artemis0302 Reviews

Into the Mirror (2003)

Interesting at points, but leaves one feeling unsatisfied...

[5/10 · 17 January 2006]

"Into the Mirror" has an interesting and unique premise, a good story, and a few decently creepy scenes. And even though it sounds promising, you can't help but feel as if there's something missing. The first ten minutes has all the atmosphere, all the suspense, and the shock factor to make the rest of the film great. But the atmosphere, the sense of dread and suspense strangely disappears after then, and never really comes back. From then on, it sets up the mystery, and until the last twenty-five minutes, things are dull and uninvolving.

Despite the apparent terror factor that's missing, I do have to say that the film itself is well-made and has high-quality production values. The photography and imagery is nice, the Ho-sung Kim's direction is stylish and artsy, the acting is really good (with a very welcomed performance by Ji-tae Yu, as seen in "Gawi" and "Oldboy"), and the visual effects are impressive.

So, I know a lot of people love this movie, but I personally think this is, well.. a wasted opportunity. There's some interesting things here, but "Into the Mirror" left me disappointed.

My rating: 5.5/10.

Dead Friend (2004)

If you've seen a South Korean horror or two, you've seen this too.

[4/10 · 17 January 2006]

Simply put, I was amazingly disappointed. I'm a huge fan of Asian Horror, and I can watch unoriginality (I myself enjoyed "The Red Shoes" and "Phone"), but this was just poor.

The movie has a lot of elements that are very high-quality: the photography is eye-catching, the visuals are cool, the directing is inspired, the acting is pretty good, the music is easy on the ears, and the CGI is incredible. But, since this is a horror film, we are expected to be scared, which just won't happen with this film. As with most South Korean horrors, this is unoriginal almost from beginning to end: there's the trademark long-haired vengeful female ghost, ominous clumps of thick, black hair and puddles of water, and near the end, a twist that *almost*, but not quite makes sense out of the whole thing (the twist is easily one of the best qualities). And to the viewer's irritation, when the film isn't recycling (at times, so exact that it could easily be dubbed plagiarized) imagery from other movies, it's making you jump. A lot. And by jumps, I don't mean things jumping out or anything, just VERY loud noises and screeches in the soundtrack used to make the audience jump six feet in the air (there's even a few "made-you-jump" moments that are simply infuriating). And when it is not ripping-off other movies, it's boring, and hard to sit through.

And it's a shame, because "Ryeong" could have easily been really good, and it has everything to make it good, but its the annoying overuse of completely predictable loud noises and jump scares that eventually ruin the movie. A perfect example of how good it could have been: there's a moment when one of out characters is looking at a corpse, and without a sound, the corpse looks back. It's wholly predictable, but the use of silence in that scene is brilliant. And unfortunately, that's as scary as the movie got for me.

Admittedly, "Ryeong" has a few good features, and even a couple jumps that aren't as predictable, and do work. There's a very good and sad back-story used to explain the events, and the twist is pretty unpredictable. Those are the only things that separate the film from any other Asian ghost/horror film. But the problem with these is, even though they do work, they have been used before (J-Horror fans will easily realize the big reveal was inspired by "A Tale of Two Sisters"), and it takes the back-story a good fifty minutes to get going.

So in the end, "Ryong" really seems like a truly wasted opportunity. Tae-kyeong Kim hoped that the plot twist and other good features act as diversions, so the audience won't notice the huge flaws. But he failed, and well... We noticed everything.

My rating: 4/10.

The Red Shoes (2005)

An effective, beautifully executed horror film

[8/10 · 15 January 2006]

Sun-jae is a woman who leads a happy life: her daughter Tae-soo is learning ballet, her husband is kind and loving, she has a decent job, etc. That's all shattered once she finds her husband with another woman... Sun-jae splits, along with her daughter, and they move into a decrepit, old apartment complex. They try to live life normally, but their new "home" gets in the way, and the crazy old hag living around the building isn't helping much. One night, while riding the subway, Sun-jae finds a pair of red (okay, *pink*) shoes. She brings them home, but she doesn't realize that along with the shoes comes greed, obsession, murder, and a terrible curse bound to destroy Sun-jae's life.

