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Year 2011
Year: 2011
Thai title: 30 กำลังแจ๋ว
English title: Fabulous 30
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor:
Main actress: Patcharapa Chaichua
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Jae (Patcharapa Chaichua) celebrates her 31th birthday. Thai ladies unmarried after 30 years are often discriminated as old stuff in Thai society. During her birthday party she meets Por (รูปหล่อ), a younger man being 24 years old. He calls her as elder sister (พี่สาว). Jae has gone through a 7 years relationship with a pilot but it ends up abruptly. Por is following Jae to her office. He loves her but faces discrimination from society and his friends as she is older than him (แก่ / ไม่เหมาะสม). Even Jae is confused as she knows she is older than him and also feels badly remarks from others. She doesn't trust him at the beginning (ไม่ชอบเด็ก) but his endless efforts finally convince her. Her former pilot boyfriend comes back and asks for forgiveness. She presents Por as a neighbour (น้องข้างบ้าน). Por feels hurt as his love is genuine. She realizes that the pilot is a real egoist always pushing back wedding as he is meeting other girls. She ends up with him definitely. Disappointed by Jae, Por goes to work on a remote oil rig in the middle of ocean. He accuses Jae not to have the courage to live her love and to face adversity. Finally they declare their love to each other just before Por leaves for a few months mission on the ocean. Movie "30 กำลังแจ๋ว" (Fabulous 30) was released in year 2011.
Year: 2011
Thai title: คนโขน
English title: Kon Khon
Rating: 5/5
Director: Saranyu Wongkrachang
Main actor: Sorapong Chatree,Nirut Sirijanya
Main actress: Penpak Sirikul
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Three kids, two boys and a girl, are close friends and have a dream. The girl, Raem, wants to be a theater actress (นางเอกลิเก), the second one wants to be painter, the third one, Chat, wants to have a high position. Children are now grown-up teens. The two boys love Raem. Chat is an orphan. Chat is working in Master (ครู) Yot's masked-dance Khon troupe. Khon (โขน) is a Thai classic masked play enacting scenes from the Ramakian (รามเกียรติ์). Lamphai is master Yot's mistress. She wishes to become a famous dancer (นางรำ). Chat has a fierce enemy, Khom, since childhood following a Thai boxing match which degenerated. Teachers Yot and Sek have strong dislike. During a 7 days festival (งานเปิดละคร), taking advantage that the actor playing the monkey Hanuman is injured, Chat replaces him and defies Khom playing the evil Thotsakan. Their animosity appears on the stage. Lamphai likes Chat a lot but Chat refuses Lamphai's advances so causing her ire. He is punished by Yot for playing Khon without being authorized. Lamphai promises him revenge as she felt humiliated. Yot's team will have a representation at Wat Ang Thong. But Sek proposes also to do a representation there so Yot's team is relegated to a smaller temple Ang Kaew with much less space. Lamphai will play Sida. Chat will be Hanuman. In Ramakian traditional epic, Sida is Phra Ram’s wife, Hanuman is the monkey general and the evil character is Thotsakan. It is nice to see old traditional Likay advertisement with huge painted billboards. Sek has a huge truck to do advertisement but Yot has only a small boat. Sek defies Yot and recommends Yot to cancel his representation to avoid tarnishing his troupe name by playing in a small temple. Khom promises a fight to Chat and threatens Raem if Chat refuses to come. Before the representation, Chat is beaten severely by Khom and his ruffians. His injuries prevent him to perform correctly and the representation is a disaster. Yot's name is tarnished and the teacher decides to stop Khon. It is time for “pay respect to teacher” ceremony (ไหว้ครูใหญ่) to take place. Yot respected his teacher many years ago but Sek didn't. Their destiny was different while Sek was having big name, big stage on city side and Yot was staying in the shade in countryside. Lamphai teases and provokes Chat. Teacher Yot finds Chat and Lamphai sleeping together so he is chasing Chat away and having a heart attack. He is now paralyzed. Chat and Raem declare their love causing their third friend’s despair. This causes the three friends to split apart. Chat is back following Narin’s request. Chat has always been considered as his son by Yot so the short adventure with Lamphai was seen as a betrayal. Khom betrays his master Sek the same way Sek betrayed his own master 40 years ago. But Khom is punished immediately. A fire occurs in master Yot's house. Lamphai decides to die with him. Chat cannot save them due to the fierce fire. He becomes crazy. It was his karma despite him. All protagonists pay their past actions due to Karmic retribution. This movie reminds of other cultural Thai movies such as “The overture” and “Nora” with a great focus on dying traditional arts. Movie "Kon Khon" (คนโขน) was Thailand's submission to 2012 Academy Awards. It was a controversial choice because of lack of critical acclaim and box-office success. Critics complain about its one-dimensional characters, heavy-handed melodrama and an unfocused plot. The movie was a flop earning just around 8 millions baht. This movie was directed by Saranyu Wongkrachang, famous Thai actor, director and also PAD leader! In year 2011 he wrote a message on Facebook to make an emotional request for viewers to watch his movie "Kon Khon". "Kon Khon" movie sponsors were Thai Life Insurance and the Government Housing Bank. The Cultural Ministry arranged for special screenings to around 20 schools.
