Monday, November 28, 2011

Thai films seen on Wednesday, August 3, 2011

1.HI-DEFINITION GIRL (2011, Tanakit Kitsanayunyong, 3:33 min, A++++++++++)
หญิงสาวแห่งความคมชัด (ธนกฤต กฤษณยรรยง)
http://vimeo.com/24433148
This film makes me think about something I have never thought about before--the size of the image frame. What I like very much in this film is the fact that I know nothing at all. I don't know what happens in the film, who the girl is, when the action takes place, why it happens, etc. But what makes it very different from other enigmatic films I have seen is the fact that I didn't even know "the real size of the image frame" until the end of the film.

In this film, we see a girl doing something inside a small image frame. The image frame is placed in a vast darkness. We don't know if the darkness surrounding this image frame is "inside" or "outside" the story until the end of the film.

I find this thing very brilliant. Tanakit also directed QUOTATION MARK (2010, A++++++++++), which is one of my most favorite Thai films I saw in 2010.
http://vimeo.com/18300781

2.MY ROOM AND I (2010, Ka-nes Boonyapanachoti, 20 min, A++++++++++)
ห้องของฉันและเรื่องของผม (คเณศ บุญยะปานะโชติ)
My favorite scene in this film is the one about the director's trip to the beach with a group of university friends. This part of the film reminds me of one of the best times in my life--the time when we spent with friends and did many crazy things that we can't do it again when we grow old.

The joy among friends depicted in that scene is enormous. I also like it very much that the scene recorded a spontaneous dialogue (or some playful verbal attacks) among friends. I think this spontaneous dialogue is very important, because if you don't record it, it might be lost forever.

I learn from my own experience that when we are among our close friends, we are inclined to invent some new words, some funny phrases, or some funny sentences to talk to our close friends, and if we don't record these funny phrases, we will forget them forever, and we will never hear them again in our lifetime whether from our close friends or other people. I regret that I can note down only 1% of what my friends said when we were young. When I grow old and read this 1% of what my friends said twenty years ago, I find it very precious and is one of the best things in my life.

MY ROOM AND I also tries to depict other aspects in the life of the director and gives a hint at the end of the film that some parts of the film might be fictionalized and not a pure documentary.

3.DOG LOVE CAT (2011, Weerasak Suyala, 27 min, A++++++++++)
หมากับแมวไม่แคล้วกัน (วีระศักดิ์ สุยะลา)

4.MAD DOG (2011, Pongtawee Srilasuk, 7:19 min, A+)
หมาบ้า (พงษ์ทวี ศรีลาศักดิ์)

5.SHOWING IMAGES OF MY LOVE FOR YOU (2011, Wachara Kanha, 2 min, A+)
แสดงภาพในความรักที่ฉันรักเธอ (วชร กัณหา)

6.BOOKBIKE (2010, Wiroon Kingpaiboon, 29 min, documentary, A+/A)
หนังสือติดล้อ (วิรุฬห์ กิ่งไพบูลย์)

7.LOOP (2010, Adit Matayapirom, 5:32 min, animation, A+/A)
ห่วง (อดิษฐ์ เมธยาภิรมย์)

8.STOP HERE (2011, Twatpong Tangsajjapoj, 2:30 min, animation, A+/A)
หยุด (ธวัชพงศ์ ตั้งสัจจะพจน์)

9.OVER THE RAINBOW (2010, Phattaramon Urahvanicha, 2:40 min, animation, A+/A)
หลังฟ้าหม่น (ภัทรมน เอื้อวาณิชชา)
http://vimeo.com/23436752

10.THE ESCAPE (2011, Pavin Kittikovit, 12 min, A+/A)
หนี (ปวีณ กิตติโกวิท)

11.DRY COLOURS TUBE (2011, Weerapat Tembundit + Chotika Parinayok 11 min, A+/A)
หลอดสี (วีรภัทร เต็มบัณฑิต, โชติกา ปริณายก)

12.NONGPO, FOR BETTER LIFE (2011, Kangwan Jaimun, 9 min, A)
หนองโพยั่งยืน (กังวาน ใจมั่น)

13.MAKPRAO (2010, Sarida Pao-aroon, animation, 4:07 min, A)
หมากพร้าว (สริดา เผ่าอรุณ)

14.THE TELEPHONE NUMBER (2010, Kritmongkon Peantong, 19:51 min, A-)
หมายเลขที่เธอเรียกจะติดต่อให้ได้ในขณะนี้ (กฤษณ์มงคล เพียรทอง)

15.MY A DAY (2010, Kawit Kittikun, 5:16 min, A-)
หนึ่งวันของฉัน (กวิศ กิตติกูล)

16.THE BOOK IS PIGGY BANK (2010, Prachuab Plittapolkarnpim, 12 min, A-)
หนังสือคือออมสิน (ประจวบ ผลิตผลการพิมพ์)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKS7_ZmgszE

17.BLACK HOLE OF THE UNIVERSE (2011, shadow play aka Teeranit Siangsanoh, 2:56 min, B+)
หลุมดำแห่งจักรวาล (คล้ายเงา)
I think this film is the weakest film among many apocalyptic films made by Teeranit.




Sunday, November 27, 2011

MY FAVORITE STAGE PLAYS DIRECTED BY NINART BOONPOTHONG

1.WHEN I SLEPT OVER THE NIGHT OF THE REVOLUTION เมื่อผมหลับในคืนปฏิวัติ (2007, A+++++++++++++++)

2.PORNOGRAM เปลือยแล้วฆ่า (2010, A+++++++++++++++)

3.CASTRATED DOGS หมาตอน (2004, A+++++++++++++++)

4.NEVER LET ME GO (2011, A+++++++++++++++) seen on August 28

5.LOVE OF THE ECONOMIST เกมรัก/นักเศรษฐศาสตร์ (2011, A++++++++++) seen on June 24

6.ALT-CTRL-DEL (2008, A++++++++++)

7.APT PUPIL วิปริต (2011, A+++++) seen on July 29

8.ADD AS A FRIEND (2009, with Thanyanan Kooanupong, A+++++) seen on August 29





NINART BOONPOTHONG'S STAGE PLAYS

The more I watch Ninart's plays, the more I hope someone adapts his plays into films. His plays are great, and the films made from his plays will surely be ranked as ones of the best Thai films made in that year.

Ninart Boonpothong's stage plays that I have watched:

(in roughly chronological order)

1.CASTRATED DOGS หมาตอน (2004, A+++++++++++++++)

2.RED BUILDING ตึกแดง (2005, A+)

3.MISSING YOU (2006, A+)

4.MISERY คลั่ง (2006, with Pornpen Faumnuay, A-)

5.WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S THE TRAGEDY OF KING LEAR เย้ยฟ้า ท้าดิน (2007, A+/A)

6.WHEN I SLEPT OVER THE NIGHT OF THE REVOLUTION เมื่อผมหลับในคืนปฏิวัติ (2007, A+++++++++++++++)

7.ALT-CTRL-DEL (2008, A++++++++++)

8.LOST GIRLZ (2008, A+) seen on September 14

9.FRIENDS (2009, A+) seen on January 25

10.THE PRINCESS OF WOLF AND THE PRINCE OF NIGHT เจ้าหญิงหมาป่ากับเจ้าชายรัตติกาล (2009, with Wanatsanan Sasom and Jirawat Chantaseelkul, A-) seen on May 9

11.WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (2009, with Rattapong Pinyosophon, A+/A) seen on June 5

12.ADD AS A FRIEND (2009, with Thanyanan Kooanupong, A+++++) seen on August 29

13.ASURAKAI อสูรกาย (2009, A+) seen on September 4

14.HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN'S THE SNOW QUEEN ราชินีหิมะ (2009, with Jirawat Chantaseelkul, Chinnat Nopkhum, Chatchai Sattayadit, A+) seen on December 27

15.THE P-R-I-N-S-E-CC เจ้าหงิญ (2010, with Pornpen Faumnuay, A+) seen on January 22

16.GHOST OF THE ECONOMISTS (2010, A+) seen on February 6

17.THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH มรรคบาท/ฆาตกรรม (2010, A+/A) seen on March 20

