Thai films on Rotten Tomates

So what good is it to have dozens of DVDs and and videos sitting around at home when I never watch them twice?

Well, I watched some movies again.

Kill Bill is just the bare-bones release, with black & white footage in the big fight scene. I can't believe some of these fan boys talking about sitting around watching the "uncut" version with color restored. I suppose such things do exist. At some point, whenever Miramax gets around to finally releasing the definitive version of Kill Bill 1 and 2, I'll think about it.

Tears of the Black Tiger. Gotta watch this at least once a year, as if it were the Wizard of Oz on TV when I was a kid. Highly entertaining. I must try to put down a definitive review of the film to post on my [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335"]fan group[/url].

It had been awhile since I watched Shaolin Soccer. I'd forgotten how funny it was. One moment that really got to me was when the kung-fu guy (Stephen Chow) was explaining to the fallen coach about the many applications of the kung fu discipline. While he's doing this, the scene would cut to the coach, dressed as Shaolin monk, demonstrating the ways you can avoid slipping on banana peels and easily park your car with kung fu. The last time they cut back to the coach and Chow in "real life", the coach was still wearing the monk's robes and stripped them off as he was dismissing Chow's claims. Not quite puncturing the fourth wall, but still pricking at the conventions. I would have liked to have seen more of that. As it is, it's fun to watch, with lots of cool CGI and martial arts moves. I think it ranks up there with the great sports movies, like Caddyshack, Kingpin and Major League. The guys over at ESPN Page 2 and Page 3 would probably agree.

I found the Iron Giant in a VHS cutout rack at a video rental chain. A bit sappy, it's got enough of a dark side that I still enjoy it. Can't wait to see Brad Bird's upcoming movie, [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheIncredibles-10002930/preview.php"]The Incredibles[/url].

Also gave a Thai movie, [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=15858&entryid=38040&view=public"]The Overture[/url] another look. Watched it on a bad VCD copy that my girlfriend dredged up from somewhere. Without benefit of subtitles, I have to concentrate on expressions and actions. The music in this film is still incredible, but drastic cuts and a non-linear story make it pretty confusing. It could have been a lot smoother. The Thai government has been pushing The Overture to be shown at overseas festivals because it is a mostly positive look at Thai culture (except for the parts during the 40s, when a military government was trying to modernise things and keep people from sitting on the floor and performing traditional music). Anyway, what with the [url="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/82701/1/.html"]recent massacre[/url] of Muslims in the South, the government better work harder to spread a positive image about Thailand. Whoa! How'd this political stuff get in here? Anyway, The Overture gets a :fresh: 6/10. Not quite rotten, just for the music.

Nicole Theriault and Siriyakorn Pukkavesh from [url="http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0306359/"]Monrak Transistor[/url] :fresh: give great performances in this [url="http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0352501/"]drama[/url] by Thai indie director Pimpaka Towira. It's the story of a high-society newlywed (Nicole) whose husband goes missing after their first night together. She calls the guy's asshole brother for help and meets his abused, lower-class wife (Siriyakorn). The two then develop a friendship. The film has a great look, with sharp, crisp photography and a subdued mood that is enhanced by the presence of Bangkok's rainy season. It's all for nothing, though, as the result is confusing and implausible. I give it a 4 out of 10. :rotten:

Please see my review on my group, [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=53816&view=publichttp://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=53816&view=publichttp://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=53816&view=public"]Tears of the Black Tiger: The Thai Film Forum[/url].

[img]http://www.filmarchiv.at/events/sommer03/pics/openair/6IXTY9.jpg[/img]

An early film by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, who has since gained worldwide fame for his Last Life in the Universe. 6ixtynin9 was his second film, and is very similar to Last Life, which surprised me, because I was expecting something more raucous along the lines of his third film, Monrak Transistor (Transistor Love Story). Anyway, the review is at [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=169894&view=public"]Tears of the Black Tiger: The Thai Film Journal[/url].
[url="http://www.filmarchiv.at/events/sommer03/pics/openair/6IXTY9.jpg"][/url]

[img]http://img3.buzznet.com/assets/users8/wisekwai/entertainment/gallery-msg-1125335668-2.jpg[/img]

I recently rewatched this. It's been a few years, and in light of other Asian horror that's gone on and gotten remade, this is pretty tame in terms of horror. But it's still a beautiful film. Full review at [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=235317&view=public"]Tears of the Black Tiger: The Thai Film Journal[/url].

[img]http://buzznet-62.vo.llnwd.net/assets/users15/wisekwai/default/Ploy--large-msg-117499686078.jpg[/img]


A languorous daydream, dragged out by jetlag and a before-noon vodka binge, [b]Ploy[/b] is sure to leave you out of sorts, but happy, or at least bemused.

The sixth feature film by Thai auteur Pen-ek Ratanaruang, [b]Ploy[/b] is the story of a middle-aged Thai-American couple who return to Thailand for the first time in years to attend the funeral of a relative

Full review at the [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=425931&view=public"]Thai Film Journal[/url].

[img]http://cdn-77.cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users10/wisekwai/default/large-msg-114145397288-2.jpg[/img]

I saw this in the cinema a year or so ago, and just recently watched it again on DVD. It's a dark and confusing film, but it has its moments.

[url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=299965&view=public"]Old review at the Thai Film Journal[/url].

