Crazy Dutchman
Avalon.

I watched Avalon when it was first released (before it had subtitles or a dub) and was so enthralled that I watched the sub'd then the dub'd versions when they came out too. Yes, it's a bit slow, but I think that added to the atmosphere. I loved it. Anyone who didn't mind the pacing of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence would probably like this too.

Kenji Kawai, who created the soundtrack is, to me, the Japanese Danny Elfman (who, again, to me, has been phoning it in for several years now.)

Some might call it a Matrix ripoff, but since The Matrix was inspired by other anime in this genre, that would be a superficial criticism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/rH4XdE2Q5Z0

I have yet to see Innocence, and actually I even have to see the first GitS :S I neeeeeeed to see them, but I refuse to download it and I don't have too much money to spend right now ;) They do seem to be pretty different from each other.

And yes, the soundtrack..... so beautiful! I don't know any other soundtracks by Kawai, but he has a mighty good repurtation, and if you even compare it to Elfman, well.. than it must be great :D

And I wouldn't call it a Matrix rip-off either. They are just too different! Lots of Matrix-fans will dislike it, and so will some of the Avalon fans think about the Matrix probably.

And Lady Vengence isn't Japanese.
Its Korean for future refrence.

pyrokenisis it's on showtime 24/7...

it's probably on right now...

o0o0o0o0o...

at least i think it's japanese.

asian for sure!

Ju On actually...it was funny 'cause it was dubbed into English, but was also subtitled and the two didn't match up at all! So it got to be more hillarity than anything else.

i hate when that happens!

Death Note 2: The Last Name.

A satisfying ending to the 1st movie. The ending is said to be different from the anime/manga, so I'm still looking forward to following the anime.

Hmm... looks like I'll have to find Avalon. The title itself makes me want to watch it. Shame on them for exploiting my King Arthur fetish.

Phantom Penguin
And Lady Vengence isn't Japanese.
Its Korean for future refrence.

So is Oldboy ;-p

I made a thread for Korean films... but no one was interested T-T

All the good films (and plenty of bad ones) are coming out of S. Korea lately. Most of the cool J-movies people have mentioned are several years old.

I just saw Three Extremes which is three short Asian (Chinese, Korean, and Japanese) films by notable directors.

Unfortunately I found it pretty boring.. It reminded me of one of those cheap tales from the crypt shows only without a major horror/supernatural theme.

was about an actress who pays a mysterious woman for her dumplings that supposedly can make her look young again. It turns out the dumpling filling is made from a human fetus and she becomes just a tad bit crazy because of it... meh.. not very much happens as a result.

was the best of the three about a director who gets held hostage on a house-like set in the studio by a crazed guy who was an extra in his films and wants to turn him into a bad rich guy since he was so good.. Interesting visuals and good acting in this one. My only beef is that they never really say why the guy was doing it.

was not as good as it could have been, but it was better than the Chinese film. A reclusive writer has haunting flashbacks of when she was a 10 year old contortionist performer in what seems like a gypsy-esque magic show. At that time she was jealous of her twin sister who seemed to be preferred by the weird magician guy. She then locked her in a box and struggled with the magician when she knocks over a lamp and burns her sister in the box.
I generally love Miike's work, but while this one was pretty darn creepy, it didnt seem very realistic and was rather dry and boring. Everything is a dream and then *BAM* its a random freakshow... -.-