We are back again with another list of new Asian movies that we think should be on your radar for future viewing

There is nothing like finding new Asian movies to look forward to. Problem is, most of the information on upcoming releases is in either, Korean or Japanese, Indonesian . Sometimes when we do get a synopsis, it’s written in broken English. I can’t complain, there isn’t a hope in hell I could even attempt to write or talk in their language, so credit, where credit is due.

Let's Get To This!

BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE (South Korea)

First choice on the list is Beautiful Vampire. Again, I can’t reiterate enough the plot details to some of these films are gonna sound thin. Beautiful Vampire is described as a fantasy/romance movie.

The film follows a vampire who has owned a make-up shop for 500-years in South Korea’s capital, Seoul. Her immortal existence is disturbed when another building across the road is occupied by a secretive, mysterious tenant.

Trying to find any real info on this one is proven to be quite difficult. It was recently released in South Korea and had its world  premiere @  Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. The handful of reviews I have read from media outlets covering that fest have stated that Beautiful Vampire is indeed on to watch out for.

BELIEVER (South Korea)

This is one of the new Asian movies on this list that I have actually caught. I had the pleasure of remotely covering this for Fantasia International Festival this and I was not disappointed. Believer is a remake of Jonnie To’s crime classic DRUG WAR. Some people thought that this was a film that  didn’t need any sort of re-imagining, but I really dug what they did with the story.

It’s very much a cop vs drug kingpin sort of film. We have a detective who is obsessed with catching a drug-lord after one of his junkie informants is found brutally slain. He acquires the help of Ran, a young lowlife offender with connections to drug trafficking. This drug-lord has rarely been seen, it sort of has a Usual Suspects kind of vibe to it. A lot of great energetic acting, interesting characters and plot development with a great unexpected reveal at the end.

FLEA-PICKING SAMURAI (Japan)

I don’t think we are gonna top this one when it comes to craziness. Flea-Picking Samurai just sounds so strange, but as the title suggests, that is exactly what it is about…well, sort of.

The film follows a man call Hironoshin. After he was found to have  plagiarized a poem he supposedly wrote for the head of his clan to read out he is banished forever. He is to live the rest of his life with honor and his new job is go to people houses to remove flea’s from the villagers cats. But wait, this isn’t his real job, Hironoshin is a prostitute servicing the local ladies disguised as a ”Flea Picker”.

This sounds like a lot of fun and a plot so bananas is bound to satisfy fans of the weird and wonderful.

YARU ONNA: SHE’S A KILLER (Japan)

One thing I am sure you will agree with is that Moviehooker loves a good old classic revenge tale. When it comes to plots, there ain’t much new offered to the table but it is how the film is made and executed.

The simple and basic premise of a young girl who grows up to be a contract killer after her whole family is murdered. Year’s later, and now a bad-ass killing machine she learns of her family’s killer’s whereabouts and sets out to get revenge.

This really doesn’t sound like anything new. In its defense; it is Asian which means it’s probably going to be way more slicker and brutal than any John Wick or similar type Hollywood movie.

KILLING (Japan)

Directed by Japanese actor/director Shinya Tsukamoto  who directed, A Snake Of June,Tetsuo: Iron Man, Tetsuo 2: Body Hammer. His movies roles include Japanese classics Miike Takeshi’s Ichi The Killer and Takashi Shimizu’s Marebito. I think this justifies why this movie has made it onto our new Asian movies list.

Again, not a lot about the plot is known but from what I can gather, this looks to be one to watch out for. The film follows the life of a Ronin (“drifter” or “wanderer”) A skilled samurai who roamed ancient Japan with no master to serve, only himself.

It has been a while since I have been drawn to any sort of ancient martial arts film. This one really sounds promising though. I hope blood will gush and heads will be chopped and fly in every direction.

BUFFALO BOYS (Indonesia)

While on the subject of martial arts movies, I thought this would be another suited movie for the list. Buffalo Boys recently played at Fantasia Festival. This wasn’t on my screening library so I am a little sad that it managed to escape my eyes but I am sure I will get to see it soon enough.

This one sounds well different than Indonesian classics like The Raid movies. In fact, this new martial arts film is also a western. Yup, it’s an Indonesian Western with added kick-assery. The film follows two brother who come back to avenge their father’s death after years of exile in America.

This is the only film so far that I can find on IMDb. There is 5 user reviews with an average review rate of 7-8/10. That sounds good enough for me, of and the cowboy thing is defo a good look.

EXIT (South Korea)

NO PIC AVAILABLE

Unfortunately, Exit is one of the films on this list that we will have to wait a little longer for. The film is due for release in summer 2019 but I am not sure if that is just in Asia or it includes other countries. I pretty much can bet that we will not get it here in Ireland but I always hold on the hope of catching a screener for review purposes.

From what I can understand, Exit is a disaster/infection movie. I am not sure if we are gonna get zombies or horribly infected humans wanting to eat the uninfected’s face off.  I think this maybe more along the lines of films like Flu, or Contagion (both, I think are remarkable virus movies). The story follows a family who are attending a 70th birthday party. When the party gets going, they realise that there is a poisonous gas spreading rapidly through the city, killing or infecting anyone who comes close.

Even though I can’t find any pics for this release, it still makes the list. South Korea can really deliver the tension and realism with infection movies. If you haven’t check out Flu, then you’re missing out on one hell of a flick.