Three... Extremes (2004)

Today I watched famous horror-trilogy of 3 prominent directors from three Asian countries – Three... Extremes from 2004. I heard many things about this movies. Most of them were recommendations, but everybody said that it isn't a movie for females, and especially for ones who are familiar with motherhood, (my wife is really one of them – two sons in last two years) but I didn't want to hear a reason why. So I waited appropriate situation – it was some kind of robbing plan - let her go to sleep and calculate when the new born baby will get hungry again and fit that time for watching this movie. It was worth all this waiting!
First story Box directed Japanese representative Takeshi Miike, one of the most productive directors today. He is known for films like «Audition», «Bird People Of China», «Ichi The Killer» (my favourite), «Visitor Q» and many others – when I say many, I really meant that – many! (according to www.imdb.com he directed 70 movies from 1991-2006, or 4,66 movies every year!). Shortly about this story – young girl (cca 10 years old) accidentaly burned her sister in a very bizarre accident – because of jealousy she took her in a small box and after fight with her boss (who had an affair with her sister – both of her were his assistents in magic show) and after many years she saw her boss again. And made a deal... Although this story has its moments and Miike's skilled and mighty hands are visible here, I must say that I was a little... disappointment. Especially when I saw other two stories later. From possible one of the weirdest and bizarre directors ever we have only average story, neither scary nor thought-provoking. I was expected much more of him - he definitely failed this time, at all criterias.
But, the second story Dumplings is everything that first isn't! I still can't believe what I saw! I don't want to make spoilers but I'll just say that it something about one of the ingredients of dumpings who make natural face-lift and skin recovery of middle-aged women. Forget about dogs, cats or something like that. And this is a reason why I'm agree that you carefully decide in which company you'll watch this movie (remember, not with women). And yes, the name of director is Fruit Chan from China (accurately Hong Kong). Interesting name, but with no connection with dumplings key ingredient at all... Some of the viewers will attract the fact that director of photography is Christopher Doyle, American who works mostly in Hong Kong and is famous with his collaboration with Kar Wai Wong (in my humble opinion, his movies are highly overrated)
The final story, in my opinion, is the greatest. Cut from Park Chan-Wook (modern masterpiece «Oldboy», "Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance"), probably most famous Korean director today (I'm maybe wrong, but it looks that Korean started to direct movies before 20 years), is a story about kidnapping of successful young director and his good-looking wife. Assassin is one looser who was even acting in some of director's movies, but he is so sad and boring person that nobody, including this kind and «good person» director, recognize and respects him. And he took revenge (which is obviously Park Chan-Wook main theme) with director as personification of all injustices in the world. It is so maniacly directed that you'll think that you're actually watching someone's nightmare or somebody's bad trip, but it is also so good directed that everything stands in his place. Thumbs up for direction, editing, scenography and acting!
What is similar in all of the parts of omnibus? Every story has only 3-4 characters and omnibus has some kind of crescendo-like structure in a way of atmosphere. I don't see some connections between them, but it obviously wasn't a intention for this forming of «United directors of Asia». One objection: if you want some gore-flick, lots of blood etc.,you'll not find it here. Try somewhere else! But if you want something that scares you slowly but more effectively, here's a movie for you!