My 10 Favourite Asian films of 2011 (Part 2)

Back in July I drew up a list of 10 Asian films from the first half of 2011 that were worthy of mention and recommendation. Now that December is bidding us a fond farewell it seemed only right to do the same thing for the latter half of the year. All in all it has been a comparatively strong year for Asian Cinema, and I was lucky enough to catch offerings from as far flung corner of the globe as Thailand, Iran and even Mongolia. I am also happy to report that there were a welcome number of good Hong Kong films, or at least co-productions, so many in fact that I've been forced to cheat and include 11 films in my list, rather than 10. And without further ado, here are my favourite Asian movies from 2011 (Part 2):

Tsui Hark builds on the success of DETECTIVE DEE with this sweeping, action-packed wuxia epic, boasting an all-star cast that includes Jet Li, Zhou Xun, Chen Kun, Kwai Lun Mei and Fan Siu Wong to name but a few. Half-remake, half-sequel to Hark's own remake of DRAGON GATE INN, it tells the story of an fleeing young woman (Mavis Fan), forced to hole up in a remote inn populated by an assorted bunch of bandits, warriors and soldiers. Brimming with action, energy and arguably the best use of 3D in an Asian movie to-date, FLYING SWORDS is incredibly entertaining.

I've been a big fan of director Sono Sion for a long time, and his latest film continues his recent run of bleak, nihilistic explorations into the dark soul of humanity. Newcomer Sometani Shota stars as 14-year-old Sumida, whose abusive father and neglectful mother drive him forward on an ill-conceived mission to rid society of "evil doers", with classmate Nikaido Fumi in tow. Rewritten after the 11 March earthquake & tsunami, Sono incorporates the devastated landscape as the perfect backdrop for this murderous love story & coming-of-age tale.

Based on the popular novel, this is the true story of a young Taiwanese man who embarks on a 2000-mile bike ride from Yunnan to Lhasa, Tibet to fulfill the dream of his dead brother. The film is a work of staggering beauty from first-time director Du Jiayi, that stands as a testament to nature, courage, perseverance and inner strength. We follow our young hero as he grows from sulky teen to primal survivor, learns about death and suffering, as well as what it really means to live. The gorgeous scenery and an impressive central performance from Zhang Shuhao make this an unforgettable experience.

As I struggled to whittle down my list to just 10 titles it became increasingly apparent not only that this would be an impossible task, but that the overwhelming similarities between Johnnie To's almost melancholic tale of greed, and Felix Chong/Alan Mak's finance-infused surveillance thriller warranted their pairing together. Both films tap into the unique, money-focused nature of Hong Kong's citizens, whether they be rich or poor, working within the system or by their own, nefarious means - and represent the very best of the city's cinematic output from 2011. They are both slickly made, intelligent thrillers and also both star Lau Ching Wan. Nuff said.

Few films have received as much love and attention at ScreenAnarchy over the past year as Gareth Evans' Indonesian action thriller THE RAID. And it's pretty easy to see why. The film is a non-stop, balls-to-the-wall masterpiece of kickassery, that somehow manages to inject nuanced character drama into a martial arts-infused siege flick. Iko Uwais stakes his claim as the world's next great action star as the young father-to-be who finds himself battling tooth and nail through an apartment building brimming with bad guys. Believe the hype, THE RAID is an adrenaline pumping blast from start to finish.

Whether you are familiar with Japanese pinku films or not, it's pretty much a guarantee that you have never seen a film like this before. Ostensibly a romance between a frustrated factory worker and a mythical turtle creature from the ocean that might also be the reincarnation of her high school classmate, UNDERWATER LOVE is also a deranged, yet joyous musical that bounces from scene to scene to the tune of its Stereo Total soundtrack. Photographed by acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle, it might just be the best looking soft porn film out there - just the ticket when watching scenes of turtle-based fellatio. "Unique" doesn't even begin to describe it.

This epic, two-part account of the Japanese invasion of Taiwan and the spirited defense by the indiginous aborigines through the early part of the 20th Century was well worth the four-and-a-half hour running time. Featuring beautifully arranged traditional music, gorgeous cinematography of the jungle environment and excellently choreographed battle sequences, the film is exciting, moving and thoroughly rewarding. Even though Hong Kong audiences were not deemed worthy enough to have an English-subtitled release of the two films, their power and strength transcend the language barrier and make for an incredibly entertaining piece of Cinema. Even in its truncated 2.5 hour international version this is well worth seeking out.

Donnie Yen stars as a quiet, unassuming villager who attracts the suspicions of Takeshi Kaneshiro's constable after killing two wanted murderers in self defense with his bare hands. Is he who he claims to be, or is he hiding a more violent past? Evolving out of a planned remake of THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN, Peter Chan's drama is closer to A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, with elements of SHERLOCK HOLMES. A more sober, deliberately paced film than many action fans had anticipated, albeit one with a pumping rock soundtrack and Fincher-esque editing tics, WU XIA is nevertheless one of the regions better pieces of genre fare this year.

Easily my favourite Korean film of the year, director Ha Nong Jin follows up his impressive debut THE CHASER with this grand scale action drama that builds slowly to its pivotal tipping point, before going hell for leather in the second half. His two lead actors return, but switch roles this time out, with Ha Jung Woo playing a desperate cab driver in China who takes a contract killing assignment so he can travel to Korea and search for his wife. Events quickly spiral out of control and crazed gangster Kim Yun Seok comes after him, willfully massacring all who stand in his way.

The box office sensation of the year, this nostalgic coming of age romance is surprisingly likable and confidently directed by first-timer Giddens Ko. A hugely popular novelist in his native Taiwan, Giddens (as he is known) adapts his own autobiographical book for his first outing as director and knocked it out of the park. Five school friends fall for the same girl and over the course of one summer, our young hero finds love for the first time. It may be nothing new, but Giddens pitches it just right, ensuring the film stays funny and romantic even at its most shamelessly sentimental.