You might not know it, but you've already watched one of his movies: "Reservoir Dogs" is a note-perfect rendition of the Chow Yun-Fat vehicle that was Ringo Lam's first big hit, "City on Fire." The original thriller is the story of an undercover cop who finds honor among jewel thieves. Stories of hon

Dark, Hong kong action, Implosive, Kinetic, Physical force, Repetitive, Violent

Vietnam is a country much visited by the ghost of war. The sister specters of imperialism, political strife, and atrocity flit through the cultural psyche, incessantly whispering disturbing thoughts in people's ears. In response, the Vietnamese seem to practice a certain serenity, never repressing pa

Contemplative, Lyrical, Serene, Violent

When Boston's Museum of Fine Arts launched a retrospective of Imamura's films, it was entitled, "Pigs, Pimps and Pornographers: The Films of Shohei Imamura." The films' brutal sexuality and unsparing scrutiny of a certain Japanese underbelly have made Imamura one of the most controversial filmmakers

Agitated, Profane, Rough, Violent

Akira Kurosawa fits easily in the pantheon of preeminent directors of the century. His films have exerted unforeseen influences on post-WWII film. George Lucas used his 'Hidden Fortress' as a model for 'Star Wars"; Sergio Leone adapted his samurai tales to the spaghetti western; John Sturges transfor

Classical japanese, Epic, Psychological, Self-reflection, Violent