When it comes to crime and thriller, few movies dare to think the unthinkable. However, Asian films have never been one to back down such a challenge. We have seen thrillers like I Saw The Devil that pushed the boundaries of human depravity to movies like Suicide Club that are both nerve-wracking and poetic in parts. With a new year upon us, there are certainly some new crime-thrillers being released amidst the flurry of sequels and online releases.
Some are adapted from well-established mangas, some have a stellar cast list. Based on the past work of the directors and actors, there are some movies that I am looking forward to eagerly.
1. Jigoku no Hanazono
This is the story of a 26-year-old lady. She does a regular job at a company but aggressive fights take place in her workplace due to various cliques. One of these fights leads to her company being targeted from all over Japan. The movie is directed by Seki Kazuaki. Nagano Mei is playing the lead role in the film. Mei earlier has played roles more suited for a younger audience like her performance in Daytime Shooting Star. It is one of the reasons I am looking forward to her performance in such a film. Though she did feature in the mystery film Mask Ward, her role was limited to that of a regular university student.
One of her released looks portrays her sporting multiple braids and I must say, the transformation is incredible! It is also Seki Kazuaki's first movie venture. The script is written by the comedian Bakarhythm. Overall, Jigoku no Hanazono feels like it is going to be a hilarious mess with a crime bend to it and I for one, can't wait!
2. Homonculus
This movie is adapted from a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hideo Yamamoto. It stars Ayano Go as Nakoshi Shaumya, who is a 34-year-old vagabond man. One day, he meets a man from a medical school who asks him to volunteer to undergo an experimental operation in exchange for 700,000 yen. After this, his life takes a mysterious turn. Susumu opens his eyes to the strange power that he now possesses which allows him to see a representation of people's subconscious brain. If the title does not already give it away - the procedure Nakoshi underwent was no normal procedure.
The process is known as Trepanation and involves drilling a hole in the person's skull. Of course, the movie has supernatural elements in it as well. The Homunculus manga was started in 2003 and already has an established fanbase. It is directed by Takashi Shimizu who is known as "one of a new breed of Japanese horror directors". To show his range - he was the director of The Grudge 2 and Kiki's Delivery Service. One thing is for sure - Homonculus is a difficult manga to adapt into a live-action and I am excited to see what Takashi Shimizu brings to the table!
3. Masquerade Night
A film by Masayuki, written by Keigo Higashino. It's an adaptation of the novel 'Masquerade Night ' which was also nominated for the Edgar Allen Poe Awards. The film stars Takuya Kimura and Masami Nagasawa as Kasuke Nitta and Naomi Yamagishi respectively. The story is diverse and the characters are well written. In the story, an unidentified letter reaches the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. It states that a criminal will appear at the countdown party Masquerade Night. Kasuke Nitta plays a detective who is supposed to go undercover at the Masquerade Night party which will be held at Hotel Cortesia Tokyo.
There he meets Naomi Yamagishi and the story progresses from there on and takes a mysterious turn. Masayuki earlier directed the movie Masquerade Hotel in 2019 - also originally a book by Higashino. Masquerade Hotel easily features as one of the better films I have watched in 2019 with its menacing aura and show-don't-tell policy. And I'm hoping Masquerade Night will be even better!
4. Paranoid: Everything wipe from the beginning
So here's a really unusual movie on the list. Directed by Dogus Arslan, Paranoid is a movie based on real events that took place in a sanatorium in Istanbul. It stars the actor Emre Tetikell and Meryem Turan. The two main characters Mitat and Masal experience a wide variety of feelings and emotions in their journey in the story, which also conflict with each other's story. Despite being set in a mental hospital and showcasing disruptive events, the movie placed exceptional importance on mental health, according to the Director. Not only is the plot of the film intriguing, but Dogus Arslan was also the director of the 2017 film Lucifer.
5. Seo Bok
Suspense is an uncomfortable pleasure. And I expect Seo Bok to deliver plenty of it! Seo Bok is a South Korean Sci-fi action film directed by Lee Yong -ju. It stars Gong Yoo, Park Bo Gum, and Jang Young-nam. The movie deals with the concept, cause, and effects of human cloning. Seo Bok is the first human clone created by stem cell cloning and genetic engineering. Min Gi-heon is a former agent of the intelligence agency who gets evolved with Seo Bok in dangerous situations as he is entrusted with the safe transportation of Seo bok.
Seo Bok is immortal and possesses a secret to eternal life which causes several "enemies" to want to capture him back. Director Lee Yong-ju is not new to crime thrillers and horror films. he earlier worked on Possessed and The Silenced - both of which were stellar. Overall, I think this is a great combination and makes a movie well worth looking forward to.
Here's to hoping that these movies do not disappoint us!
Author
Nayanika