David Carter’s little book on Asian cinema is actually a handy reference guide that glosses over a fair amount of history while providing readers with what is essentially a huge checklist of important directors and films across the major Asian markets of mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and North and South Korea. The Korean sections in general are lengthy and detailed, taking up a good half of the book.

Unfortunately, I found that the Chinese sections alone are missing a number of important contemporary films and directors. Most of the ones given in the book are major ones taken from other books like Jeff Yang’s Once Upon a Time in China. The Japanese section is the same. I’m guessing, given that Carter teaches in Seoul and the book’s emphasis on Korean cinema, spent more time focusing on what he knew rather than seeking to construct a complete guide to Asian cinema.

Don’t let that deter you though, especially if you’re into Asian cinema. The checklist, while lacking, is still a great place to start if you need to know important names and films. Just don’t expect to find too much information on them in Carter’s book.