I was immensely surprised by "The Red Shoes". The first thing I noticed was it's appearance: as with many South Korean horror films, the photography and visuals are incredibly breathtaking, and the music is equally great. The acting is also very high quality: Hye-soo Kim plays her character very well, showing how Sun-jae's mind is quickly deteriorating and becoming obsessed; Yeon-ah Park as the adorable Tae-soo is especially impressive, you can really tell she put in an amazing effort. All the other actors did a great job also.

Now to -in my opinion- the film's only flaw: it lacks originality. The scares are effective, there's a great Gothic creepy atmosphere, but it doesn't have many original scares. Haven't we seen the long-haired-ghost-with-back-problem too many times? What about the loud noises as jumps? We've seen a lot of it before, the only real originality in the scares is in the creative death scenes.

But, if you're not tired of the long-haired ghost story yet (like me), you'll love this.

My rating: 8/10.

Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi (1943)

A dark and pretty disturbing short from of all studios, Disney.

[10/10 · 2 January 2006]

Simply put, this is perhaps the most effective political-propaganda short I've seen, particularly since it was made by Disney.

There is some of the good Disney comedy in there (a hilarious retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty tale, only this time to fit the Nazi teachings; and some *clever* re-paintings of Hitler and others), but overall it's a grim and depressing short. It subtly represents the true cruelty of the Nazi, how they treated their soldiers, and especially how they made the parents raise the children who were to become soldiers. It all comes to the inevitable, and again, frightening ending.

Highly recommended if you're curious about the Wartime shorts, or as an example if you are doing a report of Political Propaganda.

My rating: 10/10.

Der Fuehrer's Face (1942)

An interesting and funny propaganda Disney short.

[10/10 · 2 January 2006]

The first time I saw screen caps of this short cartoon, I didn't know what to think. Then I saw it, and realized how clever those guys at Disney are.

I won't really give anything away (it's about Donald Duck working for the Nazis, and in true Disney style, comes to a cute ending), but you should just see it yourself. It's a superb example of how bad the Nazi soldiers were treated and overworked mixed with comedy. About finding it, you can download it off a few internet joke sites (someone of an IMDb thread for this movie posted a link from steak and cheese DOT COM), and it was recently released as part of a Disney box set of War-time shorts commemorating the WWII era. It's also available in a lot of college libraries, in a 16mm print.

My rating: 10/10 (a pretty good cartoon poking fun at the WWII political state).

Scary Hair (2005)

Dull, annoyingly ridiculous, and way too depressing

[4/10 · 29 December 2005]

I think "The Wig" simply isn't a good movie. There's are many elements that make it what it is...

First thing is the film takes itself way too seriously, while the basic concept the movie is based on is utterly ridiculous. A haunted wig? The idea is just laughable, and the movie isn't original either. Of course, like many other South Korean teen horrors, there's the signature long-haired ghost so obviously ripped from 'Ring' and 'Ju-on'. And overall, the movie isn't very scary (even though we're lead to believe it IS by the trailer): there's a lot of unnecessary gore, and some jump scares that once it's revealed what made you jump, you get mad at the movie for startling you for nothing.

The only worthwhile value I saw in this was the back story going on, and it's a very real and sad one: a woman's sister has terminal cancer, and she takes her home to live with her for the time she has left. The sister goes out everyday to take pictures of her having fun, so she can leave behind good memories... And the movie goes towards it's inevitable ending. The problem with this back story is it casts a depressing shadow over the entire film, and makes it painful to watch. And the ending is one of the saddest endings since that of "A Tale of Two Sisters".

The only redeeming elements are the acting and the music. The acting is good (but at the same time depressing), and the music is beautifully haunting (but once again sad).

If you want scares, you'd be better off with the infinitely better "The Red Shoes (Bunhongsin)". Unless you love being depressed and nothing else, avoid "Gabal" at all costs.

My rating: 4/10

Marebito (2004)

A unique and fascinating film... pretty creepy.

