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Blissfully Yours (2002)
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)
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One Take Only (2001)
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)
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Tropical Malady (2004)
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)
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Shutter (2004)
Made in 2004, Shutter is another Thai entry into the popular Asian horror subgenre and comes replete with many of the genre conventions (clichés?) established in films like The Ring. The story is a little different, though, and this movie has a lot more depth than many of the more lacklustre Ring spinoffs we’ve been flooded with over the last couple of years.
Our tale begins with a group of friends at a table drinking, gathered together after a … (read more)
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Mekong Full Moon Party (2002)
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)
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Jan Dara (2001)
Thinking about the review for this film inspired an interesting, and possibly important, question — what exactly defines erotic? Jan Dara is based on a popular erotic novel, The Story of Jan Dara (Rueang Khong Jan Dara) by Utsana Pleungtham, and yes there’s plenty of tasteful nudity and (possibly not so tasteful) sex in it, but after it was all over, I found myself wondering whether there shouldn’t have been just a little more to it.
What that … (read more)
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I-San Special (2002)
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)
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February (2004)
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)
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