Movie spotlight
Kokkuri
Schoolgirls on the verge of adulthood know that boys can be feckless and girls treacherous. Three friends gather around a Ouija board to call forth the spirit of Kokkuri. Masami has a boyfriend, Akira; Hiroko, who is nervous about the séance, wonders if she should take the plunge into sex; Mio is haunted by her mother's suicide. She also has a secret life as the voice of a midnight talk show host, the sexually-charged Midori. Mio must explore her past and her new feelings. Can she hold off the power and predictions of Kokkuri to enter adulthood, or will the destructive and romantic side of teen spirit be too powerful?
Insights
Plot Summary
A young man named Yosuke is haunted by a series of strange and disturbing events after his estranged father's death. He receives a cryptic message about his father's past and a mysterious lullaby, leading him down a path of psychological unraveling. As he delves deeper into the mystery, he encounters unsettling characters and experiences increasingly surreal and terrifying phenomena, blurring the lines between reality and hallucination.
Critical Reception
Kokkuri, while not as widely known as some of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's later works, is recognized by critics as an early example of his signature atmospheric horror and psychological unease. It's often praised for its unsettling tone and deliberate pacing, though some found its ambiguity challenging.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its pervasive sense of dread and psychological depth.
Appreciated for Kurosawa's distinctive minimalist horror style.
Some viewers found the narrative overly abstract and difficult to follow.
Google audience: Information regarding specific Google user reviews for 'Kokkuri' is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The film's cryptic and ambiguous narrative is characteristic of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's early directorial style, which often focused on existential dread and the uncanny.
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