[8/10 · 10 December 2005]

I just got back from seeing this at the Nuart in LA, and I gotta say, this is perhaps one of the weirdest horror films I've seen in quite a while.

The plot revolves around a free-lance camera man who is apparently obsessed with fear- he tapes a man as he commits suicide, people arguing, and what creates fear. His research leads him to subterranean Tokyo, beneath the gigantic Tokyo densha station. He realizes he's in the netherworld, or in the hollow of the earth. There he encounters ghosts, learns about the DEROs (Detrimental Robots) and a young naked lady chained to a wall. He brings her to the surface world, but soon learns that was a big mistake...

I simply adored this. It was so weird- it's the type of movie that leaves room for multiple interpretations. It's truly an unsettling and creepy- the woman is, as you probably have inferred, a vampire-esquire creature. She's not very creepy, but what the cameraman does for her is.

This is definitely recommended if you can get your hands on it; it's currently playing in the US on limited release, and should be out on DVD in a few months.

My rating: A well-deserved 8/10.

Nightmare (2000)

Fans of "Phone" will like this

[6/10 · 19 November 2005]

"Gawi" (aka Nightmare/Scissors/Horror Game Movie) was Byeong-Ki Ahn's first horror film. It's a decent, if unoriginal attempt at horror, and is somewhat effective. Then again, this movie is chock-full of flaws.

First is the lack of coherent continuity. The movie confusingly switches from the past and present without warning, and has quite a few badly-placed flashback sequences. The next thing is the complete lack of originality. There is not one but TWO long-haired vengeful female ghosts, gory deaths reminiscent of every other slasher in the world, an ending clearly jacked from every other sequel-promising slasher. The last thing is how ineffective it is: yes, it is effective to a degree, but not as scary as it could have been. Having said all that, "Gawi" does have a few good twists along the way, and I must say, a fairly gripping mystery story going for it.

If you like slashers, or liked the director's later movie "Phone", this is recommended.

My rating: 6/10

Doppelganger (2003)

Utter trash...

[3/10 · 19 November 2005]

I've had never been disappointed by a Kurosawa film, but this is probably the first. "Doppelganger" is the worst I've seen from this director.

Tartan Films is advertising this as "The most frightening film yet from Kiyoshi Kurosawa". What? The most frightening film from Kurosawa is definitely "Kairo". And if you think this is horror, your in for a surprise. This can't be classified as horror, or thriller. This is a drama, and a pretty bad one at that. A lot of scenes that were meant to be shocking have turned out being funny, and a lot of the plot is really confusing. And since it's Kurosawa, the pacing is slow. But it's so slow that you'll lose interest forty minutes in, and feel like doing something else. The thing that annoyed me the most was the use of CGI. Now CGI, if used well, can be really cool. But if executed with little care... It can be a disaster. I think that describes one scene here that has a very minimal use of CGI.

The only positive thing I can give "Dopppelganger" is that it has really good acting. Koji Yakusho gives a great performance, along with the rest of the cast. But that's pretty much it...

Please, do yourself a favor, and go watch "Kairo" or "Ko-Rei" if you want to be scared. This is a bad, bad attempt at a smart drama. Which it is intelligent, but... Well, there's a lot missing.

3/10 for the good acting.

Dark Water (2005)

Not as good as the original, but still really good

[8/10 · 19 November 2005]

First off, it is necessary to say that this was originally not meant to be a horror film. I can tell from the movie and interviews with the director I've read that he did not intend this to be horror. But it's obvious that the studio pressured Salles to throw in some (very out of place) cheap jump scenes. Second thing is, despite having some very out of place jumps and a few flaws here and there, "Dark Water" is a gem.

This is a remake of the very good Japanese film "Honogurai Mizu no soko Kara" from Hideo Nakata (J-Horror fans like me worship him as a master because of "Ring(u)"). I liked this movie because instead of becoming a pointless shot-for-shot remake, it took the basics of the original story and made something new out of it. So really, it loses the point of being called a remake. Instead of becoming just another ghost story, the audience can suspect that the main character is mentally unstable. That's what I saw, and the movie made a lot more sense that way. The highest point of the movie was the acting: out a very strong cast, Jennifer Connelly's acting is excellent. Ariel Gade, who played Ceci, did a great job and will probably be successful if she continues acting.

