Dumplings

This pitch-black chiller from Made in Hong Kong director Fruit Chan started life as part of the horror omnibus Three... Extremes (alongside contributions from Park Chan-wook and Takashi Miike). Here expanded to feature length, it's a nightmarish satire on the modern obsession with youth. Bai Ling gives a darkly entertaining performance as a mysterious Chinese woman who offers ageing rich and desperate clients a magical rejuvenation recipe in the form of dumplings made with a squirm-inducing secret ingredient. But her vocation takes an even more twisted turn when an ex-starlet (Miriam Yeung) decides her weekly fix isn't working quickly enough. Sumptuously shot by cinematographer Christopher Doyle (In the Mood for Love, Hero), the film has a visual sophistication that belies its gruesome content. Yet, while its disturbing central revelation will be a turn-off for some, the tale never feels exploitative, thanks to Chan's concentration on atmosphere and emotion rather than cheap shocks.