Missing Child Videotape (2024)

Dir. Ryota Kondo

"Keita discovers a missing boy in the woods and soon receives a mysterious videotape from his estranged mother."

i watched this in a server made by one of my favorite j-horror translators, Spira (whose work i wholeheartedly recommend). i came in not knowing anything at all about this movie, which is unusual for me. i typically watch horror movies after researching them or listening to other people talking about them, mostly to reduce likelihood of jumpscares (which i hate) and to keep certain triggering topics in mind. that being said, i don't regret coming into this movie blind- it was an incredibly delicious slow burn with an anxiety-inducing climax. there are no jumpscares, the score is very minimalist, and this is one of those films where you have to watch it again- this time, paying attention to the backgrounds of various scenes. the last thirty minutes was tense and perhaps even confusing, but i personally thought the ending was unsatisfying and didn't stick. that didn't completely detract from my enjoyment, however, since i ended up returning to the movie later to catch things that i missed.

all in all, i recommend this movie for fans of slow burn and building anxiety. this isn't a flashy movie by any means, but it definitely succeeds in building a thick, almost painful atmosphere that has you desperate to know what's next. i can't wait for what this director puts out in the future!

KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

Dr. Chris Applehans, Maggie Kang

"When K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey aren’t selling out stadiums, they’re using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats."

i watched this with a group of my friends. i'd been meaning to watch it on my own after my brother, who usually doesn't feel too strongly about movies like this, kept recommending that i watch it. by sheer luck, another friend of mine wanted to show us the film and scheduled a movie night. for the most part, i prefer to watch films with others, so this was great for me. UNFINISHED