Reviews (54)

Before this, I had already seen four movies by Iwai Shunji, and had still not committed to his works. Knowing that it would run for three hours, I did not count on completing it. As expected, it is very slow, but somehow there is always a light tension.

The story begins when a timid female teacher called Nanami meets a man that she has been chatting with on a dating app. What follows is a lethargic but epic adventure where Nanami gets to experience every emotion in life.

What makes it gripping is not that the obstacles and dangers are big, but that the main character is weak. Even in situations where some people would just shrug their shoulders, there is a fear for Nanami's safety. Still, she is not completely helpless, and does what she can to navigate the strange situations. The point is that there is a perfect balance between the challenges and the power of the protagonist.

Those threats can be of various kinds; economical or existential as well as physical. Some nasty things may happen that may remind of movies by Sono Shion, but Iwai Shunji is as usual a more restrained writer. It does not go into horror territory, even though there is a faint trace of it. Rather, it has similarities with old gothic novels.

Another parallell with Sono Shion is the use of the same kind of classical music. Already in the first scene, the classical background music is louder than the dialogue, making it hard to hear what they say. At first glance, it seems like a mistake. But in a movie where every scene is carefully crafted, it is hard to believe that there would be a mistake in the very first scene. It is easier to believe in some symbolic meaning. Maybe to emphasize how quietly Nanami speaks, or that the dialogue is unimportant cold talk.

Notable is also the sets. While not expensive-looking, they are sometimes unbelieavably cluttered. A lot of effort must have gone into just collecting and arranging all the items.

Also look for the few times the camera paradigm changes.

Adding to the tension is that all characters except the main are so mysterious. Many of them at some point show a glimpse of something unexpected, making you think they have something else going on. It's a simple trick, but works very well. In many cases, they feel like real humans, who have their own life, independent of the main character.

While the plot is not completely unpredictable, it makes its own path. One hour in, I still had no idea where it would go or even what genre it is. Fundamentally, it is realistic, but often dreamlike. It is like a real life, but depicting a certain period of that life that is the most fantastic, when the protagonist explores very unfamiliar territory. The most similar sentiment might be found in Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrik.

Iwai Shunji based the film on one of his own novels, so you can be sure that it is completely his own vision. The most sad thing is that it so long that it is hard to find an opportunity to show it to others. It is the most alluring movie I've seen this year, where every scene is fascinating and infinitely rewatchable.

When Shimizu Takashi releases a new movie, I will certainly watch is as soon as possible, and I did not regret it.

The beginning is mysterious and cozy during the first 15 minutes. One of the main characters is an old detective, who is hired by the manager of a boy band. The boys don't look like actors, but made a striking impression, especially one called Sekiguchi Mandy. When they came together, I was surprised by how many characters there are. But then I thought that it is probably just so that they can get spooked one by one.

It was only later that I learned that the boys are actually from a real group called Generations from Exile Tribe. Since they are real people, one can suspect that they will not be painted in a bad light. There are of course other horror movies with idols playing themselves, like Shirome by Shiraishi Kouji, which turned out interesting. Incidentally, the actress Hayami Akari playing the manager in Sana is a former idol and was in Shirome.

The boys are acting well for not being actors. I think fans might enjoy seeing their idols caught in a mystery scenario.

The acting performance of the antagonist is also good, with a few nice scenes apart from the scares.

Shimizu Takashi has a habit of showing off his antagonists early and often, just to scare the characters without anything serious happening. Moreover, it is often done with exaggerated antics.

Even if I didn't know the director, I would have guessed it easily, because the film very much has his style and lore. Especially one scene was like taken directly form Ju-on/The Grudge (by the same director). Not exactly element by element, but it was like watching Ju-on for a while.

But another scene was worse. One of the most stupid scenes I have ever seen in a serious movie. I would not even be able to describe it without taking a screenshot, because it barely obeys the laws of physics.

It doesn't end there, because there is a third stupid scene, involving a door that has fallen down on the floor, and is also closed at the same time. Let's call it Schrödinger's door. I am thinking about taking a screenshot, drawing arrows, and writing a quantum wave equation to explain it.

Since much is centered around a song, it is inevitable to compare it to the ringtone in One Missed Call by Miike Takashi. The history of the song in Sana is interesting, but the song itself is neither creepy nor catchy.

