Although we missed out on this feature last year, we’ve decided to kick off 2009 with our lists of top ten films watched in 2008. First up is Andrew Saroch who offers up a mix of both the new and old, and clearly spent a lot of time last year visiting the shores of Japan for his cinematic pleasures.

10. May 18

Director: Kim Ji-Hoon
Cast: Kim Sang-Kyung, Ahn Sung-Ki, Lee Yo-Won, Lee Joon-Gi, Park Chul-Min

Occasionally verges on melodrama, but is undeniably powerful and stays in the memory long after the two hours have passed. The scenes of genuine tension and horror translate so effectively that even those without prior knowledge of the Gwangju massacre will be left dumbstruck.
Read the Far East Films review

9. Black Belt

Director: Shunichi Nagasaki
Cast: Akihito Yagi, Tatsuya Naka, Yuji Suzuki, Arashi Fukasawa, Kimika Yoshino

Though it doesn’t quite live up to the significant hype that has been generated about it, ‘Black Belt’ was still a film that I admired greatly. A familiar plot is the perfect framework for a series of realistic fights that are karate’s answer to the thoughtful chanbara films of Yoji Yamada.
Read the Far East Films review

8. The Bells Of Death

Director: Griffin Yueh Feng
Cast: Chang Yi, Chin Ping, Chiu Sam-Yin, Lam Kau, Tien Shun, Ku Feng

A Shaw brothers production that owes much to the Spaghetti Western and is all the better for it. One of Chang Yi’s best performances as well.

7. The Black Tavern

Director: Teddy Yip
Cast: Shih Szu, Tung Li, Ku Feng, Kong Ling, Kwok Chuk-Hing

It may not have the tightly-wound tension of King Hu’s inn-based films, but this is still a relatively unheralded gem. Packed with oddball characters and claustrophobic action, this is another Celestial remaster worth seeking out.

6. The Drummer

Director: Kenneth Bi
Cast: Jaycee Chan, Angelica Lee, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Roy Cheung, Yumiko Cheng

A thoughtful drama that successfully juxtaposes triad drama with something very much more pensive. Jaycee Chan gives a solid performance, but it is Tony Leung Ka-Fei who steals the show as his aggressive father.
Read the Far East Films review

5. Run Papa Run

Director: Sylvia Chang
Cast: Louis Koo, Nora Miao, Rene Liu, Liu Yihan, Max Mok

Sylvia Chang adds another fine work to her burgeoning directorial canon with a film that is amusing, poignant and exciting often at the same time.
Read the Far East Films review

4. Samurai Wolf

Director: Hideo Gosha
Cast: Isao Natsuyagi, Ryohei Uchida, Junko Miyazono, Tatsuo Endo, Junkichi Orimoto

Clearly inspired by Yojimbo, this is a gritty black and white chanbara flick with a very modern edge. The eponymous hero is every bit as cocky as his inspiration and every bit as captivating.

3. Adrenaline Drive

Director: Shinobu Yaguchi
Cast: Masanobu Ando, Hikari Ishida, Kirina Mano, Yutaka Matsushige, Mikita Ogata

Another year, another Shinobu Yamaguchi work in my top ten. He’d better keep up his output so that I’ve got enough inclusions for the next decade! ‘Adrenaline Drive’ is a dead-pan caper movie that takes two nobodies, turns their lives on their head and throws them into all manner of nutty situations.
Read the Far East Films review

2. Bubble Fiction: Boom Or Bust

Director: Yasuo Baba
Cast: Hiroshi Abe, Ryoko Hirosue, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Kazue Fukiishi, Yuko Ito

Almost a Japanese ‘Back To The Future’ and even more fun than that sounds. Satirical and surreal, laugh-out-loud funny and given a cracking late 80s vibe, this is a great way to spend 100 minutes.
Read the Far East Films review

1. I Just Didn’t Do It

Director: Masayuki Suo
Cast: Ryo Kase, Koji Yakusho, Asaka Seto, Kohji Yamamoto, Masako Motai

Masayuki Suo makes a triumphant return to Japanese cinema with a drama that is a very different work to ‘Shall We Dance?’. Engrossing despite what could potentially be very dry subject matter, this is a remarkable look at injustice and Japan’s court system. Highly recommended.
Read the Far East Films review