A Decade of Great Film from Asia
In honor of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’ve compiled a list of 12 of our favorite films over the past decade, from countries including Korea (which has really been knocking it out of the park lately), Japan, China, Vietnam, India, and New Zealand.
The Third Wife
In 19th-century rural Vietnam, 14-year-old May becomes the third wife of wealthy landowner.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Vietnam • 2019
- Director Ash Mayfair
- Cast Nguyễn Phương Trà My, Trần Nữ Yên Khê, Lê Vũ Long, Mai Thu Hường, Như Quỳnh
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Ash Is Purest White
(江湖儿女)
The violent love story of a young dancer and a mobster spanning from 2001 to 2017.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- China, France, Japan • 2018
- Director Jia Zhangke
- Cast Zhao Tao, Liao Fan, Feng Xiaogang, Xu Zheng, Zhang Yibai, Diao Yi'nan
- Genre Crime, Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Kanopy
Burning
(버닝)
Jongsu's solitude is interrupted when he runs into a childhood neighbor and her enigmatic friend.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2018
- Director Lee Chang-dong
- Cast Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jun Jong-seo, Kim Soo-kyung, Choi Seung-ho, Moon Sung-keun
- Genre Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on Netflix, MUBI, Fandor Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, AsianCrush, Netflix basic with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, OnDemandKorea, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Shoplifters
(万引き家族)
Sometimes it's better to choose your own family.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2018
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Jyo Kairi, Miyu Sasaki, Kirin Kiki
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, DistroTV, Hoopla
The Handmaiden
(아가씨)
Her heart may not be the only thing stolen.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2016
- Director Park Chan-wook
- Cast Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong, Kim Hae-sook, Moon So-ri
- Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango At Home
The Wailing
(곡성)
"Somebody better call the exorcist!"
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea, United States • 2016
- Director Na Hong-jin
- Cast Kwak Do-won, Hwang Jung-min, Chun Woo-hee, Jun Kunimura, Kim Hwan-hee, Heo Jin
- Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on Netflix, fuboTV, Criterion Channel, Peacock Premium, Kocowa, Hi-YAH, Netflix basic with Ads, Rakuten Viki, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Hoopla
Our Little Sister
(海街diary)
A father's secret.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2015
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, Suzu Hirose, Ryo Kase, Ryohei Suzuki
- Genre Drama, Comedy
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
The Assassin
(刺客聶隱娘)
Whether it is love or loyalty, for her next mission... a sacrifice will be made.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Taiwan, China, Hong Kong • 2015
- Director Hou Hsiao-hsien
- Cast Shu Qi, Chang Chen, Nikki Hsieh, Sheu Fang-Yi, Ethan Juan, Tetsuya Komuro
- Genre Action, Drama, History
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandor Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Hi-YAH, Midnight Pulp, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Rakuten Viki, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, YouTube Free, Pluto TV, VIX , AsianCrush, Cineverse, Kanopy
What We Do in the Shadows
Some interviews with some vampires.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- New Zealand, United States • 2014
- Director Taika Waititi
- Cast Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, Jonny Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stuart Rutherford, Ben Fransham
- Genre Comedy, Horror
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Ilo Ilo
A newly-hired housemaid must face the greatest of challenges: deal with a petulant young boy.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Singapore, Japan, Taiwan • 2013
- Director Anthony Chen
- Cast Yann Yann Yeo, Tian Wen Chen, Angeli Bayani, Koh Jia Ler, Jo Kukathas, Peter Wee
- Genre Drama
- Available on Film Movement Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, FlixFling, Kanopy
Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1
(गैंग्स ऑफ़ वास्सेपुर पार्ट - १)
Shahid Khan has one agenda: revenge. Vowing to avenge his father, he ignites a blood feud, one that will span three generations.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 2012
- Director Anurag Kashyap
- Cast Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadda, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Reema Sen, Huma Qureshi
- Genre Action, Crime, Thriller
- Available on MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, Apple TV
13 Assassins
(十三人の刺客)
Take up your sword.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan, United Kingdom • 2010
- Director Takashi Miike
- Cast Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yusuke Iseya, Gorô Inagaki, Kazue Fukiishi, Hiroki Matsukata
- Genre Adventure, Drama, Action
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Poetry
(시)
A Korean grandmother enrolls in a poetry class, where she finds solace amid the chaos of her personal life.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2010
- Director Lee Chang-dong
- Cast Yoon Jeong-hee, Lee Da-wit, Kim Hee-ra, Ahn Nae-sang, Kim Yong-taek, Park Myung-shin
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Plex, Kanopy, Hoopla
City of Life and Death
(南京!南京!)
"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom..."
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- China, Hong Kong • 2009
- Director Lu Chuan
- Cast Liu Ye, Gao Yuanyuan, Hideo Nakaizumi, John Paisley, Beverly Peckous, Fan Wei
- Genre Drama, History, War
- Available on Kanopy