Jason – Heroic Cinema

Ong Bak (2003)

Jason — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:46:33 +0000

Ong Bak caused more than a stir when it was released to the megaplexes in Bangkok (I know, I was there at the time) and when it was released into international markets it caused an even bigger stir, in fact Ong Bak is one of those outstanding films that have brought massive recognition of the Thai film industry.

Ong Bak has an undemanding story at best, and before I go any further I’ll let you know that this doesn’t matter … (read more)

The Legend of Suriyothai (2001)

Jason — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:41:20 +0000

Well after seeing this film there is only one thing I can possibly say, and that is SHOW ME THE MONEY! I’ve yet to see a film come from Thailand or South East Asia that is so lush, and it’s none of this CGI stuff, this is sheer set and costume extravagance. The film reportedly cost anywhere between 8 – 20 million dollars US. But I guess when you have the Thai royal family backing the film, anything is possible.… (read more)

Ab-Normal Beauty (2004)

Jason — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 14:40:08 +0000

Oxide Pang’s Ab-Normal Beauty, the companion film to brother Danny Pang’s Leave Me Alone, holds onto the Pang stylistic norms that have made them famous: painterly composition, cool colour design, and a penchant for unnecessary editing. However, Ab-Normal Beauty isn’t without some major drawbacks.

There are two things that let this film down. Firstly, Hong Kong pop duo 2R are simply not good actors, especially when trying to deliver some heart-felt lines. The tension between the film’s main … (read more)

Ginji the Slasher (2003)

Jason — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 14:30:16 +0000

Ginji the Slasher opens in 1953, with a background of archival military footage overlayed with a Japanese flag. The military images are slowly cross-faded with walls covered in blood. Finally, a row of dead bodies leads to the killer — Ginji Sonezaki, in a flash military aviator uniform, slashing his way through a number of guys with an expensive looking sword. There is blood everywhere — with every slash, Ginji manages to paint another wall red. At this point in … (read more)

Boiling Point (1990)

Jason — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 17:04:37 +0000

Boiling Point is every Kitano fan’s dream; the humour, the action, the violence, the style, and the narrative, all scream trademark Kitano.

Boiling Point is narratively well crafted. Kitano has done what he always does, which is to create a film with heavy investment in extreme contrast. Often it is the contrast between ultra-violence and humour, or between dynamism and stillness, but in Boiling Point, character contrast is most explicit. The passive characters that make up the film’s baseball … (read more)

Beautiful Boxer (2003)

Jason — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 16:50:05 +0000

Following the trends of recent Thai cinema comes another lady-boy flick — Beautiful Boxer. Like other transgender films of recent times, Beautiful Boxer uses a plot that’s constructed around a true story: in this case, the subject is the ultra-famous champion Muay-Thai boxer Nong Toom, who fought professionally to raise money for a sex change operation.

The first 10 minutes of the film opens with a foreign journalist lost and in trouble with some local thugs. Luckily, Nong Toom … (read more)

Distance (2001)

Jason — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 15:56:02 +0000

Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda has produced a film that has touched upon one of the most sensitive issues for contemporary Japanese filmmakers: terrorist cults. Even though Koreeda’s film is fictional, there is always the inevitable comparison with the Aum cult sarin gas attack. There are a number of films, such as Canary, dealing with this sensitive problem. However, no filmmaker has probed the aftermath of the issue so poignantly and innovatively as Koreeda.

Distance has a very basic story: … (read more)

Hinokio (2005)

Jason — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 01:29:36 +0000

Hinokio is a heart warming children’s film that looks at young people affected by death, school, friendship, and communication. Satoru, emotionally handicapped by his mother’s death and the temporary disability of his legs, has a fear of emotional communication with his father and those around him. In order to regain a sense of social interaction, Satoru uses a bizarre looking robot nicknamed Hinokio to carry out his everyday duties (namely attending school). In this film, Satoru’s use of the Hinokio … (read more)

Blissfully Yours (2002)

Jason — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 23:54:41 +0000

Is there a better way to spend your afternoon than sitting around watching other people spend their afternoon?

I think not!

Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Blissfully Yours is one of the most thought provoking, enchanting and poignant films made recently. However, you should avoid this film if you: A) lack patience, and B) lack patience. Don’t say I haven’t warned you!

Weerasethakul demonstrates his aptness to integrate his skills as an experimental artist into feature film, something that he and his Thai … (read more)

One Take Only (2001)

Jason — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 02:30:35 +0000

Once again the Pang Brothers have provided us a film that is more like a music video or flashy commercial than a feature film. However, unlike their other filmic ventures, One Take Only falls far short of excellence.