A critical stat for a horror movie is of course how scary it is. I seldom feel fear in horror movies, it was mostly cringe in this one, but I can make an educated guess. Since its scares are similar to Ju-on, and Ju-on is considered one of the scariest, Sana might also be considered scary, theoretically.

There are a few irritating aspects, but that is not always fatal. Worse is that it feels boring and not very fascinating, which is more fatal.

I only saw this movie because of the actress. Dai Si has played secondary roles in a few fantasy series, where she often has bad luck in love. Because I felt sorry for her, I looked for a movie where she plays a main character.

It turned out to be a very action-oriented SF (science-fiction) movie with visual elements similar to Terminator, Matrix, and Star Wars. Compared to those, it is shorter and has a smaller scope. It is a simple, linear, focused, and limited story that does not contain many plot holes or loose threads. If it fails as a SF story in any way, it would be that it does not leave many open threads for us to build further upon with our imagination (fan-fiction).

The fights are relentless, only pausing for the dressing of wounds and planning the next move. Usually I don't like pure action movies, but this is a mercifully short one of only about 90 minutes, so there is no time for neverending car chases or invulnerable guys knocking each other through skyscrapers. Every scene is shorter than it needs to be, and is a step towards the next objective.

While many things look familiar, the mere quantity of them and they way they are used has a freshness in itself. The special effects and artificial backgrounds are far from photo-realistic. Still, many objects somehow look physical anyway. I can't determine if there are physical models mixed in, and I don't find it probable, but that is how if feels. I think some of the pretty landscapes are real, at least.

Chinese film studios seem to be around 30 years behind when it comes to special effects and story-telling, but considering that the American SF movies from thirty years ago were great, there is no reason to complain. Mutant is a retro movie honoring an outstanding period, bringing a lot of nostalgia.

Apart from the graphics, the underlying choreography is amazing. Not in the sense of raw technique, but in terms of meaning and emotions. I am currently rewatching the Star Wars prequels, and I don't think the duel in Mutant is much worse than the duels there. Chinese studios have a lot of experience from martial arts and fantasy productions, so no wonder.

When Dai Si (or her stunt woman) at some point is thrown around like a doll, she falls in an unnatural way that looks like hanging from a wire. Not perfect, but at least it shows that it is her real body being thrown across the room, which draws more empathy than a mechanically correct simulation.

There is also an unexpected sense of realism in the battles. The soldiers behave somewhat like an actual military, and even take cover sometimes, in contrast to droids and clones in Star Wars.

Fight scenes are pointless if we don't care about the characters. In this case, the side of the protagonists are all smart, sincere, sympathetic, and competent. There is no annoying "funny" character. Neither is there any bully who would oppress others just to create extra tension. Everyone has good lines and makes reasonable, not stupid, decisions, and noone is invulnerable. For all of this, there is no doubt that their side feels worth rooting for.

What stands out is the personality, actions, and character arc of the female lead, who feels fresh and original, and not an exact copy of any character that I know of. The basic idea is not original per se, but the performance and how it plays out is. Even the way she is treated and talked to by the male characters is fresh and not stereotypical.

The male hero has a lot of drive and he is even a bit intellectual in that he can make speeches. I think he is quite likable.

Honestly, most people would find this movie unwatchable, but at least it is the best Chinese SF movie I have ever seen. Even better than the other one I have seen.

People disappear in an abandoned restaurant in this horror movie. But it's for children, so not very scary. More of a horror comedy.

It followed upon the episodic, and more serious, anime series Kaidan Restaurant of 23 episodes. As a transition, the first part of the movie is animated in the same style as the series. It sets up a spooky atmosphere, and made me interested in the anime.

The live-action part begins seriously, but has silly moments, overacting, and anime mannerisms. Replacing anime characters with actors had mixed results. One girl is overacting a lot, but the female and male leads act seriously. Asano Masumi was actually around 33 years old, and already a distinguished voice actress for anime and games. The little sister of the female lead is also adorable and funny.

The graphics and special effects look cheap, but the locations can be imaginative and sometimes surreal. The music is expressive.

