Friday, February 27, 2009

IS MONK AND JACKFRUIT GHOST (A+/A) TOO CONSERVATIVE?

This is my comment in Chayanin’s facebook:

I have seen MONK AND JACKFRUIT GHOST (2009, Dulyasit Niyomgul). I gave it A+/A. Nearly everything in this film is much better than I expected, but the film is too conservative for me. I don't like the relationships between parents and children, the redemption of the hero, and the clean look of the heroine, but I like everything else in this film.

For the heroine here I mean Achiraya Peerapatkunchaya, though her role is much less than the role of the jackfruit ghost.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3642/3313506475_8ea913fa96_o.jpg


--------------------------


This is my comment in Screenout webboard:
http://zaa.xq28.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=79&start=500

ขอบคุณพี่ SENSITIVEMAN และพี่ KICHO มากๆค่ะ ที่มาอวยพรวันเกิดให้น้องน้อยที่น่ารักอย่างดิฉัน

เพิ่งได้ดู MILK (2008, Gus Van Sant, A+) ค่ะ ประทับใจกับการต่อสู้ของเกย์ในหนังเรื่องนี้มากพอสมควร

ส่วนดาราชายที่ดิฉันคลั่งไคล้ในตอนนี้คือ Jamie Parker จาก VALKYRIE (2008, Bryan Singer, A+/A) ค่ะ

Cute Actor: Jamie Parker from VALKYRIE (2008, Bryan Singer, A+/A)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3521/3313506467_e5fed15ef6_o.jpg







Thursday, February 26, 2009

CTRL + P

I just knew that there's a very interesting online magazine about contemporary art called CTRL + P. The latest issue is about performance art.

Thanks very much to Varsha Nair for telling us about this magazine.

You can read it at:
http://www.ctrlp-artjournal.org/

SCREENOUT SHOPAHOLIC

This is my comment in Screenout webboard:
http://zaa.xq28.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=79&start=500

--Thank you very much, Matt and ZM. Matt, your blessing is the best I ever get. Hahaha.

--I just went to see CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC (2009, P.J. Hogan, A+/A), and many characters in this film remind me of Screenout webboard members:

1.Rebecca (Isla Fisher) = Black Forest
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3311737216_e9209858b9.jpg

2.Suze (Krysten Ritter) = Noinong
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3311737240_1caa44f5c3_o.jpg

3.Jane (Joan Cusack) = Kit (ไม่รู้ว่าพี่กิตหายไปไหนแล้ว)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3453/3311737222_98a03ef74d_o.jpg

4.Alette (Kristin Scott Thomas) = Sensitive Man
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3411/3311737238_a6926cb81d_o.jpg

5.Alicia Billington (Leslie Bibb) = Kicho
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3405/3311737232_d3f1914d1b.jpg

6.Hayley (Julie Hagerty) = MdS
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3329/3311737228_8bee67c314_o.jpg

7.Miss Korch (Wendie Malick) = Frankenstein
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3447/3310914851_416d9a067e_o.jpg


----------------------------

This is my comment in Black Forest's blog:
http://blackforests.blogspot.com/2009/02/2009.html

"เอ๊ะ หนังเรื่องนี้แสดงให้เห็นเหรอคะว่า กลุ่มชายหนุ่มในเรื่อง "กลัดมัน" หรือว่าคุณแบล็ค ฟอเรสต์จินตนาการไปเองคะว่าพวกเขา "กลัดมัน" ฮ่าๆๆๆๆ

ชอบความเห็นของคุณแบล็ค ฟอเรสต์ที่มีต่อหนังเรื่องนี้มากค่ะ เป็นอีกแง่มุมหนึ่งที่ไม่ได้คิดถึงมาก่อน"

























Tuesday, February 24, 2009

POLL 48: IMMIGRANTS

My poll 48 is inspired by HONGSA’S SCHOOLBAG, a Thai short fictional film about immigrants from Myanmar who come to stay in Thailand. The film is very touching. It presents many serious problems that these immigrants have to face. I hope this film is shown in every school in Thailand, so that Thai children will learn to love people from our neighboring countries.

This poll is also inspired by some recent news, such as the news about Angelina Jolie:
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/02/11/thai-govt-upset-over-angelina-jolie-comment-on-refugees/

Since there are many great films about immigrants, I find it very hard to choose only 20 films for this poll. So I decided to choose only “one film from each country” for this poll.

THESE FILMS ARE ABOUT IMMIGRANTS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.ANANSI (2002, Fritz Baumann, Germany)

2.THE BALL OF WOOL (2005, Fatma Zohra Zamoum, France)

3.BALSEROS (2002, Carlos Bosch + Josep M Domenech, Spain/Cuba/USA)

4.BEFORE THE STORM (2000, Reza Parsa, Sweden)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4154HNDYA3L._SS500_.jpg

5.THE BETRAYAL – NERAKHOON (2008, Ellen Kuras + Thavisouk Phrasavath, Laos/USA)

6.GAS ATTACK (2001, Kenneth Glenaan, UK)

7.HONGSA’S SCHOOLBAG (2008, Supamok Silarak, Thailand)

8.IMPORT/EXPORT (2007, Ulrich Seidl, Austria)

9.JAMES’ JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM (2003, Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, Israel)

10.KATZELMACHER (1969, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany)

11.ONCE YOU WERE BORN YOU CAN NO LONGER HIDE (2005, Marco Tullio Giordana, Italy)

12.NO DAYS OFF (2006, Eric Khoo, Singapore)

13.PIRATED (2000, Nguyen Tan Hoang, Vietnam/USA)
This is a gay experimental film.

14.THE PROMISE (1996, Luc Dardenne + Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Belgium)

15.SHOUF, SHOUF HABIBI! (2004, Albert ter Heerdt, Netherlands)

16.SIAO YU (1995, Sylvia Chang, Taiwan)

17.SPARE PARTS (2003, Damjan Kozole, Slovenia)

18.VILLAGE PEOPLE RADIO SHOW (2007, Amir Muhammad, Malaysia)

19.A WEDDING IN RAMALLAH (2002, Sherine Salama, Australia/Palestine/USA)

20.WE SHALL OVERCOME SOMEDAY (2004, Izutsu Kazuyuki, Japan)

You can cast multiple votes.


