Any one know any good 'japanese/chinese/zen-ish' movies/documentries??

zenmyste

Doesnt 'have' to be buddhist related.

One of ny favourites is;
'memiors of a geisha'
Anything simular??

Takuan

There is actually a movie called "Zen" about the life of Dogen on youtube, though I'd recommend buying the DVD.

genkaku

And there's a quasi-spoof of Zen called "Zen Noir." A private detective is brought in to investigate a death at the temple. Not quite as good as it thinks it is, but it's pretty good and has some honest belly laughs.

BhikkhuJayasara

I'm a huge Chinese movie buff (both kung-fu and normal Chinese movies) so I could list a million lol, none of which really have much to do with Buddhism. I would suggest Shaolin from 2011 though, kung fu with plenty of Buddhism mixed in.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1533749/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

taiyaki

Jason

I thought Amongst White Clouds was pretty good.

Takuan

Here's a link to the movie I was talking about.

genkaku said:

And there's a quasi-spoof of Zen called "Zen Noir." A private detective is brought in to investigate a death at the temple. Not quite as good as it thinks it is, but it's pretty good and has some honest belly laughs.

Yeah, a friend of mine directed me to that film. I liked it, but also felt it was a bit lacking in certain respects. I did, however, like the orange story.

Invincible_summer

Chinese cinema has some wonderful filmmakers; Wong Kar-Wai and Zhang Yimou are probably my favourites, with some notable others.

Wong Kar-Wai:
Chungking Express
Days of Being Wild
In the Mood for Love
2046

Zhang Yimou:
Raise the Red Lantern
To Live
The Road Home
Hero
House of Flying Daggers

Chen Kaige:
Yellow Earth
The Emperor and the Assassin
Together

Lou Ye:
Suzhou River




As for films more related to Buddhism:
Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? by Bae Yong-Kyung
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring by Kim Ki-Duk
Amongst White Clouds (documentary)
Samsara (documentary)

BhikkhuJayasara

Invincible_summer said:

Chinese cinema has some wonderful filmmakers; Wong Kar-Wai and Zhang Yimou are probably my favourites, with some notable others.

Wong Kar-Wai:
Chungking Express
Days of Being Wild
In the Mood for Love
2046

Zhang Yimou:
Raise the Red Lantern
To Live
The Road Home
Hero
House of Flying Daggers

Chen Kaige:
Yellow Earth
The Emperor and the Assassin
Together

Lou Ye:
Suzhou River




As for films more related to Buddhism:
Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? by Bae Yong-Kyung
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring by Kim Ki-Duk
Amongst White Clouds (documentary)
Samsara (documentary)

I've seen almost all of those! great movies and cool to meet another Chinese cinema fan.. now I don't have to say I'm the only one I know LOL.

Invincible_summer

Jayantha said:

I've seen almost all of those! great movies and cool to meet another Chinese cinema fan.. now I don't have to say I'm the only one I know LOL.

:rockon:

Before, I only knew the John Woo/Stephen Chow/Jackie Chan HK action flicks (which are awesome in their own right) and old-school wuxia stuff. I think most people in the West are like that. Then, I saw "Farewell my Concubine" and "In the Mood for Love." My mind was blown. I really like to talk about Chinese cinema with people so they don't think it's all martial arts flicks.

BhikkhuJayasara

Invincible_summer said:

Jayantha said:

I've seen almost all of those! great movies and cool to meet another Chinese cinema fan.. now I don't have to say I'm the only one I know LOL.

:rockon:

Before, I only knew the John Woo/Stephen Chow/Jackie Chan HK action flicks (which are awesome in their own right) and old-school wuxia stuff. I think most people in the West are like that. Then, I saw "Farewell my Concubine" and "In the Mood for Love." My mind was blown. I really like to talk about Chinese cinema with people so they don't think it's all martial arts flicks.

@Invincible_summer

yes I started the same, but thanks to netflix I was able to expand my horizons.

I dunno if you've seen " the Shower" but it's an great little movie about a father and his two adult sons that run a spa and what happens as the father starts to die etc - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215369/

also another good one " Riding alone for 1000 miles. Is about a Japanese father who goes to china because his son is dieing and the father's journey through China as he goes on a "quest" for his son.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437447/


IMO Chinese cinema is a lot like how Hollywood was back in the day.. making unique good movies and not afraid to take risks.. now hollywood just shoots out the same drone movies over and over.

my FINAL recommendation if you have not seen this I suggest it over all the others. This movie went right to my top 5 movies of all time the first time I saw it, along with Braveheart and Gladiator. It's Red Cliff.. don't get the horrible dumbed down american version.. the 5 hour (2 disc) original version is the best.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425637/

Cinorjer

Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? by Bae Yong-Kyung
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring by Kim Ki-Duk

These are Korean Buddhist movies. Don't let a proud Korean catch you saying it's a Chinese or Japanese movie. That would be like asking a Welsh guy, "So, you're from England?"