Year: 2011
Thai title: พุ่มพวง
English title: The Moon
Rating: 5/5
Director: Bandit Thongdee
Main actor:
Main actress: Paowalee Pornpimol
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This movie relates the story of famous Thai country folk singer Pumpuang Duangchan (พุ่มพวง ดวงจันทร์) and is commemorating her death 20 years ago in 1992. The movie starts in 1972. The 11 years old young girl Pheung is coming from a poor farmer family (รับจ้าง) with numerous children in Suphanburi. She didn't have chance to study. Since being a child, she takes part to song contests. She comes to Bangkok in 1975 hoping to become a singer. Teacher (ครู) Pot, head of a country folk troupe (วงการลูกทุ่ง), takes her as a novice (เด็กใหม่). Pheung starts as a dancer. Ponthet, saxophone player, tries to seduce Pheung. The teacher starts to notice her beautiful voice. She studied up to ป.2 so she cannot read properly. Then she needs to remember the whole song by heart. As one of the female singer is fired from the group for breaking the rule, she has opportunity to demonstrate her singing skills. Finally she records her first song but is also fired for having a relationship with Ponthet. Ponthet finds a dancer job for Pheung's in a club but he cannot succeed to have her accepted in another Thai country folk (luuk thung - ลูกทุ่ง) band due to the story with teacher Pot. She is finally released by teacher Pot and can enter another band managed by teacher Mun. She is renamed Pumpuang Duangchan. She starts to have some success and appears in luuk thung magazines. She can now support her family and gives them a better life. A first tour is a failure with tickets reduced to 5 baht to attract audience. Pumpuang is the orchestra leader and Ponthet is the family leader (หัวหน้าวง / หัวหน้าบ้าน). They run out of money. A businessman signs a contract with Pumpuang and launches her new orchestra. Success is here but they take over everything. Pumpuang agrees as she has not a business mind but Ponthet is very upset. Wan is Pumpuang's old friend and helps on many matters such as answering to fans letters. The businessman and Pumpuang agree to enter Bangkok with their luuk thung songs despite Ponthet who prefers to focus on provinces. Pumpuang wishes to become the luuk thung queen (ราชินีลูกทุ่ง). She works hard to prepare a concert in Dusit Thani hotel, hiso symbol in Bangkok. Ponthet feels neglected. Success is phenomenal. Pumpuang even plays in movies. But she doesn't rest enough. She collapses on the stage while performing in Bangkok. Meanwhile Ponthet and Wan become lovers and flee away. Pumpuang starts to be weaker and weaker. She stops singing. Finally missing her fans too much, she decides to come back. She finally dies in 1992 at 31 years old. She has sung 500 songs. She was wearing 60 costumes per concert. This movie focus on Pumpuang's love for her job and fans. There is no strong focus on her two bad husbands like in the 1992 movie version. All Pumpuang songs are sung by a modern singer Paowalee Pornpimol in the movie except the final song "nak rong baan nok" (นักร้องบ้านนอก) during the movie final credits.
Year: 2011
Thai title: บ้านผีปอบ REFORMATION
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor:
Main actress: Natanee Sitthisaman
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Thai movie บ้านผีปอบ / Reformation was released in year 2012. It lasts 1h34mn. It is another sequel of the famous บ้านผีปอบ movies series in decade 1990s. As usual, it is mixing scary horror sequences and comedy sequences. Its famous funny chase sequences remain the series trademark. Twenty years have passed, aunt Yip is back as ogre (ผีปอบ) again. Students, doing excavation archaeological study, have to flee as one of them is found dead. Some of them take refuge in an adjacent village. In the morning, three additional corpses without intestines are found. The village leader (ผู้ใหญ่บ้าน) welcomes the students in his home. His wife, young and beautiful, is always looking for young men. Pa Yip (Natanee Sitthisaman) is suspected despite she takes herbal medicine (สมุนไพร) since years in order to lose her appetite for intestines. She is fed up of eating vegetables. Villagers believe she is dead. Another student is found dead. Villagers call a master (อาจารย์) to chase the evil ogre spirit. Kwan’s grandmother is accused by the village leader. He fails as young lady Kwan chase all those crazy people harming her grandma. Later the master and his two assistants are found dead. The village leader tries to get rid of Kwan as she protects her grandma and wishes to get their land. The village leader and his wife are finally both identified to be ogres but they succeed to flee.