If your looking for a scary horror story, go watch the original film. This is a beautiful, touching, and sad look at a woman who's fighting to the extreme to save her child, and will do anything.

Cure (1997)

An interesting and gripping film

[7/10 · 19 November 2005]

A wave of murders has recently hit Tokyo, each victim having a large 'X' cut deeply into their chests. The interesting this is, each culprit is a different person. The case goes to a detective named Takabe (played by the brilliant Koji Yakusho), and he must investigate. During his investigation, he finds Mamiya, a man who seemingly has no memory of his life. Takabe realizes there's something strange about Mamiya...

"Cure" was Kiyoshi Kurosawa's first major success. It's a complex and dark film about hypnosis, which is at times, pretty unsettling and chilling. This is a little different than Kurosawa's later works, but all his signature methods are here: the unsettling atmosphere, the suspense, the unusual complexity of the characters, and slow pacing. Still, if you liked any of this director's other movies, this is highly recommended.

My rating: 8/10.

Pulse (2001)

Deserves to be called one of the scariest movies ever made.

[10/10 · 19 November 2005]

A group of friends suddenly see Tokyo and the rest of the world slowly die out, and they believe it's because everyone has been look at a "Ghost site". Supposedly, the spirit world has filled up it's space, and now the dead are seeping into our world using the internet and technology.

"Kairo" (aka Pulse) is without a doubt one of the most chilling, complex, scariest movies to come out of the Asian Horror boom. The movie is only has a few tense and creepy scenes, but if you come to this film with those expectations, you'll be highly disappointed. Kairo is a mind-bender and social commentary that not only delivers those two aspects perfectly, but also some haunting imagery. Probably the scariest thing about "Kairo" is the message director Kiyoshi Kurosawa delivers. He makes the point that the advances of technology is not bringing us closer, but is instead separating us and from each other, and ultimately, depressing us and filling us with loneliness.

This is a truly stunning movie. If you liked Ring(u), Dark Water, or any of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's other movies, get a hold of this as soon as you can. I can guarantee that you won't regret it one bit.

My rating: 10/10. An utter masterpiece.

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

An absolute masterpiece-- Please avoid the upcoming US remake and watch this instead

[10/10 · 7 November 2005]

I saw this because I had been hearing a lot of great things about this, so I decided to rent this. I loved it so much, that I bought it the very next day.

The first thing the viewer will probably notice is the cinematography. It's simply beautiful- the scenery and vibrant colors are balanced just right, and you can really tell the film-makers tried hard to get the best camera angles and shots. Another thing the viewers will notice it the acting: it's outstanding throughout, with a fairly creepy performance from Jung-ah Yum and a beautifully depressing performance from Su-jeong Lim. More noticeable acting comes from Geun-yeong Mun, who also gave a very sad and beautiful performance.

A real problem that some people have with the movie (which I don't have) are the multi plot plot twists. Yes, once they are revealed, thing get very very confusing. But there's something called 're-watching', something some users here have not heard of and have simply passed this gem off as either "boring" or "confusing mess". Yes, the pacing is fairly slow, but that was intended because the director knew he had to give time to develop a plot. Another problem some people have is, at one point, you can tell this movie was clearly influenced by a few other movies (mainly the classic "Ring"). The ghost is somewhat similar to two famous Japanese ghosts, and that is evident in a certain dream sequence that takes place.

But personally, I don't have any complaints. This is a beautiful and (strangely at the same time) unnervingly terrifying film that really needs to be seen more. And like "The Ring" and "The grudge", this is sadly getting a US remake. Really, I think Hollywood has lost it's touch.

Anyways, this is an outstanding masterpiece that resonates in every aspect. Please, watch this and I promise you won't regret it.

10/10.