The main story is a bit random, full of ideas, and is never slow or boring. It is made more exciting by a few action and fight scenes. You could compare it to Alice in Wonderland in how the protagonists come upon weird characters, puzzles, optical illusions, and challenges. Still, there is a somewhat logical plot beneath it all.

The first time I saw it, I thought it was very bad because of the goofiness. Maybe because I expected horror. Rewatching it as a comedy, it was funny, with things to like in every scene.

A common theme in stories about travelling to other times or worlds is the culture shock that occurs when someone has to adapt to a new situation. In this case it is high-school students ending up in the time of the samurai. High-school comedy and samurai movies are both big and familiar genres, and this is not the only movie to mix them.

The first part is somewhat well done. It has some non-linear story-telling with flashbacks and special effects, and sets up a mysterious and cozy tone.

The few fight scenes are at least average. They were probably constructed by a crew or company that is specialized in such, with some actors that are trained in martial arts. Thus, the fighting is one of the more solid aspects.

Oftentimes, there is a comedic tone, with a bit of exaggeration and goofiness. This lightens the mood, but makes it look more like a movie for children.

The electronic music is mundane and not very inspiring. It only works well to raise emotions in a few scenes.

What fits in better are the flashbacks, telling a parallel background story. This is a common technique in many genres. By itself, it could have become another boring high-school movie, but in this compact form without filler, it is one of the more compelling parts.

Samurai Angel Wars is a mix of genres, and does not seem to know where it belongs. It is silly sometimes, but at least it is an actual adventure with a momentum and some suspenseful moments. More importantly, it has a few scenes and acting performances that I think of fondly.

In this romantic comedy, a boy gets assistance from an angel girl with cat ears in his efforts to get a girlfriend and learn about love.

If you think you know how that will turn out, you are slightly wrong. Because one of the few good things about this movie is that it does not have the exact same plot as most others in the genre.

The first thing I noticed is that the way they are talking feels off. Instead of engaging in method acting, the actors are speaking loudly, and off tempo, like reading from the script. Still, they are expressive and the characters are clearly defined.

My hypothesis is that they are not originally movie actors, but stage actors or comedians. The director, actors, and the studio barely have any other references, so I was unable to research their origin.

The sound recording is also unusual, in that echoes can be heard in some rooms. The cameras are mostly placed in fixed positions, but move sometimes. The production seems amateurish, but not actually bad.

Even so, it gets pretty funny, with many nice scenes during the first half. Two of the characters are even comedians, which made me suspect that the actors are also comedians, or that a comedian was involved in writing the script. I began warming up to the story.

Alas, the tempo slowed down in the second half. Especially during a ten minute long futsal game (a variant of soccer).

Even though amateurish, it is a cute movie, that feels too long, since it doesn't have enough ideas to fill up the two hours.

"If I were you, I would love you like I love myself. Am I you? No. So I don't love you."

This is a Chinese comedy about a radio host called Min and a bar hostess called Ai, who happen to switch bodies. Note that there are many movies with the same title and a similar scenario.

My first impression was that it is colourful and vibrant, with a lot of effort put into the settings, lighting, and visual expression. It seems fresh and modern. Character design, clothing, and makeup are also noteworthy.

The second impression was of a nice atmosphere where most people are friendly, with good intentions, and happy, with a lot of smiling. It's a world I'd like to live in.

The two main characters are presented in a strong way, each with their own monologue and prologue. They are well defined, with philosophies and flaws. Their comical episodes are built on wit and not stupidity.

The plot is simple, but does have a few small surprises.

The script is smart with some witty lines, and quite an amount of pseudo-philosophy added. Not original or deep, but it can give some intellectual stimulation.

What partially fails is the body-switching. In such scenarios you'd expect the characters to be preserved and have the same personality. This is not the case. For example Min is a calm and flirty guy, but the expressive female actress plays him as loud, violent, and whiny. The male actor is better as the character Ai - at least the lines are consistent with how Ai spoke in the beginning.

The movie does not contribute anything new to the lore around body-switching, which seems like a missed opportunity. Even so, those parts are lively and funny. The entertainment value would probably have been less without the antics of the actress.

What works better is the romance. They do a lot of fun and silly things together, creating a great chemistry. The emotional impact is not as great as it can get sometimes, but when it comes to casual interactions, it is among the most energetic I have seen.