Invincible_summer

Cinorjer said:

Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? by Bae Yong-Kyung
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring by Kim Ki-Duk

These are Korean Buddhist movies. Don't let a proud Korean catch you saying it's a Chinese or Japanese movie. That would be like asking a Welsh guy, "So, you're from England?"

Yes I know they're Korean @Cinorjer, but I suppose i didn't make that clear enough in my post. I meant to discuss Chinese films in the first bit, then use a bit of spacing to indicate I was talking about something else.

EDIT: Dangit, I can't edit my previous post.

Everyone - I don't confuse Korean and Chinese films! I'm Chinese so I know the difference!

Jayantha said:

@Invincible_summer

yes I started the same, but thanks to netflix I was able to expand my horizons.

I dunno if you've seen " the Shower" but it's an great little movie about a father and his two adult sons that run a spa and what happens as the father starts to die etc - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215369/

also another good one " Riding alone for 1000 miles. Is about a Japanese father who goes to china because his son is dieing and the father's journey through China as he goes on a "quest" for his son.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437447/


IMO Chinese cinema is a lot like how Hollywood was back in the day.. making unique good movies and not afraid to take risks.. now hollywood just shoots out the same drone movies over and over.

my FINAL recommendation if you have not seen this I suggest it over all the others. This movie went right to my top 5 movies of all time the first time I saw it, along with Braveheart and Gladiator. It's Red Cliff.. don't get the horrible dumbed down american version.. the 5 hour (2 disc) original version is the best.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425637/

Thanks for the recommendations. I've watched Red Cliff maybe 3 or 4 times. It's so epic.

FWIW, there is some pretty bad Chinese cinema. "3D Sex and Zen?" Even "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" was pretty lackluster IMO. At least Ang Lee made up for it with "Crouching Tiger..."

BhikkhuJayasara

Invincible_summer said:

Cinorjer said:

Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? by Bae Yong-Kyung
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring by Kim Ki-Duk

These are Korean Buddhist movies. Don't let a proud Korean catch you saying it's a Chinese or Japanese movie. That would be like asking a Welsh guy, "So, you're from England?"

Yes I know they're Korean @Cinorjer, but I suppose i didn't make that clear enough in my post. I meant to discuss Chinese films in the first bit, then use a bit of spacing to indicate I was talking about something else.

EDIT: Dangit, I can't edit my previous post.

Everyone - I don't confuse Korean and Chinese films! I'm Chinese so I know the difference!

Jayantha said:

@Invincible_summer

yes I started the same, but thanks to netflix I was able to expand my horizons.

I dunno if you've seen " the Shower" but it's an great little movie about a father and his two adult sons that run a spa and what happens as the father starts to die etc - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215369/

also another good one " Riding alone for 1000 miles. Is about a Japanese father who goes to china because his son is dieing and the father's journey through China as he goes on a "quest" for his son.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437447/


IMO Chinese cinema is a lot like how Hollywood was back in the day.. making unique good movies and not afraid to take risks.. now hollywood just shoots out the same drone movies over and over.

my FINAL recommendation if you have not seen this I suggest it over all the others. This movie went right to my top 5 movies of all time the first time I saw it, along with Braveheart and Gladiator. It's Red Cliff.. don't get the horrible dumbed down american version.. the 5 hour (2 disc) original version is the best.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425637/

Thanks for the recommendations. I've watched Red Cliff maybe 3 or 4 times. It's so epic.

FWIW, there is some pretty bad Chinese cinema. "3D Sex and Zen?" Even "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" was pretty lackluster IMO. At least Ang Lee made up for it with "Crouching Tiger..."

I definitely agree there of course there is some bad cinema.. but on the whole I like many more then I dislike.

footiam

Jayantha said:

<

I dunno if you've seen " the Shower" but it's an great little movie about a father and his two adult sons that run a spa and what happens as the father starts to die etc - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215369/

/

I remember the Shower. It's a film from China, very nice and refreshing. Chinese movies comes from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and now even from Singapore. At one time, Hong Kong had a studio which churned out films like no body's business. Some great films come from the studio and Chang Cheh's Five deadly venoms became a cult movie in the west.There were lots of kung fu movies long before Bruce Lee. Taiwan's movie from the 70s are wonderful especially if you love simple easy to digest romantic and family dramas. I still remember Lin Chin Hsia's first move, Outside the window and I heard Westerners love the late King Hu's A Touch of Zen but I just love the first half of the movie. There are really many other nice Chinese movies, past and present and they come in many genres. Maybe, this link on some of the 2012 hot movies would interest you http://www.jaynestars.com/movies/top-10-chinese-moves-in-second-half-of-2012/