Directed by Oxide Pang, One Take Only is somewhat comparable to the gamut of generic gangster/hit-man genre films coming from Asia over the last fifteen years. What sets this film apart from the rest is the Pang Brothers’ usage of film style, … (read more)

Canary (2005)

Jason — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 03:34:32 +0000

For years now the talk of cults has touched on wounds for the Japanese population, following the 1995 Aum cult gas attack on Tokyo. Consequently, a number of Japanese films have very effectively looked at the stories of individuals and groups associated with these cults. These films have been the most breathtakingly touching and poignant amongst contemporary Japanese cinema. Canary (or Kanaria) is one such film, looking at the journey of twelve year old Koichi, his struggles while living … (read more)

Tropical Malady (2004)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:17:01 +0000

Tropical Malady is a sophisticated, loving, humane, yet haunting film that explores the relationship between two beings. Like his previous film, Blissfully Yours, Weerasethakul constructs Tropical Malady through the juxtaposition of two related halves. However, in this case, the relation between the halves isn’t as overt.

Heed my warning: this film will linger on in your mind for weeks!

The first story looks at the courtship between two young men: Tong, an ice factory worker, and Keng, a soldier. … (read more)

A Time For Love (2005)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:16:59 +0000

A Time to Love is an homage to William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. However, unlike many of the sorry filmic adaptations of this play, A Time to Love is one of the more touching versions, carrying with it a pure subtlety and innocence that one would only expect from a director who has graduated from the Beijing Film Academy.

A Time to Love tells the story of the tragic relationship between Hou Jia, (played by Lu Yi) and Qu … (read more)

Osaka Elegy (1936)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:16:41 +0000

Naniwa Elegy, or, as many know it, Osaka Elegy is often cited as Kenji Mizoguchi’s first real masterpiece. It won the Kinema Jumpo in 1936 as Japan’s third best film, and marks the first collaboration between Mizoguchi and his long time screen writer Yoshikata Yoda.

Naniwa Elegy is a bitter film. There is no other way to suitably describe it, especially in terms of its narrative effect. The story looks at Ayako Murai (played by Isuzu Yamada), a young … (read more)

Mekong Full Moon Party (2002)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:16:35 +0000

With a barrage of good films emerging from Thailand of recent, such as Last Life in the Universe, Legend of Suriyothai and others, I was excited to see what the writer and cinematographer of the cult hit, Iron Ladies, was going to offer. Much to my delight, this film gave me an effervescent hit of fresh Thai culture that can only be paralleled by the hit that you get from a spicy Thai Green Curry.

Mekhong Full Moon … (read more)

I-San Special (2002)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:16:27 +0000

A group of intrepid passengers embark on a bus ride from Bangkok to the northern province of Nong Bua (the area is known as “I-San”). Hmm let me guess what will happen… monsters, hijackings, kickboxing transsexuals or perhaps a combination? Nope, the situation is much drier, the trip turns into a soap opera full of drama, romance, spite, claws and tears.

Director Mingmonkul Sonakul has created an enjoyable avant-garde film. From the outset the stylistic elements stand out like a … (read more)

February (2004)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:16:16 +0000

February is a film that one wouldn’t expect to come from Thai director Yuthlert Sippapak. In fact, I’m surprised this film even came from Thailand, as it’s rather unique in terms of typical Thai romantic-dramas. However in this case unique doesn’t particularly connote good.

February is a beautiful looking film, and aside from that, it’s not much more. You don’t tend to catch yourself thinking that the stylistic elements are bad, but you at times you have to stop yourself … (read more)

Citizen Dog (2005)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:16:07 +0000

With its visceral imagery and child-like imagination, Wisit Sasanatieng’s new film Citizen Dog proves him to be Thailand’s answer to Tim Burton and Jean Pierre Jeunet. Sasanatieng has once again pushed the limits of popular imagery, as he did in 2000 with Tears of the Black Tiger. However, Citizen Dog has taken a positive new direction — its modern day setting and forceful social commentary give it a real focus and meaning that Tears of the Black Tiger seemed … (read more)

Buppha Ratree (2003)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:16:03 +0000

Buppha Ratree has to be one of the most unconstrained films I have seen from Thailand. It’s no wonder they screened it for the Midnight Madness program at the Toronto Film Festival this year. The story is over the top, the characters are bizarre and the style that Sippapak chooses to shoot the film is uncontrollable. Nonetheless amongst this fluttering chaos great fun can be found!

At first glance Buppha Ratree is seemingly just another ghost story out of Thailand … (read more)

6IXTYNIN9 (1999)

Jason — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 22:15:52 +0000

Certainly an interesting film to come from Thailand’s leading director Pen-ek Ratanaruang, however in saying that, a film like this is not uncommon for him. In fact, 6ixtynin9’s story is a precursor of things to come later in Pen-ek’s career, particular in terms of genre and story.

6ixtynin9 makes amusing use of genre; this film seems to sit somewhere between a dark comedy, a drama and a gangster flick. With influences coming from each genre, I find it praiseworthy … (read more)