The rich American lady Katherine returns to Kyoto for a personal reason, but gets involved in investigating a kidnapping. Again together with her sidekick, the historian Ichirou.

Though this second movie about Katherine has the same setting and many of the same actors as the first, it has a different director. The style seems similar though, and I am unable to perceive a difference between the directors.

The biggest difference is in the subgenre. While the first movie was a puzzle mystery, offering an intellectual challenge, the second movie, as a kidnapping scenario, is more about following one clue at a time, while offering suspense.

Katherine as a detective is not as super-intelligent or peculiar as some colleagues like Sherlock Holmes. That's fine, since she is not a detetive by profession. She has a distinct personality and style, though. Although upper class, she seems like a person that could realistically exist. One trend-breaking difference is that her story contains a little bit of romance, and she does show feelings sometimes.

The sidekick Ichirou also has a distint personality and fits in well with Katherine. Still, he seems weaker as a main character, because he is over-protective in a whiny way sometimes.

The movie has a lot of contents of various kind. Some mystery, some suspence, some romance, and some jokes. It is quite good and has its own style, but is unoriginal in some ways.

Kokkuri-san is a short and humble supernatural horror movie. The story begins with the discovery of the skeleton of a boy called Takumi, which activates a deadly curse. The curse is connected to kokkuri, which is a Japanese version of the ouija board. A girl called Eri becomes the main person to investigate the case, but she also gets help from a few other people.

The setting looks very clean and cozy. Of course Eri lives in a wooden house with tatami mats, and her school is tidy. The lighting is used consistently to create a specific atmosphere with an unusual colour scheme. Although the setting looks like low budget, it does not look like low effort.

The special effects are limited and tasteful, not showing too much. It is a relatively "realistic" horror movie. Because of this, it is successful in building up to some scary moments. A lot of respect is shown towards the dead.

The characters are very calm, polite, talking slowly, and respectful to each other most of the time, except when screaming. This also adds up to a calming, meditative experience.

Nagae Jirou is a director and writer of many horror movies, and Kokkuri-san fits in with the style of his other works e.g. Kotsutsubo and The Ghost Photo Club.

With a length of less than 80 minutes, there is not room for a lot of story and plot twists. I found this unusual, but then I realized that expecting them was my own prejudice. There is nothing wrong with a simpler story now and then.

Kokkuri-san is a beautiful movie, but has a low profile and lacks iconic scenes and villains, or other points of interest or craziness that could entice potential viewers. This means it will never become well-known, and will fade into obscurity. There are also many other movies with similar names, which can confuse people. I think it is a bit of a shame that so few will get the opportunity to enjoy it.

Mari moves from Tokyo to a small town and starts going to the local high school. With her antisocial behaviour, she quickly ends up insulting the popular girl Satsuki. She also tries to get rid of a boy called Takao, who wants to befriend her. Instead, she begins to hang out with a girl called Rie, who likes to play the piano.

The town has a legend about ghost children, and what unfolds is mainly a ghost story, but it is not a horror movie, because the ghost appearances are not set up to be scary.

As the title suggests, there are some dreamlike sequences. The movie is mostly calm and contemplative. It probably had a tiny budget, but it smartly manages to express a certain event by showing a photo collage instead of special effects.

Rie was a bit unexpressive, but it worked out well considering her personality. The others were good, especially Satsuki, who made lively face expressions in most scenes.

Though not dramatic, the movie is nice rather than boring.

It might not be easy to find it with English subtitles, so I translated it myself and wrote my own. That's how much I love this movie, even though I failed to express it in the review.

The failed painter Cheng Zihao is asked by his former university friend Su Fei to help investigate the case of a ghost that is haunting the theatre rehearsals of a drama club.

The movie starts strongly by displaying many paintings, setting a dark mood, and establishing the main character as a proliferous but poor artist.

Another thing catching the attention is the background music, which signals that it is a horror movie. Maybe it is overused by being played even in scenes without an immediate threat.

The ghost is also overused, shown too early and too many times.

Otherwise, it is a solid Chinese horror movie. If you have no experience of the genre and expect something similar to a Japanese horror movie, there is a risk of disappointment, though.