18.PORNOGRAM เปลือยแล้วฆ่า (2010, A+++++++++++++++) seen on June 13

19.THE RULE OF THE GAMES ความรักของตุลยา: ตีไข่ใส่ฟองรัก (2010, A+) seen on September 11

20.LADY MINA: VAMPIRE HUNTER (2011, A) seen on March 25

21.HOLD ON ME (2011, A+/A) seen on May 22
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2011/05/hold-on-me-2011-ninart-boonpothong-aa.html

22.PHAYATHAI JUNCTION สี่แยกรัก...พักติวหน่อย (2011, A+) seen on June 5

23.LOVE OF THE ECONOMIST เกมรัก/นักเศรษฐศาสตร์ (2011, A++++++++++) seen on June 24

24.APT PUPIL วิปริต (2011, A+++++) seen on July 29

25.PETER PAN (2011, A-) seen on August 7

26.NEVER LET ME GO (2011, A+++++++++++++++) seen on August 28

27.I LOVE SYNDROME (2011, A+) seen on November 19





I LOVE SYNDROME (2011, Ninart Boonpothong, A+)

Things I like very much in this stage play include:

1.The Stockholm Syndrome story, which is about a man who kidnaps a famous male singer in order to get revenge on the elder brother of the singer, but the captor and the captive fall in love with each other. It's like a gay version of Pisarn Akaraseranee's films, because there's some sadomasochistic pleasure involved in the love between them.

This story is very romantic for me and fulfills my sexual fantasy. In this way, it satisfies me like FORGET ME NOT (2010, Naphat Chaithiangthum, 30 min, A+++++++++++++++), which is one of my most favorite films I have seen this year. FORGET ME NOT is about the love between two boys in a rural Thai setting, and the story happens 70-80 years ago. It's like a gay version of Cherd Songsri's films.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf9YXI3fJcI

Both FORGET ME NOT and I LOVE SYNDROME use some old formulas of heterosexual stories/forms/styles and adapt them for gay stories. And I find both of them very fulfilling and satisfying.

Will this become a trend for Thai gay films and Thai gay stage plays? I don't know, but I think it will be interesting if it becomes a new trend. In the past, there have been many gay experimental films, gay films about AIDS, and gay films about unequal rights or prejudices. Recently, there have been some Thai gay TV series about real gay lifestyles, such as LOVE AUDITION, which is a very good trend, though I haven't had time to watch them yet. And now gay films/gay stage plays which use old formulas of heterosexual stories are made. It is very satisfying to see that some genres of films which have been dominated by heterosexual stories in the past are now being adapted for gay stories. And there are still many genres for Thai gay films to explore, including the folklore genre, the martial-arts genre, the rural action genre, the melodrama about love-between-different-classes genre, the conscript (ทหารเกณฑ์) genre, etc. I hope to see more Thai gay films made along these genres in the near future.

LOVE AUDITION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWufhDEg37Y

Example from the folklore genre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx3a1rqNdlg

the martial-arts genre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS-QJj2SW5E

the rural action genre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwMhcEs-aNI

the love-between-different-classes genre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70O5elVu79Q

I also hope that the Stockholm Syndrome story will be adapted into a feature film. The role of the captive singer may be played by someone like Poppy. The role of the kidnapper may be played by someone like Peerawat Herabut.

Poppy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88u9QBaGHSo

Peerawat Herabut
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2344/2124823340_ee387e75a2_o.jpg

2. The fact that the Asperger Syndrome story does not have a happy ending. However, I think its ending is still a little bit too forced. In the ending of this story, which is also the ending of the play, the heroine accepts the fact that she cannot cope with her Asperger boyfriend any more, and decides to dump him no matter how pitiful or innocent he is. Later, when she reads a book about a neglected cat, it reminds her of him, and she feels very sad and wants to cry.

I like it very much that the heroine decides to dump her boyfriend, because I might do the same as her. Both the heroine and I are not virtuous or strong persons. We are just flawed human beings who are selfish, unable to solve every problem in life in a graceful manner, and we just want to survive. However, the ending scene is not successful in making the audience cry, and I think it is partly because the play doesn't spend enough time on this couple. We don't truly understand how much love the heroine might have for her boyfriend or how wonderful her boyfriend can be when they are together. It is understandable that the play contains four stories, so we cannot spend enough time on the Asperger couples. But this fact makes me able to sympathize only with the heroine's frustration with her boyfriend, but I cannot sympathize with the heroine's love for her boyfriend or her regret for having lost her boyfriend. I think this problem can solved if the story is adapted into a 60-90 minute play/film.

3.The play indirectly teaches the audience "not to trust the rumor or appearance", especially in the Stockholm Syndrome story and the Bipolar story. I like it very much that in the Stockholm Syndrome story, the rich elder brother seems like a wicked, crooked businessman at first, and the kidnapper seems like a Robin Hood or a victim who tries to get revenge. But later it turns out that the rich businessman is not as crooked as what we has assumed, and the kidnapper is the crooked one.

The Bipolar story is very interesting if you analyze it politically. But I won't analyze its politics because I know very little about politics. But I like it very much that this story about a superheroine who tries to fight a gang of bad men under an evil mafia (or politician?) is very complicated. Everything is not what it looks like. The superheroine may be a "false personality" of a girl. This false personality may be created by a person who secretly controls the girl and who may gain some profits for himself if the girl destroys the mafia. In this story, the son may betray the father, the follower may betray the leader, and the girl may betray herself.

In a way, I think this Bipolar story is at least as complicated as SHATTERED IMAGE (1998, Raul Ruiz). If this story is adapted into a feature film, its story and its political implications may be more interesting than RED EAGLE (2010, Wisit Sasanatieng, A+/A) and HEADSHOT (2011, Pen-ek Ratanaruang, A+).


4. The structure of the play. The play tells 4 four stories, each one of which has roughly three acts. What is amazing is that the play doesn't tell one story from start to finish before it starts to tell another one. But the play tells act one from each four stories, then tells act two from each four stories, then tells acts three from each four stories or something like that. But I LOVE SYNDROME is very easy to follow, and in fact, it can be considered one of the easiest plays to follow among Ninart's plays. Ninart is great in writing highly complicated stories with obscure messages. I LOVE SYNDROME has a complicated structure, but at least its message is clear (the play wants us to understand people who suffer from each of the four mental syndromes), so that's why I think I LOVE SYNDROME is one of the easiest plays to understand among Ninart's works.

5.Though I like the story of the Stockholm Syndrome the most, I think the performers in I LOVE SYNDROME are most successful in the Asperger story, partly because they play "normal university students" in this story. There is much fun in watching them talking in a fake birthday party scene in the Asperger story. In this story, the young actors play some characters who are not so far from their real lives. That may be one of the reasons why their performances can enliven the scene very much in this story.






FORGET ME NOT (2010, Naphat Chaithiangthum, 30 min, A+++++++++++++++)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf9YXI3fJcI

This gay film makes me cry a bucketful of tears. One of my most favorite films I saw this year.

NÉNETTE (2010, Nicolas Philibert, A++++++++++)

Talking about the gaze of monkeys reminds me of a film I just saw: NÉNETTE (2010, Nicolas Philibert, A++++++++++). There are a few scenes in this film which let us watch the face and the eyes of the female orangutan for a few minutes, while the orangutan is doing nothing except staring at the camera. After watching the eyes of the orangutan for a few minutes, I felt like crying, and I don't know why. The gaze of the orangutan in this film is extremely powerful, and its tremendous power is unexplainable for me.

I also like it very much that this documentary talks about the three husbands of Nénette and the fact that the zookeepers try to prevent Nénette from having sex with her own son.

I also wonder why there have been many films about monkeys made lately, including:

1.NÉNETTE

2.PROJECT NIM (2011, James Marsh), but I haven't seen it yet.

3.RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011, Rupert Wyatt, A++++++++++)

4.ZOOKEEPER (2011, Frank Coraci, B)




Favorite Old Songs 124: OVERSEA CALL (1985) -- Anri

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f4beXsi09M&feature=share

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DAUGHTER LIKE THIS

This comes from the Argentine comic strip MAFALDA (1964-1973) by Quino.




