A Summer's at Grandpa's
One of my favourite of Hou's films, it's a simple and bittersweet story about two kids (brother and sister) and their summer in their grandpa's house, in the country, far from the city.

A Time to Live and a Time to Die
The first "acclaimed" masterpiece of Hou Hsiao-Hsien, this is a strongly autobiographical account of the lives of Chinese migrants in Taipei in the 40's. Episodic and detached, it focuses on the generation gap on a family of said migrants.

Dust in the Wind
Also one of my favorites by Hou, it's again a story about migration, and culture shock. Wan and his girlfriend move from the tiny village where they live to Taipei, to find better jobs, but soon feel the strains of the new world they discover.

The Puppetmaster
This is a film about the childhood and early adulthood of Taiwanese Puppet Master Li Tien-Lu. Strongly reflexive, and interspersed with footage from his puppet and stage presentations, this is a very layered movie, reflecting such themes as immigration, art, and life.

Good Men Good Woman
A serious reflection on life and its turmoils, this is also a very interesting film, and one where Hou's style is at its most distinctive.

Goodbye South, Goodbye
A film centered around the underclass of Taiwan, it tells the story of a group of friends, who are more or less gangsters, and more or less shady businessman, and their troubles and tribulations.

Flowers of Shangai
Set in the nineteenth century Shanghai Brothels (the Flower Houses), this is a very beautiful film about love, servitude, and the correlations of power between those who live and serve and those who "attend" the houses.