DARK WATER (HONOGURAI MIZUNO SOKOKARA) Asian New Classics

Dread. Pure dread. That’s the only word to describe the chilling cinema of Hideo Nakata. Tempering his terrors with shades of sorrow and repulsion, Nakata has an unerring knack for unsettling his audience, often-times using seemingly innocuous objects.

In his previous films, THE RING and THE RING 2, it was videotape and a ringing telephone. Here, it’s a child’s red book bag and water – lots of water. Recent divorcee Yoshimi and her five-year-old daughter lkuko have just moved into a dilapidated housing complex. But their new apartment has much bigger problems than peeling paint. As the rain pounds away at their windows, Yoshimi becomes obsessed with ominous stain slowly creeping across her bedroom ceiling, while begins playing very troubling games with her newfound imaginary friend.

Boasting more disconcerting atmosphere than the most suspenseful American horror flick, DARK WATER will leave you shivering long after you’ve left the theater.