Monday, November 21, 2011

MY FAVORITE FILMS ABOUT RACISM

This list is made for Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa. :-)

My favorite films about racism

1.LES AMANTS DE L'OMBRE (2009, Philippe Niang, France)

2.AUSTRALIAN RULES (2001, Paul Goldman, Australia)

3.BETRAYED (1988, Costa-Gavras, UK)

4.ELISE, OR REAL LIFE (1970, Michel Drach, France)

5.THE HEART OF WHITENESS (2006, Rehad Desai, South Africa, documentary)

6.PATIALA HOUSE (2011, Nikhil Advani, India)

7.ROSEWOOD (1997, John Singleton)

8.THIS IS ENGLAND (2006, Shane Meadows, UK)

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

10.WHITE MAN'S DOG (2006, Sipho Singiswa, South Africa, documentary)

Film wish list in this topic: SHOOT THE MESSENGER (2006, Ngozi Onwurah, UK), which is described as a cross between TO SIR WITH LOVE and A CLOCKWORK ORANGE.




SOME INFORMATION ON REZA PARSA

Sonthaya just told me about this blog entry, which is about the shooting of an episode in a Swedish TV series directed by Reza Parsa. Parsa directed BEFORE THE STORM (2000), which is one of my most favorite films of all time. Ingmar Bergman also praised him. Unfortunately, Parsa hasn't become famous during the past 10 years. :-(

http://deborahfronko.blogspot.com/2009/04/hagamannen-shoot.html

My old review on BEFORE THE STORM
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251091/reviews?start=1

Sunday, November 20, 2011

VAMPIRE STRAWBERRY (2011, Widit Thunyapun (aka Nati Punmanee) + Itthinop Opas (aka Boonchu Chearnyim), A+ as guilty pleasure)

It is easily one of the worst films I have ever seen in my whole life. Everything in it is indescribably bad: bad acting, bad script, bad dialogue, bad editing, bad lighting, bad colorist, etc. The film is full of meaningless dialogue, meaningless shots, meaningless scenes, etc.

Why do I give it A+? Because VAMPIRE STRAWBERRY is the film that makes me laugh the most this year, especially in the first 30 minutes, though I think 90% of what I laugh in this film is "unintentional".

Examples of what I like because it makes me laugh in this film:

1.The mentioning of the Syrian civil war in the opening scene. I think it is the first Thai film I have seen which mentions the Syrian civil war.

2.The bad editing in the following scene. I can't stop laughing at the editing in many action scenes in this film. The shots in these scenes seem not to match with one another.

3.The extremely wooden acting of some actors.

4. The shower scene, which is totally unnecessary.

5. The abrupt cut to the face of one female victim, and the look on that face

6.The repeated shot of the Vampire Sue when his fangs come out. The shot is not funny, but the repeating use of the shot is very funny

7.The shot in which two female victims stand guarding the coffins

8.The heroine's exclaiming in extreme amazement, "I have never seen anything like this before," when she sees the police troop.

9.The portrayal of police officers

10.How the vampire's story is being interrupted many times by the meaningless stories of various police officers.

In conclusion, VAMPIRE STRAWBERRY is as bad as, if not worse than, RACING LOVE (2011, Jetnipat Sasing, F). But while RACING LOVE doesn't give me a laugh, VAMPIRE STRAWBERRY is the film that makes me laugh the hardest this year. A classic shit.




A VOICE LIKE THE SKY, A FACE LIKE A DRUM (2011, Pam Rangsi, D)

I think everything in this film is very boring, except its mise-en-scène, which reminds me a little bit of KATZELMACHER (1969, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, A++++++++++).

"เสียงเท่าฟ้า หน้าเท่ากลอง" เราดูแล้วรู้สึกเบื่อมากพอๆกับมิดไมล์นะ แต่เราให้ D ไม่ได้ให้ F เพราะเราว่าการจัดภาพในหนังเรื่องนี้มันน่าสนใจดี มันไม่เหมือนหนังไทยยุคปัจจุบัน แต่มันไปเหมือนหนังอย่าง KATZELMACHER (1969, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, A++++++++++) แทน เราว่าการจัดภาพ ในเสียงเท่าฟ้า หน้าเท่ากลอง มันประหลาดๆและมันแหวกแนวดีมาก อย่างเช่นในหลายๆครั้งตัวละครที่คุยกันจะไม่หันหน้าคุยกัน แต่ทุกตัวละครที่คุยกันจะหันหน้าเข้าหากล้องกันหมดทุกตัว อะไรอย่างนี้เป็นต้น

อีกอย่างที่ประหลาดใจก็คือว่า ตอนแรกเรานึกว่าหนังเรื่องนี้จะเป็นหนังแนว "ซาบซึ้ง สมานฉันท์" หรืออะไรทำนองนี้ แต่เนื้อหาของหนังกลับเน้นไปที่การทรยศหักหลังโกงเงินกัน และดูเหมือนตัวละครที่พยายามจะรวบรวมนักดนตรีก็ทำอะไรแทบไม่สำเร็จสักอย่าง เราก็เลยไม่แน่ใจว่า "สาร" ที่หนังเรื่องนี้ต้องการจะสื่อคืออะไรกันแน่




Favorite Thai Songs 4: TRANSVESTITE ALERT -- Jojo Dominant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YowKhJh05C4&NR=1

I wish to see the three transvestites in this mv battle against the other three in the mv Nicki Minaj's SUPERBASS (Parody version) and Azis.

SUPERBASS (PARODY VERSION)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taXrahJIc-8


Azis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9sQZLtsfp8

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Celine and Julie Go Dancing 54: YEAH YEAH (2011) -- Waifs & Strays

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTA-9fKXADU

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM MICHEL FOUCAULT

I like what Michel Foucault and Christoph Schlingensief talked about Werner Schroeter's films very much.

Michel Foucault talks about THE DEATH OF MARIA MALIBRAN (1973, Werner Schroeter, A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++) and WILLOW SPRINGS that "They express something that is not attempting to explain what is happening, something that allows you to not even have to begin asking the question.”"

When Werner died Christoph Schlingensief wrote in his blog that he hoped his films would become accessible to a younger audience and find their way into the film school curriculum, not merely because his films were uniquely radical, but also because they were generally unique.

Thanks to Ratchapoom for telling us about this interview:
http://www.filmgalerie451.de/en/filme/mondo-lux/

There is a funny mistake in the interview: the name "Werner Herzog" is used instead of "Werner Schroeter" in one place.





Sunday, November 13, 2011

Thai films seen on Tuesday, August 2, 2011

I can't remember any details of any films now. I apologize if I remember anything wrongly.

1.THE LIGHT HOUSE (2011, shadow play aka Teeranit Siangsanoh, 43:13 min, A++++++++++)
แสงสุริยะ (คล้ายเงา)
Teeranit has made many films about apocalyptic world. This is one of his best. This film is different from many films of Teeranit, because this film is silent, while other films of his usually have powerful soundtrack.

I totally agree with what Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke said about this film. He said that this film might be inspired by, or is reminiscent of, Andrei Tarkovsky, especially NOSTALGHIA (1983).


2.LOSE (2011, Wachara Kanha, 70 min, A+++++)
สูญ (วชร กัณหา)
There are three scenes that I like very much in this film. First, it's the scene in which we see a woman brushes her hair for a very long time. Second, it's the scene in which we see a baby moving around and we hear numerous voices at the same time. Third, it's the scene in which a woman in red dress lying in bed, dying, saliva flowing out of her mouth.

Wachara shows that he still excels at making films which are reluctant to tell their stories. I think he has a story in his mind, but instead of telling it straightforwardly, he only shows us some disconnected images from his story. His films are puzzling, and I like them because of this puzzling quality.


3.HAPPINESS (2011, Chadchon Nonthichan 5 min, A+++++)
สุขขี (ชัดชล นนธิจันทร์)
This is the kind of short films that I like very much. It shows a slice of life, or only an impression of an ordinary moment in an ordinary life. In this film, we see a little boy riding a bicycle, going to swim in a little pond, looking happy, getting out of the pond, and getting on the bicycle.

