Notícias

Singer/songwriter Charli xcx is working on building up her film acting career, and she’s going about it in a really interesting way. A couple of years ago, we heard that she was set to make her feature acting debut with Legendary Entertainment’s remake of the infamous 1978 box office hit Faces of Death… and someday we might even get to see that movie, but as of right now it still doesn’t have a distributor. Since working on Faces of Death, Charli xcx has taken roles in the Gregg Araki thriller I Want Your Sex, Cathy Yan’s The Gallerist, Romain Gavras’s Sacrifice, Jeremy O. Harris and Pete Ohs’ Erupjca, and Julia Jackman’s graphic novel adaptation 100 Nights of Hero. By taking on these projects, she has worked alongside the likes of Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Jermaine Fowler, Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega,...

While we continue waiting to see Charli Xcx in her feature debut Faces of Death, a fresh new take on the cult movie from Cam filmmakers Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber, Variety reports that the singer will be both producing and starring in the new movie from Japanese master of horror Takashi Miike.

The catch? Well, we don’t know at this time if the project is a horror movie or not. Miike is known for directing films in all kinds of different genres, so it’s certainly not a sure thing that this is a horror project. But as Variety notes in this afternoon’s report, “Though plot details are being kept under wraps, Miike is known for his depictions of extreme violence.”

Charli Xcx will produce the mysterious Takashi Miike film through her banner Studio365. Ross Evans (How to Save a Marriage) is writing the screenplay for the untitled movie.

Get ready for Takashi Miike summer. Charli xcx is set to star in and produce the next film from the prolific Japanese horror director, Variety understands.

The film marks the second project the multi-hyphenate — whose sixth studio album, “Brat,” continues to be a phenomenon — is producing through her new Studio365 banner, joining upcoming A24 movie “The Moment.” Though plot details are being kept under wraps, Miike is known for his depictions of extreme violence, as seen in his 1999 cult classic “Audition” and 2001’s “Ichi the Killer.” Ross Evans, whose script “How to Save a Marriage” is being developed for Sony with Robert Pattinson attached to produce, is penning the screenplay. Yumiko Aoyagi is co-writing.

Since launching “Brat” in June of last year — which earned the pop star three Grammys and was widely regarded as the best album of 2024 — Charli has turned her attention toward acting and producing, lining up an impressive array of projects.

Popular perception of Japanese horror, or J-horror, might be limited to "Ringu" and "Ju-on: The Grudge," but there's more to this thematically rich genre. The enduring image of Sadako crawling out of a television screen is preceded by decades worth of macabre folk tales, supernatural myths, and horror aspects drawn from traditional Kabuki theater. One of the earliest examples of J-horror is Kaneto Shindo's 1964 film "Onibaba," a tale of dread and betrayal set against the backdrop of civil war. At other times, these horror stories dive into deeply surreal waters, such as Nobuhiko Obayashi's "Hausu" aka "House," which has gained cult status over the years due to its inventive imagery.

Fast forward to a post-"Ringu" world, Takashi Miike made "One Missed Call," which features a straightforward horror plot revolving around strange cell phone messages. For those unfamiliar with Miike's brand of filmmaking, the "Audition" and "Ichi the Killer...

Colombian women have been the top winners at Premio Lo Nuestro for two consecutive years, thanks to Karol G’s 2024 dominance and Shakira’s 2025 takeover.

On Thursday night, Premio Lo Nuestro honored the best performers and musicians across genres of Latin music. Awards went to icons like Shakira and Carlos Vives, newcomers like Xavi and Ela Taubert, and major names like Carín León and Camilo.

Shakira — who’s in Colombia for her massive world tour — accepted her award from her native Barranquilla, sending in a video to celebrate her six trophy wins,...

Milly Shapiro (“Hereditary”) and Shannyn Sossamon (“A Knight’s Tale”) will star together in “The Hallowarrior,” Ben Sottak’s upcoming post-apocalyptic horror-thriller with a Halloween twist.

Production has just wrapped on the feature in Syracuse, N.Y., with the filmmakers releasing a first look still of a bloodied, Halloween jumper-wearing Shapiro (above).

“The Hallowarrior” follows Pumpkin (Shapiro), the last girl on earth and sole survivor of a humanity-ending plague, scavenging the wasteland for supplies on the eve of Halloween. Pumpkin’s lonely holiday ritual is interrupted by the arrival of a savage gang of raiders at her doorstep, led by the fearsome Thalia (Sossamon). Outnumbered and armed with candy, wit and weapons, Pumpkin must ferociously fight back to survive the night.