--Apart from HONGSA’S SCHOOLBAG, there are many interesting Thai films/TV series/play about immigrants, including:

1.ADMIT (2007, Nathapon Timmuang)

2.BLISSFULLY YOURS (2002, Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

3.BURMESE MAN DANCING (2008, Nok Paksnavin)

4.GODAGARDENER (2008, Teerawat Mulvilai, stage play)

5.GOLDEN SAND HOUSE (2005, Chulayarnnon Siriphol)

6.HONG RUB KHAEK (2008, Navin Rawanchaikul)
The title of this film is interesting, because it plays on the word “khaek” which have two meanings in Thai. It can mean “guest” or “people from South Asia”, so the title of this film can mean “a room to receive guests” or “a room to receive people from South Asia”.

7.LORD LAI MUNGKORN (THROUGH THE STRIPES OF DRAGON) (TV series about Chinese immigrants)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcXvv8CJcFs

8.MOBILE MEN (2008, Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIK3ctC1DP0

9.SEAPORT (2006, Attapon Pamakho + Benya Poowarachnan)

10.SHAN AT DAWN (2008, Nattachai Jaitita)

Excluding HONG RUB KHAEK and LORD LAI MUNGKORN, the rest of the things in the list above are about immigrants from Myanmar.


--IMMIGRANTS ON IMMIGRANTS

Imaginary film about immigrants in Thailand

I think it might be interesting if some filmmakers make a documentary by interviewing many descendants of Chinese immigrants in Thailand to find out how they think about the immigrants from Myanmar. Do these Thai/Chinese people think the immigrants from Myanmar should be treated similarly or differenty from the way their Chinese ancestors were treated when they arrived in Thailand about 50 years ago, and why they should be treated similarly or differently.






MALADY DIARY IS THE WINNER

My poll 47 ended with nine votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:

THESE ARE DOCUMENTARIES AND EXPERIMENTAL FILMS ABOUT FILMMAKERS. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?

1.MALADY DIARY (2004, Teekhadet Vucharadhanin, Thailand)
It got 4 votes, or 44 %.


2.CHANTAL AKERMAN PAR CHANTAL AKERMAN (1997, Chantal Akerman)
+JLG/JLG – SELF-PORTRAIT IN DECEMBER (1995, Jean-Luc Godard)

Each of them got 3 votes, or 33 %.


4.CINEMA DREAM, TOKYO DREAM (1995, Kiju Yoshida)
+THE LAST BOLSHEVIK (1993, Chris Marker)
+LOST IN LA MANCHA (2001, Keith Fulton + Louis Pepe)
+THE NAME OF A RIVER (2001, Anup Singh, India)
+A PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH MARTIN SCORSESE THROUGH AMERICAN MOVIES (1995, Martin Scorsese + Michael Henry Wilson)
+THE SIGNATURE (2008, Chalida Uabumrungjit, Thailand)
+WHOEVER SAYS THE TRUTH SHALL DIE (1981, Philo Bregstein, Netherlands)

Each of them got 2 votes, or 22 %.


11.CLAIRE DENIS LA VAGABONDE (1995, Sebastien Lifshitz)
+THE COLOUR OF WORDS: INDIA SONG (1984, Jerome Beaujour + Jean Mascolo)
+DEREK (2008, Isaac Julien)
+HUNT ANGELS (2006, Alec Morgan, Australia)
+INGMAR BERGMAN: THE MAGIC LANTERN (1989, Michael Winterbottom)
+JACQUES DOILLON: WORDS AND EMOTIONS (1998, Anne Brochet + Francoise Dumas)
+PHOENIX TAPES (1999, Christoph Girardet + Matthias Muller, Germany)

Each of them got 1 vote, or 11 %.


18.FRIENDLY PERSUASION (2000, Jamsheed Akrami, Iran)
+JEAN COCTEAU: SELF-PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER (1983, Edgardo Cozarinsky)
+LIFE AT ANY COST (1998, Stefan Jarl, Sweden)

Each of them got 0 vote.


--I think I can separate the twenty films above into two main groups. The first group is films which are “informative” or films which do a great job of informing the audience about the filmmakers who are the subject of the films. The second group is films which are “much more than informative”, or films which can create a powerful emotional effect of their own, instead of just giving the audience useful information.

Films which belong to the second group include CHANTAL AKERMAN PAR CHANTAL AKERMAN, CINEMA DREAM TOKYO DREAM, HUNT ANGELS, JLG/JLG – SELF-PORTRAIT IN DECEMBER, THE LAST BOLSHEVIK, THE NAME OF A RIVER, and PHOENIX TAPES.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM NINA GROSSE

This is my comment in Girish’s blog:
http://www.girishshambu.com/blog/2009/02/strombolian-films.html

--Oops, I made a mistake. I’ve seen L’ENFANCE NUE only once. It should have been in the list of films I need to watch again.

--I like what Fernando wrote very much: “it dawned on me that the film's rhythms were not going to adapt to me, I was going to adapt to the film's rhythms.”

This kind of thing happened to me while I was watching THE BIRTH OF LOVE (1993, Philippe Garrel). I felt a bit uneasy during the first half of the film, then I decided to let my mind flow with the rhythm of the film, and then I started to see/feel/experience the film’s beauty.

--Some lists by Cahiers du Cinema makes me want to re-watch some films by Brian De Palma and Clint Eastwood. Maybe I overlooked something in them in the first viewing.

--Another Strombolian film for me is HEAVEN OF GLASS (1987, Nina Grosse). I felt very blurred and vague after I had seen it the first time. I felt as if I had seen a 3-D film without the glasses. Later I realized that I shouldn’t have focused my mind on “the story” and “the action of characters”, but I should have focused my mind on “the atmosphere” and “the mood of characters”. I fell in love with this film in the second viewing.

