“A failed re-imagining of a classic horror-story.”
Nov 15, 2023 • Subscribe
More like this
Sadako DX
Oji (Kazuma Kawamura) and Ayaka (Fuka Koshiba) attempt to solve a familiar mystery in Sadako DX. Despite being a phenomenon in Japan and around the world for more…
Sadako-san and Sadako-chan Review
Sadako-san and Sadako-chan is a comedy manga starring the ghost from the popular horror franchise, The Ring, and a little girl she intended to curse, but winds up…
Sadako-san and Sadako-chan Review
Even if you know of the Ringu franchise by osmosis, you'll have a great time with the video making adventures of Sadako-san and Sadako-chan.
Samurai Warriors 4 DX Game Review
These games front-load the fun and give the player a type of spectacle and power fantasy that can only really be found within this series.
Sadako at the End of the World Review
TheOASG reviews Sadako at the End of the World, where this famous ghost is back, but in a decimated world with two seemingly sweet girls.
Manga Review: Sadako at the End of the World
Sadako at the End of the World is a new, one volume manga series from Yen Press. You might recognize the name of the titular character—yes, it’s Sadako,…
Pick of the Week: Summer of Sadako
ASH: One interesting trend of late has been the release of manga inspired by the Ring franchise. Granted, there have been new film installments produced relatively recently, so…
Spiraken Manga Review Ep 402: Sadako At The End Of The World
In this oddly slice of life episode, Xan reviews a manga that puts a famous horror character into the post apocalypse with two child sidekicks. Is it fun…
Yamabuki (2022) review [IFFR 2022]
“A beautiful socially-engaged narrative that explores the very fact that, by being grasped within the societal network of relations, one cannot but influence the other and become influenced…
Spiraken Manga Review Ep 119: Deadman Wonderland & Girl Saurus DX (or Sentenced To Death...By Girl)
In the one hundred and nineteenth Episode of the Spiraken Manga Review, Kal reviews the Sequel to a Harem comedy manga reviewed in ep 18, Girl Saurus DX…
Noise (2022) review
A highly satisfying experience that delivers suspense as well as good dose of touching emotionality.
Wandering (2022) review
With his poetic sensitivity, Sang-il Lee delivers a rich tapestry of genuine emotionality and a powerful affirmation of the fact that the affirmation of the subject lies beyond…
Tsuyukusa (2022) review
A narrative of subtle affection carried by the layered performances of the cast.
Review: Hero (2022)
Hero 世间有她 China/Hong Kong, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 115 mins. Directors: Li Shaohong 李少红 (I), Chen Chong 陈冲 [Joan Chen] (II), Zhang Aijia 张艾嘉 [Sylvia Chang] (III). Rating: 6/10.…
Ribbon (2022) review
Non, in short, proves with her first feature film that she has a future as screenwriter and director.
2022 in Review
2022 winds down as catastrophically as most other recent years. The war in Ukraine grinds on. A "tripledemic" rages in the US. Covid has ret...
Rageaholic (2022) review
“A great dystopian narrative that clearly gives expression the director’s fear of certain right-wing tendencies that linger within Japanese society.”
Usogui (2022) review
‘Usogui’ got 99 problems, but the manga-like appearances of the characters ain’t one.
Review: Summer (2022)
Summer 野夏天 China/Taiwan, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 113 mins. Director: Su Zhexian 苏哲贤. Rating: 4/10. Taiwan singer Chen Jiahua is overshadowed by Mainland character actor Geng Le in a…
XXXholic (2022) review
“An exquisite visual experience that is sadly held back by its unfitting manga-like moments.”
Parallel (2022) review
A fabulous narrative that does not only delivers a thrilling slasher-like experience, but offers a touching romance between two people that are, in their own particular way, deeply…
Onpaku (2022) review
While Fujii does not re-invent the J-horror genre with Onpaku, he does prove the horror-frame can still be exploited to deliver satisfying horror narratives.
Missing (2022) review
Shinzo Katayama delivers one of the most satisfying drama-thrillers this year.
Review: Snipers (2022)
Snipers 狙击手 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 95 mins. Directors: Zhang Yimou 张艺谋, Zhang Mo 张末. Rating: 6/10. Gripping action/psychodrama, as Chinese and US snipers face off in a…
Straying (2022) review [Camera Japan 2022]
A pleasant and charming exploration of the fact that, within the game of love and romance and beyond, subjects often rely on acting-out to reveal to the other…
Melting Sounds (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“Kahori Higashi’s debut is impressive.”
