Japan - An obvious choice as one of the greatest films ever made. This film shows us leadership and teamwork Japanese-style. We also see village culture. The commentary track is a mini-class on Japanese culture and film history.

Japan - High school girls engage in "enjo-kosai" (dating for money) in order to fund their lifestyle, and find more adventure than they bargained for. This film looks at many of the same scenes that "Lost in Translation" did, but observes those scenes and characters without laughing at them.

Japan - Torn between watching a romantic comedy and a torture horror film? I didn't think so, but if you are, this is the movie for you. A funny first half that builds your relationship with the characters takes a u-turn in the second half as they get put into danger. This film could only come from Japan (and Takashi Miike).

Japan - The seminal anime that inspired "The Matrix" and a lot more. The sequel "Innocence" and the TV series "SAC - Stand Alone Complex" are also brilliant.

Hong Kong - A martial arts film like none you've ever seen. Seven of the greatest stars in Chinese film history. The best cinematographer alive (Chris Doyle). My favorite director (Wong Kar Wai). A dream of life and loss among desert and swords. This is the most watched movie in my collection.

Hong Kong - I still refuse to watch "The Departed" (the US remake of this trilogy). I don't want to replace Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, and Eric Tsang with Leo and company. See the original and see how the Chinese cultural take on it is different.

Hong Kong - John Woo. Chow Yun Fat. Heroic Bloodshed. Male Honor. A true classic of the genre. Compare and contrast with "Dirty Harry" or "The Wild Bunch".

China - The first Chinese film I ever saw. There were no subtitles, but I couldn't take my eyes off the Chinese architecture or Gong Li. The next day, I went to a Singapore LaserDisc store and rented every Gong Li/Zhang Yimou movie they had. Yimou is a very Chinese director. You can't watch any of his films without learning about his views on Chinese culture.

China - A look at modern China, this film noir shows the grittier side of Shanghai while giving us a large dose of Zhou Xun

South Korea - This 'kitchen-sink' movie combines horror, sci-fi, family drama, comedy, and politics with success. Like most of the movies on this list, it's a film that could only be made where it was made.

South Korea - A tense drama that explores the tension between North and South Korea. Great acting and surprises abound.

Vietnam - Let me warn you, this is an art film. It moves deliberately, with long periods of silence. But if you've ever fallen in love with the slow rhythm of a tropical, humid place - "Green Papaya captures that feeling perfectly. This film captures much of how I remember Vietnam.

Thailand - What happens when you combine "6inxtynine", with a Japanese actor and the cinematography of Chris Doyle? You get humor and danger, but you also get a large dose of mystery and a sense of what might lie below the surface. A great companion to "6ixtynin9".

Hong Kong -

Hong Kong - I recommended "Journey to the West" in my Asian Bookshelf. Here is a funny, crazy remix of the story, Stephen Chiau-style.