you NEED to watch it now. definately one of my top ghibli's along with laputa, nausica, princess monoke, totoro and kiki
have you seen SPL aka killzone? I know its a modern and not old school one but when I first watched iron monkey, I enjoyed it but felt it was overshadowed by "fong sai yuk" (Jet li) - that film (and sequel) was probably my favourite 90's martial arts film - and possibly tai chi master (also Jet Li) If you havent, I highly recommend them
Oh I've seen all those films you mention and absolutely love all of them. Iron Monkey just had the perfect balance of martial arts, story, and humour and I just love love old China setting which is why its my fav Donnie Yen film. I think Tai Chi Master plus Drunken Master 2 are my personal favourites but that can change depending on which film I revisit. Donnie Yens later movies are pretty awesome too and seems to exude even more power in his presence as he ages, his choreography is incredible and those signature triple kicks makes my jaw drop every time.
Most of these older films I actually watched at the cinema back in the 80s/90s. There were 3 cinemas in London (Prince Charles, Empire, and The Scala) that used to show Hong Kong films, double bills, and all nighters every week and I would go to most of them. Sometimes the National Film Theatre at South Bank would have a season of Hong Kong movies too and I would see some of the films there too. The atmosphere at the first 3 cinemas I mentioned would be electric, full of fans who (including myself) would have already seen the film on vhs, cheering/clapping at the end of every good fight sequence, especially at the Scala, audience had a code, for instance when Chow Yun Fat makes a mean face, we shout "FACE!"...I know weird but fun! National Film Theatre was different, the audience more serious film/World Cinema enthusiasts but occasionally, they get blown over by a martial arts sequence and spontaneously applaud then I can detect them wondering what they did they just do, muttering at their own unnatural behaviour, lol.
My favourite Ghibli was Spirited Away followed by Whisper of the Heart and I think I will add this Only Yesterday to my top 3. Spirited, I saw when it was released in the cinemas, it introduced the rest of the world including myself to Ghibli's studios and thanks to Lassiter, the whole backlog slowly became available. I bought every single one, many from America. But my Fireflies disc was unreadable and I never bothered to buy another. But I shall do soon and complete my Ghibli consumption! :smashing:
There is also a made for TV Ghibli film that I am still yet to see which is called Ocean Waves, I think I will like that one, as much as I love their surreal fantasy films, I think I love their more down to earth human drama films even more.