I've been on a bit of a Japanese horror kick ever since seeing Versus a few years ago, before it started invading American filmmaking (The Ring, The Grudge, Pulse). The Americanized versions are... different. Different sensibilities, cultural differences. Monsters are different in Japan, and a lot of that is what makes it for me. It's not the same old chainsaw-weilding monsters.
Audition doesn't really have any monsters. It's kinda fun that way. And it's a good solid story, told in a very Japanese style (sparse and static). And it actually pulled me into an idea for a different movie that I need to explore a little.
Also watched Santa's Slay. Cheesy and funny, but not a hard winner.
