The Killing Fields (1984), Red Dust (1932), First They Killed My Father (2017), The Flor Contemplacion Story (1995), Indochine (1992), Saint Jack (1979), Outcast of the Islands (1952), Paradise Road (1997) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best Southeast Asia movies.
Storyline: Deep in Malaya, as World War II is rapidly coming to an end, men, women and children, trapped by the Japanese invasion, are held captive in the Blood Island prison camp. Knowing that Yamamitsu, the sadistic commandant, will murder them all when he learns of his country's defeat, Dutch, a Dutch planter, smashes the camp radio. British officer Lambert and, in the women's prison, the recently-widowed Kate, join Dutch in arming the prisoners.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
Plot Keywords: war, world war ii, british film, 1950s, black and white film, drama, history ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: After losing his bride in a Luftwaffe air raid, bomber pilot Forrester becomes a solitary killing machine, who doesn't care whether he dies. The reckless Canadian pilot is both admired and feared by the rest of his squadron in World War II Burma. The squadron physician is assigned to determine the embittered Bill Forrester's fitness for duty. To break through the nightmare-haunted man's wall of silence, the physician drives Forrester to visit an outpost of English-speaking refugees, which includes an alluring young Burmese woman.—David Stevens
Plot Keywords: war, world war ii, british film, drama, survival, psychological trauma, pilot ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: The end of WW2 finds Major Ferris fighting alongside guerrilla groups in the jungles of Malaysia. Major Ferris is an American who was attached to the Australian 8th Army and stayed behind to co-ordinate native guerrilla groups. When the Japanese unconditionally surrender, everyone is rejoicing but a British officer pertinently comments that although the Malaysian people aided the British to defeat the Japanese their allegiance will shift and they might not be so friendly towards the British in the near future. Malaysia is a British colony and like many other colonies it struggles to gain its independence from the European powers. Major Ferris' closest friend and comrade during the war, Malaysian colonel Ng, is asked by Ferris to join him into a business venture. Ferris has purchased a few acres of land rich in rubber trees and tin mines. He offers Ng an equal partnership in the venture but colonel Ng refuses. He explains that he has to go to Moscow to study at a school for political cadre. The two friends part ways. Eight years later, the British already have major problems in Malaysia. Many guerrilla groups openly attack the British army convoys, kill British officers, raid local plantations and businesses, rob the payroll of local companies, kidnap the European colonists and destroy British colonial property in the region. The British government is negotiating a peaceful withdrawal of British colonial forces from Malaysia promising total independence to the country. But the guerrilla leaders do not trust the word of the British. Therefore, they continue the guerrilla war against the colonial authorities. Many European colonists, plantation and business owners, sell their companies and assets and leave Malaysia. The only one not concerned by the violent events surrounding him is Major Ferris. His plantations and tin mines are not attacked by the rebels. When he drives in his convertible on local roads, the guerrilla groups laying in ambush do not harm him. One day, the English-language local newspapers, quoting a Soviet propaganda newspaper, indicate that former Malaysian guerrilla leader, colonel Ng, has returned from Moscow to co-ordinate all guerrilla groups in Malaysia. The chief of police and the British Army commander in the region arrive at Major Ferris' house to confirm the fact that during the war, Ferris worked closely with Ng against the Japanese forces. When Ferris confirms the fact, the two British officials ask him to go into the jungle and contact Ng with a message from the British. They want to convey to the guerrilla leader that the British have sincere intentions of withdrawing from Malaysia and allowing the country to become fully independent. They also want the guerrillas to cease their attacks on the British military and the colonists in order to allow them time to organize their departure from Malaysia. The officials hope that Major Ferris can persuade Ng and the rebel guerrillas to co-operate. A few days later, Ferris sneaks into the jungle, alone, in search of his old war buddy, colonel Ng.—nufs68
Plot Keywords: war, romance, adventure, drama, historical, independence movement, colonialism ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: An American reporter finds himself in the middle of the 57-day battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam between the French army and the Vietminh, which finally resulted in the defeat and surrender of the French forces and France's eventual withdrawal from Vietnam.—frankfob2@yahoo.com
Plot Keywords: war, history, vietnam, france, colonialism, independence war, battle ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: A party of yachting jet-setters visit French Saigon, where they meet lovely Manon deVargnes, a second-class citizen not allowed to leave the country due to her part-Oriental ancestry. When the others leave, playboy Bill Carey stays behind to woo Manon; but all his efforts to get her out of the country with him run into a brick wall. And Pierre Delaroch, her wealthy former admirer, waits for him to give up...—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Plot Keywords: romance, drama, adventure, exotic, 1930s, black and white, classic film ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: The marriage of rubber-plantation owner Jim Frazer and his wife, Liz, which has survived many disasters, including years in a Japanese internment camp, is at a breaking point. Under constant threats of bandit attacks and concerned with the safety of his plantation and the people on it, Jim spares no time for his marriage. Liz is to take their young son, Mike, home to school in England, and, without telling Jim, does not plan to return. A neighboring plantation is attacked and the owner killed just prior to her departure. Liz and Jim get arms and ammunition from a near-by town, and a night of terror follows as the bandits attack.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
Plot Keywords: war, 1950s, historical, military operation, guerrilla warfare, adventure, action ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: Lawrence is a rich kid with a bad accent and a large debt. After his father refuses to help him out, Lawrence escapes his angry debtors by jumping on a Peace Corp flight to Southeast Asia, where is assigned to build a bridge for the local villagers with American-As-Apple-Pie WSU Grad Tom Tuttle and the beautiful and down-to earth Beth Wexler. What they don't realize is that the bridge is coveted by the U.S. Army, a local Communist force, and a powerful drug lord. Together with the help of At Toon, the only English speaking native, they must fight off the three opposing forces and find out what is right for the villagers, as well as themselves.—Michael Silva <silvamd@cleo.bc.edu>
Plot Keywords: comedy, adventure, tom hanks, 1980s, culture clash, humor, satire ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: In Phuket Island, Thailand, the architect Paul Bellmer and his wife Jeanne lost their son Joshua in a tsunami six months ago. Jeanne is disturbed and has not accepted the loss of her beloved son. While watching some footages from Myanmar (former Burma), Jeanne is convinced that a boy wearing a Manchester United shirt in a poor village is Joshua, and Paul accepts to seek out their son in the sea gypsies camp. They hire the trafficker Thaksin Gao and they travel in the boat of master Sonchai to search Joshua. After a series of weird incidents, Sonchai leaves the trio in an abandoned village. They have to walk through the jungle where they face a journey to hell.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Plot Keywords: horror, thriller, mystery, psychological, supernatural, parents, grief ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: Indochina, 1959. A Wild West town controlled by the criminal class: Vietnamese warlords and European war criminals. Den-Dhin-Chan Labor Camp is run by four such dangerous men. The worst prison in the land, it is here that a European, former-champion boxer Martin Tilman (Scott Adkins) has made a name for himself fighting tournaments, on which wealthy criminals gamble in high stakes events. When Tilman is due for release, he just wants to return home, but the corrupt forces running the jail will do everything in their power to keep him locked down. When all that Tilman holds dear is taken away in a vicious act of violence, he is forced to confront the five men responsible and take his revenge.