Yes, this is the real definition of happiness. I totally agree with that. Just enjoy a brief swim in a little pond. I like it very much that the film doesn't try to overemphasize its message, but presents the hero's action in an almost realistic, documentary-like way.

My favorite kind of films don't need great stories, great acting, or great budget, but they need to correspond to my attitude towards life or human beings. This film really fits the description of a kind of films that I like. Just present your true impression of an ordinary moment in an ordinary life. HAPPINESS is an extremely small film, but it gives me tremendous happiness.


4.PARALLEL (2010, Rasika Prasongtham, 6:29 min, A+)
เส้นขนาน (รษิกา ประสงค์ธรรม)
A very lovely lesbian film.

5.UNBEAUTIFUL BOXER (2010, Sirinapa Senapol, 19:21 min, A+)
สู้นะฮ๊า! (ศิรินภา เสนาพล)
UNBEAUTIFUL BOXER is a queer film made by high-school students. The film is funny.

6.TIGER (2010, Phanupong Hongprayoor, 9:03 min, A+)
เสือ (ภาณุพงศ์ ฮงประยูร)
A nice action film.

7.STRINGS (2011, Nattaphon Sakulvanaporn, 9 min, A+/A)
เส้นด้าย (ณัฐพล สกุลวนภรณ์)

8.SOUND ATTACK (2011, Kritmongkon Peantong, B+)
เสียงยึดโลก (กฤษณ์มงคล เพียรทอง)
I think this film can be easily adapted into a feature mainstream film.





Thai films seen on Sunday, July 31, 2011

I can't remember any details of any films now. I apologize if I remember anything wrongly.

1.DISTANCE (2010, Chonlasit Upanigkit, 55 min, A+++++++++++++++)
สิ่ง-ไหน (ชลสิทธิ์ อุปนิกขิต)

I'm very impressed with the naturalistic tone of the film. I even prefer it to NIGHT BLIND (2010, Chonlasit Upanigkit + Rasika Prasongtham, 40 min). I think NIGHT BLIND reminds me a little bit of some Malaysian arthouse films because NIGHT BLIND has both naturalistic moments and enigmatic moments. But the enigmatic moments are not to be found in DISTANCE.

I also like it very much that the hero of this film is very passive. If I remember it correctly, I think he may like his lesbian friend, but he does not try to act macho at all. He behaves like a really good friend, watching her from afar and helping her when necessary. I also like it very much that the film likes to shoot the hero from behind.

Many scenes in this film seem very real for me. The film is great at capturing some aspects of university students' lives, especially the tumultuous love relationship, the one-sided love, and the time spent with friends. Though these aspects can be found in many Thai short films, I think DISTANCE presents these aspects of students' lives much more realistically and convincingly than others.

Extremely human.


2.HEART (2011, Suppasit Sretprasert, 21:24 min, A++++++++++)
สิ่งเล็กๆที่เรียกว่าหัวใจ (ศุภสิทธิ์ เสร็จประเสริฐ)

The film is unique and very memorable for me. It fuses a fiction story and some clips of famous actors together. I don't know how this film originated, but my friends and I guess the filmmaker might fist have the clips of these famous actors, then he tried to weave these clips into a fiction film by asking ordinary persons who appeared in these clips to star in his film, and then wrote a story which could connect these people, these stars, and these clips together. It's a very interesting idea, and it yields a film which features famous actors but feels very homely at the same time.

I also like the attitude of this film very much. This film is about an elder sister who does not like the fact that her younger sister is very crazy for Mario Maurer. But instead of trying to preach to the audience that you should not be too obsessed with a handsome actor, the film instead seems to say to us that liking a star very much is not wrong at all, because it doesn't harm anyone. The elder sister ends up giving her younger sister a DVD of Mario Maurer.

I like this attitude very much. It doesn't look down on young people, and it corresponds to my belief that people should do whatever they want to do as long as it doesn't harm anyone.

The film features a long scene of Mario Maurer giving a talk about his acting practice to university students, and I think Mario in that scene is much more adorable than in most of his other films.

Suppasit Sretprasert also makes another homely film called LOVE (ครั้งหนึ่ง...เราเคยรักกัน, A++++++++++), which features unconvincing acting, dialogue, and story, but in his films, the word "unconvincing" means "charming". He also makes TIME (2010, 6 min, A+++++) and DREAM (2010, 13 min), which pose some interesting questions about ethics. In conclusion, I like his films very much. His films are unique.


3.FLUORESCENT (2011, Chaiwat Wiansantia, 13 min, documentary, A++++++++++)
สารเรืองแสง (ชัยวัช เวียนสันเทียะ)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycEcoH63aWs

This is a very poignant documentary about a talented artist who comes to terms with the fact that he may not become rich, famous and successful, and the fact that though we are talented, our life may not give us many chances to use our full talent. This is the sad truth about human life in general, or about us ordinary people. The artist seems to accept this sad fact, continuing living a simple life, and making his art works in his spare time.

4.WHAT!!! (2011, Prempapan Plittapolkarnpim, 14 min, A++++++++++)
สิ่งประหลาดในสวนหลังบ้าน (เปรมปพันธ ผลิตผลการพิมพ์)
This film is very haunting. I'm not sure what it's about. I guess it is about a man who locks up a kid in his house until the kid becomes psychotic. The kid ends up killing the man and escaping from the house. But the film does not tell us this story straightforwardly. It shows us some striking, haunting images and lets us connect the story by ourselves.

This film shows that Prempapat has advanced a lot. I hope he continues making haunting films like this.


5.A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT MY FAMILY (2011, Wachara Kanha, 97 min, documentary, A+++++)
สารคดีครอบครัวของฉัน (บันทึกเรื่องราวส่วนหนึ่งในครอบครัวของฉัน) (วชร กัณหา)

6.ESSAY CINEMA OF THE COUNTRY-SIDE (2011, Tani Thitiprawat, documentary, 50 min, A+++++)
สารคดีครอบครัวแห่งความสุขของเค่อร์ ภาค 2 (ธนิ ฐิติประวัติ)

7.WI-TE-HUI-TOM (2010, Atipat Kamonpet, 58 min, documentary, A+
สารคดี วิถีห้วยต้ม (อธิปัตย์ กมลเพ็ชร)

I like the ethnic language in this film very much. I think some ethnic languages are rapidly dying, so it is good to preserve these ethnic languages by recording them in films.

8.GOLDEN HEART AGENT (2011, Palakorn Kleungfak, 40 min, A+)
สุดเดชสายลับหัวใจทองคำ (พลากร กลึงฟัก)

9.THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE (2010, Pipat Adeedto, 18min, A+)
สำเริง (พิพัฒน์ อดีตโต)

10.TOILET 3 (2010, Koranan Chuenpichai, 27:11 min, A)
สุขขา 3 (กรนันท์ ชื่นพิชัย)

11.VISIBLE (2010, Phawin Chokethaweesak, animation, 5:24 min, A)
สิ่งที่มองเห็น (ภวิล โชคทวีศักดิ์)

12.COLOURMIND (2010, Zaikwan Khaengkhan, animation, 2:20 min, A-)
สีสันแห่งจินตนาการ (สายขวัญ แข่งขัน)

13.WATER COLOUR (2010, Teerachot Jivorasetkul, 6:54 min, A-)
สีน้ำ (ธีรโชติ จิวรเศรษฐ์กุล)

14.PRECIOUS THING (2011, Thanvimon Onpaphil, 7:57 min, A-)
สิ่งมีค่า (ธารวิมล อ่อนพาปลิว)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTILIGNuQI4

15.TRUE COLOUR (2011, Somphob Sanggerd, 8 min, B+)
สี (สมภพ แสงเกิด)

16.HAPPY LITTLE TIME (2010, Ittisak Euahsunthornwattana, 12:36 min, B)
สุข เล็ก น้อย (อิทธิศักดิ์ เอื้อสุนทรวัฒนา)



Thai films seen on Saturday, July 30, 2011

I can't remember any details of any films now. I apologize if I remember anything wrongly.

