Suicide Club (2001)
So, admittedly, it's been quite a while since I've watched what I would consider (with a lack of better words) an absurd/symbolic/intellectual horror film (examples: Miike - Audition/Gozu/Ichi the Killer, David Lynch - Mulholland Drive/Eraserhead/Blue Velvet), so
Suicide Club took me a bit off guard.
This is a fairly complex film which examines themes of suicide (which is incredibly poignant and risque especially within Japanese culture), peer pressure, and the susceptible mass collective subconscious. To be honest, I left the film feeling a bit dissatisfied and unresolved, but the more I think about and read about this movie, the more I think it's an incredibly smart, macabre masterpiece.
I am having a hard time "rating" the film as I am still not sure that I completely "get" it yet... I honestly feel as though I am missing something integral to appreciating the movie as a whole... Which is why I am about to start a discussion thread here... I am perplexed (but not in a bad way) - I honestly want to explore this film a bit more as I feel as though it does deserve my cognitive attention.
Not a film to watch lightly,
Suicide Club is smart, striking, and will definitely stay with you. Recommended for viewers who are looking for a little more than "just" a Japanese ghost story ("just" being in quotation marks as there is honestly nothing wrong with a damn good Japanese ghost story!).