(2004)
Dir - Fruit Chan
Overall: MEH
Released the same year as the anthology outing Three... Extremes, Dumplings, (Jiǎozi, Gaau2zi2), is a mere full-length expansion of the short segment baring its name from the other film. It differs naturally from its more condensed version by adding subplots which expand upon the arcs and backstories of certain characters. The ending is also different and may or may not be preferable to the already acceptably macabre one from Three... Extremes. While it retains the same level of uncomfortable creepiness, it is a bit of a shame that things do not quite come together in a more satisfying way. The extended story elements do not really add anything too interesting overall as no darkly compelling lore is brought into the proceedings to make the outcome any more engaging than it already was in its shortened form. The finish here is more disappointingly open-ended than ambiguous as well. Though it has an extra hour or so to play with its material, it does not particularly do so to any more rewarding of an end.
(2004)
Dir - Banjong Pisanthanakun/Parkpoom Wongpoom
Overall: MEH
Remade three different times in as many countries, Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom's Shutter, (Chattoe: Kot Tit Winyan), is a typical J-horror entry even though it is technically from Thailand. Typical in the fact that ghosts once again inhabit technology; cameras in this case where vengeful spirits show up as blurry images or blink and you will miss them faces buried behind other people. It is atmospheric in parts and gives its story plenty of time to unveil its layers. There is a hefty reliance on genre cliches though, too many to make the film stand out from the hordes of similar movies out there. A female spectre in a schoolgirls uniform with blood pouring from her whited-out eyes with a weird mother living out in the boonies, characters witnessing spooky things and not mentioning them to anyone, an expert on the supernatural showing up to drop some expository dialog, nightmare sequences, obligatory plot twists, and the standard amount of jump scares are all present amongst other such tropes. It might not be all that clever or unique, but it is adequately well made in a pedestrian fashion at least.
(2006)
Dir - Chookiat Sakveerakul
Overall: MEH
The ambitious, enormously dark comedy 13 Beloved, (13 Game Sayong), is the sophomore effort from Thai filmmaker Chookiate Sakveerakul, here credited as Matthew Chukiat Sakwirakul. A bit of Twilight Zone meets Saw meets Falling Down, the movie is an adaptation of the "13 Quiz Show" episode of the My Mania graphic novel by Eakasit Thairaat. It is also clearly a commentary on reality TV, sadistic voyeurism, and horrific human capabilities brought on by desperation and a severely mangled childhood. The premise is successfully unnerving and Sakveerakul makes it through the entire, exhausting ordeal without losing any momentum. One or two of the set pieces are too gruesome or nauseating to enjoy, which regrettably pushes the movie into torture porn terrain even while it is doing so in a somewhat sly and amusing fashion. It is not until the final act that the tone shifts more noticeably, dropping the comedic angle and going for something quite grim and serious. Sadly, the conclusion does not really live up to the nerve-wracking build as it comes off more pretentious than profound. The movie has a handful of interesting moments and even some genuinely funny ones, but it is also too unpleasant and unfocused to result in anything close enough to satisfying.
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