-----------------------------

This is my comment in TT REVIEW’s blog:
http://ttreview.exteen.com/20090217/entry

“ชอบ THE CLASS มากๆ ตรงที่ว่าตัวละครมันดูเป็น "มนุษย์" ที่มีองค์ประกอบหลายส่วนอยู่ในตัวจริงๆเลยนะ ซึ่งแตกต่างจากหนังแนวครู-นักเรียนเรื่องอื่นๆที่ตัวละครดูเหมือนจะถูกสร้างขึ้นมาเพื่อรองรับสารที่เฉพาะเจาะจงอะไรบางอย่าง แต่ละฉากในหนังเรื่องนี้สะท้อนความเป็นมนุษย์ได้น่าสนใจดี อย่างเช่นฉากที่ครูผู้ชายคนนึงระเบิดอารมณ์ออกมาในหัองพักครู แต่พอเขาระเบิดอารมณ์เสร็จ เขาก็อารมณ์เย็นขึ้น และดูเหมือนจะกลับมาเป็นปกติได้ ตอนที่เห็นหน้าครูบางคนในหนังเรื่องนี้ เราก็เดาว่าครูบางคนจะต้องมีบทบาทแบบ "นางอิจฉา" หรือ "นายอิจฉา" แน่ๆ แต่ก็ไม่ใช่ พวกเขาเป็นเพียงมนุษย์ที่มีความเห็นแตกต่างจากพระเอกในบางครั้งบางคราวเท่านั้นเอง และไม่ได้มีบทบาทเป็น "ตัวร้าย" แต่อย่างใด”

------------------------------------------------

This is my comment in Konmongnang’s blog:
http://konmongnang.exteen.com/20090121/entry

“อ่านเรื่องของเพื่อนของคุณคนมองหนัง แล้วทำให้นึกถึงละครเรื่อง "มายา" ของว.วินิจฉัยกุล ที่นางเอกชื่อ "พิตะวัน" ถูกคนรวยเก็บมาเลี้ยง

ไม่รู้ว่าคุณคนมองหนังลองเสิร์ชหาชื่อเพื่อนคนนี้ใน facebook ดูหรือยัง บางทีอาจจะได้คุยกับเพื่อนคนนี้อีกครั้งก็ได้นะ

ถ้าหากเพื่อนคนนี้เอาชีวิตของครอบครัวตัวเองมาดัดแปลงเป็นหนัง อาจจะได้หนังที่น่าสนใจมากๆก็ได้ แต่ไม่รู้ว่าคุณ "คนมองหนัง" จะมีสภาพเป็น "นายอิจฉา" ในหนังเรื่องนี้หรือเปล่า เพราะพฤติกรรมของคุณคนมองหนังที่มีต่อเพื่อนคนนี้ในวัยเด็ก ดูคล้ายๆ นางอิจฉา ฮ่าๆๆ ”

Monday, February 23, 2009

RE-APPRAISAL

This is my comment in Girish's blog:
http://www.girishshambu.com/blog/2009/02/strombolian-films.html

--These are the films which I had't loved much in my first viewing, but "after a few years" I found that I really loved them in my second viewing:

1.LES CHOSES DE LA VIE (1970, Claude Sautet)
2.GOLDEN MARIE (1952, Jacques Becker)
3.THE LEFT-HANDED WOMAN (1978, Peter Handke)
4.L'ENFANCE NUE (1968, Maurice Pialat)
5.MAD DOG AND GLORY (1993, John McNaughton)
6.MOONSTRUCK (1987, Norman Jewison)
7.VAN GOGH (1991, Maurice Pialat)
8.DEATH OF A TEA MASTER (1989, Kei Kumai)
9.SERIE NOIRE (1979, Alain Corneau)
10.THE SKY IS YOURS (1944, Jean Gremillon)

In my case, I started becoming a film addict in 1990's by falling in love with "strange" or "outrageous" films, especially films made by Derek Jarman, Peter Greenaway, David Lynch, Luis Bunuel, or Pedro Almodovar. So I didn't appreciate much some films which are "not strange", especially films made by Sautet, Becker, Pialat, or Gremillon. However, after a few years I find that I am able to enjoy greatly the latter type of films. I guess my life experience and my film knowledge (or film sensitivity) gained during these years may be the factors.

As for the case of THE LEFT-HANDED WOMAN and DEATH OF A TEA MASTER, I guess my physical condition during the watching might be a factor, too. I felt these films were too slow, and I felt very sleepy in my first viewing of them. So before I went to see them for the second time, I had had enough sleep and had drunk some coffee. This time I didn't felt sleepy, but I felt they were so sublime.


--The follwing films are the films which I saw only once and didn't love instantly, but after a while I realized that it might be because I went to see them with "wrong expectations" or because I just didn't know how to appreciate the specific styles of the films. I believe I may love these films much more if I have a chance see them for the second time:

1.THE BEAUTIFUL WASHING MACHINE (2004, James Lee)
2.CALM PREVAILS OVER THE COUNTRY (1976, Peter Lilienthal)
3.CLEAN SLATE (1981, Bertrand Tavernier)
4.NEW BLOOD (2002, Cheang Pou-soi)
5.RIZAL IN DAPITAN (1997, Tikoy Aguiluz)
6.SILENCE, WE'RE ROLLING (2001, Youssef Chahine)

When I was watching THE BEAUTIFUL WASHING MACHINE, CALM PREVAILS OVER THE COUNTRY, and SILENCE WE'RE ROLLING, I felt that they were very different from any films I had seen before. I didn't know how to adjust my feelings, emotions, thoughts, or wavelength to respond correctly to these types of films which I was not accustomed to. But when I had a chance to see ALEXANDRIA...NEW YORK (2004, Youssef Chahine) and BEFORE WE FALL IN LOVE AGAIN (2006, James Lee), I found that I greatly enjoyed them, and I think it is partly because I knew in advance what to expect from the films of these directors.

Some articles also made me realize I may have missed something in the films I saw. I went to see NEW BLOOD, hoping it would be very scary and exciting like most horror films, but it wasn't. After that, I read some reviews (including Olaf Moller's) which praised this film's "bleakness", so I realized I had had wrong expectations for this film. RIZAL IN DAPITAN is one of the first Filipino films I saw about ten years ago. It didn't impress me much at that time. But after I found that this film is listed in Noel Vera's list of 100 BEST FILIPINO FILMS, I realized that I was too young when I saw it.

--Special case 1:
In the Bruce Bailie's retrospective in Bangkok in 1999, I felt so-so when I was watching Bailie's films for the first time. But after a few days, I went to see these films for the second time, and I felt ecstatic. I guess my first experience of his films had changed my wavelength, so that I could enjoy his films in the second viewing.

--Like Corey Creekmur, I didn't like any Westerns at all when I was a child, and I still try to avoid them until now, though I love THE SHOOTING (1967, Monte Hellman) and SERAPHIM FALLS (2006, David Von Ancken).

--Though critics can convince me to re-watch some films that I didn't like because I might have overlooked some important things in it, this reason does not work for me every time. I know I have some personal problems with Yasujiro Ozu's films, so I'm not going to see them for the second time, because I am sure I will never be able to really love them.