Year: 2011
Thai title: ลัดดาแลนด์
English title: Laddaland
Rating: 5/5
Director:
Main actor: Saharat Sangkapreecha
Main actress: Piyathida Woramuksik
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A four members family (Kit the husband, Pan the wife, Nat and Nen the kids) are moving to new home located in Chiang Mai province. Their new house is inside a modern village made of individual houses called Lalana land. The teen daughter didn't want to quit Bangkok and his friends. No traditional welcoming ceremony for a new house (ไม่ได้ทำบุญ / บ้านใหม่) is done. Strange neighbours with an infirm mother are living here. It looks like the husband is very violent as the wife has bruises and the kid is often slapped by him. A Burmese domestic helper is found dead in a fridge in a neighboring house (บ้านฝรั่ง). In front of that house while jogging, Kit saw a young lady watering flowers the day before... The following day, another lady neighbour is taken away by an ambulance as she is screaming crazily. During a Buddhist ceremony to honour the dead memory, one of the monks collapses following a frightening vision. The ghost of the Burmese lady is around. Kit buys a gun as they got burglary by a young man with a ghost mask. The family starts to have financial problems. Family is stressed. The mother-in-law brings nuisance and Kit has issues with his teen daughter. Kit loses his job but doesn't dare to tell his wife Pan and has to accept a job as sweeper in a 7eleven. He even starts to doubt about his wife. He starts to believe in ghost stories after seeing it also (ผีลอก). His daughter finds that her father is working in the 7Eleven. Pan decides to go back to work causing Kit to be unhappy as her previous boss was always pushy. The violent neighbour kills his whole family following a factory failure. Pan doesn't want to stay in Ladaland anymore. The dead family ghosts can also be seen. Most of the people have quit the village. There is even no guard. The couple is on verge to split. The wife Pan decides to go back to Bangkok to stay with her mother. Nen is back but sent to hospital following a crisis seeing a ghost. Being alone with his son while his wife is at hospital, ghosts trap Kit. Finally following a trick of the ghosts, Kit believes he has shot his own son. He shoots himself. Tragical end for one of the biggest Thai box office success in 2011 with 110M Baht. This movie also got 6 awards during Subhanahongsa Awards ceremony 2012.
Year: 2011
Thai title: ศพเด็ก 2002
English title: The Unborn Child
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor: Krailat Kriengkrai
Main actress:
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Thai movie ศพเด็ก 2002 (The Unborn Child) lasts 1h32mn. A lady aborts in an illegal abortion centre. The doctor puts all the dead foetuses in a dirty storage area. A young couple is having a 5 years old daughter called Yinmai. The small daughter always sees an invisible little sister (น้อง). Both Yinmai's parents start to have frightening visions. Bom makes his teenage girlfriend, called Kwan, pregnant. Kwan has to think about various ways to get rid of the foetus as Bom is worried about his future if he has a child so early. Being pregnant, she risks to be fired from the school. She asks a friend for help. The teenager Kwan decides to use an illegal abortionist. Through a scary sequence, the teenager aborts. Once the job is finished, the abortionist gives the dead foetuses to the temple caretaker. Veteran actor Krailat Kriengkrai is playing the temple caretaker. Kwan and Bom's teacher is Yinmai's mother. She is informed by other students and sends Kwan in hospital. The little invisible sister spirit starts to invite Yinmai to play dangerous games causing fear to her parents. The husband puts an infrared camera in the bedroom. Strange pictures are captured. At evening time, the temple caretaker burns bags containing foetuses in the crematorium. As the crematorium mysteriously stops working, the caretaker has to stock the numerous dead foetuses in a filthy place. The abortionist sees herself as helping the society. The spirit gets revenge over the abortionist as it prevented the spirit to rebirth through the baby. The abortionist knows it is a sin (เป็นบาป) but she does it for money (เงิน). Abortionist and temple caretaker are arrested by the police. The mother is also possessed by the spirit. Both Yinmai and her mother disappear. The father finds them in the Buddhist temple but he is overwhelmed by dead foetuses spirits. The husband stays in coma as a karmic consequence of his bad actions. In fact, he forced his mistress to abort as she was getting pregnant. This movie is based on a real story. Abortion in Thailand is illegal. In year 2010, 2002 dead foetuses, wrapped in plastic bags, have been found in a Buddhist Temple's mortuary rooms. The discoveries made big noise in Thailand and shown the huge scale of illegal abortions. In Thailand, the abortion procedure is only allowed when delivery would endanger the mother or if the pregnancy is due to a rape.
Year: 2011
Thai title: วอนโดนเตะ
English title: The Kick
Rating: 3/5
Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Main actor: Mum Jokmok
Main actress: Yanin Vismistananda
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A Korean couple (อาจารย์ Moon) was participating to Taekwondo events during Olympic games. The wife won her final but the husband failed. Twenty years have passed and they have now three kids. Two of them are now two grown up teenagers, i.e. Tayang and Tae Mi. The father Moon is having a Taekwondo school in Thailand and still trains them to excel in Taekwondo. A mysterious business man from Korea wishes to steal an old Thai blade (สมบัติของชาติ). Tayang sees the robbers and intervenes. The parents are also involved with the robbers’ driver. The blade is taken back but the robbers succeed to flee. Ruffians are looking for revenge and storm the Korean couple’s house. Tayang wishes to be a dancer and not a Taekwondo champion as requested by his father. The father failed to get a gold medal 20 years ago and wishes his son to get one. Uncle Bom (Mum Jokmok) brings the children outside Bangkok as it starts to be dangerous for them. They meet Wawa (Yanin Vismistananda), who is a Thai boxing champion (มวยไทย). Korean Taekwondo is meeting Thai boxing! Tayang flees at nighttime to join the last audition to become a dancer (dream project). While he is away, the campement is attacked. He helps on time but cannot prevent his youngest brother to be kidnapped. To get back his son, the father needs to exchange him with the precious blade to be stolen during an exhibition. Despite getting the blade, the head of the ruffians refuses to honor his promise. Final fights happen in Bangkok zoo. As often in modern Thai martial arts movies, fightings involve elephants. The movie director is Prachya Pinkaew, who directed Ong Bak. Panna Rittikrai is used again as action supervisor. The Kick (วอนโดนเตะ) was released in year 2011.
