Asian Cinema Movies, Ranked

Big Feelings, Bigger Aftertaste

140 films, ranked on my own star ratings by Arwin Edward Bagaslao. Updated 2026-10-13.

Asian cinema has range range. This list covers the films that hit me through family, revenge, romance, faith, survival, silence, action, horror, history, and whatever emotional crisis the movie decided to throw at me that day. It is not abo

1. 1
   Seven Samurai (1954)

   ★★★★★

   There are silent stretches in this film where the performances really shine.

2. 2
   Pa-siyam (2004)

   ★★★★½
3. 3
   Goyo: The Boy General (2018)

   ★★★★½
4. 4
   Moments of Love (2006)

   ★★★★½
5. 5
   Pedro Penduko, Episode II: The Return Of The Comeback (2000)

   ★★★★½
6. 6
   Sukob (2006)

   ★★★★½
7. 7
   Heneral Luna (2015)

   ★★★★½
8. 8
   Seklusyon (2016)

   ★★★★½
9. 9
   Quezon (2025)

   ★★★★½

   To be honest, di talaga ako fan ng history pag binabasa o pinapanood sa documentary form.

10. 10
    Itaewon Class (2020)

    ★★★★½
11. 11
    Lady Vengeance (2005)

    ★★★★½

    The slow deliberate pacing kept me distant at first, but the second half pulled me in once the visuals became more precise and the colors drained away.

12. 12
    Past Lives (2023)

    ★★★★½

    A quiet, intimate film that leans heavily on silence, pauses, and unspoken emotion.

13. 13
    Wall to Wall (2025)

    ★★★★½

    Watching this film, I felt very lucky that I have financial freedom and I’m not stuck in a badly chosen investment vehicle, whether property or crypto.

14. 14
    Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013)

    ★★★★½
15. 15
    Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

    ★★★★½

    Grabe ang war. Kawawa talaga ang mga bata.

16. 16
    The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

    ★★★★½
17. 17
    Ne Zha 2 (2025)

    ★★★★½

    Ne Zha 2 carries the same vibes and aesthetic as the first film, but here the animation is much sharper and the details are more noticeable.

18. 18
    Bad Genius (2017)

    ★★★★½

    Nice cinematography and strong color grading.

19. 19
    Shutter (2004)

    ★★★★½
20. 20
    How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024)

    ★★★★½

    Thailand looks awfully familiar, almost the same as the Philippines, especially Pasay where I grew up from ages 0 to 5.

21. 21
    Sore: A Wife from the Future (2025)

    ★★★★½

    The film opens with beautiful landscape photography, and that visual quality stays consistent all throughout.

22. 22
    I'mPerfect (2025)

    ★★★★½

    Warm start. I am not really educated about Down syndrome, so I just went along with the story and learned from what the film was showing me.

23. 23
    Midnight Girls (2026)

    ★★★★½

    I watched this because I am Japan sepanx.

24. 24
    One More Chance (2007)
25. 25
    Call Me Mother (2025)

    ★★★★½

    Ang pagiging ina pala wala sa kasarian, distansya, o sa dugo.

26. 26
    Spirit Warriors: The Shortcut (2003)
27. 27
    Magic Kingdom: The Legend of Damortis (1997)
28. 28
    Magic Temple (1996)

    ★★★★
29. 29
    Ang Agimat: Anting-anting ni Lolo (2002)

    ★★★★
30. 30
    Feng Shui (2004)

    ★★★★
31. 31
    The Great Flood (2025)

    ★★★★

    Hindi naghold back ang film. Baha agad. Walang warm up, diretso chaos.

32. 32
    Train to Busan (2016)

    ★★★★
33. 33
    Parasite (2019)

    ★★★★
34. 34
    Crash Landing on You (2019)

    ★★★★
35. 35
    Descendants of the Sun (2016)

    ★★★★
36. 36
    The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)

    ★★★★
37. 37
    Gohan (2026)

    ★★★★

    This film feels like a journey through different phases of Gohan’s life, where he experiences both kindness and hardship from the people around him.

38. 38
    The Raid (2011)

    ★★★★
39. 39
    3 Idiots (2009)

    ★★★★
40. 40
    My Only Ü (2008)
41. 41
    Sunshine (2024)

    ★★★★

    This film is the embodiment of “my body, my choice.” But what made it interesting for me is that it does not present that choice as something emotionally simple.