--Special case 2: Strombolian music videos.
When I was a teenager in 1990, I bought a pirated videotape containing both Vanilla Ice's and Laurie Anderson's music videos in the same tape. I couldn't enjoy Anderson's music and her videos at all, so I taped something over them and kept only the Vanilla Ice's section in the tape. Several years later, I deeply regretted what I had done in 1990.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

WISH LIST FOR DECEMBER 2008 PART 2

B. DVD WISH LIST

DVDs of four films by Joseph Morder with English subtitles
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/3293047340_4ab18509b3_o.jpg

You can buy them here:
http://www.expcinema.com/

I knew about them from Acquarello's website, which compares L'ARBRE MORT (1987, Joseph Morder) with INDIA SONG (Marguerite Duras) and Jonas Mekas' films.
http://filmref.com/notes/archives/2008/11/larbre_mort_1987.html



C.Tribute wish list

A tribute to Geraldine Chaplin, who stars in these films:

1.STRANGER IN THE HOUSE (1967, Pierre Rouve, USA) from George Simenon's novel

2.PEPPERMINT FRAPPE (1967, Carlos Saura)
http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/saura.html#peppermint

3.STRESS IS THREE (1968, Carlos Saura)

4.HONEYCOMB (1969, Carlos Saura)

5.CARLOS (1971, Hans W. Geissendoerfer, West Germany)

6.ANNA AND THE WOLVES (1973, Carlos Saura)

7.ELISA, MY LOVE (1977, Carlos Saura)
http://filmref.com/journal/archives/2007/04/elisa_my_love_1977.html

8.ROSELAND (1977, James Ivory, USA)

9.BLINDFOLDED EYES (1978, Carlos Saura)

10.SHORT LETTER TO THE LONG GOODBYE (1978, Herbert Vesely, West Germany)

11.MAMA TURNS 100 (1979, Carlos Saura)
http://filmref.com/journal/archives/2007/04/mama_turns_100_years_old_1979.html

12.THE WIDOW MONTIEL (1979, Miguel Littin, Mexico) from Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novel

13.SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY (1980, Michel Deville, France)

14.ZWISCHENSAISON (1992, Daniel Schmid, Germany)

15.THE EYES OF ASIA (1996, Joao Mario Grilo, Portugal)

16.BERESINA OR THE LAST DAYS OF SWITZERLAND (1999, Daniel Schmid, Switzerland)

17.THE HIDDEN (2005, Antonio Hernandez, Spain)

18.RAMIREZ (2008, Albert Arizza, Spain)



D.ART EXHIBITION WISH LIST

ANNEE OLOFSSON, A SWEDISH ARTIST
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3293047348_22ce32ce63_o.jpg

Actually Art Centre Chula held a group exhibition including Olofsson a few years ago, but I didn't go to see it.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0425/is_3_61/ai_92026833
http://www.frieze.com/issue/review/annee_olofsson
http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/2003/07/07/31189.html
http://www.marvelligallery.com/Olofsson1.html


Some of her works:

DEMONS (1999)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3293047352_5d498cf04d_o.jpg

EVIL EYE (2004)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3410/3293047354_816d94cb0a_o.jpg

I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE NOW IT HAUNTS ME (2006)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/3293047356_44fb6091d2_o.jpg

LOST (2006)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/3293047360_a0b9c43a5d_o.jpg

THE MOURNERS – MY LAST FAMILY PHOTO (1995)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3405/3293048900_efb3a9d4d9_o.jpg

SKINNED (2002)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/3293048904_cd24b1e668_o.jpg

THIN LINE
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3475/3293048910_070e80777b_o.jpg

UNFAMILIAR (2001)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3293048916_196c696438_o.jpg

-------------------------------------------

Wish list for Dec 2008 part 1
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/02/wish-list-for-december-2008-part-1.html

Wish list for Nov 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/02/wish-list-for-november-2008.html

Wish list for October 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/11/wish-list-for-october-2008.html
Wish list for Sep 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/10/wish-list-for-sep-2008.html
WISH LIST FOR AUGUST 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/09/wish-list-for-august-2008.html
WISH LIST FOR JULY 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/08/wish-list-for-july-2008.html
WISH LIST FOR JUNE 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/07/wish-list-for-june-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST FOR MAY 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/06/film-wish-list-for-may-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST FOR APRIL 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/05/film-wish-list-for-april-2008.html
Film wish list for March 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/04/film-wish-list-for-march-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST FOR FEB 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/03/film-wish-list-for-february-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST FOR JAN 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/02/film-wish-list-for-jan-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST IN 2007
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/02/film-wish-list-for-jan-2008.html
















































Tuesday, February 17, 2009

WISH LIST FOR DECEMBER 2008 PART 1

A.FILM WISH LIST

1.AUGUST EVENING (2007, Chris Eska, USA)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3445/3288085358_d95cbeab7a_o.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1020936/

“August Evening follows an aging undocumented farm worker named Jaime and his young, widowed daughter-in-law, Lupe, as their lives are thrown into upheaval. Lupe is more of a daughter to Jaime than his own children, and the two try to stick together... but change is inevitable”

The trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUMP-SO0RIw


2.FERMAT’S ROOM (2007, Luis Piedrahita + Rodrigo Sopena, Spain, 88 min)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/3288085360_d39ce0c024.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1016301/

“Four mathematicians who do not know each other are invited by a mysterious host on the pretext of resolving a great enigma. The room in which they find themselves turns out to be a shrinking room that will crush them if they do not discover in time what connects them all and why someone might wish to murder them.”

The trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8fS74Y-qBs


3.(HOW) TO BE DEAD (2008, Manuel Ferrari, Argentina, 77 min)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1238105/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV6dmdTiE2I


4.LOST SONG (2008, Rodrigue Jean, Canada, 102 min)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3375/3288085364_b1540a6d23.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1285124/


5.THE ORDER OF MYTHS (2008, Margaret Brown, USA, documentary)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3288085366_d0a87f8407_b.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1157694/
“Mobile, Alabama, 2007: the oldest Mardi Gras in the United States is a study in Black and White. Groups prepare coronations, parades, balls, and revelry. White and Black communities have separate royal courts and separate events. People comment on these vestiges of segregation, some critical and some okay with it. The Black king and queen come to the coronation of the White royal couple, and the White king and queen join the celebration at the Comrades party, a primarily Black event. City patriarchs agree to do more together, and the city's youth seem to want more interaction as well. The film explores possible contradictions between preserving traditions and putting the old Mobile behind them.”

The trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-desPqfCl6M


6.LA ORILLA QUE SE ABISMA (2008, Gustavo Fontan, Argentina, documentary, 64 min)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3237/3288085362_ddd825efeb.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1221144/

“The movie is a documentary about the argetine poet Juan Laurentino Ortiz, known as "Juan L" or "Juanele". It's a story about a travel trought the Paraná river (Entre Ríos, Argentina), where the nature acting (water, birds, air, rain, trees, sun, etc). The film have parts of documentary about Juan L. Ortiz, and can hear his voice talking a reciting a poem. La orilla que se abisma is poetry made image”


7.THE QUEEN AND I (2008, Nahid Persson, Sweden, documentary)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334556/

“Filmmaker and Iranian exile Nahid Persson Sarvestani talks with the widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the late Shah of Iran, who was overthrown in 1979”

This film is available in Youtube but without subtitle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qowmGLZl5TE



8.SCRATCH (2008, Michal Rosa, Poland, 89 min)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/3288085372_3509110b25.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1274738/

The trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BtZldMwlSE


9.WIDE FIELD (2008, Mikheil Kalatozhisvili, Russia, 108 min)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3536/3287268371_d16ed07d0b.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1252383/

“A young doctor relocates to a remote region of central Asia, thinking his fiancee soon will join him”


10.YANGGAW (2008, Richard Somes, Philippines)
Oggs Cruz wrote about this film here:
http://oggsmoggs.blogspot.com/2008/12/yanggaw-2008.html
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/3287277965_2d17f662ba_o.jpg

































FROM THE BROCHURE OF MICHAEL SHAOWANASAI' S EXHIBITION

This is my comment in Screenout webboard:
http://zaa.xq28.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=79&start=500

ยังไม่ได้ดู Benjamin Button เลยค่ะ แต่ตอนนี้หนูกำลังกรี๊ดๆกร๊าดๆนภัสกร มิตรเอมใน A MOMENT IN JUNE (2008, O Nathapon, A+) ค่ะ เขาตรงสเปคหนูมากๆ หนูชอบบางแง่มุมของเกย์ในหนังเรื่องนี้ด้วยค่ะ โดยเฉพาะการที่คุณพ่อดูเหมือนจะไม่มีปัญหาแต่อย่างใดที่ลูกชายตัวเองเป็นเกย์

Napassakorn Mit-aim is very cute in A MOMENT IN JUNE
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/3287944520_a550d12062_o.jpg

--I went to see the exhibition TRI-TOSA-WARA at Chula Art Centre on January 17. I gave this retrospective exhibition A+, because I got to see many things I had missed in the past, including the past exhibition of Michael Shaowanasai. These are images in the brochure of that past exhibition:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3462/3287944524_69b732cf43_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/3287944528_9f604881fb_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/3287944530_990e972792_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3287944534_851e22a60f_o.jpg











SONTHAYA SUBYEN'S INTERVIEW IN GM MAGAZINE

--Thanks to Filmsick, I just knew that a new short film by Apichatpong Weerasethakul is available in Youtube. It’s called MOBILE MEN. You can watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIK3ctC1DP0

You can read Apichatpong’s interview here:
http://art-for-the-world.blogspot.com/2009/01/interview-with-apichatpong.html


--Sonthaya Subyen gave a long interview in GM magazine, February 2009. He talked about many things, including Philippe Grandrieux, MY HOUSE (2003, Junji Sakamoto), NIGHTSHADE (1972, Niklaus Schilling, A+), and DEAD CERTAIN (UNE AFFAIRE D’HOMMES) (1981, Nicolas Ribowski).


--I think the men in February issues of HEY! Magazine and STAGE magazine are cute.
http://www.magazinedee.com/main/magall.php?mag=5212
http://www.magazinedee.com/main/magall.php?mag=5204

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/3287849004_a8bd2a9585_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3589/3287849012_30b9db584e_o.jpg






Saturday, February 14, 2009

WISH LIST FOR NOVEMBER 2008

WISH LIST FOR NOVEMBER 2008

I think it’s time I continue making my own wish list. I should have posted this in early December 2008, but I was too shocked with the political crisis in Thailand at that time and was not in the mood for making any wishes, and I have been very busy after that.

A.FILM WISH LIST

1.IRI (2008, Zhang Lu, South Korea, 107 min)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3423/3276199441_3ef236abbd_o.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1330995/
http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_Iri.php


“In China a woman lives an impoverished life with her father who is far from helpful. In the crowded and busy streets of industrial city Chongqing, the story goes on showing those neglected people who have no hope or future. In Korea there had been an explosion 30 years ago at the I-ri station that no one seems to remember. Jinseo- who was born mentally disabled because of the accident and her brother lead a hard existence. The two stories are counterpoints to each other about hardship, struggle, and daily bravery.”


2.LENZ (2006, Thomas Imbach, Switzerland)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3363/3276199467_70af50f48d_o.jpg

Synopsis from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756676/

“The filmmaker Lenz has left his native Berlin for the Vosges to research the story behind Georg Büchner's novel fragment Lenz. But he soon trades the Alsatian landscape for higher altitudes and more emotional territory: a reunion with his estranged wife Natalie and their son Noah in the Swiss Alps. Like his literary counterpart, the modern-day Lenz follows the Romantic motto: Genius writes its own rules. Against a background of kitsch global tourism - provided by the authentic Zermatt locations - Thomas Imbach's Lenz portrays an unconventional family and a man struggling between euphoria and desperation.”

