Detention

A glimpse of the future in the past

Genuinely creepy atmosphere, striking sound design and decently realized creature designs make this haunting tale of betrayal set in 1960s Taiwan really stick with you. I don't know anything about the game its based on, so I can't speak to that, but its a good movie based on a game, which is rare. There was some stuff that fell a little flat (I said decently realized creatures because some of the CG is subpar, but assuming they were working with a small budget, still well done), but overall I felt creeped out, which is the goal. I think the drama works better than the horror, but of it was only drama, it wouldn't have been as effective in my opinion. The most effective part of this whole thing is the part based in reality though because the historical drama portion of this film feels like it isn't too far away from happening again, right here in the US.

Haunting, Tense, and Highly Recommended

This was a blind buy based on positive online reviews, and it absolutely delivered. Beautifully directed and deeply involving, the film builds real tension while grounding its horror in the very real trauma of Taiwan’s martial law era, giving it a strong Silent Hill–like atmosphere. An easy recommendation.

Ghost Story

A fun Taiwanese horror film with a decent story and cinematography