Official Movie Website Theatrical Release 10/28/05 Limited Home Video Not Available MPAA Rating Rated R for strong disturbing violent content, some involving abortion and torture, and for sexuality and language Running Time 1 hour 58 minutes Genre Horror/Suspense, Foreign Films Directors Fruit Chan, Chan Wook Park, Tak ashi Miike Cast Byung-hun, Pauline Lau, Miriam Yeung Studio Lions Gate Films |
THREE . . . EXTREMES
SYNOPSES
BOX
Kyoko is a successful novelist and a renowned
beauty, yet she confines herself to a solitary life
behind a veil of secrecy. She has ambivalent
feelings towards her editor who is obviously
infatuated with her. Kyoko, however, is not in a
position to open her heart to her editor... or to
anyone.
It all began with a traumatic experience in her
childhood that has remained unspoken. At the
tender age of ten, Kyoko accidentally caused her
twin sister Shoko -- a rival for the affection of
their surrogate father Hikita -- to be burned to
death. Stricken by grief, Hikita vanished shortly
afterwards. Kyoko has been haunted by the
memory of her twin since, and she has devoted
her life to the search for Hikita whom her editor
coincidentally resembles. Kyoko is uncontrollably
attracted to him and at the same time terrorized
by it – is there something beyond pure
coincidence?
One day, Kyoko finds a bouquet of flowers on her
desk accompanied by an invitation card. The
card indicates only the venue and the time of a
meeting -- the place is where her sister died...
BOX
Kyoko is a successful novelist and a renowned
beauty, yet she confines herself to a solitary life
behind a veil of secrecy. She has ambivalent
feelings towards her editor who is obviously
infatuated with her. Kyoko, however, is not in a
position to open her heart to her editor... or to
anyone.
It all began with a traumatic experience in her
childhood that has remained unspoken. At the
tender age of ten, Kyoko accidentally caused her
twin sister Shoko -- a rival for the affection of
their surrogate father Hikita -- to be burned to
death. Stricken by grief, Hikita vanished shortly
afterwards. Kyoko has been haunted by the
memory of her twin since, and she has devoted
her life to the search for Hikita whom her editor
coincidentally resembles. Kyoko is uncontrollably
attracted to him and at the same time terrorized
by it – is there something beyond pure
coincidence?
One day, Kyoko finds a bouquet of flowers on her
desk accompanied by an invitation card. The
card indicates only the venue and the time of a
meeting -- the place is where her sister died...
CUT
RYU Ji-Ho is a successful film director who has earned wide and solid respect from audiences and
critics alike. Wealthy, respected, talented, happily-married, good-looking and also kind in nature --
everything about Ryu is the definition of Mr. Perfect… that is, until he returns home one day after
finishing a shoot to encounter a complete stranger in his living room.
The stranger is a male extra whom Ryu had never paid attention to. Probably no one else ever did
either. Madly jealous of the director’s good fortune, the man is there to destroy. He has brought along
a child and has taken Ryu’s pianist wife as a hostage. He offers Ryu two choices, to kill the child or to
watch his wife’s fingers being cut off -- one after another. Either way, Ryu’s life will never be the same
again. Tormented by the dilemma, the people in the house cannot but fall prey to the madman’s
monstrosity -- which gradually proves itself to be contagious.
RYU Ji-Ho is a successful film director who has earned wide and solid respect from audiences and
critics alike. Wealthy, respected, talented, happily-married, good-looking and also kind in nature --
everything about Ryu is the definition of Mr. Perfect… that is, until he returns home one day after
finishing a shoot to encounter a complete stranger in his living room.
The stranger is a male extra whom Ryu had never paid attention to. Probably no one else ever did
either. Madly jealous of the director’s good fortune, the man is there to destroy. He has brought along
a child and has taken Ryu’s pianist wife as a hostage. He offers Ryu two choices, to kill the child or to
watch his wife’s fingers being cut off -- one after another. Either way, Ryu’s life will never be the same
again. Tormented by the dilemma, the people in the house cannot but fall prey to the madman’s
monstrosity -- which gradually proves itself to be contagious.
DUMPLINGS
No woman can resist the temptation of potential rejuvenation – for some it’s a dreamy blissful chase;
for others a never-ending nightmare of endless pursuit. But Qing can afford it all. An ex-starlet turned
wife of a prominent rich man, Qing is destined to have this dream come true.
Qing uses a lot of connections to get to the mysterious chef, Mei to obtain her famous specialty
dumplings. Qing is no gourmet but simply dying to recover her youth and beauty. At stake is her new
“career” as a housewife of the rich. Mei’s dumplings claim to deliver the goods. Mei, a former
gynecologist, developed a secret recipe for rejuvenation which has allowed her to bid farewell to her
career as an abortionist. Now Mei only serves desperate rich women like Qing. Mei understands a
woman’s need and she can fulfill a woman’s desire -- all you need is a leap of faith to take a bite into
her special dumplings with usual fillings.--©Lions Gate Films
No woman can resist the temptation of potential rejuvenation – for some it’s a dreamy blissful chase;
for others a never-ending nightmare of endless pursuit. But Qing can afford it all. An ex-starlet turned
wife of a prominent rich man, Qing is destined to have this dream come true.
Qing uses a lot of connections to get to the mysterious chef, Mei to obtain her famous specialty
dumplings. Qing is no gourmet but simply dying to recover her youth and beauty. At stake is her new
“career” as a housewife of the rich. Mei’s dumplings claim to deliver the goods. Mei, a former
gynecologist, developed a secret recipe for rejuvenation which has allowed her to bid farewell to her
career as an abortionist. Now Mei only serves desperate rich women like Qing. Mei understands a
woman’s need and she can fulfill a woman’s desire -- all you need is a leap of faith to take a bite into
her special dumplings with usual fillings.--©Lions Gate Films
© 2003 St. Louis Movie Review Weekly. All rights reserved, except where indicated.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
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