Year: 2011
Thai title: บางกอกกังฟู
English title: Bangkok Kung Fu
Rating: 3/5
Director: Yuthlert Sippapak
Main actor: Arak Amornsupasiri,Mario Maurer
Main actress:
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Thai movie บางกอกกังฟู / Bangkok Kung Fu / Bangkok Assassins lasts 1h40mn and was released in year 2011. Child trafficking happens and some children are used as beggar. As children rebel, one of them is made blind (ตาบอด), another gets his tongue cut, another one becomes retarded as his head is hit severely, one of them is made deaf. An old Chinese man (อาจารย์) helps them to flee. 15 years have passed. They took refuge in Wat Tham Seua in Kanchanaburi. Pong (Arak Amornsupasiri), who is mute (ใบ้), left them 3 years ago. He is now a hitman. He has a girlfriend but Pong cannot speak properly as his tongue was cut. Kaya, rescued before by the teacher, still loves Pong since childhood but this love is not reciprocal. Some ruffians are looking to take revenge over the Chinese master. Jit is blind but he is a serious fighter as all of them have been trained by the Chinese master. Even Na (Mario Maurer) wishes to be trained but the master is reluctant as he is afraid he will not be able to master his skills as he is retarded. The teacher is killed by a mysterious man wearing a monkey mask. Na is hurt also. All of them wish to revenge their master (รังแกอาจารย์). They finally find the thugs, who are using children as beggars, and kill them. Meanwhile the ruffians’ leader captures Kaya and plans to eat her heart to get her special power transmitted by the Chinese master. The four friends succeed to defeat the ruffians’ leader but Jit loses their life.
Year: 2011
Thai title: ฝนตกขึ้นฟ้า
English title: Headshot
Rating: 4/5
Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Main actor: Nopachai Chaiyanam,Saranyu Wongkrachang
Main actress: Sirin Horwang
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A hitman (Nopachai Chaiyanam), called Ton, shaves his head and wears monk clothes. During the alms round ceremony, he guns down his target. He is also shot and injured by body guards. He wakes up at hospital still alive after three months. 7 years ago Ton was a former policeman and working closely with Saranyu. During a drug traffic case, Saranyu was shot. Corrupted lawyer tried to buy Ton in order to drop the drug traffic case. Ton despised evil (ความชั่ว) and refused. Ton met Soi, a gorgeous lady. After a wild night together, he woke up finding the girl's bloody body in the hotel room. He fled. It was a trick from the mafia as pictures with him and the girl were taken. Ton still refused to bend to the lawyer and was sent to jail after hurting him. The movie is going back and forth between present and past. Ton is released from hospital but following injuries he sees everything bottom up. After his injury, he is not able to kill properly, feels fed up and wishes to stop. But karma (กรรม) will not let him go... Ton was released from prison after three years. Ton was extracted from the prison and used by a mysterious doctor to be a hitman killing people with bad influence (อิทธิพล). Soi was not dead. Soi or Teewa, her real name, was waiting for him. Ton proposed to marry Teewa (ผมไม่ชอบคนดี. ตายเร็ว). Ton is finally captured by ruffians who use torture to know who orders the killings. He doesn't reveal any name and succeeds to escape. He hijacks a car going to Chumphon. A young lady called Lin (Sirin Horwang) is driving. He sympathizes with the driver. Ton takes refuge in a Buddhist temple as he feels lost in his heart and mind. Teewa has earlier died of an overdose. There is no rightful in this world (ยุติธรรม). It needs to be built by ourselves. Ton finally becomes a monk. Peace of mind doesn't last long as ruffians find him. He needs to disrobe. While fleeing from the temple, he hijacks a car with Lin inside again! It was part of a trick to make Ton lead to the mysterious doctor. During shootings, ruffians are killed and the doctor badly injured. Ton terminates the doctor as he caused Teewa to die earlier. After spending a few years again in prison, he ordains again. One day, he gets shot in the back while wandering for alms... The movie Headshot (ฝนตกขึ้นฟ้า) was selected as Thailand representative movie for Oscar submissions for the Academy Awards. In Thailand movie Headshot got four Golden Swan at the subhanahongsa Awards in 2012. Compared to his previous movies, director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang has done a movie closer to mainstream but still having his own touch. It also highlights corruption presence in Thailand.