Based on his standout proof of concept short “Scavenger,” debut filmmaker Sottak wrote and directed the film. Sottak’s latest short, “Martillo” (co-directed with Alejandra Parody), premiered in August at...

In 2002, a movie came out that would influence horror for a long time to come. This was Takashi Shimizu's Ju-On: The Grudge (2002). Along with Ringu four years earlier, Ju-On: The Grudge kicked off a decade of American obsession with Japanese horror. These films spearheaded a cult following of J-horror in the United States in the early 2000s, with films like One Missed Call, Dark Water, and Pulse. To this day, Ju-On: The Grudge contains many of the essential elements of J-horror, elements that were exactly what Hollywood was looking for to revive the horror genre in the 21st century.

Shudder is bringing a diverse array of horror content to fans this November 2024, featuring a blend of originals, exclusives, and beloved horror franchises. The month kicks off with Doc of Chucky on November 1, an in-depth documentary chronicling the legacy of the Child’s Play franchise, followed by classics like Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky. November 4 introduces The J-Horror Virus, a deep dive into the rise of supernatural horror from Japan, accompanied by other genre-defining films like Ju-On The Grudge and One Missed Call. Fans of dark, avant-garde horror can look forward to The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula on November 5, a competition to crown the world’s first drag supermonster.

Shudder Originals like Black Cab on November 8 explore chilling narratives, while The Creep Tapes on November 15 follows the terrifying journey of a serial killer who manipulates videographers into filming his disturbing life. November 22’s Rita brings the haunting tale of an...

Arrow is going all out this October with a chilling and diverse collection of films and horror content to get viewers in the Halloween spirit. The cult streaming service is showcasing an impressive roster of J-horror favourites, werewolf scares, supernatural frights, and even curated picks from horror maestro Michael Dougherty. Titled “ARROWeen,” this fright-filled month offers something for every horror fan, from gory slasher remakes to subtle psychological terrors.

Among the biggest draws is J-Horror Rising, a collection of seven iconic Japanese horror films that gained massive popularity at the turn of the millennium. These films, which feature everything from deadly curses to urban legends, include Shikoku, Isola: Multiple Personality Girl, and the much-praised Noroi: The Curse. Fans of the J-horror genre will appreciate this selection for its blend of supernatural chills, eerie atmospheres, and a deep dive into the genre’s most disturbing tales.

Adding to the October excitement,...

Get ready to dive into the latest must-watch series that’s sure to keep you glued to your Netflix screens! The Accident, a gripping Mexican thriller created by the talented Leonardo Padrón, made its debut on Netflix on August 21, 2024, and it’s already got viewers buzzing.

This new drama takes us on a heart-wrenching journey following a tragic incident at a child's birthday party. What unfolds is an exploration of grief, guilt, and the complex web of emotions that follow. According to its official IMDb logline:

A tragic accident radically changes the lives of three families, triggering a terrible spiral of guilt, resentment, and violence, that will lead them to explore the outermost edges of pain, endurance, and mercy.IMDb

The series, originally titled Accidente, is brought to life by a stellar cast of Mexican actors who masterfully embody the complex characters at the center of this emotional rollercoaster. Curious...

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black largely focuses on two main characters. The movie's troubled central couple is played by Meagan Good and Cory Hardrict. The supporting cast of the movie also includes Joseph Lee Anderson, Richard Lawson, and Taylor Polidore Williams.

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black features several notable actors in its cast. The Prime Video drama is a 2024 outing from the prolific writer, director, producer, and star, who is best known for creating and starring in the Madea franchise, both on the stage and on the screen. Perry's cinematic work is notable for generally featuring large ensemble casts. In addition to frequently playing multiple roles himself in various costumes and prosthetic facial appliances, he tends to gather talented performers from a variety of diverse backgrounds, including everyone from Oscar winners to literary icons like iconic poet Maya Angelou.

Although the Divorce in the Black Rotten Tomatoes...

Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike has over 115 directing credits to his name, and it has only taken him 33 years to reach that impressive number. One of his latest credits came on a blood-soaked horror thriller called Lumberjack the Monster, and the folks at Rue Morgue have confirmed that Lumberjack the Monster is going to be available to watch on the Netflix streaming service as of June 1st.

Before the film reaches Netflix, New York City’s Japan Society (located at 333 East 47th Street) will be hosting its the North American premiere screening on Monday, May 6 at 8pm. Rue Morgue notes, “There will also be a pre-screening reception at 7pm with beverages donated by Sapporo-Stone Brewing and Brooklyn Kura. The screening is being presented in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Festival, as part of its Escape from Tribeca program.”

Lumberjack the Monster is based on a novel by Mayusuke Kurai and stars Kazuya Kamenashi,...

