Bakemono

A remarkable achievement in independent horror that proves what's possible with practical effects and thoughtful filmmaking. The interweaving storylines of the diverse cast create genuine emotional stakes, making the horror elements land with devastating impact. I particularly loved the performances of the villain and a couple of the others that really had me rooting for their survival.

The cinematography and lighting are outstanding, maintaining a claustrophobic and disorienting atmosphere throughout. The practical effects work is visceral and convincing - a refreshing change from the CGI-heavy approach that often pulls viewers out of modern horror films. There wasn't a moment when I lost the old suspension-of-disbelief due to some technical flaw or other compared to other indie horror films.

What really struck me was how reminiscent this felt of Kazuo Umezu's work, particularly his "God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand" collection. It's rare to see a film capture that distinctive manga-horror atmosphere so effectively. The filmmaker clearly understands how to translate that unsettling visual style to live action. I wish Umezu was alive to see this film but I hope this director gets a chance to direct one of Umezu's works someday and I live to see it.

While definitely not for not for children or people sensitive to gore, this is horror as art - telling its story in creative and compelling ways that respect both the genre and the audience's intelligence. Every technical element serves the storytelling, creating an experience that stayed with me long after seeing it the first time.

What sets this apart is how the character development enriches rather than distracts from the horror. Each person feels fully realized, with their own histories and motivations that made their fates matter to me. This emotional investment makes the terrifying moments hit even harder.

If you appreciate horror that prioritizes atmosphere and psychological depth alongside its scares, this is absolutely worth your time. A stellar example of what's possible in independent horror when craft and vision align.

I think you'll like this. It's not perfect and it's out of order but I had no problem following it. The practical effects are incredible and I love Mitsuo. He's so creepy. It is a bit dark at times but it's very atmospheric. I actually jumped too. Again it's not perfect and it is an indie film but I was surprised how good it was.

I thought the characters were also well developed. There are quite a few of them but that makes it different from most other films. I liked the Irish guy. I figured he was the lead actually since he was crying over his ex, handsome, fit, etc. I guess I can see why some might be confused but I think if you pay attention, it isn't difficult.

I liked the film a lot. The creature's presence is clearly explained (visually plus spelled out later in dialogue) and there is no Army officer (the character works in IT... eye-tea, not the Pennywise movie). You can't turn off your brain. It's not one of those movies but I laughed sometimes (it's got some dark humor) and jumped on a couple moments. The scares can be repetitive but they are effective. One scene in particular is disturbing. It's a dark movie in every sense of the word. The lighting is dark sometimes but bright at others. I think that darkness though creates a really creepy mood (plus probably helps the special effects since I doubt they had much money). Perhaps too dark but it looks great in a cinema. I want to see the extended crowdfunding version.

Arriving at a cheap Japanese Airbnb, a group of disparate individuals trying to use the facility for their means manage to individually stumble upon a vicious creature living in the building killing everyone who comes there and must find a way to battle the creature to get away alive.

There's quite a lot to like with this one. It mostly centers around the film's creature action and the preference for practically-driven effects, providing an old-school touch to everything that comes off as genuinely refreshing and enjoyable. The storyline's simple structure and repetitive framework ensure that a constant crop of guests are brought in to stay at the location, fulfilling the constant need for guests to be slashed up or gruesomely dispatched by the vicious creature. The humanoid appearance and misshapen features look great when it's captured in the dark, murky shadows of the building, and the carnage left behind ensures that severed limbs, scattered teeth, intestines, and even more get ripped out and left on-screen in grisly fashion. Also, the creature's ability to influence others to carry this out on their own allows for a nice change of pace by adding a touch of suspense to the mix where it's hard to expect what's going to happen and giving this one quite a lot to like. This one does have some issues holding it down. These mainly center on the scattershot and haphazard storyline where it becomes rather hard to tell what's going on. Since this one tends to feature a wide range of characters who seem to visit the property at various times, it's hard to tell if this takes place in a day, week, month, or at other random points in time. Getting names to faces is also next to impossible, and any kind of structure is lost with random victims appearing, doing whatever their interests say to accomplish, and then encountering the creature who knocks them out. This setup never really provides a chance to get to know anyone beyond the Army officer or the two best friends who stay there as they seem to be the main characters while the completely unexplained presence of the creature or who anyone else is makes for a confusing time when the film isn't focused on splattering effective-looking entrails on-screen. It's the main issue to be had with this one overall.

Rated Unrated/R: Extreme Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity, and a sex scene.