So it turns out that September is ESEA (East and South East Asian) Heritage Month, which I have never heard spoken about or promoted, and apparently no one I know has either. It is celebrated in the UK (which might explain its obscurity) to honor the culture, history, and contributions of ESEA communities. So what better way to celebrate ESEA Heritage than with a list of 10 of the most watch-worthy movies from the last few decades?
Train to Busan
South Korea
8.5/10
A great introduction to the Korean zombie genre, offering a very refreshingly different take to the average Hollywood zombie survival movie. A bit gory as expected, also can be quite heartfelt at moments.
The Last Dance
Hong Kong
7/10
This movie is a rare standout in a declining Hong Kong film industry. It focuses on a funeral director and his conflict with a traditional Taoist priest. It’s more interesting than it sounds, and has a good touch of both comedy and tear-jerking moments.
Spirited Away
Japan
9.5/10
Sometimes touted as the best animated movie of all time, Spirited Away is a beautifully hand-drawn movie by Hayao Miyazaki that focuses on a world of Japanese spirits. It is an absolute Studio Ghibli classic, and is avery heartfelt and profound movie.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
USA
7.5/10
A story about a Chinese immigrant family living in America. Also includes multiverses travelling, chaotically absurd outfits, and many recoil-causing and slightly disturbing scenes. 100% recommend though. (Year 9s and below, please don’t watch this; I don’t want to get in trouble.)
Hard Boiled
Hong Kong
8.5/10
The second Hong Kong film on this list, this time from the golden era of Hong Kong movies. Think Terminator minus the robots and with a baby instead (and funnier). Also the stuntmen definitely deserve a raise.
Memories of Murder
South Korea
10/10
The first 10/10 I’m giving on this list. It’s a crime thriller by Bong Joon Ho (who we will see more of later) and is loosely based on a true story. It stars Song Kang-Ho, one of the most well-known Korean actors, who also happens to be my personal favourite. This is one of the movies on the list that is in contention for being the greatest film of all time.
How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
Thailand
7.5/10
As the name suggests, this movie is definitely a movie about a heartless killer brutally terrorising his grandma and her friends. In all seriousness, this film genuinely blew my expectations out of the water; I completely underestimated its poignancy going in.
In the Mood For Love
Hong Kong
3/10
A supposedly melancholic movie about loneliness and love. Its the only romance movie on this list and also the only one I didn’t like. I found the dialogue clanky and unnatural, but I’m recommending it anyways as I suppose that most of you would like this movie.
Parasite
South Korea
10/10
Another masterpiece by Bong Joon Ho, and one of my favourites films. It focuses on a poor family infiltrating a rich family one by one. It also won best picture in the only Oscars I have ever watched, which might be the reason its so endearing to me. If there’s one film on this list you must watch, it’s this one. (Surely you’ve already watched it though…
Yi-Yi
Hong Kong
10/10
To say it bluntly, this film is really, really boring, and that might be an understatement – sitting through this almost 3-hour long film is definitely a task in itself. That said, it is simply a must-watch. This film can genuinely alter your perspective on life, and every watch brings out something new. It centers around the struggles of members of a Taiwanese family, and develops into a very profound and heartfelt movie about the ups and downs of life.
Honorable Mentions
Not quite good enough for the main list, but still maybe worth a watch. Thanks for reading if you made it this far!
Dear You
China
A heartfelt Chinese film, with the dialogue entirely in the dying Teochew language. It’s a low-budget indie film very much worth supporting, and supposedly very powerful; however, I haven’t watched it yet, so it didn’t feel quite right putting it on the list.
Wish Dragon
China & USA
A nice animated film set in Shanghai. It has a star-studded cast, with many people you’ll probably recognize such as Bobby Lee, Constance Wu and Ronny Chieng. But it’s also a bit of an Aladdin ripoff, and also justnot quite good enough to sit on the same list as the others.