Skinwalkers

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Strange Circus

Kimyô na sâkasu, Japan 2005
Director: Sion Sono
Starring: Masumi Miyazaki, Issei Ishida
IMDB: 6.8

Director Sion Sono (also responsible for the excellent Suicide Club) has crafted a film equal parts visual spectacle and disturbing voyeurism ... much like a Strange Circus in fact.

This is one sick puppy - but its good! If you thought Miike's Visitor Q was out there, well try this on for size. A warning though - if you found that film objectionable, you may want to steer clear of this as well.

The title of the film is significant, bringing to mind old-time carnivals and freakshows in the way it causes the viewer to question 'am I a bit sick for finding this entertaining?' (answer: very likely). This theme is explored further, along with questions of identity and reality in a surreal horror/mystery that has no shortage of symbolism and meaning to explore. If you enjoy movies that keep you guessing, then this will be right up your alley. I'm fairly confident you won't see the twist at the end coming!

Those willing to persevere with this challenging yet rewarding film will enjoy a powerful and unforgettable experience, a finely crafted film likely to leave your jaw on the ground.

Highly recommended.

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Sick Nurses

Thailand, 2007
Original title: Suay Laak Sai
Directors: Piraphan Laoyont, Thatsaporn Siriwat
Starring: Dollaros Dachapratumwan, Kanya Rattanapetch, Chidjan Rujiphun, Chon Wachananon, Ocha Wang
IMDB: 4.3

This film is insane. This is a film that wallows and writhes in ecstatic abandon with the pure joy of being a B-Movie. I'm sure it never pretends to be anything else, and as such should be rated in those terms. Maybe as a 'film' it deserves its IMDb rating of 4.3, but as an exploitation/horror flick it would have to rate a solid 7.5. For those who enjoy the genre, you should find much to love.

The basic premise is this ... get a bunch of babes in form-fitting nurse costumes, point the camera at them a lot while they're walking away, introduce the obligatory Asian hair ghost, and sprinkle liberally with copious amounts of blood and creative death sequences.

Yeah its got a story, but who cares.

Fans of asian horror will no doubt find it somewhat derivative - this is a 2007 film using the whole hair-ghost angle that was already tired and overdone in 2005. Connoisseurs will also recognise a famous scene lifted from Takashi Miike's Gozu, but in the spirit of Tarantino lets call it 'an homage'. In any case, it really doesn't matter - the film is too much fun to get hung up on technicalities. Crack open a beer for fuck sake and enjoy the show.

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Trailer