6 Films and TV Shows Like Re/member: The new Japanese film on Netflix Re/member provides a fresh slasher/coming-of-age twist on the creature horror genre. Its indie roots are no bar for director Eiichiro Hasumi’s vision. The film’s ambitious plot is set in a high school where a group of six students is caught in a time loop. Their mission is to re-member the body parts of a dead girl killed on the school premises years ago. But there is a catch. However, revealing more about the film is truly giving it away. We have, in fact, penned a piece where we literally give it away.
If you have already watched the film on Netflix, this list might interest you; even more so if you liked re/member on Netflix! This list of Films and TV shows like re/member features those creative projects that have a thematic, visual, or any other similarity to this film. We hope you like our selected picks.
1.) All of Us are Dead (2022)
Lately, Koreans have been creating compelling zombie cinema for viewers. Some instances are Kingdom (Netflix), #Alive (Netflix), and Train to Busan 2. The buzz is indeed strong, and the recently released All of Us are Dead on Netflix capitalizes on it. The television series focuses on a zombie-like virus outbreak in the city of Hyosan. The focus of attention is the local high school and a handful of its students. Of course, plenty of supporting characters is also present. The 12-episode-long series presents wholesome entertainment with sensitive drama and contemporized themes. A gamut of social, economic, and political spheres are touched upon and brought together.
The show is heavily characteristic of compelling content in the recent past from Korea. As far as disaster shows go, there is no doubt that ‘All of Us are Dead’ stands out as one of the best. Like Re/member, the setting of a school is cleverly integrated as part of the storytelling. Classrooms, recess areas, canteens, and many other school building-specific conventions are used to spread out the story really well. All of Us are Dead brilliantly portrayed how the school premises turned out to be the breeding ground for the outbreak. This show will strike you first when you see the group in Re/member play the Body Search game for the first time.
2.) The Breakfast Club (1985)
Five high school students are stuck in detention on a Saturday together. Each carries a preconceived notion about the other and their lifestyles. Sharing common angst against the teacher and passion for whataboutery and teen shenanigans, the group gets high and runs the school ragged, only to find themselves indulged in a heartfelt conversation about themselves and each other. If one makes that “six” students, sharing a common angst against an evil dead 5-year-old, stuck in a time loop, you have the description for Re/member. That is how similar The Breakfast Club and Re/member are in stature, themes, and exploration of teen friendships.
Just like Re/member, The Breakfast Club is also about the palpable urge of adolescents to be understood and accepted. Most high schoolers have gone through that phase where they feel the world is working against them. They persist through the school years with a chip on their shoulders, waiting for the right moment to open up. If one superimposes the characters from the two movies onto each other, there is hardly any difference. ‘The Breakfast Club’ is a conversational piece about identity issues and the struggle of a highly valuable and confusing phase of life.
3.) The Thing (1982)
The instant you spot the morphed Miko/Emily creature in the second half of The Thing, your mind will harken back to this campiest horror classic from John Carpenter. JC is the pioneer of such creature horror films in Hollywood and made the ‘80s a difficult time for many average cinema-goers. For horror aficionados, it was the gold rush. The Thing is an immensely satisfying creature horror film. Moreover, it does not shy away from showing off its creator’s audacious and twisted vision.
It was branded “instant junk” when it was first released but has since been recognized as one of the most influential horror films of all time. Re/member takes a leaf directly from Carpenter’s book. In fact, his trickled-down footprint is clearly visible in the Netflix horror film.
4.) Alice in Borderland (2020 – present)
Alice in Borderland poses a similar challenge for its unwitting participants like Re/member does for its students. The only difference is that in the latter, they have a chance to come back. The probability is threatened in the second half but largely remains a point of differentiation. Three friends meet casually in Tokyo on a fine sunny day. Subsequently, they try to run away from a police scuffle. The trio ends up hiding in the washroom at a metro station. Post a brief power cut, their phones stop working, and more surprisingly, the streets of Tokyo stand empty. With no one around, they see a sign that asks them to play a game. And thus begins their war for survival.
Even though Re/member does not have the layered cultural nuance of Japan like Alice in Borderland does, one has to consider the logistical improbabilities as well. One senses a similar tension, panic, and dreadful sense of death in both re/member and Alice in Borderland, making them comparable.
5.) Coherence (2013)
Coherence is a neglected, genius sci-fi film exploiting the time loop convention with subtle craftsmanship. It features on the list as a pure entrant for the above element in the story format, something that Re/member also has at its center. When a few friends gather for a very personal and conversational dinner, they don’t realize their lives are about to be turned upside down.
A comet is passing overhead and changes their perception of reality. It also brings into the picture an altered reality that is darker and menacingly affects their very existence. Firstly, understanding the film is a big challenge. In fact, such is the minute attention to detail and the pivot for the story that it is very easy to miss.
6.) Triangle (2009)
This sci-fi film is inspired and puts a winning touch on the “stuck in a time” loop trope. It is entirely set on an abandoned cruise ship, where the on boarders – five friends and acquaintances – are forced to take shelter when their boat breaks down. The seemingly safe vessel turns out to be the hideout of armed thugs. And soon, everything turns into a game of life and death. Melissa George stars in the central role as Jess, although the ensemble is even-handedly given screen time. It also boasts names like Rachael Carpani, Henry Nixon, and Michael Dorman. To sum up, the mind-twister elements here are the key to solving the mystery that grows in stature as the minutes run down.
Without two doubts, Re/member falls behind when put side by side Triangle for that particular element. However, Triangle also shares the underlying psychological aspects with Re/member that are torturous for the viewers. It is difficult to make this a poignant matchup. But Triangle will definitely remind you of films and tv shows like Re/member when you finish.
Related Read: Re/member (2023) Review: A Weirdly Satisfying Coming-of-Age Story from the Creature Horror Genre
Re/member (2022) Links: IMDb, Wikipedia
Where to watch Re/member
