A tale of trauma and prejudice told through a monster film. It's a simple story, but told in a beautiful and thoughtful way. Aside from the monster, there are no human actors used to portray any of the characters. And yet it manages to tell an emotional and well paced story using traditional Japanese techniques to bring its world to life. Given the short's limited recourses, the practical effects work is wonderful. It reminds me of a comment from Shiro Sano about how in the kaiju genre the focus is not on realism but on style and mood, a metric by which Daisuke Sato's films excels at. It leaves you wanting more and hopefully more films in the genre follow in its example.
Review of Howl from Beyond the Fog
Howl from Beyond the Fog
(2019)
A taut and atmospheric tale with handcrafted artistry
14 February 2021