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117929822.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0


3.THE LOST COAST (2008, Gabriel Fleming, USA, 74 min)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1189341/
“As a group of old high school friends wander through San Francisco on Halloween night, two of them are forced to confront their unspoken sexual history”

This is the trailer of THE LOST COAST:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIKdoBNW--k

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OokEw3lxL._SS500_.jpg


4.OMG/HAHAHA (2007, Morgan Jon Fox, USA, 74 min)
http://www.myspace.com/sawedoffpictures
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0969644/

“An independent coffee shop owner finds out she is pregnant, a transgender girl who runs storytime at a local bookstore has to decide if she's going to go say goodbye to her dying father who violated her for years, a 14yo boy walks around with the weight of the world on his shoulders wondering how he is as a parent to his "child", a boy turns 23 and is told he cant bring his boyfriend of 6 years to his parents house for a birthday dinner, and a 17yo kid seeks more from life than the rootless, angry household he lives in, trying to shed light on his group of disconnected, cold friends”

This is the trailer of OMG/HAHAHA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kh7LuBWVmY


5.A POLICE ROMANCE (2008, Stephanie Duvivier, France, 95 min) starring Hiam Abbass
This is the trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlVXCxBfwe8


6.RAIN (2008, Paula Hernandez, Argentina, 110 min)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/3276199471_8793700573.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194615/

“Buenos Aires. It rains. Alma is in her car, stuck in Buenos Aires' traffic. She have been living in her little car since her boyfriend left her. Suddenly, Roberto gets into the car. He's wet and hurt , he's tired of the rain, of broken dreams. He have came back after thirty years abroad. In this new city he has nothing and nobody, just a father in coma, whom he has no relationship. He promises to leave the car as soon as the rain ceases. Alma, not knowing exactly why lets him in. That night will be different. And the next few days too. There's something new to find in the depth of their hearts”


7.SAUNA (2008, Antti-Jussi Annila, Finland, 85 min)
http://www.bronson.fi/sauna/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124394/
Is this a horror film in Tarkovsky’s style?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si8IqpZc8Fo


8.THE STRANGER IN ME (2008, Emily Atef, Germany)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194235/
“A young couple in love: Rebecca (32) and her boyfriend Julian (34) are expecting their first child and are full of pleasant expectation. As Rebecca gives birth to a healthy boy their luck seems to be perfect. But instead of the unconditional motherly love she was expecting she is thrown into an emotional turmoil. Helplessness and desperation reign and her own baby is a stranger to her. With every day that passes her inability to meet the demands of motherhood become more and more apparent. Unable to admit this to anyone, not even Julian, she falls into a deep darkness - to the point that she realises she is becoming a threat to her child. Now only unconditional love can bring her back on track...”
This is the trailer of THE STRANGER IN ME:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH-HEt9rGS0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3507/3276199439_2721785c31_b.jpg


9.TEZA (2008, Haile Gerima, Ethiopia, 140 min)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1284592/
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3508/3276199473_7c824cb281.jpg

“The return of the African intellectual Anberber to his native country during the repressive Marxist regime of Haile Mariam Mengistu and the recognition of his own displacement and powerlessness at the dissolution of his people's humanity and social values. After several years spent studying medicine in Germany, Anberber returns to Ethiopia only to find the country of his youth replaced by turmoil. His dream of using his craft to improve the health of Ethiopians is squashed by a military junta that uses scientists for their own political ends. Seeking the comfort of his countryside home, Anberber finds no refuge from violence. The solace that the memories of his youth provide is quickly replaced by the competing forces of military and rebelling factions. Anberber needs to decide whether he wants to bear the strain or piece together a life from the fragments that lay around him.”


10.13 ROSES (2007, Emilio Martinez Lazaro, Spain, 100 min) story by Pedro Costa
http://www.las13rosas.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0809533/
“It tells the story of 13 young women who were executed as a group just a few months after the end of the Spanish Civil War. Amid promises of justice and national reconciliation many thousands of people who had been on the side of the democratically elected republican government were rounded up and put in overcrowded jails. These were often people who had only been on the edges of the political organisations or had joined political Youth organisations, the social organisations of the time. Most of the girls in this particular group were under legal age when they were executed, no more than children in the eyes of their contemporaries. At least one, the oldest, was entirely innocent of any association with the political left. She and her husband (executed separately) paying the price for helping a known communist and fellow musician and colleague evade the fascist repression. Executions of this type and on this scale continued for many months, perhaps several years.”

This is the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGJlkUk2Fjo



B.TRIBUTE WISH LIST
TRIBUTE TO JACQUES PERRIN, A HANDSOME ACTOR

1.THE TRUTH (1960, Henri-Georges Clouzot)
2.GIRL WITH A SUITCASE (1961, Valerio Zurlini)
3.FAMILY DIARY (1962, Valerio Zurlini)
4.CORRUPTION (1963, Mauro Bolognini)
5.THE 317TH PLATOON (1965, Pierre Schoendoerffer)
6.LINE OF DEMARCATION (1966, Claude Chabrol)
7.ALMOST A MAN (1966, Vittorio De Seta)
8.SHOCK TROOPS (1967, Costa-Gavras)
9.THE BIG SOFTIE (1967, Pierre Granier-Deferre)
10.THE UNINVITED (1969, Vittorio De Seta)
11.BLANCHE (1971, Walerian Borowczyk)
12.GOYA, HISTORIA DE UNA SOLEDAD (1971, Nino Quevedo)
This film is nominated for Golden Palm.
13.THE STRANGLER (1972, Paul Vecchiali)
14.MILITARY COUP IN KOLWEZI (1980, Raoul Coutard)
15.THE DISOBEDIENCE (1981, Aldo Lado)
16.THE SHADOW (1992, Claude Goretta)
17.THE LONG SILENCE (1993, Margarethe von Trotta)


C.ART EXHIBITION WISH LIST
PHYLLIS BRAMSON
http://www.phyllisbramson.com/
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3530/3277052474_da1f58d405_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3372/3277052468_27981bc4dc_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3348/3277052462_d06d2385cc_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3059/3277052444_4591c94544_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3374/3277052364_eac3781df3_o.jpg

-----------------------

Wish list for October 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/11/wish-list-for-october-2008.html

Wish list for Sep 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/10/wish-list-for-sep-2008.html
WISH LIST FOR AUGUST 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/09/wish-list-for-august-2008.html
WISH LIST FOR JULY 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/08/wish-list-for-july-2008.html
WISH LIST FOR JUNE 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/07/wish-list-for-june-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST FOR MAY 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/06/film-wish-list-for-may-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST FOR APRIL 2008

http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/05/film-wish-list-for-april-2008.html
Film wish list for March 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/04/film-wish-list-for-march-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST FOR FEB 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/03/film-wish-list-for-february-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST FOR JAN 2008
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/02/film-wish-list-for-jan-2008.html
FILM WISH LIST IN 2007
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/02/film-wish-list-for-jan-2008.html




























































Friday, February 13, 2009

POLL 47: DOCUMENTARIES AND EXPERIMENTAL FILMS ABOUT FILMMAKERS


My poll 47 is inspired by CHANTAL AKERMAN PAR CHANTAL AKERMAN, which I just saw last week in the exhibition THE THIRTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF DK FILMHOUSE (FILMVIRUS). This documentary is stranger than most documentaries about filmmakers, because it doesn’t present its information straightforwardly. At first we listen to Akerman talking about her doubts in making this film. Then we watch many clips from her films. These clips are supposed to tell us something about Akerman. It’s a strange but wholly satisfying experience. This film may not be as weird, challenging, or intellectual as JLG/JLG – SELF-PORTRAIT IN DECEMBER, but watching it makes me feel so great, and I’m not sure why.

