Japanese DVD movie recommendations? (1 Viewer)

[Esten]

I would like some Japanese movie recommendations.Any Japanese movie not available on R1(Comedy,drama,Horror Etc).
Thanks
And i think this is the correct forum.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Well, right now the biggest import is Battle Royale, but you'll want the legit HK disc that costs a quarter as much and has English subs

I also emphatically recommend Mamoru Oshii's Avalon (which has English subs)

 

[Roger Mathus]

I agree with Jeff and also recommend BROTHER ans WHITEOUT.

 

[Esten]

Thanks guys

 

[Dino Goulet]

I would recommend you to get Ring 1 and 2. They are really creepy japanese horror movies. Available on region 2 dvd

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Be aware that many of the versions of "Brother" are butchered. I know the R1 is, and I could swear there's something missing from the HOng Kong disc

 

[Mike H]

Brother from Region 2 is probably the best version to get. Region 3 is only non-anamorphic video and Region 1 sucks. I've posted reviews of both, one in this forum and one in the software forum.

I have yet to purchase the Region 2 version because as much as I love this movie, this would be the first movie I've purchased three versions of.

--mike

 

[rutger_s]

Brother is only severly edited in R1 thanks to Columbia Tri-Star Home Video.

The R3 Hong Kong release is much cheaper with English subtitles but like most Hong Kong DVDs, the English subs are on ALL the time. Even when English is spoken, subtitles appear. Again the R3 is letterbox widescreen but goes for about $10.00 at YesAsia.com.

Another good Japanese flick is Cure. But the only good version on DVD is the R2 Japanese disc. Presented in anamorphic widescreen with a stereo Japanese soundtrack, this one does have English subtitles. The only problem is the asking price which is around $40-$50 U.S. There is a cheap Hong Kong Video CD distributed by Universe Video & Laser Co. Ltd. which is presented in letterbox widescreen with burned-in Chinese & English subtitles. The Video CD goes for about $8-$10.

Battle Royale seems to be the film everyone wants. The Japanese disc is presented in anamorphic widescreen with dts & Dolby Digital Japanese soundtracks. English subtitles are provided on this disc. But again, the price is a bit high. For far less, about $10 at YesAsia.com you can get the Hong Kong DVD which has dts, Dolby Digital, and stereo Japanese soundtracks with optional English subtitles. However, like Brother, this one is presented in letterbox widescreen plus some of the subtitles(just some of the stuff off the blackboard at the beginning of the film) is missing. Still, the HK disc is the better buy for those on a budget.

And another Japanese film worth viewing is Love Letter(When I Close My Eyes, International Title). Most of the recommendations so far have been for action & horror flicks. This one is a pretty good drama. Available from DVDAsian.com it sells for about $23.00(but you also get a soundtrack CD and postcards in the box). The Korean release is presented in anamorphic widescreen with a stereo Japanese soundtrack and English, Korean, & Japanese subtitle options.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

The Japanese DVD of BR does not have DTS or English subtitles

 

[rutger_s]

Thanks for the correction, Jeff.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Sok. That's what's really annoying about BR. Every single version I've seen sucks in some fashion. AGGH!

Japanese disc is anamorphic, DD 5.1, no subs, no DTS

Hong Kong is non-anamorphic DD&DTS 5.1 English subs

UK is anamorphic PAL, English subs, but only stereo sound.

 

[JohnS]

I'll recommened
The Iron Ladies
It was just released in R1, but it's not 16x9.
I think the other regions are 16x9.
Very funny film with a pinch of 'touching moment' to it. about ladies(and some men trying to be ladies) winning a volleyball championship.

 

[JohnAD]

Jeff:
Don't forget the Korean R3 version of Battle Royale, which has DD5.1 (no DTS), pretty good English subs, and anamorphic (IIRC).
Esten:
Versus is a good action flick (DD 2.0, English subs), Kairo (Circuit/Pulse, depending on translation) (DD 2.0, English subs) is a horror flick similar to Ring.
John.

 

[Sean Campbell]

If you've an interest in horror then you should check out 'Onibaba' - a dark and moody tale set in the Samurai era. It's about an old woman and her daughter in law who survive by selling the armour and weapons of dead warriors ( often killing them themselves ).

The Japanese region 2 edition is a pretty good disc, containing a clear anamorphic transfer, English subtitles and about 40 minutes of silent film footage taken on set. There's a commentary too, but it's not subtitled.

If you've an interest in animation then I'd highly recommend the Japanese editions of the Studio Ghibli movies, especially those directed by Hayao Miyazaki. ( My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky etc... )

A couple of them have problems with the subtitles though, featuring transcriptions of the dubbed script rather than the Japanese original ( 'Totoro' and 'Kiki' both suffer from this defect ) Aside from this, the movies are superb.

 

[RexW]

If you're in the mood for comedy, you might want to check out "Waterboys"

Hilarious and "based" on the true story of a boys High School synchronized swim team.

Light fun and you can get the R3 HK version with English subtitles for a good price.

 

[Anthony Thorne]

Add to the list of Miyazaki movies PORCO ROSSO - it's a great, fun film (one of his more recent, big-budget productions with amazing animation), the transfer is impeccable and the subs are proper subtitles, not dubtitles. As mentioned above, a couple of the other Miyazaki discs have subtitle or (more recently) AV problems. PORCO ROSSO suffers from neither and is a very satisfying release. You'll find a couple of indicative reviews of it in the 'Region 2 review' sections at www.animeondvd.com.
The UK Regionm 2 BROTHER is the edition of choice for that movie.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Sok. That's what's really annoying about BR. Every single version I've seen sucks in some fashion. AGGH!

Japanese disc is anamorphic, DD 5.1, no subs, no DTS

Hong Kong is non-anamorphic DD&DTS 5.1 English subs

UK is anamorphic PAL, English subs, but only stereo sound.

Isn't the Tartan R0 NTSC disc anamorphic with DD 5.1 and English subs? Or does it suffer from PAL speedup even though converted to NTSC?

DJ

 

[Chad Parks]

Look at when that post was written. It was before the NTSC UK version was released.

 

[Tim Fleming]

I agree with RexW and his recommendation of "Waterboys" - it is indeed a very funny film and stars one of my favourite Japanese comic actors Takenaka, Naoto. I also agree taht it is worth getting all of the Studio Ghibli titles.

Other films I would recommend are as follows:

Shark Skin man, Peach Hip Girl - this is one of the most entertaining and offbeat films I have seen (in any region). I consider it to be the lovechild of David Lynch and Tarantino... it stars Tadanobu, Asano who is currently the golden boy of the Japanese silver screen.

Party 7 - same director as above film.

Eureka

Down the Drain

Sonatine

Dark Water

Inugami

Space Travelers

Sumo Do, Sumo Don't

regards, Tim...