Looking for Oriental Fantasy movies

[Blackhawk748]

Or just good Wuxia movies. Please let them have an English dub, i dont wanna read my Wuxia :smalltongue: Movies i've seen:

Forbidden Kingdom
Kung Fu Panda 1-3
General Stone
Shaolin Iron Claws
Revenge of the Drunken Master
Legend of the Drunken Master
Red Cliff (yes i had to read it, but it was worth it)
North and South Shaolin
Devil Killer
House of Flying Daggers
Curse of the Golden Flower
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 1& 2
Kubo and the Two Strings
Hero
The Man with the Iron Fists 1 and 2


So who's got more Wuxia/Oriental Fantasy movies?

[Benthesquid]

Hmm. It's been a while since I watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and I wasn't the most critical audience back then, but I definitely remember enjoying it. I quite liked the sequel a well.

[Daer]

Not a movie but since red cliff was there i have to recommend Three kingdoms (2010) Tv series.

[Joran]

Hero (Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi) is one of the ones not on your list. It's one of the best Chinese martial arts movies that I've seen. Zhang Yimou directed it; he directed two of the other movies (House of Flying Daggers and Curse of the Golden Flower on your list.

[Ravens_cry]

Hmm. It's been a while since I watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and I wasn't the most critical audience back then, but I definitely remember enjoying it. I quite liked the sequel a well.
What I like most about it, aside from all the awesome wire fu action and gorgeous scenery, music, costumes and props, is the mature romance. You just don't have many stories about love between a middle aged pair of people, especially one so tragic.

[BWR]

Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain is a wonderful mess of plots, characters, NPCs, magic powers and wuxia.

The Legend of Zu is a sort of retelling but different enough that it's worth watching.

Jade Warrior is something as odd as a Finnish-Chinese wuxia movie, mixing elements of Finnish myth with Chinese.

[random11]

A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), I understand there is a 2011 remake, but I haven't seen it.

[Fri]

I remember my favourite high power wuxia (the one where you fly around and fire chi bolts from your hands) were dragon saber and heaven sword, which I think was translated as Kungfu Cult Master.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_Cult_Master

You also should put stephen chow's movie there if you haven't :smallbiggrin:

My favourites are God of Cookery (it's totally wuxia!), then Shaolin Soccer. Most people like Kungfu Hustle as well eventhough I don't like it as much as those two. And From Beijing with Love, even if it's not technically wuxia (more james bond parody).

[tensai_oni]

Since you mentioned Kung-fu Panda then I'm going to assume cartoon movies are good too and recommend Kubo and Two Strings. It is based on Japanese rather than Chinese culture, but a really good and visually impressive fantasy movie.

[Cheesegear]

Warriors of Virtue (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4STNypFBh0) is what happens when you crash Neverending Story and TMNT together, throw in some Chinese Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and some very, very soft Tao, and you get a really bad '80s movie that was somehow made in the late 90s.

Five Element Ninjas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-enqXPpcd4)

[Yora]

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero are both movies I very much like.

And Princess Mononoke, which is more fantasy than kung fu and fantastic.

[Anonymouswizard]

What I like most about it, aside from all the awesome wire fu action and gorgeous scenery, music, costumes and props, is the mature romance. You just don't have many stories about love between a middle aged pair of people, especially one so tragic.

I'd personally forgotten about that, even though they're my favourite characters. Really those two were the core of the movie, and are by far the more interesting of the four main characters, I've seen the other two enough times already.

Although my favourite scene is where we see what happens if a talented young martial artist goes up against the master of a theoretically inferior style, and that being that even with a magical weapon they find themselves unable to win. Actually looking at that fight you can see that it's nowhere near close and only drags on because Shu Lien, while fighting seriously, isn't trying to wound Jen).

I should try to see the sequel.

I need to watch more Wuxia, it's just so hard to get here.


You also should put stephen chow's movie there if you haven't :smallbiggrin:

My favourites are God of Cookery (it's totally wuxia!), then Shaolin Soccer. Most people like Kungfu Hustle as well eventhough I don't like it as much as those two. And From Beijing with Love, even if it's not technically wuxia (more james bond parody).

I haven't seen God of Cookery, but I recommend Shaolin Soccer. I also enjoyed Kung Fu Hustle, but it's not as good as Shaolin Soccer, which was just a better story with what I thought were better jokes.

This is one case where I'd say that dubbed is certainly the way to watch these films. Kung Fu Hustle at the very least was a lot funnier to me with the dub, although Shaolin Soccer I don't find it specifically has to be one way or the other.

[Blackhawk748]

Since you mentioned Kung-fu Panda then I'm going to assume cartoon movies are good too and recommend Kubo and Two Strings. It is based on Japanese rather than Chinese culture, but a really good and visually impressive fantasy movie.