The plot is logical and has charm. It is nice to see two graduates as the main characters, hanging out with the group of students, instead of having only young people.

Something that is in short supply is romance, which the writer easily could have added a little bit more of.

In this thriller from Taiwan, a police detective desperately searches for a kidnapped child, and eventually enlists the help of a psychic medium.

The title is fitting, combining the kidnapping case with the supernatural elements. It is probably not the first movie with this combination, but it does it tastefully. It is not meant as a horror, since those things are not portrayed as scary.

There is some action, but the main focus is on police investigation. This part is logical and well done as a mystery. A nice touch is that it is not only the prime detective doing all footwork and thinking. A couple of other characters also make small observations and realizations, making it into a nice team effort.

The acting holds a good quality, with no weak link. The most iconic and memorable character is probably the psychic.

It is a solid movie with no weakness, except that it is plain and not weird or original enough to make a strong impression.

Rin is a mystery movie about a village where children are disappearing, and a group of high-school boys who try to find the missing children. The exact genre is kept vague at the beginning of the movie, so I will also keep it vague.

There are two main aspects that I want to write about, the characters and the mystery. A large part of the running time is used to depict the relationships between the group of boys who are the main characters. Each one is different, with their own backstory and problems. The way this played out felt similar to certain novels by Stephen King, It for example. (Don't expect other similarities too much.)

Somehow it feels like it is based on a novel, rather then being written directly as a movie. Doing some research, I read somewhere that it is based on a play by Matayoshi Naoki, but I did not find conclusive evidence.

The attention to the characters made their interactions the most enjoyable aspect. The main character Kouta is likeable, but is sometimes over-played. It is instead the edgy transfer student Tendo who brings most of the tension.

The mystery has a good build-up and is intriguing. The problem is that it is resolved too abruptly. It is a relatively short movie of only 83 minutes after all. I would have liked to see the detectives work more, collecting clues and making conclusions.

The village is cosy, but could have benefitted from even more culture. Or the female classmate that sometimes hangs out with the boys could have been involved more. It is a nice story, that leaves me wishing for more.

Ranmaru is a detective with a well developed sense of taste, whose speciality is analyzing clues by licking them. This time, he takes on a case in a cozy village, that has hot springs and bottled water as its economical base.

The movie follows upon a TV series of 10 episodes with the same title. It begins with a long synopsis of the TV series, and introduction of the detective and his two side-kicks. So there is a solid transition with no questions unanswered.

The female side-kick Hikaru is an annoying wanna-be detective, who only contributes by spouting nonsense. This is even commented upon by the male side-kick Kanji, who also is the narrator, and the most funny character in this comedy.

The case is shallow and practically unsolvable, not because it is complicated, but because the motivation behind it is unnatural. It is hard to deduct who is behind it, just because the actions taken are not logical.

This was surprising, because the director Tsutsumi Yukihiko usually creates good mysteries, and good characters too. Actually, the weakness might be that the characters are not taken seriously as rational beings.

The dark history of the village itself is more interesting. Because of this, it is not a complete failure as a mystery. It is also lively with some funny moments, so it is not a complete failure as a comedy either.

Ataru is a very peculiar detective who helps the police now and then. This case is not so much a puzzle, but more of a cat and mouse thriller. Though the tone is often light, with comedy mixed in by some side characters.

The case follows after the TV series Ataru (2012) of 12 episodes. Unfortunately, the movie has a rough start where many characters and relationships are not introduced properly, supposing that you know them from before. There is nothing wrong with watching the movie first anyway, just that you will get a weird and confusing first 6 minutes. When I first saw it in a movie theater in Japan, I immediately thought about walking out, but fortunately stayed, because I had nothing better to do.

The story eventually stabilizes to stand on its own. Still, there are flashbacks to the series. All this is a small minus, but not fatal.

Ataru is an original detective that carries the movie, and even gets involved in some touching scenes. On the other side stands a capable and stylish antagonist with a backstory and complex motivations, who is able to cause a lot of trouble.

The larger than usual cast makes it lively, but the comedy is sometimes irritating. It's an entertaining movie with lots of contents and some cool moments.

Han-shojo is a short love story with a lot of sweetness.

