Don't Look Up (1996)

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🎙️ EPISODE 405: 02.21.22 *review begins ~18:12 How many have or are going to look at the Don't Look Up (2021) Wikipedia and give a shit about the little note and link at the top of the page: "For the 1996 Japanese horror film, see Don't Look Up (1996 film)." Many will see that. Especially now and over the past couple months. Some may even click upon that link. But how many brave souls will seek out this 1996 Japanese horror film, watch it, and record a podcast review it as part of a special DON'T LOOK UP DOUBLE FEATURE? The answer is: at least one person. And I am that at least one person. I am a man who believes in fate, and — as it were — torrenting. So this where I found myself on a snowy afternoon in New Jersey. Watching a 1996 Japanese horror film whilst using an exercise bike in my basement

So, that being said, my god what a boring ass dumb movie. The main issue here is that this looks like a Lifetime movie and not at all what I would imagine a 1990s Japanese horror film would look like (and, for the record, I'm no connoisseur on the subject AT ALL; maybe they all look like this?). Even the "horror" moments are shot and lit in this style. So this will forever go down in my book as one of the least scary horror flicks I've ever witnessed. Here is the most frightening scene, and because it is not frightening at all, it is therefore funny and the de facto best scene in the film...


All and all, watching this felt like I was getting trolled by the cosmos. Why did I put myself through this? Was it really because of the Wikipedia page for a not so hot Adam McKay film? The original title isn't even "Don't Look Up," it's 女優霊, of Joyû-rei, literally "Ghost Actress," which is a better title and who knows why it when they changed it.

This film begins with some amateur looking dolls for no reason and that was honestly the most interesting shot in the film. Having a creepy witch school with long black hair standing blurry In the background of scenes is a trope for sure. But never has it ever played less scary than in this...


I wanted to uncover a hidden gem. Sure this whole experience was a stupid goof, but deep down I wanted the cosmic element of the goof to pay off in some way. And what I got was just one of the blandest and most forgettable things I've ever watched. I did not expect the Adam McKay film to score higher than this one. I thought it would be interesting enough ON SOME LEVEL. But, alas, it is not. Demz da breakz, sometimes.

CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ EPISODE 405A - (YOU ARE HERE) - EPISODE 406 ⫸

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Don't Look Up (女優霊, Joyû-rei, lit. "Ghost Actress") is a 1996 Japanese horror film directed by Hideo Nakata. The film is set in a film studio where a war film is being made. The film was made by Hideo Nakata while trying to fund production for his documentary film about director Joseph Losey. It was not a success in Japan, but prompted an English-language remake in 2009 which was directed by Fruit Chan. The film also influenced the creative choices Nakata would have for his popular film Ring in 1998. It was released on March 2, 1996.