Film
One Cut of the Dead
- Comedy
- Zombie horror
- Relentless
A Japanese horror-comedy about a film crew shooting a zombie movie when real undead show up—except the first act is deliberately crude and chaotic, a purposeful mess that makes the audacious genre pivot land with real force. It's funny, surprising, and endlessly inventive, a feature-length argument for why constraints breed creativity. For people who love movies and the people who make them.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you get a kick out of backstage chaos and deadpan craft comedy, and you don't mind a low-budget look if the jokes are built with real care.
Skip it if you want polished spectacle or a tidy, fast-moving thriller; the camera work is rough by design and the laughs take time to build.
What it asks of you: It runs a brisk hour and a half, but its opening asks for patience with a long, shaky, single-take stretch before the pace picks up.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil2010
A horror-comedy that flips the script on slasher tropes with genuine affection for both the genre and its characters. Smart, hilarious, and surprisingly warm-hearted about friendship and misunderstanding.
But The central premise—mistaken identity leading to carnage—can feel slight if you're not bought in early. Some horror fans find it too jokey.
What We Do in the Shadows2014
A mockumentary about incompetent vampire flatmates in Wellington that treats absurdity as seriously as the mundane. Invented a template for horror-comedy that actually respects both genres, with deadpan performances that reward close attention.
But The humor is dry and often quiet—it's not looking for big laughs. If you need comedic energy constantly affirmed, you might miss jokes.
Evil Dead II1987
Sam Raimi's gleeful reinvention of his own horror film, where slapstick, gore, and genuine scares exist in frantic harmony. Bruce Campbell's performance is a masterclass in physical comedy and commitment to the bit.
But It's visceral and sometimes graphic. The tonal whiplash between comedy and horror won't work for everyone, and some moments are deliberately ugly.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from One Cut of the Dead
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Noroi: The Curse2005
Both are Japanese films about filmmaking and supernatural horror that gain power by refusing tonal consistency—they shift underneath you, making you unsure what register you're in.
A Japanese found-footage horror film that unfolds like a paranormal investigation documentary, with mounting dread and genuinely unsettling imagery. It builds a mythology that feels lived-in and inevitable, never rushed or explained away.
But It's deliberately paced and atmospheric rather than action-driven. Long stretches are quiet and observational, which some find boring rather than creepy. Subtitles required.
More like this (8)
The Babadook2014
An Australian horror film about grief posing as a monster story, with visual ingenuity and emotional restraint that lets the dread build. It's formally adventurous and genuinely unsettling without relying on jump scares.
But The monster itself, when fully seen, disappoints some viewers after the buildup. It's also a slow burn about despair—not a crowd-pleaser kind of film.
Attack the Block2011
South London teenagers defend their housing estate from alien invaders in a film that's funny, thrilling, and unexpectedly touching about community and prejudice. Energetic soundtrack and charming characters make it fly.
But The thick London accents and slang can be hard to parse for some viewers. It's also underfunded-looking in places, which is part of its charm but might feel cheap.
The Cabin in the Woods2012
A deconstruction of horror tropes that functions as both a love letter to the genre and a clever puzzle box. It earns its surprises through knowledge and respect for what came before.
But Once the conceit is revealed, repeat viewings lose much of their punch. Some find the final act philosophy-light and the spectacle overwrought.
Knives Out2019
Rian Johnson's murder-mystery romp about a detective untangling family secrets and lies, with a cast having visible fun and a screenplay that plays fair with the audience. Clever without being smug, entertaining without condescension.
But The plot occasionally prioritizes surprise over logic. If you prefer mysteries that reward forensic rewatching, some contrivances may bother you.
The Lighthouse2019
Two men alone on a lighthouse descend into paranoia and madness in black-and-white maritime Gothic. Robert Eggers crafts something obsessive and strange, visually hypnotic, tonally unpredictable—it's a complete vision.
But It's deliberately oblique, dialogue-heavy, and sometimes difficult to parse. The atmosphere is oppressive rather than fun, and the frame ratio takes adjustment.
Ready or Not2019
A bride must survive a deadly game of hide-and-seek on her wedding night in a film that balances dark comedy, genuine scares, and social commentary about class. It's entertaining and has something to say without preaching.
But Violence toward the protagonist can feel mean-spirited. The third act loses some momentum, and the satire can feel shallow if you're looking for substance.
Adaptation.2002
Both are films obsessed with the process of filmmaking and the gap between intention and chaos—how the act of creation never goes according to plan and sometimes that's where the magic lives.
Charlie Kaufman's film about writing a screenplay while wrestling with identity, desire, and the nature of storytelling. It's a wildly entertaining heist of a film that's somehow about both nothing and everything, and it's funny.
But The recursive structure and meta-commentary can feel exhausting or pretentious. If you want a straightforward story, the self-aware machinery will drive you nuts.
The Descent2005
Both refuse the comfort of a single genre or tone—they're horror films that contain comedy, comedy that contains real threat, and both locate their power in the collision rather than the compromise.
A caving expedition becomes a nightmare of claustrophobia, isolation, and actual monsters in a British film that never gives you air to breathe. Beautifully structured, technically brilliant, and genuinely relentless in its despair.
But It's punishing and grim with almost no relief. The claustrophobia is visceral and the gore isn't cartoon—it's designed to unsettle rather than entertain. The ending is a downer.
People
Cast
Takayuki HamatsuDirector Higurashi
Yuzuki AkiyamaChinatsu
Kazuaki NagayaKazuaki Kamiya
MaoMao Higurashi
Hiroshi IchiharaKasahara
Manabu HosoiManabu Hosoda
Shuntarô YamazakiToshisuke Yamago
Shinichiro OsawaShinichiro Furusawa
DonguriYoshiko Sasahara
Miki YoshidaMiki Yoshino- Ayana GôdaJunna Kurihara
Directing
- Yûya NakaizumiAssistant Director
- Shinichiro UedaDirector
Writing
- Shinichiro UedaScreenplay
- Ryoichi WadaTheatre Play
Production
- Kentaro KodamaAssociate Producer
- Kôji MutaAssociate Producer
- Koji IchihashiProducer
- Kônosuke YoshidaProduction Manager
Recommended by
The Babysitter, Deathgasm, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, He Knows You're Alone