I don't even know if it has an official English title. A direct translation could be Half-virgin. But in this context, that would not mean what you think it means. Maybe a better interpretation would be "young adult". But actually, I think the best possible title would be Drive My Car.

The protagonist Misuzu is a woman who has got a driver's license, and works as a chauffeur. When she first appears, she seems happy and motivated about her work.

What will give her more trouble is the dilemma of choosing between two handsome men, a poor writer and a rich company executive, who are both interested in her. However, there are obstacles making it difficult to start a relationship with either of them.

A few other interesting or dramatic things happen, but the movie is so short that I don't want to say more, because then there would nothing left to explore. It could easily have been made longer, because there is at least one subplot that could have been dragged out more. On the other hand, it could be boring if all movies were the same length.

Even though I have seen many Japanese romance movies, it is hard to come up with one that feels more authentic. Han-shojo really is fresh, modern, and realistic.

Of course it also has clichés, like the love triangle with one poor and one rich man. The thing is that the characters are not cliché, but behaves like real humans.

I really recommend it if you feel like watching a cute romance that no one of your friends has even heard about. It might be hard to find it with English subtitles, though.

The happy life of a school girl is complicated by the spread of a video. Friends and family have to decide what to believe. Others look to exploit the situation.

While most high-school movies are romantic comedies or sometimes horror, there is also a small genre that tries to handle particular social problems or trends. Social realism, if you will. This movie will be of interest if you prefer directors like Koreeda Hirokazu.

A noticeable choice is that the camera often has a fixed placement, sometimes behind the characters, so that their faces are not seen. This makes the experience similar to reality shows like Terrace House, which is even mentioned. Especially the beginning of the first season of Terrace House, before the commentators were added, and you had to make up your opinions yourself.

There is an effort to not say out loud how the events should be interpreted and judged, as a deliberate "show don't tell". Instead it is overbearing in the selection of what it shows, and focusing some things too strongly, forcing a particular point of view and emotional reaction.

At times, it is a suspenseful and anxiety-inducing drama. At other times it flips through disparate scenes, so that the immersion is lost. In those parts, it can be more difficult to connect with the characters. Then it feels slow even though it is short.

The lack of music in most scenes is another, probably deliberate choice, with the purpose of not leading the viewer into predetermined emotions. This is understandable since music can irritate by going contrary to what one wants to feel. Still, since music is a major catalyst for emotions, a movie without it can feel dry. Or maybe the silence itself can conjure emotions.

It is a very original movie, so be sure to check it out if you are into realism.

Many horror movies nowadays are about film crews or vloggers. This one is also about filming, on a small scale.

This time, a club of university students investigate rumours and urban legends about ghosts, and make horror videos about it. While they enthusiastically engage in acting and filming, weird things happen around the members themselves. Still they decide to do one more big project. What could possibly go wrong?

Compared to other Chinese horror films from the same era, there are a couple of things that give this one a slightly different feel.

Firstly, that the cast is larger than usual, making it more lively. It even gets difficult to keep up with who everyone is, and who they are in love with (which is not really a negative).

Secondly, that it takes place at more locations than usual, at a high tempo, with many things happening.

It is not a comedy, even though there is a witty quote or two. It is definitely a horror movie, considering how it has been optimized to pack in as many scares as possibly. Even so, most of them don't get very scary, because a lack of threat most of the time.

There is a mystery, but not much time is spent exploring it. The plot does not seem to be the most important thing. Instead, it is more about the chaos that breaks out.

The strong point is the feeling of taking part in exciting adventures with a group of friends.

In this horror movie, four people are paid to take care of a country-side house for a week. There are rules, and they are recommended to film their daily life.

The set-up is similar to reality shows like Terrace House, but the vlogging is not made a big thing. Instead, focus is on the interactions of the inhabitants, and the isolation at the remotely located house.

In this kind of artificial thought-experiment, where a group of people is put together, the dynamic between the characters is especially important. There is some conflict, and some cute scenes, so this aspect becomes the strongest point of the movie.

The house is beautiful and has several good spots for filming, even a swimming pool. Yet, it by itself does not have personality enough to carry the movie. A couple more houses or locations could have been good for variation.

Every horror movie needs a mysterious background story. This time it is somewhat logical, but a bit mundane, and does not engage my imagination.

