Oni-gokko

Well shot, and well crafted. Proof that the auteur behind "Amateur Porn Star Killer" has a tremendous amount of talent. Here the story is so much more focused and his trademark use of haunting, disturbing imagery is used to its full effect.

While not perfect, no short film is, this demonstrates a unique vision, inspired by but not derivative of Japanese horror films.

Oni-Gokko (Tag) on it's surface is a story about guilt and grief. A young woman cannot bear the pain of how her friend Miki died. Miki is portrayed by the almost impossibly thin Eri Akita. She's otherworldly and conveys a look of almost a meat covered skeleton, yet manages not to appear anorexic.

This piece has fantastic lighting, editing, and acting. The characters truly convey the emotions at hand, even across cultural and language barriers. Shane Ryan has nearly created a moving piece of Ukiyo-e art here. It falls under horror, but there is great beauty here. Well worth a watch.

Atmospheric sound creates the prelude to this tale of a young woman haunted by the demons of her actions as a child forcing her sister to commit suicide. The impact of this film is partially in that soundscape but also within the wounding inflicted on the young woman. Particularly vicious, but without considerable gore or impact otherwise, is the wounding that happens as the young woman makes her way down stairs. A short film that, in a good sense, last longer due to the calm way in which it tells its story, and one that is memorable.