If I understand it correctly, some of the most interesting clips in CHANTAL AKERMAN PAR CHANTAL AKERMAN may be from ONE DAY PINA ASKED ME (1983, Chantal Akerman), which is about Pina Bausch, the great choreographer.

I love the first and last scene of CHANTAL AKERMAN PAR CHANTAL AKERMAN very much. We saw her room in the first scene, and we saw Akerman give a conclusion about herself in the last scene.


THESE ARE DOCUMENTARIES AND EXPERIMENTAL FILMS ABOUT FILMMAKERS. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?

1.CHANTAL AKERMAN PAR CHANTAL AKERMAN (1997, Chantal Akerman)

2.CINEMA DREAM, TOKYO DREAM (1995, Kiju Yoshida)
This film is about Gabriel Veyre, one of the pioneer filmmakers. He shot some films in Mexico and Japan in the late 1890’s. He shot 40 films between 1896-1900.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0895515/

3.CLAIRE DENIS LA VAGABONDE (1995, Sebastien Lifshitz)

4.THE COLOUR OF WORDS: INDIA SONG (1984, Jerome Beaujour + Jean Mascolo)
This film is about Marguerite Duras.

5.DEREK (2008, Isaac Julien)
This film is about Derek Jarman.

6.FRIENDLY PERSUASION (2000, Jamsheed Akrami, Iran)
This film is about the political problems of some contemporary Iranian filmmakers.

7.HUNT ANGELS (2006, Alec Morgan, Australia)
This strange documentary is about Rupert Kathner and Alma Brooks, who shot some films in Australia during 1937-1951. At first I thought this film is a fiction.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0441272/

8.INGMAR BERGMAN: THE MAGIC LANTERN (1989, Michael Winterbottom)

9.JACQUES DOILLON: WORDS AND EMOTIONS (1998, Anne Brochet + Francoise Dumas)

10.JEAN COCTEAU: SELF-PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER (1983, Edgardo Cozarinsky)

11.JLG/JLG – SELF-PORTRAIT IN DECEMBER (1995, Jean-Luc Godard)

12.THE LAST BOLSHEVIK (1993, Chris Marker)
This film is about Alexander Medvedkin. I cried a lot at the ending of this film.

13.LIFE AT ANY COST (1998, Stefan Jarl, Sweden)
This film is about Bo Widerberg.

14.LOST IN LA MANCHA (2001, Keith Fulton + Louis Pepe)
This film is about Terry Gilliam.

15.MALADY DIARY (2004, Teekhadet Vucharadhanin, Thailand)
This film is about Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

16.THE NAME OF A RIVER (2001, Anup Singh, India)
This experimental film is about Ritwik Ghatak.

17.A PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH MARTIN SCORSESE THROUGH AMERICAN MOVIES (1995, Martin Scorsese + Michael Henry Wilson)
This film is about many old American directors.

18.PHOENIX TAPES (1999 , Christoph Girardet + Matthias Muller, Germany)
This experimental film is about various motifs found in Alfred Hitchcock’s films.

19.THE SIGNATURE (2008, Chalida Uabumrungjit, Thailand)
This film is about Ratana Pestonji.

20.WHOEVER SAYS THE TRUTH SHALL DIE (1981, Philo Bregstein, Netherlands)
This film is about Pier Paolo Pasolini.



You can cast multiple votes.


--I haven’t seen LIGHTNING OVER WATER (1980, Wim Wenders).

DANCER IN THE DARK IS THE WINNER

My poll 46 ended with 11 votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:

THESE MUSICAL FILMS ARE MADE FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?

1.DANCER IN THE DARK (2000, Lars von Trier, Denmark)
It got 7 votes, or 63 %.

2. THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD (2003, Guy Maddin, Canada)
It got 6 votes, or 54 %.

3.THE WAYWARD CLOUD (2005, Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan)
It got 3 votes, or 27 %.

4.AMY (1997, Nadia Tass, Australia)
+THE LINE, THE CROSS & THE CURVE (1994, Kate Bush, UK)
+LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986, Frank Oz, USA)
+ONE NIGHT ONE LIFE (1999, Oliver Hermann, Germany)
+RED PSALM (1972, Miklos Jancso, Hungary)
+UP DOWN FRAGILE (1995, Jacques Rivette, France)

Each of them got 2 votes, or 18 %.

10.AI TUI (ไอ้ทุย) (1971, Dokdin Gunyamarn, Thailand)
+CHUNHYANG (2000, Im Kwon-taek, South Korea)
+DIXIELAND DAIMYO (1986, Kihachi Okamoto, Japan)
+THE LAST COMMUNIST (2006, Amir Muhammad, Malaysia)
+MOSES AND AARON (1975, Daniele Huillet + Jean-Marie Straub, West Germany)
+U-CARMEN E-KHAYELITSHA (2005, Mark Dornford-May, South Africa)
+WINDOW SHOPPING (1986, Chantal Akerman, Belgium/France)
+YES NURSE! NO NURSE! (2002, Pieter Kramer, Netherlands)

Each of them got 1 vote, or 9 %.

18.KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY (1959, Li Han Hsiang, Hong Kong) +SAATHIYA (2002, Shaad Ali, India)
+SILENCE, WE'RE ROLLING (2001,Youssef Chahine, Egypt)


Each of them got 0 vote.

--It is a bit surprising for me that KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY got no vote, because I think this film is famous, and the film is available as copyrighted DVD in Thailand. Maybe most readers of my blog are not fans of old Hong Kong films, but that is not surprising, because I am not a fan of old Hong Kong films, either. I still have a lot to learn about old Hong Kong and Chinese films.

--It is very difficult for me to choose only one French musical film for this poll, because there are many great French musicals, including THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG (1964, Jacques Demy), THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT (1967, Jacques Demy), JEANNE AND THE PERFECT GUY, WATER DROPS ON BURNING ROCKS (2000, Francois Ozon), and LA FRANCE (2007, Serge Bozon). I think many of them are innovative. They are not standard musical films. In the end, I choose UP DOWN FRAGILE, partly because I love the dances of Marianne Denicourt, partly because I love the songs of Enzo Enzo.