I own it, i just forgot to put it up there, like several other movies that have been mentioned in thread :smallredface:

[comicshorse]

Mr Vampire and I'll go a little off theme and recommend Big Trouble in Little China because it is so much fun

[Brother Oni]

Fong Sai Yuk and Fong Sai Yuk II are another set of 'Jet Li plays a famous Chinese folk hero' movies. A lot more comedy based than the Once Upon a Time in China series, but still has some touching scenes.

The Storm Riders: Green screen fantasy film, based on the Tinha manghua series. Entertaining popcorn movie; I haven't seen the sequel The Storm Warriors.

Since A Chinese Ghost Story has been mentioned, there's other supernatural martial films that are quite good: Mr Vampire and Close Encounters of the Spooky Kind are my favourites and require the least amount of previous knowledge about Chinese folk magic and myths.

Red Cliffs is also on your list, which opens up the historical martial arts films: Once Upon a Time In China series with Jet Li as the legendary Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung. A little more serious than the other films in the list and covers some of the Unequal Treaties part of Chinese history. I recommend the first three, the others not so much and The Last Hero in China is more a comedy action film with Jet Li reprising the role of Wong Fei Hung.

If you're willing to expand your criteria a little bit, there's also Fearless and Ip Man, which are martial arts films rather than wuxia.


I'd personally forgotten about that, even though they're my favourite characters. Really those two were the core of the movie, and are by far the more interesting of the four main characters, I've seen the other two enough times already.

Although my favourite scene is where we see what happens if a talented young martial artist goes up against the master of a theoretically inferior style, and that being that even with a magical weapon they find themselves unable to win. Actually looking at that fight you can see that it's nowhere near close and only drags on because Shu Lien, while fighting seriously, isn't trying to wound Jen).

I'd already seen the film and was showing it to my sister. There's a scene about half way through the movie where Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai take a rest at a tea house and he just holds her hand next to his face for comfort. My sister is near squealing, saying "Oh they've got to get together" and while I hide it on the outside, inside I'm like :smallfrown:.

I also like the scene where Li schools Jen with only a stick, demonstrating what happens when she comes up against a true master of the sword.

[Clertar]

Iron Monkey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Monkey_(1993_film)) has an English dub, and it's one of the most fun cheesy/classic Wu Xia films out there.

[Giggling Ghast]

Spirited Away? Princess Mononoke?

[comicshorse]

'The Bride with White Hair' and 'Moon Warriors'

[Leewei]

A Chinese Odyssey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Chinese_Odyssey) is hilarious, action filled, and fantastic.

[MLai]

Random thought:

Even just watching wuxia and period martial arts films, I think you get a hint of why the Chinese are more tolerant of authoritarian rule. Culture, yes, but also history.

Imagine being an empire with deep cultural cohesion, which was fraught with multiple foreign incursions in the near-past, both from the West and the East. To the point where we're amazed that it's still intact, rather than gone the way of the Roman Empire or Ottoman Empire.

This is why this people supports a government which suffocates civil liberties, as long as it offers strength and existential security. Oppression does not make this gov't illegitimate, but heaven forbid it shows weakness - Immediate illegitimacy.

[Deadline]

Some entertaining ones I've seen recently:


Journey to the West (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2017561/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt) (Stephen Chow's version)
Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1123373/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (this was ok)
A Chinese Odyssey Part One (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112778/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_17) and Two (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114996/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_16) (don't think there's an English Dub on these)
Curse of the Golden Flower (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473444/?ref_=nv_sr_1) was ok.

[BWR]

Curse of the Golden Flower (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473444/?ref_=nv_sr_1) was ok damn good.
[/LIST]

Fixed that for you.

[MLai]

Some entertaining ones I've seen recently:

Curse of the Golden Flower (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473444/?ref_=nv_sr_1) was ok.

LOL I wonder if the only reason CotGF (ostensibly) used the Tang dynasty is so the women can wear low-cut dresses showing off boobs. I think that was the only time period in Chinese history when it happened, prior to global Westernization. The Europeans (and Mediterraneans) didn't even wear low-cuts yet.

[Brother Oni]

Had a think about some more films and there's the Keanu Reeves version of 47 Ronin (although mentioning it as an Oriental fantasy film kinda gives a plot element away).


LOL I wonder if the only reason CotGF (ostensibly) used the Tang dynasty is so the women can wear low-cut dresses showing off boobs. I think that was the only time period in Chinese history when it happened, prior to global Westernization. The Europeans (and Mediterraneans) didn't even wear low-cuts yet.

