J-Horror Rising

Shikoku (1999)

Eerie chiller from Japan centers on Hinako, a young woman who returns to the rural village where she grew up to find her friend Sayori has mysteriously died. After a series of bizarre occurrences, including a ghostly visit from Sayori, Hinako discovers that the girl’s mother, a local priestess who’s since lost her mind, has been conducting rituals designed to revive the dead. Yui Natsukawa, Michitaka Tsutsui, Chiaki Kuriyama star. 101 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR

Isola: Multiple Personality Girl (Isola: Tajuu Jinkaku Shôjo) (2000)

In the aftermath of the 1995 Kobe, Japan, earthquake, a young woman with psychic abilities aiding in the search for survivors encounters a troubled orphan girl with multiple personalities and soon discovers that one of the girl’s selves is a merciless killer. Chilling Japanese shocker stars Yoshino Kimura, Yu Kurosawa. 93 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR

Persona (Kamen Gakuen) (2000)

Weary of being bullied, a teenager shows up for school in a featureless mask. As he gains anonymity and self-assurance, classmates start doing the same as a trend...and as anarchy breaks out, young Yuki (Maya Kurosu) tries to uncover the true face begind the cultish behavior. Unsettling opus from Japan co-stars Tatsuya Fujiwara, Chiaki Kuriyama. 90 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR

Inugami (2001)

After moving to a small village, Tokyo schoolteacher Akira falls in love with Miki, a papermaker from a family believed to carry an ancient curse. When the town is plagued by a succession of grisly, inexplicable deaths, Akira begins to suspect that Miki might be to blame. Taut Japanese thriller stars Atsuro Watabe, Yuki Amami, Eugene Harada. 105 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR

St. John’s Wort (Otogirisou) (2001)

When game programmer Nami (Megumi Okina) inherited a creepy mansion, her collaborator and ex (Yoichiro Saito) thinks it'll be a perfect source of inspiration for their next project. As they arrive to take photos and video, they may found themselves being sorry what they wished for. Disturbing take on the popular visual novel co-stars Koji Okura. 85 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: R

Noroi: The Curse (Noroi) (2005)

As the authorities looked into the disappearance of pop paranormal investigator/documentarian Kobayashi (Jin Muraki), they uncovered footage of him tracking a trail of bizarre occurences--that lead to the sunken lair of an imprisoned demon. Memorable mockumentary mayhem from Japan also stars Tomono Kuga, Satoru Jitsunashi, Marika Matsumoto. 115 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR

Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (Kuchisake-Onna) (2007)

Am I pretty? Thirty years after a disfigured female serial killer wearing a surgical mask asked that fatal question of her victims, the children of a suburban town are vanishing once again. Is the ghost of this fiendishly unattractive murderess back with a ghoulish grudge? Haruhiko Kato, Chiharu Kawai star in this grisly shocker from Japan. 90 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR

Widescreen; Soundtrack: Japanese; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; featurettes; theatrical trailers; more. In Japanese with English subtitles.