10. My Mother's Eyes (Takeshi Kushida, Japan)
Takeshi Kushida directs a psycho thriller essentially, and the narrative will remind many of Kim Ki-young's films, although the sexual connotations are substituted by a mother-daughter relationship (and eventually a father-son one). The codependence that can frequently dominate this type of connections is implemented in extremes here, with the concept of the VR goggles essentially making the two women, one. And while the mother always seemed to want that, to create a daughter based on her own self, the way the daughter also starts to enjoy the concept, also because it is her only way out from the constant watching of the ceiling (as mentioned in the movie), definitely moves into the area of perversion. Especially since sex, violence, and in general, any experience the mother has, so does her daughter, as the two become more and more as one. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
9. Creepy Crawly (Chalit Krileadmongkon, Pakphun Wongjinda, Thailand)
In addition to this, “Creepy Crawly” has a lot of fun with the creature feature qualities. The use of the legend allows some fun. The first attacks are nicely over-the-top, with the possessed figure wandering around, snatching victims in the dark corridors or remote sections of the hotel. This lets it use the sneak attack advantage and the extra-long grasp it has, with the massive tentacles providing the killing blow. Since there are no witnesses and no evidence left behind upon investigating everything until much later on, there are some decent attempts at suspense, with the patrons not knowing who or what is responsible even after more of them start to go missing. The ability of the creature to possess others and take them over to do its killing makes for a great touch since not knowing who it is but still having to deal with the thousands of creatures crawling over every surface possible lets the final act flow heavily with some impressive visual effects for the creatures. (Don Anelli)
8. Faces of Anne (Rasiguet Sookkarn, Kongdej Jaturanrasmee, Thailand)
That all gives “Faces of Anne” a great means of launching a slew of effective creature and horror attacks. The overall look of the main creature, with its deer face on a hulking, humanoid stance and clawed hands, gives off a fantastic imposing structure that is utilized quite effectively. Keeping it to brief bits noting its demonic presence during the chase scenes to be the focal point of their fear is another well-done tactic to generate some solid chills. From the opening attack on the victim seen through a door peephole, to a fine chase through the various staff rooms, and a final encounter inside the hallways of the facility, these encounters with the creature house a fine sense of fear regarding the situation. While not over-the-top with the gore, they're brutal enough to leave an impression of what happened as well. When added together with the revelation about the creatures' backstory connecting it to Anne, there are some positive points to be had with the film. (Don Anelli)
7. Blood Flower (Dain Said, Malaysia)
As a result of this, when “Blood Flower” goes for gruesome supernatural action it's incredibly effective. The opening confrontation with the possessed neighbor where we learn of Iqbal's powers for the first time is quite enjoyable, with some rather dark action at the forefront as the spirit targets the group there to confront them. The scene where Iqbal and his friends free the spirit from the greenhouse room is immensely chilling as everyone blows past frequent red flags to continually act as rebellious youths doing something they shouldn't, and the resulting scares that follow are quite effective. With the demon now free and able to torment the other residents in the apartment, the series of accidents and freak deaths that occur, where the vision of a demonic figure surrounding the victim controlling them to perform the gruesome action, makes for a chilling series of scenes. The series of demonic possessions that follow his friends leads into the wholly over-the-top exorcism sequences that take place in the finale. While overly familiar for the type of genre fare this turns out to be, everything here still manages to be twisted enough with its on-screen action and what it reveals to be quite a fun time, as the visuals are enjoyable enough to keep this entertaining overall. (Don Anelli)
6. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Kenichi Ugana, Japan)
The combination of comedy which actually applies also to the over-the-top violence and the overall gore works excellently for the narrative, which remains entertaining from beginning to end, with the irony of the twist and the finale also moving into the same direction. As such, Ugana's direction and writing (along Hirobumi Watanabe) emerge as two of the best traits of the movie, along with Tomoki Iwakura's cinematography, who captures the different setting presented in the film with an excessiveness that fits the general aesthetics perfectly. Masashi Komino's editing induces the title with a fitting, relatively fast pace, while the connection of the different elements here are ideal for this type of movie, with the violent moments followed by ones of calmness. Lastly, a nice job has also been done by Miyuki Wakamatsu in the VFX and particularly the blood, which actually showcases the low budget nature of the production in a way that adds to the entertainment it offers. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