Year: 2011
Thai title: หมาแก่อันตราย
English title: Friday killer
Rating: 4/5
Director: Yuthlert Sippapak
Main actor: Thep Po-ngam,Kowit Wattanakul,Sithao Petcharoen,Choomporn Theppitak
Main actress: Wiyada Umarin,Ploy Jindachot
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P Uzi (Thep Po-ngam) is released from prison and injured by a blade expert (มือมีด). Dao (Ploy Jindachot) visits her dying mother Deuan (Wiyada Umarin) at the hospital. She announces to her daughter that her father is a hitman (มือปืน) just released from prison. Deuan accepted to be a hitman's wife but didn't want her daughter to be a hitman's daughter. While recovering at the hospital, P Uzi receives also a letter from the mother announcing his real paternity. Dao's stepfather (Kowit Wattanakul) tries to rape her sister Phet. P Uzi, trying to contact Dao, helps to prevent the rape by hitting strongly the stepfather but finally gets accused of the murder. Dao is a policewoman and wishes to revenge her stepfather. P Uzi's house in Chantaburi is occupied by a small man wearing same clothes as "Kill Bill" movie and acting very weirdly so he has to retreat. Ong (Choomporn Theppitak) is P Uzi's former boss. While withdrawing money from ATM machine, P Uzi is threatened by 5 gangsters with deformed face reminding of famous actor Songthong and promoting a politician who believes he can buy all Thai people (ซองเงิน) to be elected and then gets back his money through overpriced commissions during public tenders. Hitman myth is demystified in Yuthlert Sippapak’s movies. P Uzi has even vision problems. Dao arrives in Chantaburi to look for P Uzi but finally arrests the blade expert and crazy "Kill Bill". P Uzi is recruited to get rid of one corrupted politician's helper. Meng, a corrupted politician, is looking for P Uzi’s head. Reusi does an eye chirurgical operation but the doctor, friend of Meng, makes it a failure on purpose. P Uzi wishes to kill Meng. Ed Carabao is even having a small cameo role. Meng is still not dead so P Uzi continues to chase him as Meng's men have butchered his old friend Ong. Dao chases P Uzi and shoots him while he was trying to get something from his jacket. It was not a gun but a letter. At the last minute, he finally replaces the touching letter with full explanations by a laconic letter asking for funerals. Sometimes it is better not disclose the truth. Movie "Friday Killer" (2011 ~ 3M baht revenue) is part of a trilogy including "Sunday Killer" and "Saturday Killer" (2010 ~ 15M baht revenue). "Sunday Killer" was not released in 2012. Maybe due to bad revenue results of "Friday Killer"? As usual there is a great soundtrack. This Yuthlert Sippapak movie mixes action, social messages and great humor. This movie has won the best cinematography and jury awards at the Shanghai International Film Festival.
Year: 2011
Thai title: หอแต๋วแตก 3 แหวกชิมิ
English title: Hor Taew Tak 3 - Wak Shimi
Rating: 2/5
Director: พจน์ อานนท์
Main actor: Koeti Aramboy,Jaturong Mokjok,Ekkachai Srivichai
Main actress:
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Thai movie หอแต๋วแตก 3 แหวกชิมิ - / Hor Taew Tak 3 - Wak Shimi was released in year 2011 and lasts 1h43mn. The movie poster has to be updated before the release as the poster was considered as culturally incorrect. A tight male swimming suit was replaced by pants. The movie made a gross revenue of 34M THB. The usual ladyboys team (Koeti Aramboy (แพนเค้ก), Jaturong Mokjok (เจ๊แต๋ว), Ekkachai Srivichai (มดดำ)...) is moving to a new dormitory (หอใหม่) but it is a haunted dormitory. Red building is forbidden to access. A female ghost is seen. Another male ghost is seen in the swimming pool. Pancake tries to keep others far from the swimmer ghost, named Teng Thong, as he is very handsome. Dan is the dorm responsible. There is a secret within the red building. Teng Thong died in the swimming pool due to a short circuit. The movie trended on modern topics such as Blackberry BB. Jealousy happens between friends regarding Teng Thong. Teng Tong is finally a vampire. Dan hires some vampire hunters, Plat Phi and โจอี้ เชิญยิ้ม, to catch Teng Tong but they fail to find his coffin. The team realizes that Dan is having a secret. They enquire to identify who killed Teng Tong. Final sequences include werewolves, usage of giant phallus as a rocket and so on… As usual with Hor Taew Tak movies series, there is an excess in language, flashy clothes, salacious jokes. Pancake and Teng Tong get finally married.
Year: 2011
Thai title: ปัญญาเรณู
English title: Panya Raenu
Rating: 5/5
Director: Bin Banleurit
Main actor: Kowit Wattanakul,Mum Jokmok,Bin Banleurit
Main actress:
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Panya (ปัญญา), young boy, and Raenu (เรณู), young girl, are school children in an Isan village. While studying, they have issues with another student who is cheating during exams. Raenu is protecting Panya against this student! It looks like Panya and Raenu will marry together when they will be adults. This movie nicely depicts Isan village life (วัฒนธรรมอีสาน). Panya steals fish in a neighbour rice field but gets punished by catching a disagreeable worm. The teachers are preparing school performances with molam music. Panya is the school molam singer. But they are not doing well due to lack of dancers and equipment. Panya secretly promises to ordain if his school wins. The bus of a Bangkokian school is damaged near the village. They have to stay overnight in the village school. Bangkok girls (เด็กกรุงเทพฯ) have difficulties to get used to Isan food. There is a contrast between Isan boys with dark skin versus Bangkok girls with white skin. They discover Isan village life (วีถีชีวิตของชาวอีสาน) and help on some tasks such as planting rice, bugs, snakes and lizards catching. As a puppy love starts between Panya and a Bangkok girl called Miu, Raenu is very upset with Panya (คนหลายใจ). Five husbands die the same night in the village. A Shaman (แม่หมอ) is called to understand what is going on. The shaman claims a ghost is around (ผีแม่ม่าย) so all men have to wear women clothes a few days in order to fool the ghost. Raenu claims to be possessed also in order to ask Panya to love Raenu only. Ghost belief is still strongly present in Isan. The school needs to find 100 000 baht to buy music instrument to be able to join the village Molam competition. Panya dreams to be a singer. Even the Buddhist abbot doesn't have such amount of money. Hopefully a layman donates 300 000 baht to the temple so the abbot can help the school. Monks are very close to the community. The village can then participate to the contest. Miu helps to bring a Bangkok teacher to help the students to dance properly. Panya's Bangkok friends even promise to join. There is then great molam performances with dozens of dancers and very entertaining songs at the contest (วงมอลำ). Thanks to late arrival of the Bangkok friends on a tractor, Panya's team wins. Even the member of Parliament (ส.ส.) dances! After the victory, some robbers enter in his parents' home. Panya gets shot and ends up at the hospital. Panya is finally saved as he is ordained by the abbot at the last minute. The power of faith in Buddha saves him as he could fulfil his earlier promise. This movie got 13M bath revenue in 2011. A version 2 (ภาค2) was released in 2012. Lao / Isan language is used with Thai subtitles. This movie reminds of “Mon rak luk thung” (มนต์รักลูกทุ่ง) and “Luuk Isan” (ลูกอีสาน). This movie is a great homage to Isan region and features a few famous Isan actors such as comic Mum Jokmok.
