Anonymous asked: I probably asked a similar question before, but has there been any good Japanese horror movies that came out within the past ten years? I know there hasn't been any, but I assume that there has to be at least one good J-horror movie. I mean, I live in the US, so I can tell you that a lot of our horror movies are clichéd, derivative bullshit, but once in a while, we release something that is actually good.
Things aren’t great, but I think it’d be an overstatement for me to say the past ten years have been a complete write-off. There is a lot of good still in there.
8 Japanese Horror Films from the Past Ten Years Worth Watching
I Am A Hero
Even if you’re tired of zombie movies, I still can’t recommend I Am A Hero enough. Arguably the most entertaining film in the genre since Shaun of the Dead, it also manages to be one of the rare modern horror manga adaptations that doesn’t stink. It doesn’t cram 10 volumes in to one film, the characters act like people and not anime clichés, I could go on.
Himeanole
Ok, so I lied, there is another manga adaptation far ahead of the pack and it’s this. I’ve never read the source material, so don’t know how it compared, but this is one of my favourite films in recent years. Himeanole is a genre mash up that begins as a quirky indie comedy before everything comes crashing down, turning the film in to Angst, the original Maniac or I Saw The Devil. It’s grim basically.
Lesson of the Evil
As with Himeanole, Lesson of the Evil is a film that begins as one thing before taking a nasty turn. Not that Lesson of the Evil is ever a comedy. It’s certainly a horror film throughout, but what begins as Tom and Jerryesque depictions of murder are soon abandoned for real-life methods. Probably a lot harder to watch now than it was even 5 years ago. Miike’s last truly great movie.
Over Your Dead Body
Not a brilliant film, honestly, but certainly a good one. With Over Your Dead Body Miike attempts to tell two versions of Yotsuya Kaidan within one movie. One as a faithful stage rendition, and the other the out in the real world as the narrative bleeds in to the performer’s lives. Feels almost like a film essay, in that it’s structural tricks overstay their welcome, but it does have plenty of good moments, and the way Miike films the stage play is fantastic.
Ghost Theater
Another film set in a theatre. Certainly not for all tastes as the film is intentionally well… theatrical in an almost schlocky manner, but if you want a fun horror film it’s well worth watching. Very reminiscent of Mario Bava’s 1960s movies and pretty stunning to look at. Again, has almost the same plot as Over Your Dead Body, only replacing Yotsuya Kaidan with Elizabeth Bathory.
Tag
Love it. Feels almost without dialogue… which it isn’t, but is a testament to Sion Sono’s direction. Saying too much will ruin it, but it felt like a great commentary on more than a few tropes I’m tired of.
Sadako vs. Kayako
Not only is the film better than it has any right to be, it’s inarguably better than the bulk of the films that make up both parent franchises. Koji Shiraishi has a better cinematic eye than you tend to see in Japanese horror films recently, and it’s used to great effect here. Not so much a vs movie as one short Ring movie and one short Juon film running simultaneously, Sadako vs. Kayako trims all the fat from both narratives and makes a fun popcorn horror film out of them.
Helter Skelter
Sure, this is a borderline case, but Helter Skelter is one of the best recent examples of body horror in recent years. The big caveat being that there actually isn’t any physical body horror, though the character sets around her own Cronenbergian narrative as if she actually were decaying. Mike Ninagawa has such an incredible style, it’s a shame we haven’t seen more from her.
la-lune-noire735 asked: Hey Craig :)! I just got the Shudder application for my TV. I remember you mentioning it a couple of months back. Do you have any movie recommendations? They don't have to be Japanese or even horror (they can be thriller,psychological etc.). I noticed some Giallo films too (which I know you like as well). Let me know :).
Maybe the best example of southern gothic horror by Jack Hill, the man who would go on to direct two of my favourite movies, Coffy and Foxy Brown. Updates the 20s-30s old dark house style plot for the 60s. It’s one of the most unique horror films I can think of.
Rigor Mortis
I know this has become my go-to recommendation, but it really is something people need to see. While it works that much better if you’ve seen the Mr Vampire series it still works incredibly well in its own right. Jiangshi are almost exclusively found in comedy horror films, so it’s great to see a film that takes them a little more seriously.
Return of the Evil Dead
My favourite of the Blind Dead series. This second entry does away with the slow, creepy pace of the first film and goes all in on creating a really entertaining siege film ala, Night of the Living Dead.
Turkey Shoot
Battle Royale before Battle Royale, Turkey Shoot loosely adapts The Most Dangerous game in typical 80s Aussie cinema fashion. Set in a dystopian future where the rich pay to hunt and kill social deviants with all the energy of Mad Max. It’s equally as grim as it is silly. Also, one of the hunters has a werewolf man as a pet.
Black Christmas
The original North American slasher film, and still my favourite. It might not be the right time of year to watch it, but Black Christmas is so much more than just a Christmas horror film.
The Evil Eye (The Girl Who Knew Too Much)
Not a horror film, but if you’re looking to get into giallo movies it’s a good idea to start with the first! More a parody of crime novels than the meaner edged psycho-thrillers that would come later, The Girl Who Knew Too Much follows an American girl in Italy who is actually quite excited to be caught up in a murder mystery. It’s worth watching for the style alone.
A Tale of Two Sisters
Probably a movie anyone following this blog has seen already, but if you haven’t it’s a definite recommendation and still my favourite Korean horror film. It also has maybe the best horror soundtrack since…
Tetsuo: The Iron Man
Again, another film followers of this blog have likely already seen, but an essential movie nonetheless. It’s up there with Evil Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre as far as brilliant independent horror films go.
City of the Living Dead
A few years ago I would have recommended The Beyond over this, but as I get older I find this to be maybe the best of Fulci’s 1980s output. Incredibly loose in terms of plotting, and defines dream logic every bit as much as Argento’s Inferno it’s a great atmospheric watch if you’re looking for style. While it is insanely violent, it isn’t guilty of lingering as long as some of Fulci’s other films from the period, which does wonders for its pacing.
Don’t Look Up
Not the best Japanese horror film ever, but as Hideo Nakata’s first feature-length horror film it’s an interesting part of Japanese horror history. Doesn’t quite come together, but has the same style Nakata would go on to use in Ring. At only 70 minutes it’s a really brisk watch.
Some Honourable Mentions:
Baba Yaga, Frightmare, Inferno, I
Saw The Devil, High Tension, Pieces, Black Sabbath, Angst, Nosferatu, Belladonna of Sadness, Zombie
Holocaust.