5. Back Home (Nate Ki, Hong Kong)
However, when “Back Home” does go all in on the spooks and creeps it's usually quite effective. The flashbacks to him as a kid witnessing strange phenomena around the house, from the usual voices playfully calling out in the distance and appearing suddenly behind somebody to hallucinating figures that no one else can see, all serve nicely to set the stage for what's going to be on offer throughout. The later scenes of Heung as an adult feature more overt scares with the ghosts appearing out of darkened hallways, emerging from blacked-out rooms or doorways, and setting out to disrupt his life with their appearances coming out of nowhere are incredibly effective. As the incidents continue not just the ones involving him but the other residents in the apartment complex, it gradually reveals the real purpose behind most of the incidents and encounters that carry on into the final half. As the purpose of the ghosts' interactions gradually becomes clear and it starts driving Heung to insanity, the big reveal about the ritualistic ceremony that's being held offers some chilling resolutions as playing out what their purpose is sets this up nicely to give the film a lot to like about it. (Don Anelli)
4. Bhediya (Amar Kaushik, India)
One of the finer aspects here is a solid and engaging atmosphere brought about by director Kaushik's mixing of comedy with a stern ecological message. The lighthearted atmosphere allows this one to be filled with an innumerable amount of sight gags, slapstick humor, and visual features surrounding the gradual transformation, which helps to make Bhaskari's condition more relatable as time goes on. Far more than just being a simple klutz or the clumsy oaf most would assume, the focus goes on simply performing outrageous slapstick sequences filled with the opportunity to offer up snarky jokes and comebacks about the situation. This continues nicely with the influx of constant wordplay and rapid-fire jokes emitted, which keep everything light and generally fun enough, revolving around everything from misunderstood local customs to misinterpretations and the absurdity of the situation. (Don Anelli)
3. Raging Grace (Paris Zarcilla, Philippines)
This early setup allows “Grace” to ratchet up the tension in the second half. Zarcilla employs a rather frenetic ploy as the living conditions Joy had been working under change constantly due to a solid series of explanations and reveals that come about. With so much of the first part involving Grace living there in secret trying not to alert Katherine about it or being inundated with all sorts of rules about her care routine and responsibilities, there's an air of suspense and unease present. That helps to make the revelations that come about regarding the proper treatment or loyalty far more shocking and clever. As these lead into a frenetic finale offering some shocking truths and reveals about who's in charge, it all provides quite a lot to enjoy here. (Don Anelli)
2. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (Yusuke Ishida, Japan)
There's quite a lot to like with “Zom 100.” Among the better features is writer/director Ishida's solid setup which provides a great touch on the modern workplace experience in Japan. Akira's initial optimism and eagerness to work for a high-profile corporation at the beginning, when he's hired, is almost immediately wiped out and turned into the type of depressed, dejected worker who exists solely to crunch the numbers and perform paperwork. The relentless bullying he experiences from his superiors belittling him for trying to think outside what they want in a mindless drone causes Akira to give up his dreams and desires to continue working, speaks quite heavily to the type of culture experienced there. The constant overtime and lack of personal time for little pay and no social life drive him to the point of looking at the zombie apocalypse as a way to escape having a job to go to. The contrast makes for a striking indictment of how workers and various employees are handled in this type of system which gets brought to the forefront even more so once Akira and his friends arrive at the aquarium. It all creates a rather dynamic story that keeps this moving along nicely. (Don Anelli)
1. The Lake (Lee Thongkham, Aqing Xu, Thailand)
That manages to set the stage for “The Lake” to feature a slew of impressive creature action. Making good use of the creature's size advantage over normal citizens, the initial sequences including the opening attack on the villagers at the lake or the later chase of Keng and Lin through the local rice paddies, offer a lot to like. These end up featuring high-energy action as their lightning-fast agility and physical weaponry are put to use in large-scale ambushes to wipe out and attack others. The confrontation with the police where they manage to capture it in the city streets is equally fun with a decidedly entertaining twist coming into play, keeping them from killing it. As well, a later sequence involving the massive mother arriving and stalking Pam, May, and James inside a stranded car as it looks for its missing egg being transported inside, is a truly chilling and suspenseful action scene. (Don Anelli)
