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Another Decade with Takashi Miike is a series of essays on the 2010s films of the Japanese maverick, following Notebook's earlier survey of Miike's first decade of the 21st century.If movie history is defined as much by absences as by the films that actually get made, then one of the critical lacunae of 2010s cinema is the relative lack of movies about mass shootings. Random killings in highly populated public spaces mark one of the most distressing issues in contemporary American life, as these atrocities became more and more common over the last decade. This may not be as much of a concern in other countries, which have greater safeguards to keep people from access to assault weapons, but it should be alarming to anyone. How horrible it must be to die as part of some sick person’s fantasy—horrible, in part, because of its uncanny resemblance to...

Stars: Takayuki Yamada, Howard Harris, Fumi Nikaidô, Shôta Sometani, Hideaki Itô, Ruth Sundell, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Rio Kanno, Yukito Nishii, Ken’ichi Takitô, Daniel Genalo, Noriko Nakagoshi, Erina Mizuno, Fujiko Kojima, Kento Hayashi | Written and Directed by Takashi Miike

I learnt from watching Audition that you never take Takashi Miike movies at face value, he won’t let you. That movie was my introduction into the twisted world of the director, and this is the reason he has quickly become one of my favourites. From horror to gangsters, historical and even school movies like Crows Zero he shows a flexibility and an ability to bring fun to his work, while also masterfully handling the extremes. Lesson of Evil is a movie that risks coming across as boring especially in the first half when it is setting the scene for the violence to come. Whether you find it dull or the characters interest you,...

If all the Grudge sequels didn't wear out your affection for director Takashi Shimizu's work, then you might be pleased to hear the filmmaker's 3-D thriller The Shock Labyrinth should soon be reaching these shores. According to Variety, Fortissimo Films has just picked up the worldwide rights to the picture (excluding Japan), which is currently in post-production. Hit the jump for more info. Shock Labyrinth focuses on a band of teens who are startled by the return of a long-lost friend. It stars several Japanese actors familiar to genre fans, including Battle Royale's Ai Maeda and Ichi the Killer's Erina Mizuno. It's due for release overseas by the end of this year, though a U.S. release...

Seoul -- "The Shock Labyrinth," the latest film from "The Grudge" director Takashi Shimizu, is to be a 3D live-action movie represented in international markets by Fortissimo Films.

The story takes place in a theme park near Mount Fuji and follows a group of teens dealing with the shock return of a friend they had assumed to be dead.

Produced by Japan's Asmik Ace, the film also marks Shimizu's return to genre filmmaking after a hiatus of several years.

"The production represented a great challenge in creating a brand new way of expressing fear and telling a dramatic story via the medium of 3-D film. I hope as many of you as possible will find yourselves trapped in my labyrinth and enjoy the experience," he said.

The film is in postproduction, having begun principal photography in early July.

Produced by Ogura Jimusyo's Satoru Ogura, Asmik Ace's Masayuki Tanishima and Dai Miyazaki,...

It has been three years since Takashi Shimizu stood beside a film camera and worn his directorial hat—literally. Eschewing the black leather cap that was seemingly glued to his head throughout the production of the Japanese Ju-on and American Grudge movies that made his name, Shimizu is not only sporting new headwear for his newest feature, but is also shooting with a new, custom 3-D digital system, the first for such a production in Japan.

Journeying down to the city of Tateyama, Fango paid a visit to the set of The Shock Labyrinth 3D last week to catch up with director Shimizu’s return to feature filmmaking. Within the peeling walls of a local hospital, Shimizu and his crew are hard at work on one of the final days of shooting. Seated behind a large LCD monitor, the filmmaker reaches over to a spare set of 3-D glasses and hands them to this writer.

I wasn't exactly sure about this upcoming 3d flick from Takashi Shimizu backed by Asmik Ace which stars Yuya Yagira, Misako Renbutsu, Ryo Katsuji, Ai Maeda, Erina Mizuno, and Suzuki Matsuo. Why? Well it didn't sound like much original, but after seeing these technocolor stills, I'm sold. Shock Labyrinth is being shot (mostly) on location at the inspiration for the film, the worlds largest haunted house (according to Guiness) at the Fuji-q High Land amusement park near the base of Mt. Fuji,

The film follows a group of teenagers dealing with the sudden return of a friend who went missing a decade ago. When the friend falls ill, they take her to a hospital but end up trapped in a labyrinthine haunted house.

Stills after the break. via Horror Movies and Stuff

Head to Quiet Earth to see the stills.

Wonder why Takashi Shimizu isn’t directing the tenth anniversary installments of his Ju-On franchise himself? The answer is simple enough: because he’s making Japan’s first 3-D horror film instead!

Horror Master Takashi Shimizu Commences The Production Of Japan’S First Live Action Digital 3D Feature In The World’S Longest Horror House Walk-through

Tokyo, June 3rd 2009

Japanese production and distribution company Asmik Ace Entertainement today announced the commencement of the principal photography of “The Shock Labyrinth,” a live action digital 3D film directed by Takashi Shimizu (“Juon,” “Juon 2,” “The Grudge,” “The Grudge 2”). The horror project is aiming at an October 2009 release in Japan. Asmik Ace handles both local and international distribution of the Ogura Jimusyho production. The project marks Japan’s first ever live action digital 3D feature film as well as Shimizu’s long-awaited return to the horror feature after 3 years. Produced by Ogura Jimusyo...