--SILENCE, WE’RE ROLLING is the film which I didn’t love instantly while I was watching it. The film was too strange for me at that time. I had never seen anything like it before. It is very different from what I thought “what good arthouse film should be” at that time. But after the screening, I talked with Sonthaya Subyen, who likes it a lot. Talking with him made me realize that if I opened my mind while watching it and didn’t stick to the formulas of arthouse film, I might have enjoyed this film.

--This is my favorite scene from THE LINE, THE CROSS & THE CURVE. The scene is also a music video of the song LILY.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWaqPOnR5wU

I like the magical world in THE LINE, THE CROSS & THE CURVE very much. I would like to merge the magical world of THE LINE, THE CROSS & THE CURVE with the magical world of DUELLE (UNE QUARANTAINE) (1976, Jacques Rivette, A++++++++++). I think it would result in a very fascinating magical world.

This is the lyrics of LILY:

“Oh thou, who givest sustenance to the universe
From whom all things proceed
To whom all things return
Unveil to us the face of the true spiritual sun
Hidden by a disc of golden light
That we may know the truth
And do our whole duty
As we journey to thy sacred feet

Well I said
"Lily, Oh Lily I don't feel safe
I feel that life has blown a great big hole
Through me"
And she said
"Child, you must protect yourself
I'll show you how with fire"

Gabriel before me
Raphael behind me
Michael to my right
Uriel on my left side
In the circle of fire

I said
"Lily, Oh Lily I'm so afraid
I fear I am walking in the Veil of Darkness"
And she said
"Child, take what I say
With a pinch of salt
And protect yourself with fire"

Gabriel before me
Raphael behind me
Michael to my right
Uriel on my left side
In the circle of fire”

MY CHOICES FOR NANOGUY AWARD NOMINATIONS

This is my comment in Nanoguy’s blog:
http://nanoguy.exteen.com/20090208/nanoguy-awards-2008-nomination


ขอเชียร์รายชื่อดังต่อไปนี้ค่ะ

Worst Thai film -- ER RER (2005, Poj Arnon)

Worst foreign film -- KUNG FU DUNK (2008, Chu Yen-ping)

Best Thai short film -- DANGER (DIRECTOR'S CUT) (2008, Chulayarnnon Siripol)

Best foreign short film -- MEMORIAL PROJECT NHA TRANG, VIETNAM: TOWARDS THE COMPLEX – FOR THE COURAGEOUS, THE CURIOUS AND THE COWARDS (2001, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba, Vietnam)

Best documentary -- PAPER CANNOT WRAP UP EMBERS (Rithy Panh)

Best animation feature -- HORTON HEARS A WHO! (Jimmy Hayward + Steve Martino)

Best Thai supporting actress -- Focus Jirakul from HORMONES

Best foreign supporting actress -- Adele Haenel from WATER LILIES

Best Thai supporting actor -- Komsun Nuntajit from HOUSE

Best foreign supporting actor -- Javier Bardem from NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

Best Thai actress -- Wasana Chalakorn from THE EIGHTH DAY

Best foreign actress -- Sally Hawkins from HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

Best Thai actor -- Ananda Everingham from HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Best foreign actor -- Heath Ledger from THE DARK KNIGHT

Best Thai director -- Apichatpong Weerasethakul from MYSTERIOUS OBJECT AT NOON

Best foreign director -- Lucrecia Martel from THE HEADLESS WOMAN

Best Thai film -- MYSTERIOUS OBJECT AT NOON (2000, Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

Best foreign film -- IN THE CITY OF SYLVIA (2007, Jose Luis Guerin)

Thursday, February 12, 2009

PETER NELLHAUS REVIEWS UNINVITED (2003)

Peter Nellhaus wrote a great review on UNINVITED (2003, Lee Su-yeon), which is my most favorite Korean film of all time. You can read his review here:
http://www.coffeecoffeeandmorecoffee.com/archives/2009/02/the_uninvited_2.html

This is my comment in Peter Nellhaus’ blog:

Thank you very much for writing this great review. I love this film, but it's hard to find someone in Thailand who can write interestingly about this film. Most viewers in Thailand don't like this film, because it is not a standard horror film.

My most favorite scene in this film is the one in which the heroine and a female stranger with a pet are in the lift together. The stranger tries to talk to the heroine, but the heroine is not in the mood for talking. I think I understand the heroine’s feeling very well. Sometimes I feel very alienated, without apparent reasons.

I feel very attracted to the world depicted in this film, though it’s very difficult for me to describe what attracts me to it. Your review, in a way, helps make me understand better why I love this film or helps verbalize what I like in this film. I think the reasons why I love this film include:

(in your words)

--“In Lee's film, there is little solace in family, friendship, friends, pets or religion.”

--“In The Uninvited, children and parents perceive each other as monsters. The horror in the film is what these parents and children do to each other. Family is presented as an artificial construct, to be used or discarded as needed.”

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

FIREBALL (2009, Thanakorn Pongsuwan, A++++++++++)

I like FIREBALL (TAR CHON) (2009, Thanakorn Pongsuwan, A++++++++++) very much, because it is full of many handsome actors, and because I think it is actually about some aspects of the so-called democratic system of Thailand after October 14, 1973. (If I remember it correctly, a character said that the game Fireball was invented 35 years ago.) FIREBALL is now one of my most favorite political Thai films of all time, because I think I agree with some of its political viewpoints. FIREBALL reminds me of BUS LANE (2007, Kittikorn Leosirikun, A-), which is also an allegory about Thai politics, but I much prefer FIREBALL to BUS LANE.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3268807281_a97187e8aa_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3507/3268826641_c228bb6c27_o.jpg

The actors in FIREBALL include:

1.Preeti Barameeanun
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3345/3269505292_41d514799f_o.jpg

2.Kasem Jesani
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3269505300_a98a7c028a_o.jpg

3.Ratanabullung (or Arucha) Tosawasdi
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3514/3269505290_2785da068f_o.jpg

4.Anuwat SaeJao
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/3269505284_4327188ff0_o.jpg

5.Garnnut Samerjai
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3269505296_3be859809e_o.jpg

6.Pootarit Prombundarn
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3269505302_07ea5090f0_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3269506560_135aeaf6c1_o.jpg

Pootarit also stars in BANGRAJUN (2000, Tanit Jitnukul, B )
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/3269506564_3672ebcd41_o.jpg