42. 42
    Ikiru (1952)

    ★★★★

    You can spend your entire life working and still accomplish nothing.

43. 43
    Shake, Rattle & Roll 8 (2006)
44. 44
    Spirit Warriors (2000)
45. 45
    Kita Kita (2017)

    ★★★★

    Ikaw ang nagpabago ng pagtingin ko sa buhay ko.

46. 46
    Like Stars on Earth (2007)

    ★★★★
47. 47
    Ligo na Ü, Lapit na Me (2011)

    ★★★½
48. 48
    Sanib (2003)

    ★★★½
49. 49
    The Flu (2013)

    ★★★½
50. 50
    Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016)

    ★★★½
51. 51
    Harakiri (1962)

    ★★★½

    It feels like something pulled straight from an old album.

52. 52
    Exit 8 (2025)

    ★★★½

    Sa storytelling, ramdam ko yung pagkaloop style niya, parang Edge of Tomorrow, Groundhog Day, pati Source Code at kahit If I Stay.

53. 53
    Ne Zha (2019)

    ★★★½

    Ne Zha is a tragedy of a child born cursed.

54. 54
    Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

    ★★★½
55. 55
    Colony (2026)

    ★★★½

    This is how it feels like to have AI agents!

56. 56
    GomBurZa (2023)

    ★★★½

    The cinematography is nice. It has this warm and nostalgic touch, but at the same time, it still feels like it was shot with modern lenses.

57. 57
    Life After You (2026)

    ★★★½

    As an advertising agency owner, I work closely with freelancers, so I am familiar with their dilemma.

58. 58
    A Second Chance (2015)
59. 59
    Lolo and the Kid (2024)

    ★★★½

    Mischievous. It sneaks in the humor and drama in unexpected ways.

60. 60
    CJ7 (2008)
61. 61
    Ran (1985)
62. 62
    Let the Love Begin (2005)
63. 63
    A Change of Heart (2000)

    ★★★
64. 64
    My Cactus Heart (2012)

    ★★★
65. 65
    Enteng Kabisote 2: Okay ka, Fairy ko... The Legend Continues (2005)

    ★★★
66. 66
    Enteng Kabisote: Okay ka, Fairy ko... The Legend (2004)

    ★★★
67. 67
    Ang Pagbabalik ni Pedro Penduko (1994)

    ★★★
68. 68
    BuyBust (2018)

    ★★★
69. 69
    Oldboy (2003)

    ★★★

    Knowing the twist going in changes the experience completely.

70. 70
    Squid Game (2021)

    ★★★
71. 71
    Touch Your Heart (2019)

    ★★★
72. 72
    Fight for My Way (2017)

    ★★★
73. 73
    I Am Not a Robot (2017)

    ★★★
74. 74
    Hotel Del Luna (2019)

    ★★★
75. 75
    My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

    ★★★

    My daughter liked this. She likes Ponyo too, so I can see the pattern of what appeals to her.

76. 76
    Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020)

    ★★★
77. 77
    Your Name. (2016)

    ★★★
78. 78
    47 Ronin (2013)

    ★★★
79. 79
    Godzilla Minus One (2023)

    ★★★

    There’s something elegant about watching a film in black and white.

80. 80
    Resurrection (2025)

    ★★★

    The film opens as a silent movie. I was kind of waiting for the right opportunity to properly watch one ever since I watched Babylon, and luckily I experienced it here.

81. 81
    Shaolin Soccer (2001)

    ★★★
82. 82
    Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

    ★★★
83. 83
    BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky (2020)

    ★★★
84. 84
    Hope (2026)

    ★★★

    The first act feels like it was directed by Michael Bay.

85. 85
    Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story (2011)
86. 86
    Pihu (2017)

    ★★★
87. 87
    Nothing Like Paris (2023)

    ★★★

    Storytelling wise, this has almost the same structure as Kita Kita (2017).