The special effects are of the cheaper kind, and some props seem to be made of plastic instead of the material they should be made of. But that's ok, since the cheap physical props look more natural than bad computer generated effects would have.

My final words is that the movie has a few nice scenes, but that there is not much that is unique or interesting.

The weather is fine in Kyoto. The tourists are at the temples, and various schools of flower arrangement meet for a power struggle. A perfect opportunity to commit crimes and drop clues, right? Unfortunately for the criminals, a classy lady from the USA takes up the case, earning her the title Detective Catherine.

As a puzzle mystery, it is relatively simple. If you want a challenge, you might be able to guess who did what, but it can be more difficult to guess how.

The theme of flower arrangement adds aesthetics, but the setting of a cultural society is too similar to an average episode of the TV shows like Midsomer Murders. Most of the suspects are also bland and cliché.

The detective has a clear personality, and a strong presence, making her a center of attention. She also has things going on outside of the investigation, and talents aside from catching criminals. The "Dr. Watson" on the other hand is mostly useless.

A strength of the movie is that it is lively with many characters, and subplots outside the case. The use of an American detective in a tourist trap setting might be attempt to appeal to an international audience.

Watch it if you like classical puzzle mysteries and want to see one set around the shrines in Kyoto.

This is a beautiful movie. In particular the interior of houses are cozy with nice furniture. It does not look expensive but quaint and old. Outdoor and nature locations look picturesque, but with no landscape panoramas.

Many special effects seem to be physical, and there are not many computer-made monsters in this horror movie. This makes things look more natural, and it makes the movie seem older than it is.

Music is also added in a tasteful way. I recognized the song Spring Breeze (piano version) from the visual novel Clannad. Maybe the movie bought the rights to use it.

If you want to watch it, prepare to be confused for at least the first 20 minutes. First because there are no sisters anywhere. The problem is not a mistranslation of the title, becuase it literally contains the word "sisters" in Chinese. In China, like in English-speaking countries, it is possible to call a friend a sister or brother, so maybe that is what is meant.

A second source of confusion is that the action in the very first scene is carried out so incompetently that it is hard to understand what actually happens.

After around 20 minutes, the main story stabilizes a bit, but it can still be chaotic or illogical at times. There can be unexpected jumps between locations, or people can show up where they have no reason to be. Not because the plot is intelligent, but because of bad editing and a failure to communicate the action precisely. At least there is no way you can guess the ending.

Maybe the chaos is just a symptom of too many ideas, and that there are many things going on for its length of only around 80 minutes. That is not necessarily a bad thing if it increases the entertainment. Additionaly, the many cute or funny scenes makes it anything but boring.

On their way to a wedding, what will the travelers find on the road? In the evening, seven young adults arrive at a deserted rest stop with restaurants and shops. Soon spooky incidents begin to happen.

The first time I watched it, most of the characters seemed dislikable, and they were set up that way, to each fulfill their destiny in the plot line. The second time I was more tolerant, but they still seem like devices, not acting according to natural instincts.

The most value is contributed by the introverted Xue Lian with her inner monologue, that works as philosophical commentary to the events. There is also witty dialogue at times.

A considerable amount of time is used for going through the motions of what you have already guessed will happen. Apart from that, the overall plot is in my taste as a horror story.

Mostly set in darkness and diligently made as spooky as possible, it is one of the scarier Chinese horror movies. Watch it if you dare.

What's so scary about embroidered shoes? You would know if you were a member of the An family in the countryside of China.

The setting is nice, with furniture, paintings, and outdoor locations. It is not outstanding, but the lack of extravagance makes it realistic and cozy. The small, modern exterior and large, old-fashioned interior are probably not from the same house, which can cause a faint disorientation.

The Americanized brother An Lin made the best impression, as a reasonable and sympathetic guy who is good at dodging conflicts. The sister An Wen is a good main character with flaws and a changing attitude.

The ghosts have a good design and background story, but are seen too often, even in daylight, breaking the "Don't show the monster" rule. What creates the most anxiety is instead the isolated and precarious situation of An Wen.

Plotwise, you have probably seen most of it before. It is a simple but reasonable.

Don't underestimate this movie because of the funny title. It has nice scenes and can be enjoyable if not expecting too much.