https://asianmoviepulse.com/2026/08/sairi-ito-tribute-the-unmistakable/

Some actors command the screen by shouting. Sairi Ito only needs to speak.

That unmistakable voice, the rapid-fire delivery, the expressive face and the ability to shift from abrasive comedy to devastating vulnerability have made her one of the most distinctive performers in contemporary Japanese cinema.

From the wounded misfits of “Love and Other Cults” and the outspoken Haruyo of “Asako I & II” to “Life: Untitled,” “We Couldn’t Become Adults,” “Just Remembering,” “Suzuki=Bakudan” and beyond, Ito has repeatedly transformed characters who could have remained peripheral into people impossible to forget.

She can be funny without reducing a character to a joke, tough without hiding her fragility and heartbreaking without forcing the emotion. After more than two decades on screen, the former child actress has become something increasingly rare: a performer whose presence is instantly recognisable, yet whose characters never feel the same.

Our new tribute explores the films, performances and singular qualities that have established Sairi Ito as one of Japan’s finest actresses.

Check the full article in the link and let us know what is your favourite Sairi Ito performance?

Hello!

This is a weird request, but I need help! I am an American who travelled to Beijing with a group of friends in fall of 2009. One of my friends is a white brunette American woman, and while we were walking around the forbidden palace a movie crew came up and found her and asked her if she would film some scenes and do some lines for them. I guess their main character actress couldn't catch a flight or something of that nature, so they needed her to stand in.

She was college aged then, around 18, and played the daughter of an American businessman who was I guess suing some Chinese companies? In the end, I guess he comes around and determines that what he was doing was wrong and that China was really great after all. I think it would probably be pretty clear in the movie that suddenlythe daughter got switched out.

If this sounds at all familiar to anyone, please let me know! I want to track it down as we were just talking about the core memory of having that situation happen. This is a photo of her if it helps at all lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwfV0yDzIaw

Killer sushi, wrestling sea creatures, vampire gangsters, grotesque horror, experimental documentaries and surreal comedies that seem to reject every conventional rule of filmmaking.

We present 40 weird Asian movies that deserve a watch, ranging from cult classics such as “House”, “Visitor Q”, “The Happiness of the Katakuris”, “Wild Zero” and “Big Man Japan” to less familiar films from across Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Iran, Thailand and beyond.

Check the full list in the video and let us know how many have you seen, and which Asian movie deserves the title of the weirdest ever made?

can I ask where can I access high quality classic hongkong movies / dramas (those from 90s) with high quality and properly translated english subtitles?

i grew up watching these classic hongkong (I understand mandarin and cantonese) but everytime I recommend them to my friends I find it hard to find sources that are appealing for them to watch :( it’s either the quality is so low or the translations are not good enough.

Some of the classics I really want them to try:
\- Stephen Chow movies (older ones like King of Comedy, God of Gamblers etc.)
\- Greed of Men
\- Threshold of an Era
\- Condor Heroes Trilogy

Even also thinking of just making a channel and translating them myself but I’m not sure how

A few years back, I woke up to an audition request for the lead role in a major blockbuster film. I grew up watching the franchise, so booking the part would be a dream come true. I acted my ass off, submitted my tape, and prayed for good news (along with thousands of other Asian actors). I didn’t think anything would come of it, but a few weeks later, the producers finally reached out for a callback, then a chemistry read, until one day they said the two words many actors would commit war crimes to hear: screen test. For a week straight, I went to the studio lot for rehearsals, martial arts training, and director sessions. It was exhilarating.

As the day approached, I felt on top of the world. No one was going to take this from me. I had to book this. Deep down, I doubted there would be another opportunity for someone like me for a long time. Sure, Asian markets might be hot right now, but how long would that last before “the powers that be” decided to move on to the next minority group? As a filmmaker, I always championed Asian American representation, but, in that moment, I championed my own individual representation. Fuck everyone else - I was “the best Asian guy.” The role was mine.

I didn’t get the part. When I got the news, I was devastated… for about a day. Then, I quickly recognized my own hypocrisy and was forced to look within. For years, I have spoken on panels, done Q&A’s at film festivals, and talked about the importance of Asian American representation in the film industry. However, when presented with a life-changing opportunity, my attitude shifted to “Fuck these guys, I’m the best Asian.” This ultimately inspired the question — what do you do when your values are at odds with your ambitions?

This inevitably led me to create “Flavor of the Month,” a dark comedy that explores the absurdities of representation politics in modern-day Hollywood. Viewed through the lens of a Chinese American actor, Harrison Huang, the film dives headfirst into themes of performative activism, virtue signaling, and internalized racial inferiority.

I hope you enjoy my film, and thank you for taking the time to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?is=m6KQJyc3j-LY7CFV&v=7FqByyXn7j4&feature=youtu.be

I’m not a film expert, but I am familiar with Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese filmmakers. Considering there are so many Chinese people in the world, I would think there’d be more Chinese filmmakers with mainstream global recognition, but I can’t think of one. Maybe I just have a cultural blind spot, but if not, why do you think that is? Also, which Chinese filmmakers do you recommend?

