This is the first (non anime) Japanese movie I've ever seen, and I liked it. Sure its story is very unoriginal, but I liked the atmosphere and was very entertained.
So what other Japanese movies should I check?
Remember the King!
Bump. No idea?
Remember the King!
I think you can try looking at Korean cinema maybe, it has been developing like crazy over the past decade and I bet they have something to offer. Not that I can come up with any titles except for The Host, sci-fi is not really my genre.
As for Japanese film you can try Casshern and Azumi as well as the three Death Note films (the live action films partially based on the manga and anime series). I cant think of anything else for now.
You're actually right. Recent Japanese cinema is very style oriented, it's hard to find a movie that's worth watching just for the writing itself, especially an action one. Unicorn_Blade gave the example of Azumi, I just have to say that the movie is insanely stupid, even more so than the Returner, however unlike the Returner the action is very lackluster therefore there is no redeeming it, stay away from that movie. There are ofcourse exceptions and the one I watched last that was really good is Ichi the Killer (I know the movie came out a while ago, but I only just watched it recently).
Now Korean cinema is a different story. Sure there is a whole bunch of silly comedies (and some of these are pretty good), however you can find such gems as The Host, Taegukgi, Welcome to Dongmakgol, The Good the Bad the Weird, Joint Security Area, Memories of Murder, the movies from the Vengeance Trilogy, ... I recommend any and all of these movies, be sure to watch them.
Zatoichi
K-20
Goemon
As for Japanese film you can try Casshern and Azumi as well as the three Death Note films (the live action films partially based on the manga and anime series). I cant think of anything else for now.
Fulltime Killer was a really fun HK actioner. It's not exactly what you're looking for but still good.
shareI think Princess Blade is pretty good, which is a sci fi samurai kind of film. Takashi Miike's Dead or Alive series is splendid, and the last one of those is sci fi too. Battle Royale is pretty well known and is super awesome. Sonny Chiba was in a crazy film in the 1970s called GI Samurai that involves a platoon of soldiers being sent back hundreds of years into the past and fighting samurai types. It has a few different names I think.
Personally, I think Casshern is a terrible film, but I can see why people might like it.
For non sci fi, Violent Cop, Hana Bi and Zatoichi by Takeshi Kitano are all damn fine films, and Ichi the Killer and Audition are equally spiffing but also very mental. The Street Fighter with Sonny Chiba is also a beast.
I got a surprising kick (heh) out of "Black Mask..."
shareI agree. I really don't find many Japanese films enjoyable. Try films by Shunji Iwaii or Tetsuya Nakashima. BTW Korean films is where it's at.
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