1.GAZE AND HEAR (2010, Nontawat Numbenchapol, 10 min, A+++++++++++++++)
สายตา รับฟัง (นนทวัฒน์ นำเบญจพล)
http://www.mobilelabproject.com/
This film tells us a Thai-styled folklore tale via voiceover while showing us images of beautiful geometric patterns. The tale is very intriguing. The soundtrack is one of the most powerful soundtracks I have heard this year. But what I like the most in this film is the fact that the story and the visual may or may not correspond to each other. Thus, the film provides me two images at the same time: the first image is the geometric patterns that I see with my own eyes; the second image is the image of the king, the queen, the Mother Earth, the mole rat king, and other characters in the story that I see in my mind. Because this film gives me two images at the same time, the pleasure I get from this film is at least double the pleasure I get from any average film.

The film reaches its climax and gives me an orgasm when we can't hear the voiceover for a while. We don't know what happens in the story for a few minutes. But the visual and the sound become more and more intense, and they inspire me to imagine the story by myself. In these few minutes, I don't need the voiceover to tell me the story any more. The picture of the geometric patterns and the electronic music can inspire the audience to imagine what happens next in the story. The ability of the audience to "imagine" is maximized in these few minutes. Before these few minutes, the audience imagines "some pictures" in his mind based on the story told by the voiceover. But in these few minutes, the audience imagines both "the story" and "some pictures of the story" in his mind based on the pictures of the geometric patterns and the electronic music.

Most films don't inspire the audience to imagine anything. The audience is very passive while seeing these films. This film is the opposite of that kind of films. GAZE AND HEAR arouses my imagination to the utmost.

If I have to screen GAZE AND HEAR with other films, I may choose the following films:

1.1 RHYTMUS 21 (1921, Hans Richter), because this film also presents us some geometric patterns
http://www.ubu.com/film/richter_rhythmus.html

1.2 MV: GIVE IT TO ME SLOW -- Greymatter
http://vimeo.com/30016426

1.3 Possibly some films of Oskar Fischinger and Jordan Belson. I haven't seen the films of these two, but I guess the visual of the abstract films of these two might be comparable to GAZE AND HEAR.

1.4 INDIA SONG (Marguerite Duras), because the voiceover and the visual in INDIA SONG do not correspond totally with each other. The voiceover in INDIA SONG sometimes arouses the audience to imagine things which are not present on the screen.

1.5 DECODINGS (1988, Michael Wallin), because the voiceover and the visual in DECODINGS do not correspond totally with each other.

1.6 30 (2010, Tossapol Boonsinsukh), because Tossapol also uses voiceover to tell the story in this film, while presents us the pictures of geometric patterns. However, the geometric patterns in 30 correspond to the story much more than the ones in GAZE AND HEAR.


2.CRYSTALLIZATION TIME (2011, Krisda Phongphaew, 21 min, A++++++++++)
วาเลตกผลึก (กฤษฎา ผ่องแผ้ว)
This film is very unique. I have never seen anything like this before. The film talks about a weird metaphysical theory by showing us a scene of a university classroom in which a lecturer discusses this theory with some curious students. The film only resembles a normal sci-fi film only in its last five minutes when some actions happen. Most sci-fi films about parallel universes are action-thrillers, such as THE ONE (2001, James Wong) and MASTER KEY (2009, Patrice Sauvé, Canada, A+/A). But CRYSTALLIZATION TIME resembles an essay film, instead of an action-thriller film.

3.SIAM PARK CITY (2011, Chonlasit Upanigkit, 45 min, documentary, A++++++++++)
สวนสยาม (ชลสิทธิ์ อุปนิกขิต)
Chonlasit proves it again that he is one of the most promising Thai directors/cinematographers. SIAM PARK CITY captures the daily activities of people who use various public parks in Bangkok. The images are beautiful, but not too beautiful. The film doesn't try to give us a lot of information or messages, but lets us observe these normal people and their normal activities calmly.

4.IN TRAIN (2011, Boripat Plaikeaw, 83:30, documentary, A++++++++++)
เวียนหัว และ เมื่อยก้น (บริพัตร พลายแก้ว)
The film has some boring moments, but a few months passed after I saw this film, I find this film is very memorable. The film makes me envy younger generations very much. I used to go on a trip like this with my friends twenty years ago, but we didn't have a digital video camera at that time, so our trips are only recorded in photos, written diaries, and our own memories which are getting weaker and weaker, not in videos like this.

Korn Kanogkekarin is the star of this documentary. He goes on a trip upcountry with his gay friends, but he carries an upper torso of a handsome mannequin with him, paying no attention to the way other people might think of him. I worship his self-confidence.

My most favorite scene in this film is the scene in which a friend of Korn seems to have a crush on a guy on the train, and consults with his friends if he should make the first move or something like that. I like this kind of lovely moments very much.

Another scene that I like very much is the one in which a straight guy is leaving the group and the camera follows him for a long time for some unidentified reasons. :-)

IN TRAIN may be about a trip, but what I'm interested in this film is not "the location element", but "the human element". I like it very much that the film doesn't focus on "information" about places they visit, because you can find this information elsewhere. What I'm interested is the human reaction to the places and the human reaction to one another. That's why I find this film much more charming than CHAI-LAI: I LOVE YOU (2010, Kowit Daekhuntod, 53:13 min) and HOSPITAL VOLUNTEERS' TRIP TO KANCHANABURI (2010, Tivapon Vongpan, 120 min), which are also documentaries about trips, because IN TRAIN focuses on the deeper side of human beings than the other two documentaries.

IN TRAIN deserves to be analyzed, compared and contrasted with some documentary films about friends, such as I REMEMBER (2011, Authawut Boonyuang, 90 min), DEAR HOME LETTER (ถึงเธอ) (2011, Pattaraporn Werasakwong, A-, (not sure if it's a documentary or not)), 6 OR 5 (2006, Sarawan Weerawat, 56 min), and OUR LAST NIGHT TOGETHER (2010, Wachara Kanha, 48 min). I think the charms of these films depend on

4.1 How close the friends are. The closer the friends are, the more interesting the films will be.

4.2 If the friends dare to express themselves in front of the camera or not. If the friends dare to talk about their private lives, their families, their problems, their fears, their hopes, their love, their hatred, etc, in front of the camera or not. If the friends dare to quarrel with one another in front of the camera or not.

Among this group of films, OUR LAST NIGHT TOGETHER may be my most favorite, because the three friends in this film are close friends and they dare to talk about many things in front of the camera.


5.THE GOLF COURSE (2010, The Underground Office, 5 min, documentary, A++++++++++)
สนามกอล์ฟ (สำนักงานใต้ดิน)
I like many films which possess the power of anger or vengeance within them. THE GOLF COURSE is one of them. It is about some villagers who are angry about the big flood in Nakhon Ratchasima in 2010. The villagers say that some golf courses belonging to aristocratic people are the cause of this big flood, because building these golf courses means destroying large areas of forests which would have helped prevented the big flood. I hadn't heard about this thing before I saw this film. The film gives me a very useful information. There's "the fire of anger" in this film, and it reminds me of such films as THE BANGKOK BOURGEOIS PARTY (2007, Prap Boonpan) for this aspect.

6.KITE (2011, Nuntawut PooPhasuk, 7:30 min, A++++++++++)
ว่าว (นันทวุธ ภูผาสุข)
I like the presentation of beautiful rural areas in this film very much. Rural areas may be not really "heavenly" as presented in this film, but at least the film gives me the "blissful feeling of heaven". For some people who have time and money, they can go on a vacation to some rural provinces and enjoy the real thing. As for me who don't have much free time or money, I can only enjoy "the images of beautiful rural areas" via this kind of films, which include some films by Uruphong Raksasad and Chaiwat Wiansantia.

