Tomie Replay

After a strange emergency surgery, all of the doctors and nurses on the case begin to disappear. Hospital Director Morita is one of the missing, and his daughter Yumi is determined to find out what happened. Her only clue is her father's research journal, where the words "monster" and "Tomie" appear with increasing frequency, and the last entries are written in blood… Will Yumi solve the mystery of Tomie before the situation at the hospital gets any worse?

Tomie Replay (2000)
Dir. Tomijiro Mitsuishi
Starring: Sayaka Yamaguchi, Yôsuke Kubozuka, Mai Hosho
95 min
© 2000 Kadokawa Pictures/Toie Video
Review:
"Replay" takes the Tomie series back to the suspense genre. There are some nice thrills (if you can call thrills "nice"), especially as Yumi begins to investigate what has been going on in the hospital basement. It's the best Tomie film I've seen so far.

Check it out at Crunchy Roll!

-rebecca

THE SCISSORS MASSACRE (2008)

Three sisters grow up on a chicken farm in a small town in Gifu. The oldest sister, Sachiko Sawada, is engaged to be married, the middle sister, Yukie works at a beauty salon and the youngest, Mayumi, is on the track team in high school.

Their happy, carefree lives are changed forever when Sachiko's ex-boyfirend Suzuki commits an atrocious crime with Mayumi as the tragic victim. Half-crazed and bent on revenge against the Sawada family, Suzuki mistakes Mayumi for Sachiko and pours acid all over her face.
Overwhelmed by physical and psychological trauma, Mayumi sinks deeper into depression and isolation, unresponsive to her sisters' encouragement...

Meanwhile, chilling news of a serial murderer, who preys on the alumni of Mayumi's high school, sends shockwaves through their small town...

Director: Kohtaro Terauchi
Starring: Rin Asuka, Yukie Kawamura, Mayuko Iwasa
2008/Color/98 min/Vista/DST Stereo
© 2008 “Kuchisake Onna 2” Film Partners

GAMERA

©1965 Kadokawa Pictures Inc.

Tomie Another Face

The second film in the Tomie franchise explores Tomie's nature in three vignettes. A demon who is continually reborn, Tomie manipulates men and provokes murder. The first story shows her as a high school student whose hold on her boyfriend is threatened when he reunites with his old crush. The second tells the story of a photographer obsessed with the memory of a woman he saw in his youth… Tomie. In the third story, Tomie's fiancé meets a coroner who knows the dark secrets of her past.

Tomie Another Face (1999)
Director: Toshiro Inomata
Starring: Runa Nagai
72 min
© 2000 Junji Ito/ The Asahi Shinbun Company/ Kansai Telecasting/Kadokawa Pictures

Review:
While the original Tomie is played as a thriller, the second film in the series assumes you know Tomie's back-story—she's a regenerative demon that all men find alluring. This film focuses on Tomie's personality, but it brings up just as many questions as it answers. Tomie is shown to be jealous, vindictive, and bloodthirsty, but her demon nature—what exactly she is and why she's this way—isn't as clear-cut and gives the viewer a lot to think about.

Check it out at Crunchy Roll!

--rebecca

Itadakimasu! (Greek Food))

JAPANESE HORROR ANTHOLOGY: LEGENDS (2005)

Title: Japanese Horror Anthology: Legends
Alternate Title: Inagawa Junji no Shinjitsu no Horro

© 2002-2003 KADOKAWA HORROR CINEMA SERIES Film Partners

Summary:

Peony Lamp: A Japanese maverick samurai, Shinzaburo, receives a surprise night-time visit of his former lover, Tsuyu, who is supposed to have died of a disease.
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Review:
A gorgeous-looking history piece, this one was just as much a forbidden-love story as it was a horror story and gives a nice sentimentality for those who love romance to savor. For those of you who don’t love romance, relax, the scary stuff is on its way. The relationship between Tsuyu and Shinzaburo seems so deep that it is impossible to wish for them not to be together, even though it quickly becomes clear that the romance is literally impossible. Still, I could have smacked that idiotic Banzo for saying such horrible things about Tsuyu-dono! This was a touching and beautifully structured ghost tale that leaves you justly shaken, but somehow still believing that love triumphed…probably.
- Latoya

She-Bear: Schoolgirls Mima and Rika saw a poster in a tunnel that warns, "If you see a woman with a teddy-bear doll you should run for your life." Mami feels something disturbing, but Rika dismisses it as just another hoax.