Welcome, digital daredevils and web wanderers, to a spooky safari through the shadowy realms of the internet where technology doesn’t just connect us—it wants to destroy us. Prepare to dive deep into a world where your next online friend request could be your last, and that seemingly innocent video call might just drag you into an abyss of digital despair. We’re about to embark on a virtual voyage through the best technology horror movies that the dark web* has to offer. (*Or just your local streaming service)

Forget haunted houses and foggy graveyards; the real scares are lurking in your inbox and hiding behind your screen. These internet horror movies prove that the most terrifying monsters are not the ones under the bed but the ones inside our machines. Whether it’s creepy social media horror movies that make you question the person on the other side of the screen,...

In our Q&a /feature series Tell Me Más, we ask some of our favorite Latine artists to share some inside info about their lives and habits, revealing everything from their most recent read to the songs that get them hyped. This month, Grammy-winning artist Goyo, a member of legendary group ChocQuibTown, drops in to talk about her latest turn as a solo act, Afro-Latine representation, and what she's got in store for us in 2024.

As reggaetón, afrobeats, and trap become global, their distinct sounds and formulas become more cemented. However, rapper and singer Goyo has always defied the confines of a single genre. As a member of the award-winning group ChocQuibTown, the sound that she helped craft along with her brother Miguel "Slow" Martinez and Carlos "Tostao" Valencia, combined elements of traditional African percussion, Colombian folk, hip-hop, dancehall, and reggaetón. Now, as she continues her musical journey, this time as a solo artist,...

"I get way more scared and embarrassed having to talk about my personal life in interviews than saying it in a song," Prince Royce admits during an interview in Los Angeles for his new album, "Llamada Perdida," which dropped Friday. With a decade-plus career that has generally been free of controversy, the Dominican American bachata artist and pop star is wearing his heart on his sleeve in his first LP since a very public divorce. Prince Royce says he has found healing through music while re-prioritizing himself and pushing the bachata genre to new places.

"Right now, I feel like I'm in a good place," he tells Popsugar. "Everybody has problems. It's just how you deal with them, and I think it's all part of growth. That's how I took in this experience in my personal life that happened in the last two years."

Royce is referring to his split...

Prince Royce has a “weird relationship” with his new album, Llamada Pérdida, out today. The new album has 23 songs that he describes as “bachata in 4K,” as he explores genre fusions while getting in touch with his emotions. The lyrics show a more vulnerable side of the singer, including some of the difficult moments surrounding his split from his longtime partner Emeraude Toubia in 2022.

Though the music captures the singer dealing with both the heartbreak and the healing after the breakup, he’s in a much happier place now. (When...

While it might seem like Ghost Stories was only acting on the emerging J-Horror trend, this 2000 anime was in fact another adaptation of Tōru Tsunemitsu’s popular series of children’s books. After four live-action films based on the teacher-turned-author’s books, animation was the obvious next step. The anime — technically the second after a standalone ’96 Ova — has since gone on to become a favorite among Western audiences, although not for reasons the Japanese showrunners could have expected. No, this series is best remembered for its off-the-wall English adaptation that many fans liken to South Park.

Admittedly, Ghost Stories didn’t leave a big mark upon and after its initial release (other than a controversy regarding the ultimately unaired Kuchisake-onna episode). In its defense, though, many anime back then had a hard time standing out or living up to new expectations. As a reminder, that previous decade gave rise to...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for A Murder At The End Of The World.

A hit murder mystery show on Hulu signifies the resurgence of a 20-year-old horror subgenre, which lost its prominence due to social and cultural shifts but is now relevant again. The show, A Murder at the End of the World, criticizes Artificial Intelligence and portrays real-world fears around privacy, blurring lines between convenience and intrusion, and the consequences of technology. Unlike other shows, A Murder at the End of the World presents a more realistic portrayal of technophobia, showcasing both the negative and positive aspects of technology, such as its potential for misuse and its ability to aid in solving crimes.

A hit murder mystery show on Hulu reveals how a 20-year-old horror movie subgenre is making a massive comeback. While horror remains one of the most popular movie genres, some of its subgenres have experienced...

Ever had that late-night itch for a cinematic scare, only to find yourself tired of the same old slashers and ghost stories? Enter J-Horror, the dazzling (and terrifying) world of Japanese horror. Filled with vengeful spirits, hair-raising urban legends, and a unique cultural zest, J-Horror has secured its spine-chilling reputation on a global scale.