[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1123211/TheEye-photo_01.jpg[/img]

I'm not into horror films that much, but after hearing so much about this, I decided to finally check it out.

It's pretty creepy and weird in an M Night Shymalan kind of way. I'm pretty sure this has been said before. But I couldn't help but think about Sixth Sense. There's even a nice twist that I think M Night might deploy in one of his films.

What I really enjoyed was the sound design. The sound was 90 per cent of the scare - the sound of the wheelchair as a tracked across the floor, the grinding sound of the raven, that crazy violin solo.

And the performance by Sin-je Lee. Her big ol' brown eyes just can't ever get a handle on what she's seeing.

There's some good sight thrills as well. The elevator scene was especially nice.

This was a pan-Asian production. The directors live in Bangkok but are Hong Kong born. One of the backing studios is from Singapore. Part of the film was made in Hong Kong, part in Thailand. The credits are mostly in Thai. I'm not sure what language was used. I'm guessing it was mostly in Cantonese originally. The DVD I watched was either Mandarin or Thai. Finally, I settled on the Mandarin, as it seemed to match the speaking closest.

[img]http://img3.buzznet.com/assets/users8/wisekwai/entertainment/gallery-msg-1123296096-2.jpg[/img]

I finished my review for the paper, but will wait to post until after it's published. Had to lower my rating from 8 to 7 after the review didn't support it. The action's good as Ong-Bak, but the story is pretty muddled. The full review will be posted later at [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=226483&view=public"]Tears of the Black Tiger: The Thai Film Journal[/url], where more photos of the press preview can be seen.

Well, I finally got around to seeing this one. It's about a men's volleyball team comprised of mostly gay transvestites who smash their way into the Thailand national championship. It's pretty funny, though cliched. But, since it's based on a true story, I have to wonder if the cliches don't hold true. Some clips of the actual players are shown with the closing credits, and they really do seem to act like that. So do the other Thai ladyboys I've run into here on the streets of Bangkok.

The highlight is a bar fight sequence. The sports sequences are overly dramatised and made implausible.

Still, a great story and something I don't regret watching. There's a sequel that came out last year, though I won't be in any rush to watch it.

Beautiful, but not quite a knockout. The review is on [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=82031&view=public"]Tears of the Black Tiger: The Thai Film Forum[/url].

There's at least four [url="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/page.arcview.php3?clid=18&id=93988&usrsess=1"]news stories[/url] about how this film has sparked [url="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/page.arcview.php3?clid=2&id=93912&usrsess=1"]new interest[/url] in [url="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/page.arcview.php3?clid=18&id=92798&usrsess=1"]Thai classical music[/url]. And when it comes to the music, The Overture is excellent. But films about musicians generally have some decent drama surrounding them. The Buddy Holly Story and Amadeus are two finer examples.Actually, The Overture has a good dueling xylophones scene. And there's another climax that is moving. But some parts are missing, and the ending seemed too abrupt.

The story is about Sorn (Anuchid Spanpong from Mekhong Full Moon Party), a young boy growing up in a musical household. One day, just a mere toddler, he sneaks into music room, picks up the mallets and starts playing a tune on the xylophone, or ranad-ek as it is called in Thai. His brother and father catch him and are astounded.

Sorn grows up wanting to be a musician, like his brother. Then his brother shows up dead after a music contest - possibly killed by the rivals. Thai classical music is taken pretty seriously.

Not wanting his only surviving son to end up the same, he bars his son from playing ever again.

But the kid sneaks off to the temple to keep practising his xylophone. He becomes quite a prodigy. This is one of the aspects of the story that seemed shortchanged. You expect the kid to avenge his brother's death somehow, maybe meet the killer and beat him in a musical face off. But he never does.

Eventually, he catches the ears of a palace official, and goes off to join the palace ensemble.

There he sees a beautiful girl and plays the Thai violin for her. He helps carry some things for her. But there's no love scene. Him making love to her with music will have to suffice. Did they hook up? Who knows? Later in life he has a daughter, though, so he must've gotten married at some point.

The film shifts back and forth from his time as a young man in the early 1900s (King Rama V or Chulalongkorn) to the dark days of the 1940s and the Japanese occupation. In the early times, the drama has to do with the musical battle between the kid and an intense bearded musician. The kid wears white, the bearded man wears black. He is the devil. The kid is, well, he's the kid.

In the 40s, the drama has to do with modernisation decrees handed down by the occupational government. No more sitting around on the floor or listening to traditional music. Tables are chairs are ordered. Musicians and performers must have permits. The kid, an old man now, fights these by keeping on playing, and emboldening the townspeople against the government enforcers.

Oh, there's one other cool musical moment. It happens in the 40s, and Sorn's grandson (I guess) has ordered a piano. For a minute you think the old man is going to explode and scold his grandson for bringing a Western instrument into his house. But he asks his grandson to play for him. He plays a nice little jazzy number. Then he asks him to run through it again, and Sorn joins him on the xylophone. A split screen shows the mallets and the hands at the keyboard at the same time.

Really, The Overture is about the music. There's some decent drama, but there could've been more.

However, if this film helps create some new interest in Thai classical music, then it's excellent.

Update: [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100000335&entryid=57715&view=public"]More about the bearded man in black[/url].