88. 88
    My Amnesia Girl (2010)
89. 89
    ÜnOfficially Yours (2012)
90. 90
    Petrang Kabayo (2010)
91. 91
    Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo (2007)
92. 92
    Baler (2008)
93. 93
    Lastikman (2003)
94. 94
    Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2006)
95. 95
    Enteng Kabisote 3: Okay ka, Fairy ko... The Legend Goes on and on and On (2006)

    ★★½
96. 96
    Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote (2010)

    ★★½
97. 97
    Enteng Kabisote 4: Okay ka, Fairy ko... The Beginning of the Legend (2007)

    ★★½
98. 98
    Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako (2012)

    ★★½
99. 99
    Mama Susan's Friends (2023)

    ★★½
100. 100
     No Other Choice (2025)

     ★★½

     At first, that unpredictability is intriguing, but over time it can feel disorienting rather than purposeful.

101. 101
     Snowpiercer (2013)

     ★★½
102. 102
     Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy (2025)

     ★★½
103. 103
     Ponyo (2008)

     ★★½

     The friendship is really cute, and the animation has that warm, magical charm that makes everything feel alive and comforting.

104. 104
     Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle (2025)

     ★★½

     After 7 years balik otaku phase na ako 😅 Last anime ko pa was One Piece episode 716, 2018 pa yun!

105. 105
     The Farewell (2019)

     ★★½

     Wala pa sa fifteen minutes naluluha na agad ako.

106. 106
     Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil (2026)

     ★★½

     I am today years old when I learned that Doraemon is actually a robot.

107. 107
     Filipiñana (2026)

     ★★½

     The framing feels like Wes Anderson’s style: tableau-like, theatrical, and mostly composed of static shots.

108. 108
     The Night Comes for Us (2018)

     ★★½

     This looks like what would happen if Tarantino directed The Raid.

109. 109
     Can This Be Love (2005)
110. 110
     Gagamboy (2004)
111. 111
     Angelito (2017)

     ★★
112. 112
     Soulmate (2023)

     ★★

     Visually it reminds me of a nicely lit and colored K-drama, but with touches of A24 style in certain scenes.

113. 113
     Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (2017)

     ★★

     The cinematography feels like the landscape photography of Django Unchained (2012), but imagine those Western-like vistas filtered through the polished visual language…

114. 114
     Replacing Chef Chico (2023)
115. 115
     Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story (2018)

     ★★
116. 116
     The Raid 2 (2014)

     ★★
117. 117
     Whisper of the Heart (1995)

     ★★

     Not everyone needs to follow the same path.

118. 118
     That Thing Called Tadhana (2014)
119. 119
     Mistah: Mga Mandirigma (1994)
120. 120
     Grandma's House (2001)
121. 121
     El Presidente (2012)
122. 122
     Otso Otso Pamela-mela Wan (2004)
123. 123
     Agent X44 (2007)
124. 124
     Ang Tanging Ina (2003)
125. 125
     Memories of Murder (2003)

     ★½

     Feels less like a mystery and more like watching people slowly break under pressure.

126. 126
     5 Centimeters per Second (2025)

     ★½

     It feels like Kimi no Na Wa mixed with Past Lives.

127. 127
     JUJUTSU KAISEN: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death - The Movie (2025)

     ★½
128. 128
     Fist of Fury (1972)

     ★½

     I can clearly see shots here that later inspired Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill, especially the sudden zoom into close up reactions.

129. 129
     Paprika (2006)

     ★½

     I watched this because of the fact that it was one of Christopher Nolan’s inspirations for Inception (2010).

130. 130
     Princess Mononoke (1997)
131. 131
     Maple Leaf Dreams (2024)

     ★½

     I feel like the movie sometimes does not know what it wants to be.

132. 132
     Feng Shui 2 (2014)

     ★
133. 133
     Castle in the Sky (1986)

     ★

     I really struggled to stay awake here, even during the action sequences.

134. 134
     Kokuho (2025)

     ★

     So much Japanese culture packed into one film.

135. 135
     Rashomon (1950)

     ★

     It feels more like watching a stage play than a cinematic experience.

136. 136
     The Cat Returns (2002)

     ½

     Background noise.

137. 137
     Spirited Away (2001)

     ½

     I honestly don’t know what to make of it.

138. 138
     Hunger (2023)

     ½
139. 139
     Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital (2024)

     ½

     Basically, vloggers doing stupid things inside a horror movie.

140. 140
     Enter the Dragon 1973-2008 (2010)