If you’re not quite up-to-speed with terms like ‘Yūrei’* or haven’t been thoroughly traumatized by a cursed videotape yet, you’re in for a treat! We’re about to embark on a roller coaster ride of the very best Japanese Horror (or ‘J-Horror’ for those in the know) that promises more thrills than a Tokyo karaoke night gone awry. So grab your safety blanket; it’s about to get eerily entertaining!

*Yūrei (幽霊): spirits or ghosts in Japanese folklore, often likened to Western notions of restless ghosts. Characterized by white funeral garments, long unkempt black hair,...

The boom of Japanese horror movies in the 2000s was driven by a unique blending of traditional horror stories with the innovative scope of technology. Japanese horror films from the 2000s effectively addressed existential dread and societal anxiety while delivering disturbing horror stories, making them stand out narratively. Japanese horror movies were differentiated from their American counterparts by their preference for ghost stories tied to a cursed place or object, as well as their patient pacing and focus on chilling build-up rather than quick jump scares.

The wave of Japanese horror movies during the 2000s got plenty of people interested in international cinema and influenced a boom of American remakes, yet these successful productions seem to have drastically diminished with the years. Classic movies such as Ringu and Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Cure were arguably the catalysts for a promising decade of supernatural horror that also reflected on relevant matters such...

Many movies have a critic score lower than 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, but sometimes even those are surprisingly high when they really deserved a 0%. The review aggregate website is such a resourceful place to find well-received movies to watch, as the "Tomatometer" tells its users what percentage of critics enjoyed a certain movie, and it collects the data from a pool of hundreds of sources. Anything scoring 60% and above is labeled "fresh," as it means that at least six in every 10 critics like the movie or TV show, and anything below 60% on the site is deemed "rotten."

However, a movie with a Tomatometer score in the 50s still means that more than 50% of critics like it, and it could be a polarizing love-it or hate-it movie, that many audiences enjoyed. It's the films with 20% or less that are as close to objectively bad as it gets, and it's a wonder why...

RRRRing, rrring!

Ah, the sound of an innocent phone call… until it becomes the harbinger of unspeakable terror. Horror films have a way of turning the mundane into the macabre, and one particularly bone-chilling element they've mastered is the art of horror movie phone calls. In this hair-raising piece, we'll dial back through time and explore how iconic films like Scream, When a Stranger Calls, and Black Christmas have transformed this everyday device into a terrifying plot device.

So, turn your cell on airplane mode — and let's dive into the chilling world of horror movie phone calls!

Warner Bros.

The Christmas Caroler

In the golden age of horror, the telephone was merely a tool for communication. But then came Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974), a pioneering slasher film that dialed up the fear factor. As the mysterious killer tormented the sorority house with menacing phone calls, the mundane act of...

RRRRing, rrring!

Ah, the sound of an innocent phone call… until it becomes the harbinger of unspeakable terror. Horror films have a way of turning the mundane into the macabre, and one particularly bone-chilling element they've mastered is the art of horror movie phone calls. In this hair-raising piece, we'll dial back through time and explore how iconic films like Scream, When a Stranger Calls, and Black Christmas have transformed this everyday device into a terrifying plot device.

So, turn your cell on airplane mode — and let's dive into the chilling world of horror movie phone calls!

Warner Bros.

The Christmas Caroler

In the golden age of horror, the telephone was merely a tool for communication. But then came Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974), a pioneering slasher film that dialed up the fear factor. As the mysterious killer tormented the sorority house with menacing phone calls, the mundane act of...

While Hollywood was obsessed with remaking Japanese horror movies for a few decades, this did not stop a few cult classics from slipping through the fingers of studio executives. There are a few great Hollywood remakes of Japanese horror movies. For example, director Gore Verbinski’s take on The Ring is arguably as strong as Hideo Nakata’s original Ringu, and 2004’s The Grudge does a solid job of recapturing the appeal of 2002’s Ju-On: The Grudge. However, the only reason that these successful remakes are notable is because of how rare they are.

Broadly speaking, Hollywood remakes of Japanese horror movies are disasters. While critics often dismiss horror movies too quickly, the savage reviews received by the likes of 2020’s The Grudge, 2008’s The Eye, and 2006’s Pulse were more than earned. 2008’s take on One Missed Call even managed to make a Takashi Miike movie into a predictable slog,...

During the 2000s, there was no shortage of horror movies, and now that society is loving horror movies again, a lot of these should be revisited. From 1931's Frankenstein to 1973's The Exorcist horror movies have been an important part of pop culture for decades. However, there have been eras where they were more prominent than others. The 70s and 80s saw iconic horror films like Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street, while the late 90s launched the iconic Scream franchise. Horror films reached a new peak in the 2000s, with popular films like Friday The 13th and House of Wax being remade.