Year: 2011
Thai title: เหลือแหล่
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director: Note Chernyim
Main actor: Note Chernyim
Main actress:
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Thai movie เหลือแหล่ was released in year 2011. It lasts 1h26mn. A music band disbands due to lack of success. Four friends are left and decide to play music on the street. They have no success except from an old uncle wishing to play with them. The uncle has a heart attack. They borrow his car and have an accident after seeing a ghost so they get dispersed. The Thai Ghanaian comic actor Johi (โจอี้ เชิญยิ้ม) ends up in teacher Dam's home. Teacher Dam (Note Chernyim) is being in conflict with teacher Feuang (โย่ง เชิญยิ้ม) regarding folk music. Teacher (ครู) Feuang is looking for disciples (ลูกศิษย์). The three other young men agree to stay as teacher Feuang has three beautiful daughters and they are out of money. Modernism is opposed to tradition. Teacher Feuang teaches folksongs (เพลงพื้นบ้าน). Competition occurs between the two teachers. Love stories also happen. Finally the competition ends up in friendship as the two teachers see the value of each other. The four young men wake up in the present. Everything was a dream… They finally make a successful band mixing old and new style music. They also meet again the three ladies...
Year: 2011
Thai title: รักตะลอนออนเดอะบีช
English title: Love Summer
Rating: 2/5
Director:
Main actor: Akom Preedakul
Main actress: Pimchanok Leuwisetpaiboon,Yui Tasumi
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Two friends, Jack and George, are meeting at the airport and they are involved with Bob a foreigner. They finally end up for a road trip to Phuket. Bob likes to defy people such as the owner of a Thai boxing ring (Akom Preedakul). Khai Muk, the Thai boxing ring owner’s daughter (Pimchanok Leuwisetpaiboon), accompanies them to Phuket as she wishes to join a Bikini contest in Phuket. His father has never been proud of her as he wanted a boy to take over the Thai boxing school. So participating to the bikini competition is a way for her to show she can win something also. The movie themes are about the transition friend to boyfriend, the need for many friends versus good friends. Many adventures happen on the way to Phuket and it tests their real friendship. A Japanese sexy tourist Yui joins them. Typical modern Thai humor includes farts happening in a haunted hotel bathroom. The movie is also an hymn to Phuket beauty. Romances start to happen between Jack and the Japanese tourist, between George and Khai Muk. Love is tested around by the presence of a rich handsome young man. Following a misunderstanding, the two girls believe the feelings of the two boys are fake and that they only want to sleep with them. Finally issues are solved and Jack convinces Khai Muk not to join the Bikini contest. Friendship is renewed. รักตะลอนออนเดอะบีช or Love Summer was released in year 2011. This movie makes the buzz in year 2011 as a Japanese AV star called Yui Tasumi was used.
Year: 2011
Thai title: แต่เพียงผู้เดียว
English title: P-047
Rating: 3/5
Director: Kongdej Jaturanrasamee
Main actor:
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Thai movie P-047 / แต่เพียงผู้เดียว, directed by Kongdej Jaturanrasamee, was released in year 2011. Two men with gloves are entering homes but do not steal anything. They are also involving themselves in life of people by checking their personal items. One of them is a locksmith (ช่างกุญแจ) called Lek and the other is called Kong, newspapers stand owner. Nook's previous girlfriend was called Nook; Lek seems to never have a girlfriend. One day in a big flat, the owner comes back earlier than expected. Following a break up situation, he wishes to get suicide. This is due to wrong messages sent by Kong by using the owner's computer. Hearing Lek and his friend, a fighting happens in which Lek is injured. The flat owner, a gay man, dies through unfortunate shooting and Lek disguises this as a suicide. Due to his injury, Lek ends up at hospital. He meets Oi, a half crazy lady, who likes to smell old boxes to remind her of the past. One morning, they find a peacock on the roof. Oi tells an old Thai story about the peacock. The movie is going back and forth. Lek falls from a cliff. There is some analogy between past life and current life of Lek. The old Thai movie เสน่ห์บางกอก (1966) is even shown as a testimony to the past. Lek finally meets a lady with whom he feels strong connection. This beautifully shot movie questions how much of other people's lives we can really borrow. Similar to Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s movies, the story is not always easy to follow but the slow pace and the beautiful image make it worth seeing.
