Audition

If you're going into this expecting torture porn like "Hostel" or "Saw," you're going to be disappointed. This is a story about a widowed father, Shigeharu, who is lonely and goes about trying to solve that in the wrong way - e.g., by holding a fake audition for a movie that *could* be real, but isn't. At the audition he discovers Asami, a demure and slightly odd beautiful women who says everything our windower wants to hear. The first part of this movie is about him falling for her despite the warnings of his producer friend (Yasuhisa) who came up with the fake audition idea in the first place. There are so many good points in this movie, but one is when the producer colleague tells Shigeharu to slow down in his pursuit of Asami, and he actually does! But it's already too late. And the cuts to Asami in her desolate apartment with that strange, human sized bag just in the background, waiting for the phone to ring are truly unnerving. Anyway, I saw this movie when it first came out. I revisited again tonight and I can't recommend it highly enough. Perhaps my only "note" would be that there needed to be more signs from Asami to give Yasuhisa the creeps at the audition. She really doesn't seem that odd initially.

Starts as a quiet drama, lulling viewers into a false sense of security before cutting the legs out from under them with gran guignol hallucinations and a punishing final sequence. Miike's patient exploration of his character's motivations, relationships, and inner desires elevates what could easily have been a bit of two-dimensional exploitation.

Miike is surprisingly a sentimental filmmaker. One who can't hide his fetishistic violence laden voyeurism. Is it an important film to see, as far as pushing the limits of cinema and movie goers patience goes? Yes. But it is quite a slow build until it gets to the nightmarish climax. It humanizes the psychotic, while exploring the humanity in desires. If only Miike could somewhat temper his impulses, I think he would've been an even more incredible filmmaker. Nonetheless, you can't help but respect his craftsmanship in putting together tales like these.

Well constructed, acted film. Loses its way a bit towards the end but some genuinely shocking moments

This horror thriller is simply nuts and not for the faint of hearts. Makes Fatal Attraction look like Snow White. Arguably Miike's best work.

An ok Japanese horror. It may not be iconic as the other popular Japanese horror; it has its own distinction for its outstanding slow burn.

Tick, tick, tick. I wish to remember dating options like this.

This movie is amazing! Like a thriller romance horror movie! Love it!

Amazing movie, creepy, disturbing mystery, through and through it deepens and deepens an your untangling this great web the ride on.

When your friend warns you about something, and you do it anyways... RIP. This film is rated R. Graphic violence in the last 20 minutes. MC did not deserve any of that.