However, the industry also spun out some original horror films, some of which inspired the iconic parody franchise, Scary Movie. The franchise has mocked every horror film, from Scream and The Grudge, to The Amityville Horror and The Blair Witch Project. Horror movies began to fade sometime in the 2010s,...

The jokes will extend well past April 1st on HBO and HBO Max.

“Barry” returns for its fourth and final season. After the shocking Season 3 finale which saw Barry (Billy Hader) getting arrested and Cousineau (Henry Winkler) being hailed as a hero, there will be plenty of consequences for both. The dark comedy premieres on April 16 with two episodes.

“A Black Lady Sketch Show” will also bring plenty of laughs when it returns for its fourth season. The sketch comedy series premieres April 14.

On the drama side, the limited series “Love and Death” premieres on April 27. It’s based on the true story of Candy (Elizabeth Olsen) and Pat Montgomery (Patrick Fugit) and Betty (Lily Rabe) and Allan Gore (Jesse Plemons) – two churchgoing couples enjoying their small-town Texas life… until an extramarital affair leads somebody to pick up an axe.

For comic fans, the midseason premiere of the final season...

With its list of new releases for April 2023, HBO Max is premiering the final episodes of two major shows.

First up is the continuation of Titans season 4 on April 13. Returning after a four month hiatus, these next six episodes will be the last go around for HBO Max’s gritty live-action DC series. Arriving three days later on HBO proper is the fourth and final season of Barry. Bill Hader and the rest of the Barry team wrote themselves into a fascinating corner with the conclusion of season 3. And judging by the first teasers for season 4, this final batch of episodes will indeed catch up with our favorite actor/hitman in prison.

Other TV shows of note this month include the Pete Davidson-starring animated series Fired on Mars on April 20 (light ’em up) the the Elizabeth Olsen-starring true crime story Love & Death on April 27.

HBO Max’s...

Bill Hader stars in ‘Barry’ season 4 (Photograph by Merrick Morton/HBO)

Bill Hader returns for one final season of Barry and the popular sketch comedy A Black Lady Sketch Show kicks off its fourth season on HBO Max in April 2023. Additional highlights of the streaming service’s April lineup include the debut of Love & Death, a limited series starring Elizabeth Olsen and Patrick Fugit; season two of Somebody Somewhere with Bridget Everett; and the return of 100 Foot Wave for a second season.

In addition, the Titans mid-season premiere arrives on April 13. HBO Max offers this description of the fourth and final season’s remaining episodes: “The Titans – with the exception of Gar – are returned to the Temple of Trigon and rush to find Sebastian and Mother Mayhem before Sebastian summons Trigon. Along the way, they come across a prophecy that may require Kory to make a huge sacrifice to save the world.

In the final season of HBO Max’s “Barry,” premiering on April 16, Barry’s arrest for the murder of Cousineau’s girlfriend leads to a shocking conclusion. Barry (Bill Hader), a hitman who stumbles into acting, explores the dark, often comedic underbelly of both LA gangsters and Hollywood. Henry Winkler stars as Cousineau, Barry’s acting teacher and the man forced to confront the reality of his former student.

Watch the “Barry” season 4 trailer:

Another crime story will come to HBO Max in April, although this one is based on a true story. “Love & Death” revolves around the murder of Betty Gore (played by Lily Rabe) in a small Texas town in 1980. Her husband Alan (Jesse Plemons) has an affair with Candy (Elizabeth Olsen), who attends their church. Suddenly, the thrills turn deadly. Candy picks up an ax, whacks her rival over 40 times, and then claims self-defense. The new...

The new titles coming to HBO Max in April 2023 include streaming debuts of 2022 movies and highly anticipated premieres of the final chapters of beloved TV shows. March 2023 was a big month for HBO Max, as it featured The Last Of Us’ season 1 finale, Succession’s season 4 premiere, and Perry Mason’s season 2 debut. The streaming service also added the Oscar-winning documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed to its library, with more 2023 Oscar nominees like Elvis and The Banshees of Inisherin still available to watch on HBO Max in April.

Joining HBO Max’s catalog in April 2023 is the long-awaited premiere of the Elizabeth Olsen-starring limited series Love & Death on April 27. Before then, the mid-season premiere of the fourth and final season of HBO Max's Titans hits the streaming service on April 13. HBO Max’s April 2023 additions also include the TV show premieres of A Black Lady Sketch Show...