7.ONE DAY YOU WILL LOVE ME LIKE I LOVE YOU (2011, Wachara Kanha, 50 min, A++++++++++)
สักวันเธอจะรักฉันอย่างที่ฉันรักเธอ (วชร กัณหา)
It's like what I wrote about IN TRAIN. ONE DAY YOU WILL LOVE ME LIKE I LOVE YOU has some boring moments, but a few months passed after I saw this film, I find this film is very memorable. I like the use of music and cheap digital effects in this film very much. This film is like a 50-minute music video of a broken-heart song. There's not much story in this film. But some scenes are very memorable, especially the scene in which the camera focuses on a woman in a train for a long time, and the scene in which the still image of Wachara is increasingly destroyed by some digital effects.

8.ONE NIGHT STAND (2011, Pongtawee Srilasuk, 3:17, A+)
วัน ไนท์ แสตนด์ (พงษ์ทวี ศรีลาศักดิ์)

9.V (2010, Thee Boonkreangkrai, 23:25, A+)
วี (ธีร์ บุณย์เกรียงไกร)

10.GOOD DAY OF KORNLY (2010, Korn Kanogkekarin, 3:51, A+)
วันสบายสบายของน้องกร (กร กนกคีขรินทร์)

11.WHERE IS THE TRUTH LIE (2010, Pirun Anusuriya, 3 min, A+)
ศาลไคฟง (พิรุณ อนุสุริยา)

12.SANAM LUANG (2010, Wuttipan Deepanya, 28 min, A+)
สนามหลวง (วุฒิพันธ์ ดีปัญญา)
Wuttipan also directed ALONG TOGETHER (พบ) (2009, 9 min, A++++++++++).

13.DISCOURSE, CARELESS TALKS, FLYING BIRDS (2011, Chulayarnnon Siriphol, 21 min, A+)
วาทกรรม คำจร วิหคเหินลม (จุฬญาณนนท์ ศิริผล)

14.LOCKED (2011, Non-Touch Promsri, 6 min, A+/A)
สะเดาะ (นนทัช พรหมศรี)

15.MUKRIN'S UTOPIA (2011, Boonyakorn Vanichtantikul, 11:44, A+/A)
โลกสวยของมุกรินทร์ (บุณยกร วาณิชตันติกุล)

16.RUN ALEY, SPOIL ALEY (2011, Krichtiya Suwankasin, 9 min, A+/A)
วิ่งกระแดะฟัด (กฤชติยา สุวรรณกสิณ)
The film shares a scene with TONG, YOU ARE SO DUMP! (ต๋อง นายแน่มาก!) (2011, Porntip Wongnakpan, 12 min). It's the scene in which the main character of TONG, YOU ARE SO DUMP! walks past the heroine of RUN ALEY, SPOIL ALEY. These two films belong to the same film project.

17.STATE, SYN AND TIME (2011, Nuttorn Kungwanklai, 4:58, A+/A)
สถานะ, สภาวะ และกาล (ณัฎฐ์ธร กังวาลไกล)

18.SLEEPING DIRTY (2010, Dollada Chunjuen, A+/A)
สลีพพิ่ง เดอร์ตี้ (ดลลดา ชื่นจันทร์)

19.MINIMAL ANIMAL (2011, Sorayos Prapapan, 1:30, animation, A+/A)
สัตว์เล็ก (สรยศ ประภาพันธ์)

20. WAR GAME (2011, Bunnita Patchana, 1:54, animation, A+/A)
สงครามกลางเมือง (บัญนิตา พัฒน์ชนะ)

21.SIKH COMMUNITY TEMPLE (2011, Manasawee Kitpisut, 10 min, documentary, A)
วัดซิกข์ (มนัสวีร์ กิจพิศุทธิ์)

22.TATTOO COLOR (2010, Thapana Wannapream, 2:38, A)
สัก-ศรี (ฐาปนา วรรณเปรม)

23.WANLEE 2010 (2010, Chaweng Chaiwan, 11:15, A-)
วัลลี 2010 (เชวง ไชยวรรณ)

24.I FEEL THE RAIN. (2010, Prempapat Plittapolkarnpim, 11:33, A-)
สายฝนบนทุ่งนาแห่งความรัก (เปรมปพัทธ ผลิตผลการพิมพ์)

25.THE PROMISE (2011, Tikampon Pupanna, 20, B+)
สัญญาหน้าเสาธง (ทิฆัมพร ภูพันนา)
The film is cinematographically very beautiful, but I'm not personally interested in this kind of story.

26.KARMA (2010, Nujira Pongchaoumdee, 32 min, B+)
เวรกรรม (นุจิรา พงษ์ชะอุ่มดี)








Favorite Old Songs 121: WIGGIN (1988) -- Mayday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmDqDgYwfOc

Favorite Thai Songs 3: KRONGTONG PUNYANO -- FH featuring Wongtanong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKidX2WbSAs&sns=fb

Saturday, November 12, 2011

FAVORITE QUOTES FROM JACQUES RANCIÈRE'S OPINIONS ON THE FILMS OF JEAN-MARIE STRAUB AND DANIÈLE HUILLET

I just finished reading a great article "POLITICS AND AESTHETICS IN THE STRAUBS' FILMS", which is mainly about Jacques Rancière's opinions on the films of Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet. You can read it here:
http://mubi.com/notebook/posts/politics-and-aesthetics-in-the-straubs-films#dispositif


Some favorite quotes from the article:

" these distinguished people, seated in a garden, make us understand that the logic of profit, the permanence of economic interests and class struggle underlies wars, revolutions, changes of leadership or forms of government. It is a straightforward lesson given across a series of processes of disassociation, gaps between bodies, texts and space."

" in Workers, Peasants: on one side, there are workers and what one could call the soviet ideology that wants to put nature to use, to make roads, to transform it and so on, and to order total mobilization, and, on the other side, one finds peasants, those who agree on the time of germination, of waiting, of the harvest, of rest, of respect for the earth. That is the first aspect. Next, there is nature, which is before speech, and which eventually gives up its place and its power to speech. It’s what is there, what is always there without reason, before all reason, and what does not stop acting, reproducing itself and altering itself at the same time. From which comes the importance of the continual agitation while the men and women are talking: nature doesn’t stop moving. These are insect noises, bird songs, the effects of light on the plants, the trees, on the moss-covered rocks and the dead leaves... The activity of this undomesticated nature is constant. "

"There is most certainly an important evolution over time. I would say that, if an open-air theater is involved, we nevertheless pass from a one kind of theater to another: let’s say from Brecht to Hölderlin or, if you prefer, from a dialectic dispositif to a lyrical dispositif. This is a change of thedispositifs meaning that, I believe, is also a change of Marxism and of Communism between the films of the 1960s and their latest films. here is most certainly an important evolution over time. I would say that, if an open-air theater is involved, we nevertheless pass from a one kind of theater to another: let’s say from Brecht to Hölderlin or, if you prefer, from a dialectic dispositif to a lyrical dispositif. This is a change of thedispositifs meaning that, I believe, is also a change of Marxism and of Communism between the films of the 1960s and their latest films."

" In any case, films continue to live within us, even without commentary: we make our own commentaries on them. In eight or ten days, this film that you have seen this evening will become another thing. Shots, words will leave; a new film will be constructed. You can’t ignore this extension. Memories of films are not uniquely memories of what has been before our eyes at a given moment. Memories of films are memories of everything that, afterward, gets buried. The cinema is made of this sedimentation. Also, if I don’t think that films have to be explained, I believe that one can try to extend them outside of all commentary, interpretive aims."

" The “normal” viewing of a film channels 80% of the elements—the story, the meaning, everything is so mediated that you don’t need to watch everything—whereas the Straubs’ films assume that you must practically integrate all the elements of each shot. In a way, this cinema can be qualified as exemplary because everything in it is visible but this is precisely what is puzzling."

" For the Straubs, the child is not the future of the world."

" the Straubs’ nature is absolutely not a pastoral nature, it is savage, worrisome, cruel and inhuman. It is not idyllic."

