Learning through Film - Japan

In the interest of right brain/left brain balance, today is film day.

Here, in no particular order, are 5 Japanese films that will give you a better insight to Japanese culture.

1. Seven Samurai - Perhaps the greatest film ever made. I'm not claiming it's the 'best' (a futile discussion if ever there was one), but it sure is great.
   There is no question that you're in the hands of a master filmmaker here (Kurosawa, of course), but that doesn't stop it from being Fun with a capital 'F'. An added bonus is the commentary track that explains many cultural points in the movie.
2. Audition - Horror doesn't come any more horrific than in this Miike Takashi spectacle. One of those 'only from Japan' films, this isn't a cheesy slasher film. This is the horror of everyday life.
3. After Life - Is about the after life... It's funny, with interesting characters and a unique view of what happens 'on the other side'.
4. Bounce Ko Gals - This movie about high school girls who engage in 'compensated dating' with business men could have been cheap and tasteless, but it isn't. It's a peek 'behind the curtain' of a phenomenon that you know is there, but you'll never see.
5. Princess Mononoke - I could have flipped a coin to choose between this and three other Miyazaki films. All have their charms, but this is my personal favorite.

I could name a dozen more, but I won't. At least not today...

Learning Through Film - Korea

I was having lunch a couple days ago with co-workers Yu Jin Kwag (pictured at her desk) and S.Y. We had excellent Chinese Shrimp in Chili Sauce and discussed Korea movies.

As I firmly believe that film is one of the best ways to learn about a culture (be careful not to take it too literally - just like all Americans don't carry guns; most Asians don't know kung fu), I thought I'd give you a list of my five favorite Korean films.
All are available, with subtitles, in the US.

1 - Attack the Gas Station - A Tarentino-esque take on a night of escalating events that ends with the best 'Mexican standoff' I've ever seen. A hilarious film that also addresses the pressures that Korean youth feel.
2 - JSA - The best look at the tensions/ties between North and South Korea. Intense and human.
3 - Chunhyang - A beautifully filmed version of a classic Korean tale that could be called their 'Romeo and Juliet'.
4 - Tell Me Something - If you're into psychological thrillers, this one puts a particularly Korean spin on the genre. Definitely a mind-bender.
5 - Christmas in August - A quiet, touching look at life, love, and death. Too real to be considered a 'chick flick'. It's just a great, great film. This is a film that demonstrates the 'high-context' nature of Asia. So much is said without being said at all.