By drawing parallels and subtle references to The Ring, Netflix's Red Rose revives an iconic J-horror trope. Red Rose has an intriguing take on horror where, without having any supernatural elements, it instills chills and thrills by harping on real-world threats like online privacy and the exploitation of digital technology. Adding more depth and insight to its depiction of the growing terrors and anxieties surrounding the virtual world, Red Rose also finds an emotional footing by putting character ahead of its tech-centric mysteries and narrative devices.

The Netflix horror drama follows a typical three-arc structure in which its second and third arcs focus on unraveling the mysteries of its central Red Rose app and examining the torrid relationships between its characters. While there are a few harrowing moments in these arcs, Red Rose's horror shines through primarily in its opening episodes. One of the biggest reasons behind this...

There’s a surprisingly nasty edge to this tolerable yet derivative wannabe franchise-starter about a cursed game from the 80s

It’s strange that the silly but mostly tolerable horror Choose or Die was an acquisition rather than a homegrown Netflix original given how much it seems algorithmically modeled for the notoriously formula-obsessed platform. It stars Asa Butterfield, an in-house star thanks to the success of Sex Education. It’s contemporary-set but baked in 80s nostalgia, something that also inspires the aesthetic of the aforementioned comedy series as well as the entirety of long-running hit Stranger Things. It also focuses on a cursed video game, making it a close cousin to the streamer’s interactive Black Mirror hit Bandersnatch. It’s a film destined to live its days in the “if you like” container.

It’ll probably fare well there as fans of the above might find just about enough...

Even the smallest feature-length film is a considerable logistical enterprise, so it’s a bit flummoxing how little thought appears to have been put into “Choose or Die.” While there have been worse-crafted, even more routinely formulaic Netflix horror efforts, this one takes the cake for sheer whateverness of barely-there plot, concept, character detailing and so on. If some movies now seem designed to be consumed on phones, this one demands so little attention, for such scant rewards, you could probably watch it while vacuuming or doing yoga without missing anything important.

Not that first-time feature director Toby Meakins or his cast do slipshod work. But their labors are expended on a “viral” curse premise so indifferently defined and developed, the result recalls the archaic term “quota quickie,” which referred to low-budget 1930s British films made by Parliamentary decree just to keep the industry chugging. “Choose or Die” may substitute supernatural deaths for music-hall songs,...

By Wally Adams

“So….What’s your favorite Takashi Miike movie?” Since Miike is one of the most prolific modern directors the world has ever seen as well as the fact he’s worked in and at different junctures of his career focused on different genres and even different mediums, one is very unlikely to find any smooth consensus for that question. But there are popular choices among different film demographics: the closest thing to a universal critical favorite is “Audition” though it still thoroughly turns more than a few off, or more recently “13 Assassins“. Even more acquired tastes are exploitation audience favorites “Ichi the Killer” and “Dead or Alive”. Mainstream audiences in Japan actually best remember mega-hit movies that capitalized on (then) big trends like the cell phone horror movie “One Missed Call” or the idol-fueled “Andromedia” marking the Digital Age. But art film and major festival audiences...

The season of love is coming! Shudder is looking to rekindle our love of horror this February.    In place of flowers and chocolate there will be a new premiere every week: A Nightmare Wakes, After Midnight, Shook and The Dark and the Wicked. Joe Bob Briggs will return with a new Last Drive-In Valentine's special right before the day.    There are also a lot of really great horror flicks coming next month. There is the original Queen of Black Magic, Nic Cage in Vampire's Kiss, Elle Callahan's very cool indie flick Head Count, Giallo flick The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears, horror comedy Basket Case, and Miike's One Missed Call.    Check out the gallery below for all the films and series...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

In addition to a jam-packed January of new releases, the horror streaming service Shudder has plenty of scares in store for viewers in February, including Jeremy Gardner and Christian Stella's After Midnight, Padraig Reynolds' Open 24 Hours, Jennifer Harrington's Shook, the Nicolas Cage-starring Vampire's Kiss, the practical effects wizardry of Basket Case, Takashi Miike's One Missed Call, and much more!

Below, you can check out the full list of titles coming to Shudder in the U.S. in February, and be sure to visit Shudder's website to learn more about the streaming service and their scary good lineup!

A Nightmare Wakes — premieres February 4

While composing her famous novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley descends into an opium-fueled fever dream while carrying on a torrid love affair with Percy Shelley. As she writes, the characters of her novel come to life and begin to plague her relationship with Percy.

From One Missed Call to Sinister 2 and more recently “Sleepy Hollow”, Bloody Disgusting has the first official look at Shannyn Sossamon in The Undertaker’s Wife, a supernatural horror film that also stars The Conjuring‘s John Brotherton. “The supernatural horror film follows a family’s attempted fresh start when they move into a historic funeral home in the Deep South.” […]...

