Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Most films of this ilk, or if and when remade for western viewers, would sell itself on hanging onto the mystery ingredient for the age defying dumpling however here it doesn't. Any working brain can guess whats in aunt meis sui mei pretty early on.On this this occasion it has little relevance as the film holds its own without this suspense.Film was well acted, with few characters and enough revenge served cold and on the snide to satisfy my love of Asian films once again.For those used to this genre in my opinion it sits in between audition and tale of two sisters.Its not particularly shocking, but delivers enough without dragging on for too long.

Being a fan of Asian horror movies, especially knowing that unlike the ones we have here in America they usually highlight symbolic meaning and draw horror from what lies underneath the story they've woven, I tend not to judge on the ostensible plot of these types of movies and focus more on their message.For this movie that was impossible. I understand perfectly the message that the movie is trying to convey about the dangers of abortions and the extent of immorality that people will be driven to by vanity. However, even when I got past that I really couldn't consider this movie's plot anything more than lacking, at best, and more or less absent at worst.The plot is supposed to be exactly what you can read in most descriptions: a woman, trying to regain her youth and cheating husband, consults a witch doctor and begins eating miracle dumplings with a horrifying special ingredient. And, on the most basic level, that was what it was about. But beyond that it was a mess.Sometimes the issues seemed like they were close to being resolved, but then the movie either introduced something completely different or just ignored the possible resolution and moved on to something completely different. Such as the ending. Right after a dramatic shift in circumstances that leaves the viewer with very powerful conflicting emotions, the movie completely ignores that new issue and instead choose to settle for old characters with new issues and an ending that really didn't resolve anything.What really saved this movie for me was the amazing acting and cinematography. Sometimes the actors played their parts so well that even without the subtitles you could kind of tell what they were saying based on context alone. At no point was a line directed in a way that failed to have, what I assume, was its intended effect.The cinematography was also amazing and very artsy. There were some off-center or out of focus shots, normally irritating but here very wonderful. The lighting, the props, the camera angles--it was all gorgeous! That alone made me keep watching through the more grueling, slow suspense-building parts.Long story short: if you like good acting and amazing polish, this moving is a must see. If you're more interested in plot, then you should probably opt out.

Dumplings is a film that takes eating dumplings to another level. When going to watch this movie I thought it was going to be a little weird but after seeing it, it was nothing that I expected. The dumplings were made out of babies and embryos.The concept behind the film is interesting. These specially made dumplings are created to make women appear younger in age. It makes the characters look even more obsessed with their looks. Although the want to look younger is a normal thought it is how it is done and the images shown in the film that make the film both eye grabbing and uncomfortable.One of the most disturbing parts is when a girl comes in to get an abortion. The way it is performed is uncleanly and painful. Blood spills everywhere as if it were a gory horror film. After the abortion is performed the bloody (almost fully grown) baby is placed in a filled sink. Later it is shown being processed and cut up to be put in the dumplings.Normally watching people eating food isn't bad to watch however after seeing all that is done to make it when the camera zooms in to a woman's face slowly eating the dumplings the site of someone chewing becomes nauseating. Sitting there watching her eat seemed like the longest scene in the film.I strongly recommend this film to watch how ever if you have a week stomach I would stay away. More movies should be made like this. It is interesting to see an ordinary daily action turn into something twisted.

People rate these things when they either love the film or hate it. Personally, I just thought it was a bit bland and a bit dull.I didn't find the cinema photography particularly impressive, no shots made me sit back and think wow!. Personally, it was just competent.It's not particularly gruesome in it's depiction, the concepts of what is happening are horrific, but not particularly graphic.There where not many surprises in the film, and the friends i watched it with found it predictable, certainly spotting most of the main themes.Would I watch it again? this is my personally mark of whether a film is worthwhile, and I would not watch it again. For me there is neither enough action, entertainment or social commentary to make this film worth watching again.Should you watch it? I can't really recommend that you do, there's just not enough in there to make it a particularly worthwhile experience. The only recommendation I can give, is that it's an interesting experience seeing what film makers produce outside of the Hollywood studio system.