The Locker (2004)

Clearly a Ring-ripoff, but pretty enjoyable nonetheless

[7/10 · 21 October 2005]

Shibuya Kaidan is basically about a group of friends who use a locker that is supposedly haunted. Soon enough, weird stuff stars happening, and everyone is soon haunted by the ghost of a little girl with long (when I say that, I mean Cousing It-long) black hair. As they start getting killed off in a number of (mostly unintentionally funny) ways, it's up to the remaining friends to figure out why they are being haunted.

Probably the films biggest flaw is that there is not one shard of originality running through this. This movie not only steals a few great ideas from Ring, but also steals entire sequences from others. There's a hand-shaped protrusion coming out of a locker door, intended to scare you. The thing is, we say the same exact thing in the infinitely better 'Dark Water'. We also see the ghost girl do some creepy crawling, which was all-to-familiar to 'Ju-on'. We get hair coming out from under doors and such, visions of a creepy little girl, etc. We've seen this all before, but put together in a much more organized fashion.

That said, if you like J-Horror, you'll love this (I sure did). Yes, it's unoriginal and kind of predictable, and yes, it's evidentially not very groundbreaking. But it is really fun, and is actually somewhat chilling. There are many effective moments and the atmosphere is really eerie, however there are a few unintentionally funny moments. And even though the ghost is a Sadako/Kayako/Toshio-replication, I have to say, she is very very CREEPY. But of course, this movie has it's share of flaws. I haven't even gotten to the rest of them. First off, there isn't really any solid acting. The only performances that are really good come from the little girl who plays the ghost, Kasumi Sakon, and Asami Mizukawa. Second thing is the weak plot and solid story. There's also a few gaping plot holes, but I won't go into that just for the sake of time.

A few other good things... The music was good. Even though it was the same tune throughout the entire thing, it worked well. Another good thing is the quality of the actual video. It's of bad quality, but it somehow makes it feel more realistic. But the thing that will probably surprise you- I actually saw some meaning behind this (as in an underlying theme). There's some definite sub-text on loneliness and neglect here, but unfortunately, it's hard to spot due to all the flaws.

So in the end, I happen to really like this movie. But compared to other Japanese films such as RING and KAIRO, this is simple stuff. Still, if you like J-Horror, this is worth checking out.

Note: A DVD was recently released which contains Shibuya Kaidan, and Shibuya Kaidan 2.

My rating: 7/10.

Acacia (2003)

Very haunting and creepy Korean horror

[9/10 · 2 August 2005]

I got an advanced copy of the recently released Region 1 disc from Tartan Video, and I was curious about this... I ended up really loving it. Acacia is one of those rare tree-based horror movies, where a tree takes control of something and terrible events happen... What was special about "Acacia" was that it was not only very creepy and eerie, but it also contained some very beautiful and haunting imagery. This movie is really, very close to being perfect. Rent it and watch it open-mindedly, and you will probably like it as much as I did. And if you wanna buy it, by all means do it, because it's completely worth the money.

My rating: 9/10 (a minor flaw)

Phone (2002)

Isn't masterpiece material, but was still very good

[7/10 · 6 July 2005]

"Phone" is about a journalist named Ji-won. She recently got a lot of publicity because she was the first to report a sex scandal within a public high school. When one of the accused boys begins to stalk Ji-won, she decides to move and change her number. On her new number, she starts getting strange phone calls. And when her sister's daughter Yeong-ju answers the phone, she screams in terror. Over the next few days, Yeong-ju begins to get more psycho by the minute, and the strange phone calls continue. Has Ji-won stumbled upon a mystery too frightening to solve?

"Phone" was actually quite good, and had everything a good horror flick needs. Good scares, a great plot with a few twists thrown in, and the fast pacing keeps your attention. What this film IS majorly lacking is true originality. The plot is a fairly original idea; it's in the execution of the scares where the originality is. Haven't we all seen a creepy girl with long black hair already? What about hair coming out of a water fosset, or the internet terror? It's nothing new; we've all seen it before, which "Phone" kinda suffers from. But, if you watch this film open-minded, not caring about the originality (like I did), you'll like this movie. It just depends on how much unoriginality you can take. I liked this movie, and didn't care about the unoriginality.

