes everytime i play pet society.
arrghh...

heard there's a cheat to earn gazillions of coins. yay! m gonna design my house.
this game is so shallow but i love it

WTF?

Saw this kanina when I passed by Vito Cruz Extension.

Why only now, Steve Kerr?

So Coach Terry Porter was fired after 4 months with the Suns.
Now you guys "discover" that this team was meant to run.
Why only now, Steve?

You've made a very good team weak, dude.
You've traded good players for what?
Jason Richardson?
With that trade you also lowered his stats, you creep.

And I hear Amare's about to be traded, too.
For what? A bunch of veterans?
And you want them to run-and-gun?

Get off the Suns train, Kerr.
Before there's nothing left.