I am back again with another list. This time, I will be focusing on Dark New Asian Cinema releasing soon. No surprise here but all movies are either from South Korea, Japan or Indonesia (Apologies to the rest of Asia I have left out). I hope you enjoy
THE DIVINE FURY (South Korea)
An expert martial artist looking to avenge his father’s death teams up with a priest to fight the dark forces of evil and defeat the God Of Death. I don’t think we need more of an explanation than that, do we?
Written and directed by Jason Kim (Kim Joo-Hwan), director of 2017’s MIDNIGHT RUNNERS
THE FLOWERS OF EVIL (Japan)
Based on a popular Manga series of the same name, The Flowers Of Evil live-action adaptation will be directed by
Noboru Iguchi. I am not certain that something as popular as The Flowers Of Evil could be adapted by the same director as Zombie Ass: Toilet Of The Dead
The title of the movie refers to a book written in 1857 by author
Charles Pierre Baudelaire titled Les Fleurs du Mal.
The story centres around Kasuga, a student and known bookworm with his favourite book being Les Fleurs du Mal. When Kasuga forgets his novel in a classroom he returns to get it. But, he also steals the gym clothes of
Saeki, a girl he has a crush on. News travels around the classroom that some pervert has stolen Saeki’s clothes and guilt starts to cripple Kasuga. He then finds out that someone else knows that he stole the gym wear and this person is determined to make his life a living hell.
THE GANGSTER, THE COP & THE DEVIL (South Korea)
Serial killer’s, Gangsters and cops…need I say more? Oh, wait…it also stars bitch-slap extraordinaire Dong-seok Ma (Train To Busan, Unstoppable).
We have been overdue some great serial killer action from South Korea. For a sub-genre that they excel in, they sure have had a serious lack of contribution in feeding our starved, dark and twisted movie-loving souls.
A gangland division detective is left with no choice but to team up with
Jang Dong-Soo (Dong-seok Ma), the lead member of Cheonan’s crime syndicate to take down a serial killer. Jang Dong-Soo is the only person to have ever escaped with his life when targeted by the serial k
UNDER YOUR BED (Japan)
With the recent South Korean re-imagining of the classic Spanish chiller Sleep Tight, I was hoping Under Your Bed would be another retelling of that super creepy story…only this time from a Japanese POV.
Under Your Bed is not another remake of Sleep Tight but it does seem to share some of its creepy qualities. Based on a book by Kei Ohishi, Under Your Bed tells the story of Naoto, a lonely young man who is ignored by everyone around him. When a young girl called Chihiro notices him, an unhealthy obsession starts to form. Over a decade later, Naoto finally tracks down Chihiro and begins breaking into her apartment and staying under her bed. But Chihiro is not the same woman that Naoto remembers.
This sounds intensely creepy! I am sure the lead female character in this is going to be a different kind of crazy.
FOXTROT SIX (Indonesia)
Well, the trailer for this film sort of blew me away. It had the combined vibes of The Raid and Judge Dredd. Now, if that’s not a good combination for action fans, then I don’t know what will be.
Set in a near dystopian future, a badass-kicking-killing-machine Marine team up with a band of mercenaries to take down the leader of a strict totalitarian government.
PARASITE (South Korea)
If you’re a fan of South Korean cinema then chances are you have already heard of Parasite. If not, then let me brighten up your day.
Parasite is the new film from Bong Joon-ho, the director of classics, Memories Of Murder, The Host, Snowpeircer and Mother
English subtitles have now been added to the trailer below. I was a little surprised to hear that Parasite has been described as a comedy, well, a tragic comedy, so that still means we can expect almost anything at all.
CLOSED WARD (Japan)
Based on the novel Heisa Byouto by Hosei Hahakigi first released in 1994.
The film takes place inside the walls of a psychiatric hospital. When someone is found brutally murdered, the blame points towards three of the patients in the hospital.
This sounds like a great mystery thriller. One of the patients (suspects) in the hospital was sectioned because he murdered his mother and daughter-in-law; the second suspect was sectioned because she refused to go to school (a bit harsh, no?); the third suspect was admitted to the psychiatric hospital because he suffers from auditory hallucinations.
All of the above sounds like a plot for some really great viewing. Let hope I am right.
That’s it for this list. I hope you enjoyed and I hope I have hooked you up (and myself of course) with some fine future viewing.
As always, thanks for reading.
Words by Gary Gamble
Founder/Owner/BigCheese @ Moviehooker