Thursday Movie Picks: Asian Language Movies Set in East Asia (Non-Horror)

Ok, so this is a mouthful, the theme this week is Foreign Language Movies - Asian Language Movies Set in East Asia (Non-Horror). To be fair, I haven't seen nor do I intend to see any horror, its the one genre I just cannot watch. Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

1. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

I can't remember who told me to watch this film but whoever it was, they know how to picks films. Having never really 'got into' anime apart from a series 'Romeo X Juliet' and Studio Ghibli, this was my first real taste. Not only is the animation beautiful but the story is actually quite devastating, especially towards the end when certain characters are left with little to no decision. After a girl finds a strange object in the science lab at school and then accidentally falls on it, she find she has the ability to leap through time. First she uses it for frivolous things, like spending more time at kareoke with her friends. Then she ues the time jumps to fix problems shes caused until she finally has to jump through time to save people she loves. Great story and amazing animation.

2. I'm a Cyborg

A girl thinks she's a robot and after trying to 'recharge' herself is sent to a mental institution. A fellow patient, who steals then returns other pateints' traits, becomes attached to the 'robot' girl and soon a relationship develops. Its meant to be a romantic comedy but although I laughed a few bits, its really just a cute little story filled with odd people and their habits.

3. House of Flying Daggers

This was one of the first films I bought on DVD. I was intrigued having seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and I overwhlemed at how beautifully colour co-ordinated the scenes are. I read somewhere that the film goes through seasons yet the time frame is short. As well as some memorable fight scenes, the love triangle is at the forefront. A young blind girl, said to be the daughter of the head of the infamous House of Flying Daggers is caught by two guards who decide to catch the leader through the girl. One pretends to be an ally, while the other follows close behind. Secrets are revealed, double crossing and violence inthe trees follow. I loved the fact that all the assassins are all women, at least most of them are.