This movie is recommended to see at least once. 7/10

Audition (1999)

One of the most disturbing films I have ever seen...

[10/10 · 6 July 2005]

When Aoyama's son tells him he needs to get married again, Aoyama holds an audition for women who could become bachelorettes. He gets interested in a shy twenty-four year old named Asami Yamazaki. He begins to date her, but she is really not what she seems...

This is definitely one of the most disturbing films I've ever seen. Extremely grotesque, sadistic, and only for strong stomachs (please DO NOT EAT WHILEWATCHING THIS). But what's unique about it is that it end so beautifully, and has a message to go with it. There's also a touch of realism to it. In the worst case scenario, this movie IS plausible. Also the gore actually looks real; it's not like the super cheap-pathetic CGI gore you see in zombie flicks nowadays. No CGI in this movie.

So: Highly recommended, but only for the (very) strong stomached.

My rating: 10/10

Ju-On: The Grudge 2 (2003)

Actually quite good!

[8/10 · 6 July 2005]

"Ju-on:The Grudge 2" is the sequel to the smash-hit "Ju-on:The Grudge", and is the fourth installment into the "Ju-on" series. Like it's precursor, it is told in chapters. All the chapters are somehow connected to the curse of the grudge.

Were you disappointed by "Ju-on:The Grudge"? Well, if you were (like me), you'll be surprised. This sequel was MUCH better than the original in almost every aspect. The scares were more scarier, there were more scares, tenser scenes, a LOT better acting, a much better story, and a more solid plot. I was really surprised by how good this sequel was. Ever heard of the old sequel rule? "Sequels are never as good as the originals"? Well, I' happy to say that that doesn't apply here.

So to sum it up, I really enjoyed this movie. It was a major improvement on the original film. If you're a fan of the Ju-on series, you have to watch this.

Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)

And decent horror movie...

[6/10 · 6 July 2005]

"Ju-on:The Grudge" is the third installment into the "Ju-on" series. It is yet another movie that is made up of chapters that are all connected to the curse of the grudge.

"Ju-on:The Grudge" was well... okay. It wasn't horrible by any means, but it just wasn't that good. It was heavy of tense scenes, scares (some pretty good moments in it), creativity, originality, suspense, everything a horror film should have. The problem is... Well, it just wasn't that effective for me. But that doesn't make it a bad movie. I was fun to watch, at the least, which was good. I saw the remake before the original, so I wasn't surprised by anything. This wasn't anything particularly marvelous, but it was still kinda good.

Watch it and give it a chance. 6/10.

The Eye (2002)

Really horrifying film that also has a really beautiful message

[9/10 · 6 July 2005]

Mun has been blind since the age of two, and wants to see. When she's twenty, she finally gets the chance to get a cornea transplant. But the surgery has a terrifying side effect.

"The Eye" is a new film from Hong Kong, which really went beyond my expectations. I really enjoyed this movie. It wasn't particularly a masterpiece work of psychological horror, as it had a few flaws and many jump scares, but I'm the type of person that can accept that. I really liked the long tense scenes, and the scares that payed them off. And you can't help but feel bad for the main character: Angelica Lee gives a very beautiful sad performance as Mun. Same goes for Chutcha Rujinanon (Ling). And I thought the ending was pretty much a work of art (even though it was highly depressing, it was still very beautiful and touching).

So, what else can I say? This film was great. Highly recommended, and make sure you have a tissue box handy, along with clean underwear. This is one film I doubt I will ever forget.

Séance (2000 TV Movie)

Yet another wonderful film from director Kiyoshi Kurosawa

[10/10 · 6 July 2005]

Despite clearly being a TV movie, this film is yet another amazing and film from legendary director Kiyoshi Kurosawa ("Cure", "Kairo"). The main plot revolves around Junco and Saito, who are a troubled married couple. Saito works as a sound man for TV shows, while Junco stays at home. Junco has the power of foresight, so she sometimes holds séances. When a little girl is kidnapped, Junco devises a plan that will make her famous. What she doesn't know is that if she is not careful, the plan can backfire...

