Hong Kong filmmaker siblings Danny and Oxide Pang's psychological thriller Diary underscores their skill in creating a spooky atmosphere and raising goosebumps, while also supplying evidence of the narrative fumbling and lack of structural coherence typical of many of their films (including The Eye series). In this claustrophobic entry, Charlene Choi stars as Leung Wing-na, a reclusive young woman who spends her time making weird wooden puppets and cooking for her boyfriend Seth…until the latter abruptly disappears. While searching for him, Wing-na meets a man named Ray who bears a striking resemblance to Seth and invites him to her apartment, where he apparently becomes her new companion. But the situation is not what it seems: it turns out that we are observing events from the perspective of a person whose mental state is decidedly warped, and—even more peculiar—the opening credits suddenly appear at the 60-minute mark, after which the story picks up again with a series of twists and flourishes before ending on a note that emphasizes surprise over sense. Diary is ultimately more confusing than most movies in the Asian psychological horror genre, but the Pangs' style remains seductive, and viewers may well be drawn in by the film's moody strangeness. Optional. (F. Swietek)
Diary
Image, 85 min., in Cantonese w/English subtitles, R, DVD: $27.99, Feb. 3 Volume 24, Issue 2
Diary
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