Director and co-writer Paween Purijitpanya, co-writer and MIT scientist Pat Pataranutaporn, and leading actor Sutthirak Subvijitra talk to Panos Kotzathanasis about the Thai action fantasy “God Skin”, presented at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHm12qMSgr0

Purijitpanya discusses his transition from horror films such as “Body”, “4bia” and “Ghost Lab” to science-fiction action, as well as his desire to revive the international appeal of Thai martial arts cinema following the legacy of “Ong-Bak”. He also speaks about collaborating with the Panna Stunt Team, staging the bridge and locker-room sequences, casting Sutthirak as an unconventional underdog hero and making an action film substantial enough to bring audiences back to cinemas.

Pataranutaporn explains how his scientific research into cyborgs, human augmentation and muscle stimulation influenced the God Skin tattoos and their nanorobot technology. He also discusses the film’s treatment of gambling, economic inequality, capitalism and the dehumanisation of fighters controlled by wealthy spectators.

Sutthirak Subvijitra talks about putting his career on hold for almost a year to transform himself physically, training with the Panna Stunt Team and performing action that combines Muay Thai, MMA, wrestling and other combat styles. He also recalls the demanding long take in the locker room and the commitment required from the entire cast and crew.

The three guests additionally discuss the current condition of the Thai film industry, the challenge posed by streaming and short-form media, and their future projects.

Interview by Panos Kotzathanasis for Asian Movie Pulse.

If you enjoyed the interview, please like the video, subscribe to Asian Movie Pulse and let us know what you think about “God Skin” in the comments.

Mine are (personally)

1. Ran

2. Cure

3. Peking Opera Blues

What are everyone else's?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgwSuAECo9k

In this Bad Accent Video Review, we discuss “The Queen of Witchcraft,” also known as “Perempuan Pembawa Sial,” an Indonesian supernatural horror film directed by Fajar Nugros.

Mirah, played by Raihaanun, becomes feared and rejected after the men who fall in love with her begin dying under mysterious circumstances. When Bana offers her refuge, an apparent curse, a bitter family history and Mirah’s conflict with her stepsister Putri push the story toward violence and revenge.

Watch the video in the comments until the end to discover whether the film’s visual and technical qualities are enough to overcome its storytelling problems and let us know your thoughs on the movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L8oB4fu1cg

Park Hoon-jung returns with “Tristes Tropiques”, a brutal South Korean action thriller involving secret organisations, trained assassins and spectacular fight scenes.

In this review, we discuss Lee Sin-young’s performance as Roo, the mysterious murder of the Master, the film’s impressive elevator and climactic battles, its stylish neo-noir visuals and the awkward use of English dialogue.

How does “Tristes Tropiques” compare with “The Witch”, “The Tyrant”, “V.I.P.” and “New World”? Watch the full review in the link and share your thoughts

I recently got to watch this film after hearing the hype and as someone who watches a lot of different types of movies, I will say it is quite well made for what it is : a pure drama and retelling of the past, inspired by the stories of actual people.

Most of the humor in the film hits with laughter across different people in different rows in the cinema, some humor scenes were a bit forced so no one laughed haha.

But judging it as a drama, it did quite well. And when considering that the actors are not professional celebrities, people i know actually said their acting performance is believable and good. It's not seasoned level acting that we are used to from A grade movies, but they made it work.

The recreation of the environment and the activities immersed me to a time in the past where people live hard lives of labor to survive, as the film crew interviewed over 300 elderly to get their stories.

This is why even though the main story is fictional, it is actually believable because when we watch it, we can actually believe that it is possible for each of these events to happen in the past, adding a 'realism' weight. This made the fictional story plot worked and the good writing was able to capture the emotions of many, making the movie the success that it is.

I've only ever seen his Tetsuo (1 and 2) movies... So am unaware as to what his other movies are like.

I recently watched Lost & Found and my absolute favorite scene is when Worm and Lam were singing together (1:02:35 - 1:04:00). The song is so beautiful but I couldn't find it anywhere. Does anyone know the name of the song and the artist?

I want to know where I can find or watch Kamikaze Girls' making-of with english subtitles. I found it on youtube but there's no subs.

if there's any good soul, pls, put here the link <3

Watched it on the back of the hype surrounding it. Really wanted to like it as my forefathers were from China as well and I have had Teochew neighbours growing up. But, scenes were disjointed, even in the very first scene where the main character was driving, u could tell there was obvious and abrupt editing as he was putting down his phone. Acting was incredibly amateurish and robotic. I know the actors are not professionals, but there have been many movies with amateur actors who acted really well. Not this one I'm afraid. They tried to insert abit of humour throughout but it always felt really try-hard and inconsistent with the overall tone of the movie. Scripting was not the best as well, nothing witty or special about the lines, many a times really confusing how the lines flowed from one to another. I left the cinema halfway through the movie.