Since I am a huge fan of Asian horror/suspense films, I loved this. The tension is high throughout, and the scares are purely psychological. No cheap jumps here. Instead you get some pretty horrifying scenes, that will stay with you long after you see this movie. This film also has a valuable message in the end. I know it's not for everybody, but I highly recommend this. I simply loved it.

My rating: 10/10

Dark Water (2002)

Very creepy and also really beautiful and touching

[10/10 · 6 July 2005]

Hideo Nakata has finally returned to the horror genre he re-invented with his previous hits "Ring" and "Ring 2", to bring his newest masterpiece "Dark Water". The movie is an adaption of the book by Koji Suzuki (of "Ring" fame). Yoshimi Matsubara is in a custody dispute with her husband/a divorce, and she needs to find a place to live with her daughter Ikuko. They find an old decrepit (and very atmospheric) apartment, and since they can't afford anything better, decide to move in. Soon after, water starts dripping from the ceiling, and her daughter begins to act strangely. Yoshimi will soon discover the tragic mystery behind the water...

This film was just awesome. It's the only film I've ever seen that can actually be compared to the legendary "Ring", and not fail in the process. It's high on atmosphere, suspense, and complexity, but at the same time very beautiful and sad. If you liked "Ring", you will love this film.

My rating: 10/10

Ring 0: Birthday (2000)

A bit B-list at times, but still worth watching

[7/10 · 6 July 2005]

The mystery of the cursed video is finally revealed in this prequel to the international box-office success "Ring". The story revolves around the last days in life of Sadako Yamamura. Sadako begins to fulfill her life-long dream of becoming an actress by joining a small acting group in Tokyo. Soon, members of the group begin to suddenly die...

This film, unlike the other films in the trilogy, is actually more of a touching romance drama with some horror elements thrown in. I wanted more horror since I was quite horrified by the other films in the series, but was a bit disappointed. What I DID get, however, was a pretty clever romance mystery with a solid story, and an amazing performance by Yukie Nakama. In a few ways, this prequel was better than the sequel "Ring 2" (e.g.plot, acting). But I was pretty much expecting horror, which is why I was kinda let down. But this is still a good movie, and is worth watching.

My rating: 7/10

Ring 2 (1999)

Good sequel to one of the scariest films I've ever seen.

[9/10 · 30 April 2005]

This sequel is very well done. There are a few scenes that are a bit choppy because the movie mixes science and horror, but some of the other scenes are just so disturbing and effective, they make up for the mad-science scenes. The acting is once again of good quality. If you liked Ring, Ring 2 is a must-see. Also recommended is the prequel, Ring 0. But before you watch it, purge yourself of all scary expectations.

P.S.: My (completely re-designed and re-edited) Asian Cinema website can be found at: www. Free Webs(all one word).com/ Kayak-o-fan(also all one word with no dashes. My full review of Ring 2 can be found there, along with others. I update often.

Ringu (1998)

One of the greatest and scariest horror films ever made.

[10/10 · 30 April 2005]

When Reiko Asakawa's niece dies, she goes to the funeral and thinks it's just another death. But when she learns three other teens died on the same night and at the same time, and that they all watched a "cursed video" a week earlier, she realizes that there is a mystery behind it all...

This is the premise for Hideo Nakata's masterpiece of modern psychological horror, Ring (a.k.a.Ringu). This film shattered box office records all across Asia, and by 2002, had spawned three sequels and been remade twice. Everything about this film is wonderful: the creepy atmosphere, the tension building, the acting performances, the idea... And the payoff sequence will leave you in total fear of your television. It will also make you craving for more. The movie is a great achievement within itself, proving you don't need gallons and gallons of fake blood to make a horrifying film. The story really crawls under you skin, and sticks with you. Ring is, in my opinion, one of the scariest films I have ever seen. Watch this, and you won't regret it. 10 out of 10.

P.S.: Ring is available with English subs from company called Tartan Video, but if you live in the US (I do, but I have the Tartan disc), Dreamworks released it on DVD. And if you like this film, also see the director Hideo Nakata's other film, Dark Water. This is the only movie I have seen that actually can be compared to Ring.