Tag: Asian Horror
I have spent a significant amount of my tenure with Grimoire of Horror reviewing the latest films of Takashi Shimizu—the man responsible for the sensational Ju-On film series—and although none of his newer films have affected me as much as his earlier work (Ju-On: The Curse (2000) and Marebito (2004) specifically come to mind), I
Neu Mirrors is a 2024 Japanese short horror film written and directed by Keishi Kondo. The film is a direct sequel to Keishi’s 2022 feature-length horror drama New Religion (2022), picking up moments after its explosive conclusion. There remain stories yet to be told after New Religion. It begins with Mizuki waking up in a
Filmmaker Koji Shiraishi has garnered quite a cult following over the years due to his continuous efforts within the horror world. Titles like Noroi: The Curse (2005) and Carved (2007) are relatively known amongst seasoned J-horror fans, but Shiraishi-san hasn’t managed to gain the attention that I believe he deserves. It pains me that a
While anthologies can be slightly hit or miss at times, Rampo Noir (2005) seems determined to set itself apart. A lush and stylistic horror film with challenging eroticisms and unhinged humor, it presents four powerful segments from four directors with distinct cinematic styles, showcasing how Edogawa Ranpo’s masterful literature continues to inspire modern filmmakers. The
No one is prepared for the sixth installment of the Senritsu Kaiki films. Koji Shiraishi, a consistently ambitious director, has made the found footage genre his playground, and we’re fortunate he has carved his niche in this horror category. Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 06: The Most Terrifying Movie in History! deliciously serves up ghosts,
Picking up after the vile incident of the fourth Senritsu Kaiki File, Kudo assembles his team once again to film paranormal activities and to… discover isekai? Yes, you heard that right. That’s just one of the surprises Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 05: True Story of the Ghost of Yotsuya has in store. Koji Shiraishi,
If you ask a Western horror fan, they can probably tell you exactly when they first heard about Hideo Nakata’s cult classic Ringu (1998). Whether it was due to the release of Gore Verbinski’s remake in 2002 or because a rundown copy of the original was passed along between friends, at some point almost all
Leon Tolstoy once wrote, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” While tragic, this notion works wonders in the horror and thriller genre. In fiction, the messier the family, the better the movie. It might not always succeed, but it certainly does in Toshikazu Nagae’s film Saiko! The
Dead Sushi is a 2012 Japanese splatter horror comedy film, written and directed by Noboru Iguchi, with additional writing from Makiko Iguchi and Jun Tsugita. Known for his over-the-top implementation of gore, comedy, and all-round silliness, Iguchi is known as the director behind such classics as The Machine Girl (2008), Robo-Geisha (2009), and Hentai Samurai
The fact that both Hideo Nakata (Ringu, Dark Water) and Takashi Shimizu (Ju-On, Reincarnation) have been consistently releasing new horror films as of late is astonishingly overlooked. At the same time, one can argue that the not-so-favorable critical reception for these films is the reason why they’re not gaining the traction that their predecessors once