Year: 2011
Thai title: ศพไม่เงียบ
English title: Mindfulness and Murder
Rating: 5/5
Director: Tom Waller
Main actor: Sithao Petcharoen
Main actress: Natalie Glebova
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An expensive Mercedes car driven by a young couple hits a motorbike causing the driver death. A call of the father to the police inspector makes him to release the son. Police inspector seems disillusioned. A dead body is found in the temple with a carrot in the mouth. Police is called. The same police inspector is coming. The police inspector doesn't want to investigate on such case as it is only a poor temple boy (เด็กวัดยากจน) who died. A senior monk called Ananda (หลวงพ่อ), who is a former policeman, decides to investigate why this young man called Noi died. Some monks are smoking in the temple and look like ruffians with their numerous tattoos. Luang Pho Ananda gets Noi’s remaining belongings and finds a note with a name. Some monks believe Noi was involved in drugs (ติดยา) as he has an expensive brand new phone. Luang Pho Ananda finds Noi’s aunt and discovers Noi had a sad life with a mother who hang herself. The temple abbot is giving advice on lottery numbers. Luang Pho Ananda has to investigate while continuing performing his duties (prayers, morning alms round). Luang Pho Ananda finds that one of the monks has left suddenly the Buddhist temple. So this monk called Bandit Tho becomes a suspect. Luang Pho Ananda also meets a Bangkokpost journalist investigating on drug traffic in his temple. Inquiry is also going on foot prints found near the dead body and a hand writing style. Luang Pho Ananda questions many monks including a monk smoking, another monk from Chiang Rai who slept with naked Noi as he felt lonely. There is difficulty to investigate in the Buddhist temple as the secret tradition remains strong. Luang Pho Ananda has to chase from the temple compound some youngsters selling drugs. It is found that Bandit Tho was an uncovered policeman investigating on drugs traffic in the temple. The expensive Buddhist amulet found on Noi's body is coming from Chiang Rai. It is weird as Noi was coming from Isan area. The abbot was aware of drug selling but kept the secret to avoid bad publicity to his temple. Noi's body has cigarette butt scars so it looks like he has been tortured before being killed. During Noi’s body creation it is found that it is not Noi’s corpse but Bandit Tho’s body, i.e. the monk who disappeared! Noi’s body is found inside the crematorium. it looks like somebody wished to burn incognito the two bodies at same time. Luang Pho Ananda is always accompanied with a young disabled temple boy called Jek. Luang Pho Ananda discovers that Bandit Tho was not a real policeman so causing ire to the local police head who threatens the abbot to stop donations to the temple. A dangerous snake is put in Luang Pho Ananda’s room. Despite all these threats, Luang Pho Ananda identifies the killer. His life is saved thanks to the young temple boy’s dedication. It is a great thriller Buddhist movie very realistic regarding life in a temple by showing bad things but also good things. It is good that the movie was not censored despite showing bad monks behavior. It got a 15-plus rating. It is a sign that Thai movies censorship is evolving. In 2006, Thai movie “Syndromes and a Century” (แสงศตวรรษ) was censored for much less controversial parts!
Year: 2011
Thai title: อุโมงค์ผาเมือง นางยั่วสวาท
English title: The Outrage
Rating: 5/5
Director: Pantewanop Tewakul
Main actor: Ananda Everingham,Phongphat Wachirabanjong,Mum Jokmok,Dom Hetrakul,Mario Maurer
Main actress: Chermarn Boonyasak
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A young monk Anoon goes to visit his father as wandering monk (พระธุดงค์). He recalls his life while walking home. He remembers his twin brother, Anan, whose wife died while delivering a baby. He wishes to disrobe (สึก) as he lost abilities to find answers to people regarding life. While wandering in the forest, he meets a noble couple on horse and palanquin. The husband is found later dead in the forest. Bandit Singkham is caught. Before being sentenced, he narrates the story. Bandit (โจรป้า) Singkham, seeing the beautiful lady in the palanquin, wishes to have her becoming his wife so he needs to get rid of the husband Khun Seuk (Ananda Everingham). He claims to have some golden swords to sell. It is a trick to knock out the husband and then kills all guards. He rapes her in front of the husband and she takes pleasure at it. He doesn't kill them but the lady complains the bandit doesn't give credit to their rank (เกียรติ). Singkham finally releases the husband and offers him a duel to avenge his honor. Despite being a strong swordsman, the husband is defeated by the smart forest bandit. During the trial, the wife also narrates her story. She was the daughter of a domestic servant. Khun Seuk was fond of her because of her beauty and married her four years ago. Following the rape, Khun Seuk desigrates his wife. She is no longer worth causing her heart to broken as she is not responsible of this event. Did she kill her own husband as she claims? The tribunal uses a medium to know the truth from the spirit (ผี). Khun Seuk's wife asks bandit Singkham to take her with him and to kill Khun Seuk also (ใจดำ). Singkham refuses to do so. The wife flees. Singkham releases Khun Seuk but he cannot stop crying knowing his wife treachery. He finally kills himself. Who is telling the truth? A domestic helper Prasok passing by during the event finally tells the truth. The wife denigrates Singkham refusing to go either him or glare him. To proof his worthiness, the wife Sampai asks him to defeat Khun Seuk in a fight. Khun Seuk refuses to fight with Singkham as it is below his status. He complains his wife still remains a low level woman (ลูกคนครัว) as she accepted the rape instead of killing herself avoid him to lose face (ขายหน้า). Sampai remains alone as both men refuse to take her anymore. Both of them are not real men (ไม่ใช่ลูกผู้ชาย). Following a duel, Khun Seuk impales himself. The one getting the blade was Prasok himself to sell it to get money for his poor family. Prasok and the beggar teach the young monk a lot on humanity. The young monk finally stays in the monkhood. Movie "Kon Khon" (คนโขน) was Thailand's submission to 2012 Academy Awards. It was a controversial choice because of lack of critical acclaim and box-office success. Movie อุโมงค์ผาเมือง นางยั่วสวาท / The Outrage was not chosen as it is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's award-winning "Rashomon" (1950). “Rashomon" was translated into Thai by the statesman MR Kukrit Pramoj. The movie includes Buddhist themes related to jealousy, greed for women or for jewels, lies, human behaving like animal (สัตว์), hatred, ire, lie, lazy, simulation, cowardliness, weakness towards women cries, death, unhappiness (ความทุกข์), status of high people (ผู้ดี). Greed causes to lose finally everything.
