Three short films by acclaimed Asian directors. “Dumplings” by Fruit Chan concerns an aging actress (Miriam Chin Wah Yeung) who finds a disturbing way to look more youthful. Park Chan-wook‘s “Cut” shows a director (Lee Byung-hun) taken hostage in his own home. “Box” by Takashi Miike involves a writer (Kyoko Hasegawa) whose horrible childhood comes back to haunt her.
Of the three…extremes, the one I feel I understand (and like) the least is “Box.” It’s creepy, surreal, and sad. You can read the theme as being that one can’t escape one’s past, but overall I didn’t get much out of it. “Cut” is funny and repulsive at the same time. The characters go comically insane, and there are surreal moments like Stranger recreating all of his scenes from Director’s movies (see below). His motive is very thought-provoking, once he reveals it.
“Dumplings” is the most disturbing of the three to me. Mrs. Li is eating dumplings made with human fetuses. Which is disgusting even in theory, but we’re also treated to shots of her dealer Aunt Mei (Ling Bai) chopping up said fetuses and audio of Mrs. Li slurping them down. As Mei says, “So cute and so nutritious.” The ending is the penultimate gross-out—stick around if you can stomach it.
In all three films, characters seek to control the uncontrollable and take charge of their destinies—to no avail. Kyoko can’t escape her guilt, Stranger can’t change Director’s nature, and Mrs. Li looks about the same, only itchy and smelly to boot. Overall, the film is highly enjoyable. Check it out if you’re in the mood for something creepy, with great performances, direction, and writing.
GhoulieJoe 