The year is 2003, and Takashi Miike is in his prime, not that he was not at that place many times before or after. As contradictory as it may sound, he always had phases of excellence versus good and less good years of productivity, but he never left us with the feeling of not wanting to see more. One of the most productive living film directors had already delivered “Gozu” in 2003, an ultimate nightmare of a yakuza saga with epic violence scenes that made us shudder, as well as the two-part movie “The Man in White”, a revengeful bloodbath mercilessly staining white suits in a pulse-raising manner along with a majorly underrated TV film “Negotiator” about three robbers who take the hospital hostage to get away with the previously committed crime. Not counting “One Missed Call”, that particular year gave us some of Takashi’s most memorable nail-chewing moments.

The cult...

This is the eighth installment of Rolling Stone’s Music in Crisis series, which looks at how people all across the music industry are coping with the coronavirus pandemic.

On March 3rd, Victor Alarcon traveled to Rovaniemi, in the Finnish Lapland, a region so frigid and remote that it proclaims itself the home of Santa Claus. For the singer, a Peruvian-born musician based in Dusseldorf, Germany, it was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime: an expedition to film a music video under the Northern Lights. Alarcon, who records...

At one point, back in the noughties, it seemed like there was a mad craze for adapting Asian horror cinema for Western audiences. Beginning with the unexpected commercial and critical success of Gore Verbinski’s The Ring (based on Hideo Nakata’s Ringu and Koji Suzuki’s 1991 novel), the remake trend only grew but sadly not in quality. As pale imitators like The Eye, One Missed Call, Shutter and The Uninvited poured in, one of the most successful was The Grudge in 2004. Based on Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-On: The Grudge (2002), this remake was also directed by Shimizu and went on to earn mixed reviews but a near $200 million haul worldwide. Naturally a sequel followed in the puzzling The Grudge 2 (also from Shimizu) and even worse straight-to-disc film The Grudge 3. I mention this history for two reasons. One because this new film simply titled The Grudge was initially a...

Less than a year after the previous entry, Manabu Asô was tasked with providing a follow-up entry to the One Missed Call franchise that would close the trilogy in fine form before the American remake would arrive two years after this last Japanese installment. Offering a new take on the franchise that still stays true to its J-horror roots, the film is included in the trilogy box-set released on February 25 from Arrow Video.

After going on a school trip, Japanese students Emiri (Meisa Kuroki), Hideki (Kenichi Okana), Hiroyuki (Ryû Morioka), Minori (Erika Asakura), Mari (Yû Kamiwaki) and Shinichi (Rakuto Tochihara) decide to pass the time telling stories to entertain themselves before landing in South Korea. One such tale involves a legend about friends receiving phone-calls of themselves dying just days before their deaths, and despite laughing it off as an urban legend, upon arriving in the country...

Out on Blu-ray from Arrow Video today is the One Missed Call Trilogy and Bloody Disgusting has an exclusive look at the release’s trailer. Back in 2003, Takashi Miike directed One Missed Call, based on the novel Chakushin Ari. The plot revolves around a strange occurrence in which someone gets a call from themself dated two days in the future and then falls victim […]...

“Those Damned Robocalls!”

By Raymond Benson

The J-Horror phenomenon (the modern Japanese horror films that erupted in the late 1990s and continue to this day) enjoyed serious success and critical acclaim in its early period for bringing some originality to the horror genre in general. Motion pictures of the ilk are usually derived from ghost stories, Japanese folklore, and revenge tales, mixed with a modern sensibility, a dash of gruesomeness, and often a creepy dripping-wet ghost-girl (a yūrei) with long black hair covering her face coming to get you in your dreams or out of, say, a television set, in your waking hours.

In this case, the yūrei is Mimiko (played by Karen Oshima), a young girl who is probably between the age of ten and fifteen (it’s hard to tell). She is a spirit with the ability to manipulate your cell phone service and kill you with a voice message.

The last two years of the 20th century and the beginning of 21st century enshrined a surprise that would prove to be essential to the growing popularity of the horror genre- the arrival of modern Japanese horror. What separated this particular cinematic movement from other horror genres was its influence from folklore stories and urban legends, combined with the necessary adjustments in order to place these old tales in modern culture. Although there are previous examples of horror films with similar classic ghost story influences, both American and Asian (”The Ghost of Yotsuya”- 1959), it wasn’t a specific genre until the late 90s, early 2000s, when a bunch of Japanese filmmakers, like Hideo Nakata, Takashi Miike and Kiyoshi Kurosawa, decided to add together an interesting technological spin in recurring horror themes, an innovative use of sound effects and design, more character-driven plot lines and a blend of scary Japanese...

