Dark Water (2002)

Often unfairly placed behind Ringu (1998) and Ju-on (2002) in importance, Hideo Nakata's DW is fully deserving of sharing space with either of them. It has chills, atmosphere in abundance, and some fantastic performances from its two female leads. It uses the horror elements in a more subtle manner, supportive of a structure that's more traditional in nature, while upfront is a story about a single mother who's struggling to keep custody of her daughter. She's a good mom at heart, but in order to afford a home for them both she must sometimes leave the child to fend for herself.
The water motif is everywhere, inescapable, a multifunctional device that holds a number of subtexts (eg. it's cleansing, harmful, isolating, etc).

4½ seeping shivers out of 5

INSHITE MIRU: 7-KAKAN NO DESU GÊMU [2010]

aka The Incite Mill

Director Hideo Nakata takes a break from creepy long-haired dead Japanese girls with the breezy sci-fi mystery Inshite Miru.

Here we follow ten strangers, trapped in an underground bunker, who all unwillingly partake in a dangerous game of survival for a large sum of money.
It's not particularly original or surprising, in fact it wear it's Agatha Christie influence on it's sleeve, ten little Indians and all.  However it's brisk pacing, atmospheric suspense and wildly entertaining cast make it an easily digestible ride.  Don't expect many twists 'n turns because you'll probably figure it out quicker than you'd like, which is a shame because it takes the fun out of films like these when you're a step or two ahead of them.

3 Guards out of 5

THE RING TWO [2005]

Hideo Nakata, director of Japan's 1998 Ringu adaptation, makes his American debut with the sequel to the 2002 adaptation.
Telling an original story of it's own, Rachel & Aidan have moved states to escape the memories of their run in with the creepsome Samara only to find she and her wiggins videotape have found a way to follow them.
Being a huge fan of the first film I wanted so very badly to love this one too but ended up hating it when it first came out and vowed to never watch it again until now.  My dislike for it has simmered down a bit but it still doesn't change the fact that it's a crap film.  It spends a good hour filled with nothing but nonsensical "spookiness" until an actual plotline begins mildly materializing and by then anything worthwhile is long gone.

2 bucks stop here out of 5

Death Note: L Change the World (2008)

A D Note spin-off featuring the peculiar L in an original story not found in the source text. One of his contemporaries (similarly monikered, of course) sends him a mystery that if unsolved will have worldwide consequences.
Adding to the pressure are a number of time constraints, one of which was brought on by the sleuth's own calculated actions in the Kira case.
The lighter moments showing L out of his comfort zone were the most entertaining, helped along by a spirited performance from the little girl.
The serious parts of the story were often low on tension and too closely resembled an American film in need of trimming.

2½ sweet numbers out of 5

Sleeping Bride (2000)

Japanese director Hideo Nakata is best known for his Ringu horror movies, but SB is almost the polar opposite of Ringu. It's based on a manga by Osamu Tezuka and is perhaps best described as a modern fairytale about a sleeping girl and the male high school student who's besotted with her.
It's a sweet film that very occasionally resembles a live-action Ghibli, but unfortunately those moments are mere ballast. If they'd been used more effectively the story would've had more of an impact. As it is now, it's reliant primarily on Kenji Kawai's score to provide any kind of emotional punch beyond Nakata's simplistic sentimentality.

2½ better days out of 5

Ringu 2 (1999)

One of two different sequels to Ringu (1998). The other is HERE. Ringu 2 continues the story one week from where the first film left off.

It drifts further away from the source material and yet somehow manages to remain faithful to Koji Suzuki's original idea, so say hello once again to the seminal, creepy, long-haired, malevolent Japanese spirit girl.

Sadako’s origins are more deeply explored and the terrors related to the cursed video ripple further than they did before, but it'll make very little sense on its own, so make sure you've watched the previous film first.

3½ frolics in brine... out of 5

Ringu (1998)

To date there's been four feature films adapted from the first novel in Kôji Suzuki's Ringu Trilogy. Each one tells the same basic story but with some variations. This is Japan's second version and is by far the best of the lot.
A small group of teenagers view a cursed video tape and then die one week later from unknown circumstances. A determined female journalist attempts to get to the truth by retracing their last days.
Credited with kick-starting the Asian horror boom in the West, Ringu is a slow moving investigative film that's more about the journey than the destination, with at least one truly shocking brown-undies moment.
For extra jollies, watch it alone in the dark and then try to sleep.

4½ frozen stares out of 5