" The Straubs seem to think that nothing or almost nothing can be done with actors. Above all because they advocate a certain kind of relationship to the text and actors are not necessarily trained to say or to read texts. Actors are trained to interpret characters, which the Straubs don’t want. They want people who speak and read texts. This means that they are looking for a very material relationship with the text itself. What interests them is to work with actors who not only are not professionals but who are also outside the world of the university and culture"

" The Medvedkine group, or groups actually, stems from another idea. It started in 1967, it lasted until 1974; France was restricted, the France of de Gaulle and Pompidou, in which the workers at Peugeot decided to use cinema to understand their life, their working conditions, because they didn’t see themselves in the media. Except at the time there were no video cameras like today and images couldn’t be made without a minimum of technical knowledge. So they asked filmmakers and technicians close to them in terms of social activism to introduce them, help them, and, concretely, give them lessons. That lasted several months, then, from there, for seven years they made films in which their struggles, their married lives, strikes and doubts appeared. They appropriated their image little by little. It’s a cinema of intervention, reaction and action based on urgency."

" They construct: they construct a very specific space with a precise relationship of voices and bodies. They create a very particular visible universe that assumes an education because it demands attention to the slightest articulation, for example. In Where Lies Your Hidden Smile?, we see a long sequence where the Straubs question the way of pronouncing a letter and the position of the eyes that has to correspond to it. There is such a minutia in the constitution of a space in their work that it is rare for there to be viewers who immediately get it."


























































































Favorite Music Videos 29: COCOON -- Alpines (2011, Ryan Hope)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjR_PmbgJ5M&ob=av2e

Favorite Old Songs 120: R-THEME (DRAMATIC MIX) (1989) -- R-Tyme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZwWoJcfykE

Friday, November 11, 2011

WHY I LIKE "FLUSH TANK" (2011, Tossaphon Riantong, A++++++++++)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w8TmpKw4_g

(ผมขออนุญาตใช้คำว่า "เงี่ยน" ใน comment ข้างล่างนะครับ เพราะผมรู้สึกว่ามันสื่อสิ่งที่ผมคิดอยู่ในใจออกมาได้ตรงที่สุด)

โดยหลักๆก็คือผมดูแล้วรู้สึกดีกับหนังเรื่องนี้มากๆน่ะครับ ซึ่งปัจจัยที่มีส่วนทำให้ผมรู้สึกดีมากๆกับหนังเรื่องนี้รวมถึง

1.เส้นเรื่องของหนังเรื่องนี้ ซึ่งเริ่มจากการที่น้าสาวทึนทึกกับหลานชายทะเลาะกัน และจบลงด้วยการที่หลานชายยอมรับตัวน้าสาวได้ในที่สุด (เขาตัดสินใจที่จะอยู่กับน้าต่อไป) ซึ่งผมก็ไม่รู้เหมือนกันว่าทำไมหลานชายถึงยอมรับตัวน้าสาวได้ในตอนจบ แต่มันก็ทำให้ผมจินตนาการไปว่า บางทีหลานชายอาจจะตระหนักได้ว่า "มนุษย์มันก็แค่นั้นแหละ ต่างก็อยากมีผัวด้วยกันทั้งนั้น", "มนุษย์มันก็เต็มไปด้วยข้อบกพร่องด้วยกันทั้งนั้น", "มนุษย์แต่ละคนมันก็ไม่ได้ดีไปกว่ากันสักเท่าไหร่ แต่ละคนมันก็มีปัญหาอึดอัดคับข้องใจของตัวเอง", "อยู่กับน้าสาวนี่แหละดี เราจะได้แอบไปมีเซ็กส์ได้ตามสบาย" หรือ "กูเงี่ยน กูยังได้ระบายออก น้าโอมเงี่ยน แต่น้าโอมอาจจะไม่ได้ระบายออก น้าโอมแม่งน่าสงสารว่ะ" สรุปว่าผมไม่แน่ใจหรอกครับว่าอะไรทำให้หลานชายตัดสินใจอยู่กับน้าต่อไปในตอนจบ แต่มันทำให้ผมรู้สึกดีที่หนังจบแบบนี้

2.ดูหนังเรื่องนี้แล้วผมจะนึกถึงหนังสั้นกลุ่มนึง ประเภทที่เล่าเรื่องที่ว่า "ลูกสาวทะเลาะกับพ่อแม่ปู่ย่าตายาย เพราะพวกเขาเข้มงวดมากเกินไป แล้วลูกสาวก็หนีออกจากบ้านไป แล้วก็ถูกข่มขืน ก็เลยตระหนักได้ว่า โอ้ พ่อแม่เรานี้แสนดีหนักหนา แล้วก็กลับบ้านในที่สุด" ซึ่งผมเกลียดหนังสั้นกลุ่มนี้มากๆเลยครับ ซึ่งก็ไม่แน่ใจเหมือนกันว่าเป็นเพราะอะไร แต่เวลาผมดูหนังสั้นกลุ่มนี้แล้วผมจะรู้สึกแย่มากๆ

ในทางตรงกันข้าม ผมรู้สึกเหมือนกับว่า "น้าโอมอยากมีผัว" มันเป็นเหมือนภาคกลับของหนังสั้นกลุ่มที่ผมเกลียด เพราะถึงแม้เส้นเรื่องมันจะมีบางอย่างคล้ายกัน ซึ่งก็คือ "เริ่มต้นด้วยการที่ผู้ปกครองกับเด็กมีปัญหากัน และจบลงด้วยการเข้าใจกัน หรือการคืนดีกัน" แต่รายละเอียดปลีกย่อยมันทำให้หนังเรื่องนี้กลายเป็นเหมือนขั้วตรงข้ามของหนังกลุ่มที่ผมเกลียด ซึ่งรายละเอียดปลีกย่อยพวกนี้ รวมถึง

2.1 ปกติผมจะรำคาญตัวละครผู้ปกครองในหนังประเภทนี้ แต่ผมกลับอินกับตัว "น้าโอม" ในหนังเรื่องนี้ในระดับนึง เพราะเธอเป็นสาวทึนทึก และไม่ใช่สาวทึนทึกในหนัง "พาฝัน" ประเภท 30+ โสด on sale หรือ 30 กำลังแจ๋ว หรือ SEX AND THE CITY ที่มีความสวยเซ็กซี่อยู่ในตัวมากพอสมควร แต่เป็นสาวทึนทึกที่มีลักษณะความเป็นมนุษย์เดินดินอยู่ในตัวสูงมากๆ

2.2 หนังไม่ได้บอกว่าการที่น้าโอมเข้มงวดกับหลานชายเป็นสิ่งที่ถูกต้องหรือสิ่งผิด หรือสิ่งที่ให้อภัยได้หรือไม่ได้ แต่เหมือนจะให้คนดูตัดสินใจเอาเอง ซึ่งแตกต่างจากหนังสั้นกลุ่มที่ผมเกลียด ที่เหมือนจะ "ให้อภัย" กับการกระทำของเหล่าตัวละครพ่อแม่ปู่ย่าตายายในตอนจบ นอกจากนี้ การเข้มงวดของน้าโอม ก็ดูเหมือนจะเป็นการแสดงบทบาทของผู้ปกครองไปอย่างแกนๆ มากกว่าการเข้มงวดอย่างจริงๆจังๆ

2.3 ในหนังสั้นกลุ่มที่ผมเกลียดนั้น เรื่องเซ็กส์จะถูกนำเสนอว่าเป็นเรื่องต้องห้าม สิ่งผิด วัยรุ่นไม่ควรเข้าใกล้ วัยรุ่นหญิงชายไม่ควรมั่วสุมอยู่ด้วยกัน ตัวละครพ่อแม่ในหนังสั้นกลุ่มนี้จะไม่มีความต้องการทางเพศหลงเหลืออยู่อีกแล้ว หรือสรุปได้ว่า ในหนังสั้นกลุ่มที่ผมเกลียดนั้น

"ตัวละครผู้ปกครอง ซึ่งเป็นตัวละครที่หนังมองว่าเป็นฝ่ายถูกต้อง เป็นตัวละครที่ไม่มีความเงี่ยน

ตัวละครวัยรุ่น ซึ่งเป็นตัวละครที่หนังมองว่าเป็นฝ่ายผิด เป็นตัวละครที่มีความเงี่ยน ซึ่งเป็นสิ่งไม่ถูกไม่ควร"

