* ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
* DECEMBER 30, 2010, 1:19 A.M. ET
The top five films in Asia this year
By DEAN NAPOLITANO
There has been more than one "breakout year" for Asia's movie industry in the recent past. But 2010 was certainly a good 12 months for directors, actors and writers in Asia.
Among the most significant achievements was Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's "Aftershock," a tear-jerker about a family torn apart by the 1976 Tangshan earthquake and reunited years later in the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The movie was the first Chinese film to earn more than $100 million at the domestic box office and cemented Mr. Feng's position as China's most commercially successful director.
The most notable actor of the year was, arguably, Donnie Yen, who starred in not one but three blockbusters -- "14 Blades," "Ip Man 2" and "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen." Mr. Yen is easily the world's leading kung-fu star. At 47 years old, he shows no sign of easing his multiple-movies-a-year pace, with a string of films lined up for 2011.
When it comes to picking the most important Asian movies of the year, there are many from which to choose. Among those worth a mention are the chilling Japanese thriller "Confessions"; "I Wish I Knew" from Chinese director Jia Zhangke; Hong Kong's rollicking kung-fu homage "Gallants"; the romantic comedy "Au Revoir Taipei" from Taiwan; "HaHaHa" from South Korea; and "Sandcastle," the debut movie from Singaporean director Boo Junfeng. In addition to all those films, here are my picks as the five most notable Asian films of 2010:
"Caterpillar"
Japan
Director Koji Wakamatsu directed this anti-war drama about a sadistic Japanese soldier who returns home from the Second Sino-Japanese War after having lost his arms and legs in battle and continues to inflict abuse on his wife, who is repulsed by his horrific condition. The filmmaker reveals in stark imagery his fierce distaste of war under any circumstances.
"Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame"
Hong Kong-China
There likely isn't another filmmaker besides Tsui Hark who could successfully pull off a Tang Dynasty-era martial-arts whodunit. After more than 30 years in the business, Mr. Tsui still demonstrates a flair for the sort of movie excitement that he showed with "Once Upon a Time in China" and other classics from Hong Kong's golden age.
"Echoes of the Rainbow"
Hong Kong
Director Alex Law's autobiographical Valentine to 1960s Hong Kong rekindled nostalgic memories and became an unexpected box-office hit. At a time when Cantonese-language movies often struggle to find an audience, this story of a working-class family striving to make ends meet was a sentimental reminder that there was a simpler day -- before the city's current obsession with materialism.
"Norwegian Wood"
Japan
It took 23 years to adapt for film Haruki Murakami's influential novel about a university student in 1960s Japan who finds himself drawn to two women -- one shy and emotionally unstable, the other lively and independent. The Japanese author rejected several offers for a film version over the years before finally agreeing to this adaptation by award-winning Vietnamese-French director Tran Anh Hung.
"Under the Hawthorn Tree"
China
After years of big-budget movies and costume period pieces, director Zhang Yimou reminded audiences why he remains China's most-famous cinematic export. This story of youthful love set against the Cultural Revolution recalls Mr. Zhang's early films with its rural setting, literary pace and rich detail.
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