Plot Keywords: action, adventure, crime, violence, martial arts, revenge, mercenary ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: At the onset of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1942, American private pilot Chip Corbett is using his personal plane to fly out fleeing individuals for a price. One such client, a shady war profiteer, is the last client to leave the mainland on Chip's airplane under a hail of bullets from the invading Japanese. However, the airplane develops technical problems and crash-lands on the island of Corregidor where a few Americans and Philippine guerrillas still hold-out. Recognizing Chip's client as one of the most infamous Philippine traitors who collaborated with the Japanese in exchange for money, the Philippine guerrillas kill the man. Chip is left unharmed, since he's American, but the defenders of Corregidor seem disgusted that Chip can only think of money instead of helping with the war effort. Chip finds out the Philippine guerrillas are attempting to salvage the national gold reserves from the clutches of the invading Japanese. The plan is to transfer the gold bullion onto a barge and eventually on board an American submarine waiting off shore. However, the approaching submarine is destroyed by a Japanese dive-bomber and the gold is left on the barge. Japanese warships are seen patrolling the coast line. The only solution seems to be the sinking of the barge and the gold stashed on top of it. The Philippine guerrillas plan to recover the sunken gold after the war when Japan would be defeated. But the barge is too big. They need to find a way to bomb it from above in order to sink it in relatively shallow water. Chip suggests he could fly a small airplane loaded with bombs and destroy the barge from the air. He asks if there is a plane laying around. American nurse and missionary, Joan Barnes, who is providing medical assistance to the guerrillas, explains that her missionary father, Dr. Barnes, does missionary work among the native head-hunter tribes inland. Her father owns a small sea-plane that could do the job but the way to him is fraught with dangers. Nevertheless, a small group is formed, led by a Philippine guerrilla colonel and guided by Joan who knows the way through the jungle. Chip volunteers to be the pilot of the sea-plane, provided he is rewarded for his efforts by allowing him to keep the sea-plane and fly it back to the USA after the barge is sunk. In the morning, the small group heads toward its destination, facing difficult terrain, areas infested with Japanese soldiers, native head-hunters and other perils.—nufs68
Plot Keywords: action, war, historical, philippines, military, adventure, drama ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: Waiting for the heat to cool from a failed U.S. insurance scam, Jimmy (Matt Dillon) grows restless in Bangkok. When he hears rumors that his partner and mentor Marvin has surfaced in Cambodia, he sets off to get his promised cut. What he finds there is a mysterious and hostile environment where even the most polished criminal can end up on deadly ground. The further Jimmy gets in his search for Marvin, the deeper he plunges himself into a predicament from which he may not return.
Plot Keywords: crime, thriller, drama, mystery, film noir, action, adventure ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: Several disparate characters find themselves in a low-end Bangkok hotel. There is Sean (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers), a drug dealer awaiting a delivery; a psychologist named Rosa (Saskia Reeves), who is in mourning; a female assassin; and an up-and-coming Mafia boss trying to make a name for himself. Their pasts are revealed through a set of flashbacks, but an act of theft committed by Wit (Alexander Rendel), a bellboy, will affect each of their futures.
Plot Keywords: thriller, mystery, crime, drama, action, psychological, adaptation ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: Spalding Gray weaves racy anecdotes from his life and time in Thailand as an actor in "The Killing Fields."
Plot Keywords: documentary, monologue, performance art, politics, history, war, social commentary ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: Agnes Keith (Claudette Colbert) and husband Harry (Patric Knowles) have lived in Borneo for years. Harry is a British officer, while Agnes has written a well-known book on the country. Their lives are disrupted when the Japanese invade in December 1941. With men sent to one prison camp, and women and children to another, the couple must survive apart despite cruel treatment by their captors. For three years, their physical stamina will be tested by malaria and sadistic prison wardens.
Plot Keywords: war, world war ii, japan, survival, female perspective, true story, biography ...
Movie Details Click Here !Storyline: Two American expats, Jack and Sam, become the targets of a Southeast Asian gang's vengeance when they unwittingly steal a drug lord's money.
Plot Keywords: action, crime, thriller, drug trade, gangster, violence, shootout ...
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