20 Awesome J-Horror Movies Every Horror Fan Should See

15. Suicide Club

Suicide Circle
Earthrise

Plot: An epidemic of suicides, which seems to be linked to a mysterious cult and a girl group, sweeps across Japan.

Japanese horror can get very, very extreme at times and several of them have proved highly controversial. This 2002 film from Sion Sono is one of the most infamous ones; it starts out with 54 schoolgirls cheerfully jumping in front of a train with very gory results and it stays at that level for the whole thing.

It is a very good movie though. Unpredictable as hell, this delivers one shocking, surreal and horrifying scene after another with a ton of great social commentary delivered in the most interesting possible way.

It is ambiguous and not all of it makes sense, but that only adds to the fun and mystery of what is an absolutely unforgettable, often darkly comical look at society. If it isn't too extreme for you, it's really worth seeking out. Also, the song sung by the girl group in the movie, who seem to be connected to the suicides, is actually really catchy.

A competent but forgettable prequel/sequel, Noriko's Dinner Table, was released a few years later.

Contributor

Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.