TIFF 2003

Powerful film with a great cast. I have a weakness for prison films, and this one, although they escape in the first act, is still one of the best. Toyoda is a master when it comes to visual storytelling and this film has some striking, memorable, images and scenes. I also have a weakness for father/son movies, and this film approaches the theme in a interesting way. Also, Toyoda did an amazing job telling the story of 9 different characters in such a short time very well.

Refers to DTV Japanese version. I also really liked the theatrical version.
Amazing
That's the word I'd use to describe this fantastic (rats, I guess I'd use fantastic too) film. For hardly any cash whatsoever, and using video format, this film used all those constraints and turned them into assets. The video works here, adding a new level of creepiness and reality. Viewers are getting more accustomed to viewing things shot on video (thank you reality tv, I use thank because I can't write the other word), and Ju-on's story, characters, and sound design are so strong you immediately forget the format you're watching. And scary, boy is it scary. This movie is seriously unrelenting. The structure of the story has it so as soon as your done being terrified by one situation, another situation soon follows. This is the first time since I was a kid, I had to pause the movie, get up and turn on the lights. It was too much. The director is a genius. I saw the remake of Ju-on at the TIFF and wasn't that impressed, but now viewing the original 2, the remake makes a lot more sense (I hated the ambiguous ending which ain't ambiguous no more) and works now as a continuation of the story. I hope the director gets very rich off this incredible franchise.

Miike's Lynchian film is a slower, meditative film with spurts of insanity. Great performances from all cast members and excellent direction from Miike.

Great, stylistic and very dramatic along with being action filled Johnnie To film. A great filmmaker.

Decent movie ruined by the worst, unexplainable twist ending I've ever seen. Excuse my french, but this is fucking terrible.

Looked good, sounded good, sucked shit.