Year: 2011
Thai title: เท่ง โหน่ง จีวรบิน
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director: Pongsak Pongsuwan
Main actor: Pongsak Pongsuwan,Chusak Aiemsuk,Mum Jokmok,Somchai Sakdikul,Akom Preedakul
Main actress: Tukkie
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Thai movie เท่ง โหน่ง จีวรบิน was released in year 2011. It lasts 1h26mn. Sia Nong (Chusak Aiemsuk) welcomes a Thai monk (Pongsak Pongsuwan) coming to Tibet by plane. A TV program announced that ruffians’ leader Somchai Sakdikul has escaped from prison. Inside the plane, there are also Tukkie (ตุ๊กกี้ ชิงร้อย) as air hostess, Mum Jokmok as pilot, Amina (อมีนา พินิจ) as secretary. They board in the plane but it is hijacked by Somchai (สมชาย เข็มกลัด). He forces all the men to jump from the plane except the monk and the secretary. The robbers target a safe belonging to Sia Nong. The plane lands in the Golden Triangle but the robbers are unable to open the safe. Thanks to coded sentences, the monk succeeds to find the first code. As a comic interlude, Akom Preedakul comes to buy drugs and weapons. A second code is needed to open the safe but the secretary Amina asks for guarantee for her and the monk. By saving a child having fever, the monk gets reconnaissance from the villagers as they believed the kid was possessed (ผีเข้า). The monk gets mystic power recognition (บรามีหลวงพี่). He succeeds to change the villagers’ mentality but Somchai is still his enemy. Somchai rebels against Sadikul. Sadikul lets them flee by plane. Fighting happens in the plane and the monk has to use a lingam (ลิงค์) to prevent petrol leaking. As a monk cannot touch a woman, he is unable to reenter in the plane… The plane finally succeeds to land miraculously. Sadikul goes to jail for 5 years and humbly recognised that having sacred amulets cannot help when you misbehave. Right behavior is inside the heart. This comedy still delivers a few key Buddhist messages.
Year: 2011
Thai title: วัยรุ่นพันล้าน
English title: Top Secret
Rating: 4/5
Director:
Main actor: Pachorn Jirathiwat,Piak Poster
Main actress:
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Thai movie วัยรุ่นพันล้าน / Top Secret was released in year 2011 and last 1h54mn. A teenager, named Top, wishes to borrow 10M Baht from a Thai bank. He has to explain his story to the salesman. Piak Poster, the famous Thai movie director, is playing his uncle. He gets money from gaming. He buys an expensive car. His parents are upset and concerned about his studies and time spent on gaming. Top tries to get money from DVD business but it fails as he bought cheap DVD players from China (จีนแดง) so he ends up losing money. His gaming activities are also stopped when his account gets deleted. His father is very upset with him. His mother is upset but still protects him. He refuses any money from his father and will find money to pay for university fees. At nighttime, he steals a Buddha amulet from his father to sell it for 100 000 baht to finance his studies. He needs to find business activities to buy it back for his father. Top meets his friend Lin playing in a theater troupe. some learn business at school. Top is doing real business trying to sell chestnuts (เกาลัด). Top observes merchants in a market in order to get ideas for his business to blossom. But it is still failing. His parents leave for overseas but Top stays behind. He has a new idea to do fried seaweed (สาหร่ายทอด). He finally succeeds to find a right formula and business is booming. His parents' home is on sales. His father has a debt of 40M baht, so they left Thailand. Top needs to find a great idea to get such amount of money. He decides to promote his snacks to 7 Eleven HQ. They finally accept and ask for 72000 packets! The bank refuses to lend him money as he is too young. He borrows 1M baht at risk to build a factory. QA inspection done by 7 Eleven is successful. In two years he made 40M baht and is able to pay back his father’s debts. It is based on a real story, i.e. the life of young businessman อิทธิพัทธ์ กุลพงษ์วณิชย์ around year 2004.