According to what I've read, such dresses would have been for the lower class women - the upper class including the Empress wouldn't have worn them (although seeing Gong Li in such costume was highly appreciated :smallbiggrin:).

There's then the debacle of the The Empress of China TV series a couple years ago which was also set within the Tang. When it broadcast on the mainland, they heavily censored any cleavage shots, leading to a bunch of highly entertaining memes.

All that said, there was a significant theme in the film of attractive appearances hiding rot and corruption underneath, which mirrored the state of the Tang at the time.

[Deadline]

Fixed that for you.

Well I highly enjoyed it, but I'm a Chow Yun-Fat fanboy. I was trying to keep to a measured response.

I also really liked Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. Stephen Chow is awesome.

If you want anime suggestions, I have ... a few. :smallwink:

[Dorath]

Stick to the original two part Red Cliff. The international release cuts half the movie.

[BWR]

Stick to the original two part Red Cliff. The international release cuts half the movie.

I'd actually argue that the international version works. I prefer the full-length one but I don't feel as though the reduced version loses all that much. The plots and characters are still understandable and follow from what was presented previously. The international version of Seven Swords on the other hand....

[LaZodiac]

Gonna get some weird looks from this but...The Man with the Iron Fists (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVi4yXNWZf8). A film about Jungle Village, a town run by various families known as clans, each outfitted with weaponry made by our hero, the Blacksmith. It's actually PRETTY damn cool.

Stars rap artist The RZA as The Blacksmith, Russel Crowe as Jack the Knife, and Rick Yune as ZEN YI, THE X BLADE.

[Fri]

****, why I never know about that? It looks like the kind of shenanigans I'd love.

Well if we're recommending that, my favourite action manga of all time, bar none, is

The Good, The Bad, The Weird, a super stylish korean-western movie about people shooting each others in japanese-occupied manchuria on train, horses, and motorcycles :smallbiggrin:. Seriously, the climax of that movie is basically my favourite action set in movie ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tk80iXCspM

[Blackhawk748]

Stick to the original two part Red Cliff. The international release cuts half the movie.

I watched the international version, and it was like 2.5 hours or something. Personally i didn't feel lost or anything so they apparently edited it well.


Gonna get some weird looks from this but...The Man with the Iron Fists (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVi4yXNWZf8). A film about Jungle Village, a town run by various families known as clans, each outfitted with weaponry made by our hero, the Blacksmith. It's actually PRETTY damn cool.

Stars rap artist The RZA as The Blacksmith, Russel Crowe as Jack the Knife, and Rick Yune as ZEN YI, THE X BLADE.

*headdesk* how did i forget this movie. Its glorious and over the top in every good way possible.

Also the squeal isn't half bad either.



The Good, The Bad, The Weird, a super stylish korean-western movie about people shooting each others in japanese-occupied manchuria on train, horses, and motorcycles :smallbiggrin:. Seriously, the climax of that movie is basically my favourite action set in movie ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tk80iXCspM

https://media.giphy.com/media/it6W8D4FfvaPC/giphy.gif

[rachelallan]

Kung Fu Panda 1-3

[Blackhawk748]

****, why I never know about that? It looks like the kind of shenanigans I'd love.

Well if we're recommending that, my favourite action manga of all time, bar none, is

The Good, The Bad, The Weird, a super stylish korean-western movie about people shooting each others in japanese-occupied manchuria on train, horses, and motorcycles :smallbiggrin:. Seriously, the climax of that movie is basically my favourite action set in movie ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tk80iXCspM

Just came to say: The Good the Bad and the Weird are on Netflix and it is as glorious as the trailer makes it out to be.

[ben-zayb]

Most of my recommendations have already been mentioned. I gotta say, I do have a soft spot for Disney's first Mulan movie and Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi.

[Celestia]

Monkey King: Hero is Back

Jackie Chan is Sun Wukong.

[Fri]

Just came to say: The Good the Bad and the Weird are on Netflix and it is as glorious as the trailer makes it out to be.

Glad to know you enjoyed it. Seriously man, that climatic chase scene...

Also question, which cut did you watch. Because IIRC there's two cut, the original and the cut version, which the cut version makes the ending much more unnecessarily dark.


The original cut is that we're shown that The Good was whisked away by the girl who take care of his base and survived. Then after he left, we're shown that The Weird survived because obviously, he hid steel platings under his clothings. The series end with new bounty posters about him posted on places.

The shortened cut end just after the three-way duel, with all of them lying in the ground.

[Blackhawk748]

I got the cut one, which would explain why i found the ending to be lacking

[Fri]

Ah, what a shame.

Ther'es also another cut scene that explains where all the pursuers went so the three of them have time to have a three-way duel. In short: The Weird blew up the only road leading there.