Blog Archives

Kiki’s Delivery Service (2014)

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Posted on October 20, 2014 by Deni

We’ve probably had this conversation before — the pros and cons of the Live Action Film. When they’re done well, they enhance the source and become another aspect of effective cross-stream marketing that people are happy to pay to see. They win new fans and invigorate the existing ones. But let’s not kid ourselves thinking that any company sinks millions of dollars (or yen in this case) into a film better known in anime or manga out of their sense … (read more)

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Reincarnation (2005)

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Posted on February 24, 2008 by Eugene

Ah, The Ring. The film that drew our collective attention to Japanese horror after being desensitised by rivers of blood and latex gore. It took a slow moving, internalised film to really bring back that sense of dread that made you sleep just that little less soundly than before. And we were hardly disappointed — soon what followed were films like Ring 2, Dark Water and The Grudge (though admittedly I wasn’t that big a fan of that … (read more)

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Tomie 3: Rebirth (2001)

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Posted on August 26, 2007 by Alison

Well, there’s a thing: a Tomie movie with a plot! And I have to say it’s not at all bad, despite being made on a budget that would make a grown director weep.

Perhaps some of this giddy enthusiasm comes from having sat through the interminable Tomie 2. Sheer relief at not being faced with another whey-face, smirking teen queen may have led me to see this one as better than it is. Or perhaps it’s because some of … (read more)

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The Grudge (Ju-On) (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Eugene

There was, from our Western eyes, a Renaissance in horror coming out of Japan. Awareness about the Ring series had come to light and Dark Water was a worthy successor. As such, there was a level of expectation from The Grudge which, in hindsight, was somewhat undeserved. If anything, it just goes to show that the Japanese horror industry is just as fallible as their international brethren.

I suppose part of the disappointment with the film is in part to … (read more)

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The Grudge 2 (2003)

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Posted on October 29, 2005 by Alison

It’s said that misery loves company: so, apparently, do dead people. There’s no other reason I can think of for their burning desire to kill off as many bystanders as possible, with a plethora of dramatic effects.

I can imagine it’s not a bundle of laughs hanging around in the afterworld when you can’t stand up, there’s no alcohol, and you’re dressed for all eternity in your shift. And while I can share the selfish notion that if I’m miserable, … (read more)

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