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Review:
She-Bear is one of the most utterly terrifying Japanese horrors I’ve seen in a while. Its scare factor is similar to that of the Ring or the Grudge—the two-punch combo of killer audio and a creepy, sub-human monster appearing out of nowhere—I literally jumped at certain parts. The plot revolved around an urban legend: “If you see She-Bear, you should run” and the terrors that befall two friends who don’t heed the warning. Overall, this will leave you huddled in your chair with your hands over your futilely gasping mouth as your eyes pivot upon the screen, unable to do anything but watch in fear and condemnation of the fact that neither of these girls can runaway properly.
-Latoya

Yamamba: Magazine writers are sent out to an outback village to report on anecdote of old mountain hag. They get suspicious as every villager appears to be trying to hide something. They get the answer as a local bonze tells an age-old story.
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Review:
After She-Bear, this movie again affirmed my belief that an important factor of a horror heroine (or female victim?) is to have absolutely no knack for fleeing. But that’s besides the point. Yamamba opens with a very safe-feeling introduction to the leads, a newly married photographer and his partner, an enthusiastic rookie reporter, driving towards the mountain home of the legendary deity or devil, Yamamba. The pair is actually very endearing even in their short introduction which makes the horrific progression of this movie all the more terrible: you get to know them just well enough to like them a lot and then…
-Latoya

Nurarihyon: A boy happens to see a specter known as "Nurarihyon" sneaking into his house to cause mischief. The boy tries to be good to the specter, but only gets the cold shoulder. But, at one night, when he is almost attacked by burglars, he learns good intentions are to pay off.

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Review:
First off, this is not horror. It is however one of the most endearing/funny/other adjectives to convey greatness movies I’ve seen! What made this stunning was the characters, whose vibrant personalities really hold your interest.The friendship between Shinnosuke and Nurarihyon is so sweet that you forget that a ghost is something that might even be considered terrifying. The little boy is also the most adorable thing in the world. As for Oishi, her bubbly, bumbling character made me laugh every time she appeared on the screen. Though a little bit out of place with the horror genres, it’s definitely a work you’ll enjoy—and it will give those of you who are easily spooked a moment to catch your breath.
-Latoya

Heartbroken Trip: After Chiharu's boyfriend walks out on her, the kind-hearted Yoshiko plans to cheer her up on a trip to a hot springs resort. Arriving at the inn ahead of Yoshiko, Chiharu couldn't possibly know what awaits.
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Review:
Though a ghost story, this one is less a scary movie than plain and simple entertainment. Also, it has a nice narrative on friendship bonds and the idea of those you can rely on verses those who will abandon you (ie, Chiharu’s charming text-message-break-up boyfriend!). A cute story with enough ghost presence to give you the mandatory chill.
-Latoya

Lost Souls: A couple is enjoying late night snacks at a lake-side restaurant after a day's drive. Things are just fine until a family of four comes inside. The cook tells the couple never to look at the family because...

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Review: Horror lovers rejoice! The last of the anthology definitely brings back the scary with full force. This movie really stood out to me because of its very unique score--a very contemporary blend of jazz and hiphop opens. The story all unfolds in a very isolated area though car travel is a major element. As a ghost story, it is also convincingly orchestrated.

Here for a brief moment I will mention the odd narrator who opens each of these short movies. Truly, his presence within these films makes me think of such other narrated collections as the Twilight Zone. His words in this movie though are particularly cutting since it is the sort of thing most people do. So I will say DO NOT GO WATCH THIS LINK I AM PUTTING HERE FOR YOU, and patiently watch as instinct drives you to defy me *grin*. temptation

SHADOW OF THE WRAITH (2001)

Shadow of the Wraith gives the stories of two brothrts, Ryoji and Kazuhiko, who are embroiled in paranormal mysteries. At first, Ryoji thinks that the obsessive Asaji is just a little over the top in her pursuit of him. Professing her love, she begins to stalk Ryoji, as well as his girlfriend Mariko; they feel her presence wherever they turn. When people close to Ryoji begin to die mysteriously, he has reason to suspect Asaji, but he has nowhere to turn for help or escape. Ryoji's brother, meanwhile, has become involved with a young girl, Naoko, whose new condominium has a history of horrible accidents. As Naoko begins to experience ever-stranger phenomena, she must come to terms with what lurks in the closet.

Title: Shadow of the Wraith
Alternate Title: Ikisudama
Dir: Toshiharu Ikeda

© 2001 Kadokawa Pictures, Inc. and Toei Video Co., Ltd

 

Review
One of the most striking aspects of this anthology-type movie, I think, is its score. With Koji & Yuichi Matsuo of the J-Pop group “Doggy Bag” as the leading roles, its certainly no surprise that the movie is filled to an almost questionable degree with pop-beats. As far as the plot goes, the story is captivating and honestly chilling, but the switch between part A (Ryoji’s troubles with the telekinetic psycho who has fallen in love with him) to part B (Kazuhiko and his new girlfriend’s combat with a malicious haunt) is so rapid that it leaves the viewer feeling a little bit deprived. Overall, this was nightmare worthy and a definite watch for the horror savvy —though the cliff hangers are straight vertical plummets.
-Latoya

See this NOW on CRUNCHYROLL!: Shadow of a Wraith

Itadakimasu! (Japanese food)