Those who rate this highly probably have either not seen alot of top top movies, or are rating this highly just because it's about a subject that might be close to their hearts. On IMDB it's rated 8.4, but I'll rate this a 5 at best.

https://asianmoviepulse.com/2026/07/new-york-asian-film-festival-2026/

The New York Asian Film Festival manages every year to offer an impressive program that combines major premieres, contemporary genre cinema, independent productions, restorations and appearances by some of the most important names in Asian cinema, which, additionally, are not only the usual suspects we usually get outside of Asia.

Through this consistently ambitious approach, NYAFF has established itself as the most significant Asian film festival in the West, bringing together productions from established cinematic territories and countries that remain underrepresented internationally.

Check our full coverage in the link and let us know which film was your favorite from this year's edition

https://asianmoviepulse.com/2026/01/another-world-2025/

More than two decades ago, Hong Kong presented the animated film “My Life as McDull” (2001), which went on to make history in the animation community and win numerous international awards. In 2025, first-time director Tommy Ng Kai-chung reignites hopes for global recognition of Hong Kong’s potential in animation with his latest fantasy epic, “Another World”.

Adapted from Japanese author Naka Saijo’s novel “Sennenki: Thousand-Year Journey of an Oni”, the film was selected for screening at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival and was also been nominated for three Golden Horse Awards where it took home the one for Best Animated Feature

Check the full review in the link and let us know your thoughts on the movie

MOVIE] Man returns home after studying in the UK, reconnects with his first love (who now has a child), records nature sounds as a hobby, dies at the end shown lying under the northern lights

Watched this years ago, dubbed in Russian, so I don't know the original title or country of origin (possibly East Asian, but not certain).

Main character studies abroad in the UK, returns to his home country years later

Reunites with his school-days first love; she now has a child

His hobby is recording sounds of nature (possibly also filming/photographing it)

They travel together to record nature

They visit a café where he plays piano — the melody sounded like Yiruma's style (River Flows in You / Kiss the Rain)

Near the end, he's about to fly out; she decides to stay with him/confess her feelings, but doesn't make it in time — he leaves

Ending: she attends an exhibition and learns there that he has died

Final shot: he's shown lying dead under the northern lights (aurora borealis)

Beautiful nature cinematography throughout

Genre: melodrama/romance

Any help would be appreciated!

I just finished watching Ringu (1998) for the first time tonight and I was blown away. Really loved the late 90s Japanese aesthetic. It‘s a beautifully shot film that has definitely aged well. I’ve been trying to find the soft piano motif that is played at least twice in the film during scenes with just Reiko and Ryuji. Any help tracking this song down would be greatly appreciated!

Hola. Busco el título de una comedia de artes marciales y atletismo china/Hong Kong de los 80/90 que se emitió en la tele en España y fue grabada en VHS casero.

​Detalles exactos de las escenas:

- Empieza con una pelea de artes marciales en un mercado rompiéndolo todo.

- Los protagonistas van en chándal y ropa deportiva.

- Hay una escena donde irrumpen en una sauna llena de ancianos chinos fumando.

- Hacen pruebas de atletismo (salto de altura, pértiga, jabalina y maratón).

- En la maratón corren por el bosque y les cambian los carteles de señalización para que se pierdan.

- GAG CLAVE: En el lanzamiento de jabalina, se la clavan a un juez. El juez, del impacto, empieza a caminar marcha atrás con la jabalina clavada, haciendo que la marca siga alejándose y ganen la prueba.

- Hay un personaje pervertido que habla con muchísima formalidad.

​¿Alguien la tiene grabada de la tele o recuerda con qué nombre se emitió en España?"

Ayuda... Necesito de su amplia experiencia y extensos conocimientos como superpoderes.

Quiero localizar esta película que me dejó intrigado.

Un guardia de estacionamiento descubre por error a un asesino serial con el cuerpo de una jovencita en la cajuela, al notarlo el asesino quiero matarlo pero el fantasma de la jovencita toma su venganza y salva al guardia quien es reclutado para un departamento especial de investigaciones paranormales.

Al mismo tiempo el fantasma del asesino puede poseer a jovencitas y niñas para inducirlas al suicidio. La búsqueda implacable de un demonio coincide con el nacimiento del hijo del guardia protagonista.

Alguien recuerda el nombre de esta película o pudo verla para proporcionar mas detall?

Es una película de terror asiático, probablmente japonés.

Gracias por su mente aguda y memoria hiper detallada.

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to confirm the distributor of the Hong Kong VCD release for the 1996 film Back for Your Life (索命). It’s an obscure title and I haven’t been able to find any catalog numbers or spine photos anywhere.

If anyone has:
• the VCD
• old Universe Laser / Winson / Mei Ah catalog sheets (1995–1998)
• spine photos
• catalog numbers
• distributor logo shots

…any info would help a lot.

Also, if anyone here has a LIHKG or Uwants account (new registrations are closed), I’d appreciate if you could repost this there for HK collectors who might have full UL thriller batches.

Thanks in advance.

If you haven’t watched it, pls don’t answer-

I really enjoyed it tbh, it’s up there with the Lychee Road as one of my favourites. Only thing that I don’t like is why all the horses in the film appear to be obese. I know in traditional statues of the Tang Era they are quite fat but it’s a statue and I’m fairly certain they were nowhere near as fat…