All three of these short films are well directed, with gorgeous cinematography and believable performances. If that's enough for you, watch away.
However if you're a "normal" movie viewer who demands something other than atmosphere and pretty shots... ehhhhhhhh.
The first film "Dumplings" is the best. It's manages to be quirky and memorable but still focused and coherent. No small feat. It's also ridiculously disturbing. Some viewers will probably have trouble watching it, but this is not shock-shlock -- "Dumplings" is sickening in an honest, socially relevant way.
The second film "Cut" is terrible. If the post-Ring American horror industry is guilty of mimicking/poaching J-horror, and mostly getting it wrong, then this film is guilty of mimicking American torture-horror (see: Saw) while ineptly poaching Tarantino, and getting it totally wrong. The result is boring and unpleasant, and the obnoxious ending made me want to fast-forward.
The third film "Box" is right in the middle. It's very pretty and very spooky. So pretty and so spooky that you will almost certainly forgive the nonsense-plot and the ultra-super-nonsense ending. I found it unsettling and creepy and entertaining, despite being totally incomprehensible.
Despite the obvious art-house appeal of "Three Extremes," the whole experience is only OK.
However if you're a "normal" movie viewer who demands something other than atmosphere and pretty shots... ehhhhhhhh.
The first film "Dumplings" is the best. It's manages to be quirky and memorable but still focused and coherent. No small feat. It's also ridiculously disturbing. Some viewers will probably have trouble watching it, but this is not shock-shlock -- "Dumplings" is sickening in an honest, socially relevant way.
The second film "Cut" is terrible. If the post-Ring American horror industry is guilty of mimicking/poaching J-horror, and mostly getting it wrong, then this film is guilty of mimicking American torture-horror (see: Saw) while ineptly poaching Tarantino, and getting it totally wrong. The result is boring and unpleasant, and the obnoxious ending made me want to fast-forward.
The third film "Box" is right in the middle. It's very pretty and very spooky. So pretty and so spooky that you will almost certainly forgive the nonsense-plot and the ultra-super-nonsense ending. I found it unsettling and creepy and entertaining, despite being totally incomprehensible.
Despite the obvious art-house appeal of "Three Extremes," the whole experience is only OK.