OUR RECENT trip to Hong Kong gave us very limited time to indulge in the sumptuous cinematic treats that the former British colony had to offer, not the least of which were the entries to the 33rd Hong Kong International Film Festival, including Abbas Kiarostami’s “Shirin,” which features Juliette Binoche with 114 Iranian film and theater actresses and Pablo Larrain’s “Tony Manero,” about a Chilean serial killer obsessed with John Travolta’s character in “Saturday Night Fever.”

Tight schedule

But, the diverse movies on view at Hong Kong’s cineplexes were nothing to scoff at, either. We mastered the art of speedy commuting and time management to squeeze them into our tight schedule—including a 12:15 a.m. screening of Yojiro Takita’s “Departures,” which pulled an upset at this year’s Oscars when it bested Ari Folman’s Golden Globe-winning “Waltz With Bashir,” and Laurent Cantet’s Cannes-acclaimed “The Class” for the Best Foreign Language Film trophy.

In “Waltz With Bashir,” Folman, a veteran of Israel’s 1982 invasion of West Beirut in southern Lebanon, seeks out fellow former soldiers to help him recall a dark episode of his life in the military—which he seems to have blocked out of his memory! As shocking memories unravel, Ari comes to grips with the horror of having witnessed the massacre of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese civilians in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila at the hands of the Phalangist militiamen.

Like Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis,” Folman’s film is topically disturbing, but “Bashir’s” animation is further boosted by a more sophisticated comic book-like polish that employs visually succulent earth tones and seminal dark hues to give the movie its contemplative, noirish look. If you watch this animated feature expecting to get a dose of Disney, Pixar or DreamWorks’ overtly optimistic view of life, you’re in for a big surprise.

Another pleasant surprise is the unconventional drama, “Tokyo Sonata,” from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who’s best-known for his stylish psychological thrillers (“Kairo,” “Pulse”). Kurosawa, one of our favorite contemporary Japanese filmmakers (along with the prodigious Takeshi Kitano), dabbles in drama for a change.

Adjudged Best Picture at last month’s Asian Film Awards, Kurosawa’s Cannes-winning drama examines an ordinary family that succumbs to the pressures of the global economic meltdown: After getting fired from his job, autocratic father, Ryuhei Sasaki (Teruyuki Kagawa), withholds the information from his family. He still leaves the house everyday to “report for work.” His wife, Megumi (Kyoko Koizumi), soon finds out about it—but says nothing. Then, we watch as repression and alienation further complicate Ryuhei’s secrets and lies.

Long-lost lover

In Baoping Cao’s “The Equation of Love and Death,” Zhou Xun is compelling as Li-Mi, a tough taxi driver who longs for the return of her fiancé, Fang Wen (Deng Chao), who went missing after her parents broke off their engagement four years ago. Li-Mi is unable to move on because her long-lost lover continues to send her love letters—without a returning address! Baoping’s quirky rom-com is flawed and occasionally pretentious, but its biggest come-on is Zhou’s gutsy portrayal of the movie’s love-struck protagonist.

In the lushly photographed “Departures,” the bad economy is also responsible for bringing chaos to the charmed life of cellist Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki). When the Tokyo orchestra he performs in closes down unexpectedly, he is forced to take an odd job he doesn’t tell his wife (Ryoko Hirosue) about—as an “encoffineer,” a “specialized” mortician who performs the delicate Japanese ritual of preparing the dead for their departure to the next life.

As an actor, Motoki doesn’t rely on emotional blackmail to convey dramatic power. The 43-year-old heartthrob proves that showy histrionics are no match for a thoughtful and intelligent portrayal by a charismatic performer. (Interestingly, Motoki and Zhou were declared Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively, at this year’s Asian Film Awards, where Gina Pareño won in the supporting actress category for her performance in Brillante Mendoza’s “Serbis.”)

“Departures” may not have the flashy theatrics of many dramatic features, but its understated and soulful examination of life—and death—will linger in viewers’ hearts and minds long after they have left the theater.