Random Call (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
Ohkanda’s narrative proves that one does not need a big budget to deliver a narrative that touches the spectator.
Stone Steps (2022) review [JFFH 2022]
A great indie narrative that highlights the need for the parental and the traditional Other to aid the subject to embark on the path of his own desire.…
Angry Son (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“An incredibly rich and deep narrative that not only delivers a satisfying coming-of-age story but also an elegantly delivered social commentary on some of the frictions marking Japanese…
Shaman’s Daughter (2022) review [JFFH 2022]
A genre mish-mash – a cocktail of light-hearted comedy, family drama, bloody thriller, and ghostly romance – that is not only pleasant but offers the spectator a rich…
Our House Party (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
Kawanobe delivers a very touching and emotional story about homosexuality in Japan.
Goodbye Cruel World (2022) review [Japannual 2022]
“A stylish exploration of the cruel call for destruction that structures the perverse criminal field.”
In The Distance (2022) review [Japannual 2022]
“A very pleasant slice-of-life narrative that elegantly shows that bonds between subjects are that much more genuine if they are grounded in the acceptance of the other’s radical…
Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Arcade Future Tone DX (PlayStation 4) Quick Look
When I first acquired the PS4, I downloaded Project DIVA Arcade. Five years later, I now own a physical copy of the game! Let’s take a quick look…
Intimate Stranger (2022) review
“A splendid narrative that dares to explore how problematic mothers can be for their children.”
Plan 75 (2022) review
Hayakawa hauntingly confronts the spectator with what would happen if the existence of the subject was radically reduced by the government to how much he/she financially contributes to…
Review: 0.1% World (2022)
0.1% World 好想去你的世界爱你 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 93 mins. Director: Sun Lin 孙琳. Rating: 3/10. Fanciful rom-com’s only original factor is the two millennials being thousands of miles…
Violence Action (2022) review
A mildly entertaining action-comedy that ultimately fails to fully satisfy the spectator.
Review: 0.1% World (2022)
0.1% World 好想去你的世界爱你 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 93 mins. Director: Sun Lin 孙琳. Rating: 3/10. Fanciful rom-com’s only original factor is the two millennials being thousands of miles…
2022 Review Sneak Peek
2022 is finally here, at last, which means another year of anime goddess. 2021 was a wild chaotic year for me for both seasonal and non-seasonal I hope…
Review: Almost Love (2022)
Almost Love 遇见你 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 109 mins. Director: Luo Luo 落落 [Zhao Jiarong 赵佳蓉]. Rating: 5/10. Initially interesting youth romance is worth a quick look for…
Review: Moon Man (2022)
Moon Man 独行月球 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 120 mins. Director: Zhang Chiyu 张吃鱼. Rating: 6/10. Beijing troupe Ma Hua FunAge goes full-on sci-fi with a man stranded on…
Review: Home Coming (2022)
Home Coming 万里归途 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 137 mins. Director: Rao Xiaozhi 饶晓志. Rating: 7/10. Visually impressive but emotionally rather cool drama of Chinese workers evacuated from a…
Kisaragi Station (2022) review
Thanks to a good narrative structure and pleasant performance this low-budget horror film succeeds in engaging and satisfying the spectator.
Review: The Hotel (2022)
The Hotel 旅馆 Hong Kong, 2022, b&w, 1.33:1, 104 mins. Director: Wang Xiaoshuai 王小帅. Rating: 5/10. Sleekly-shot chamber drama about characters stranded in a hotel during the Covid…
Review: Ordinary Hero (2022)
Ordinary Hero 平凡英雄 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 96 mins. Director: Chen Guohui 陈国辉 [Tony Chan]. Rating: 4/10. Race-against-time medical drama is a melodramatic meld of weepie and heart-warmer,…
Review: Post Truth (2022)
Post Truth #保你平安 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 110 mins. Director: Da Peng 大鹏 [Dong Chengpeng 董成鹏]. Rating: 6/10. Typically sketch-like comedy by Da Peng, as a sleazy undertaker…
Year in Review 2022
Can you believe this will be the fifth time I get to write this post? Technically the blog is just over 6 years old at this point, but…
Beloved (2022) [Film Review]
Beloved; or, Stay With Me I have an idea. How about we spend one last day together? Go somewhere, walk around, have dinne r… Director B...
Ring Wandering (2022) review
With his narrative, Kaneko gracefully invites the spectator to question whether he has not forgotten the subjective importance of forging inter-subjective bonds.