Takashi Miike’s One Missed Call Trilogy will be available on Blu-ray February 25th From Arrow Video

An iconic trilogy of J-horror films comes to Blu-ray for the first time! Tapping into the same brand of terror as the Ring and Grudge movies, visionary director Takashi Miike presents a modern, high-tech twist on that mainstay of Japanese folklore, the yurei or vengeful spirit, in the form of its own iconic antihero the terrifying Mimiko.

In the first installment in the trilogy, 2003 s One Missed Call, student Yoko receives a phone message from her future self, ending with her own death scream. Two days later, she dies in a horrific rail collision. As the mysterious phone curse spreads, claiming more young lives, Yoko s friend Yumi joins forces with detective Hiroshi, whose sister met the same gruesome fate. But can they unravel the mystery before the clock runs out on the next victim Yumi herself?...

In February, Arrow Video send a wonderful Valentine to genre film fans, with a bells and whistles release of a classic J-horror trilogy.

The One Missed Call Trilogy- An iconic trilogy of J-horror films comes to Blu-ray for the first time! Tapping into the same brand of terror as the Ring and Grudge movies, visionary director Takashi Miike presents a modern, high-tech twist on that mainstay of Japanese folklore, the yurei or vengeful spirit, in the form of its own iconic antihero – the terrifying Mimiko.

In the first instalment in the trilogy, 2003’s One Missed Call, student Yoko receives a phone message from her future self, ending with her own death scream. Two days later, she dies in a horrific rail collision. As the mysterious phone curse spreads, claiming more young lives, Yoko’s friend Yumi joins forces with detective Hiroshi, whose sister met the same gruesome fate.

There are many things no one should do in a horror movie if they want to live — run back inside the house that holds the killer, have sex, play that haunted video tape, the list goes on — including a classic ripe for contemporary reinvention: Don’t play that weirdo parlor game. Bloody Mary is a bad idea, so is the Ouija board, and Light As a Feather Stiff As a Board has never led to anything good. Why not move that concept into a more modern space? Films about killer smartphones are hardly anything new, from “One Missed Call” to “Cell,” Skype-based offshoots like “Unfriended,” and even the forgettable “Jexi,” which came out in theaters mere weeks ago. But what about a movie about a killer app? “Countdown” fills that questionable void.

Initially a silly distraction at a raging house party, the titular app arrives with little fanfare — a...

Japanese director Yoshihiro Nakamura has completed production on his most recent comedy “The 47 Ronin in Debt”. The film stars Shinchi Tsutsumi as a Ronin hungry for revenge, but lacking the budget to execute his plans.

The films is set for release in Japan on November 22, 2019. A trailer for the production has been made available and can be viewed below.

Synopsis

Takuminokami Asano is a handshu (lord) and he is ordered to kill himself due to a scheme by Kozukenosuke Kira.

Having no time to mourn his lord’s death, Kuranosuke Oishi (Shinichi Tsutsumi) decides to take revenge on Kozukenosuke Kira. Kuranosuke Oishi plans an attack with the help of accountant Chosuke Yato (Takashi Okamura), but they don’t have enough in their budget. (AsianWiki)...

In his 2005 book “Save the Cat!”, the renowned tutor and screenwriter Blake Snyder argues that one tool to make a successful screenplay is to effectively utilize either “save the cat” or “kick the dog” trope in the first five minutes of the film, i.e. make a character either save a cat or kick a dog, in order to give us a clear signal of his intentions if he’s good or evil.

In Takashi Miike’s fabulous “Gozu”, the maniacal yakuza Ozaki doesn’t just kick the dog. He thrashes the living hell out of it, and finishes his beating with swinging it round and round on the leash and smashing it into the restaurant front window in bloody bits at the five-minute mark exactly.

After Ozaki’s (Shô Aikawa) violent antics have become a liability, the boss (Miike mainstay Renji Ishibashi) orders his minion Minami...

One night the relatively ordinary life of college student Yumi (Kou Shibasaki) is violently disturbed when one of her friends dies. Just days ago, at a restaurant, her friend missed a call, which, as she found out, was from her own number, but which was dated two days in advance. The message consisted of her scream followed by what the two girls assumed would be her death. Soon after her friend’s death another friend of hers dies after having received a similar message.

When her best friend Natsumi (Kazue Fukiishi) receives another call, Yumi and Yamashita (Shinichi Tsutsumi), a detective investigating what he assumes is a series of murders, attempt to find out more about the strange curse and its background. At the same time the events have gotten the media’s attention and while her friend is searching for a way to prevent her death, Natsumi prepares to...