แต่ใน "น้าโอมอยากมีผัว" นั้น

"ตัวละครผู้ปกครอง มีความเงี่ยน และมันเป็นเรื่องธรรมชาติ

ตัวละครวัยรุ่น มีความเงี่ยน และมันเป็นเรื่องธรรมชาติ

ตัวละครอื่นๆในหนัง ทั้งสาวผมยาวและสาวผมสั้นที่คุยโทรศัพท์ ต่างก็ดูเหมือนจะอยากมีผัว และมันเป็นเรื่องธรรมชาติ"

2.4 ในตอนจบของหนังเรื่องนี้ หนังก็ไม่ได้บอกว่าน้ากับหลานเข้าใจกันหรือให้อภัยกันแต่อย่างใด แต่มันทำให้ผมจินตนาการไปว่า ในตอนจบของหนังเรื่องนี้ หลานอาจจะสามารถยอมรับน้าได้ในฐานะมนุษย์ขี้เหม็นคนนึง หรือมนุษย์ที่เต็มไปด้วยข้อบกพร่องและปัญหาชีวิตมากมายคนนึง ซึ่งแตกต่างไปจาก "ภาพนางสาวไทย" หรือภาพ "เจ้าแม่กวนอิม" ที่ปรากฏอยู่ในฉากแรกๆของหนังเรื่องนี้

ตอนจบแบบนี้มันก็เป็นสิ่งนึงที่แตกต่างไปจากหนังสั้นกลุ่มที่ผมเกลียดน่ะครับ เพราะในหนังสั้นกลุ่มที่ผมเกลียดนั้น ตอนจบของหนังประเภทนี้ "ผู้ปกครองจะอยู่ในสถานะสูงกว่าเด็ก" แต่ในตอนจบของน้าโอมอยากมีผัวนั้น ผมรู้สึกว่า "ผู้ปกครองอยู่ในสถานะเท่ากับเด็ก เพราะต่างก็เป็นมนุษย์เงี่ยนๆเหมือนกัน" และผู้ปกครองไม่ได้มีความบริสุทธิ์ผุดผ่องทางกาย, วาจา, ใจ เหมือนกับภาพเจ้าแม่กวนอิมช่วงเปิดเรื่องแต่อย่างใด

3.ผมชอบความ weird หรือความเซอร์เรียลของหนังด้วยครับ หนังมีการใช้ soundtrack เพื่อเพิ่มความเซอร์เรียล และมีการใส่ฉากจุลินทรีย์อะไรเข้ามา ซึ่งผมก็ไม่แน่ใจความหมายของฉากพิสดารเหล่านี้ แต่ดูแล้วรู้สึกดีกับมันครับ

4.โดยปกติแล้วผมจะชอบหนังที่นำเสนอความเงี่ยนของผู้หญิงน่ะครับ ซึ่งตัวละครน้าโอมกับสาวผมยาวในเรื่องนี้ตอบโจทย์ของผมตรงนี้ได้ดีมากๆ และหนังก็ไม่ได้มองว่ามันเป็นสิ่งผิดด้วย

5.ชอบฉากที่น้าโอมพยายามยั่วผู้ชายในออฟฟิศมากๆครับ ผมรู้สึกว่ามันจริงดี น้าโอมเป็นผู้หญิงธรรมดาคนนึง ที่ไม่มีจริตจะก้าน, มารยาร้อยเล่มเกวียน หรือความสามารถพิเศษในทางด้านนี้แต่อย่างใด เธอทำได้แค่นี้แหละ และเธอแทบจะไม่มีวันสู้เด็กรุ่นใหม่ที่มันซิง มันสดกว่าได้ จุดนี้ของหนังมันทำให้ผมนึกถึงชีวิตจริงของตัวเองด้วยเหมือนกัน

Favorite Songs 22: GO (2011) -- Delilah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxNe9jWNuEU

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Favorite Music Videos 28: VIDEO GAMES (2011) -- Lana Del Rey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO1OV5B_JDw

I like the use of super8 footage in this music video. It reminds me of Bruce Conner and Johan Grimonprez.

Favorite Songs 21: NIGHTMARE -- Tot Lina

Thanks to Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa for telling us about this song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZncpGB0bgKE&feature=share

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Thai films seen on Friday, July 29, 2011

1.APOCALYPSE LATER (2011, Palakorn Kleungfak, 15 min, A+)
โลกแตกใน (พลากร กลึงฟัก)
Palakorn still excels in parodying genre films or in making genre films with some twists of his own. His A VERY LONELY SINGLE ISOLATION MAN (2010, 15 min) parodies romantic films. His STILL (2009, 8 min) parodies contemplative films. APOCALYPSE LATER, as the title suggests, makes fun of the recent trend of making apocalyptic films, which are inspired by the year 2012 and the earthquake in Japan in March 2011.

However, APOCALYPSE LATER doesn't directly makes fun of other films. It is more like a comedy apocalyptic film. My most favorite scene is the one in which the survivors say some Buddhist prayers before they go to sleep. This act looks extremely ridiculous in the exact situation. This kind of praying is a daily ritual act, but it is hardly portrayed in Thai films before. I like it very much that this kind of praying is now portrayed in a film, and it is used in this film in an extremely funny way.

It is interesting that many Thai filmmakers make apocalyptic films early this year. I didn't expect that the earthquake in Japan, the year 2012, or the thought about the end of the world would affect many Thai filmmakers as much as this. And they are right to make films about this topic. It is as if they can sense something beforehand or predict something in the future, because a few months after the Marathon Film Festival, there is a big flood in Thailand which creates great suffering, huge chaos, and widespread panic in the central part of Thailand. Some Bangkokians spent the month of October and early November thinking that their normal life will end every day. The atmosphere in Bangkok and the fear of people now makes the current situation not much different from what happens in some apocalyptic films.

It is also interesting that Thai filmmakers treat apocalyptic theme differently. APOCALYPSE LATER and THE LAST NINE DAYS (9 วันสุดท้าย) (2011, Pongsakorn Ruedeekunrungsi, A++++++++++) are comedy films about this theme. FEAR (2010, Chanon Treenet, 20 min, A++++++++++) is a documentary which partly deals with this topic. LOVE (ครั้งหนึ่ง...เราเคยรักกัน) (2011, Suppasit Sretprasert, A+++++) and HEART (สิ่งเล็กๆที่เรียกว่าหัวใจ) (2011, Suppasit Sretprasert, A+++++) talk about the effects of natural disasters in a very lovely way. THE WOMB IN AQUARIUM (2010, Napat Treepalawisetkun, A++++++++++) is a sci-fi film dealing with the repressive society after the big flood. Teeranit Siangsanoh also makes some poetic apocalyptic films, including DARK WORLD, IN THE CITY (2010, 50:22 min), and THE LIGHT HOUSE (แสงสุริยะ) (2011, 43:13 min).

2.WILL YOU LEAVE ME TO DIE? (2011, Thip Sae-tang, 8 min, documentary, A+)
ลมหายใจรวยริน ริมแม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา: เรื่องของเขา หนังเรื่องของเรา หนังเรื่องของใคร? (ทิพย์ แซ่ตั้ง)

The subject of this film is interesting--a 200-year-old house in Bangkok. I also like it very much that Thip does not oversentimentalize the issue. I also wonder if the house is inundated now. I hope it survives the big flood.

I think the topic of old buildings is rarely touched by Thai documentarians. Personally I think old buildings are charming, because I like to imagine about the people who used to live there many years ago.


3.THE GRATEFUL SON (2011, Pattarapong Bunhor, 6 min, A+)
ลูกเทวดายอดกตัญญู (ภัทรพงศ์ บุญห่อ)
I like the homely quality of the film. Normally I don't like moralistic films, especially the ones which are beautifully made by rich university students. This film is moralistic, but its homely quality makes me forgive its moral lesson.

4.BE INNOCENT (2011, Thanet Kiatniyakrit, 15 min, A+/A)
เล่ห์เดียงสา (ธเนศ เกียรตินิยกฤต)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIc1HwkQHCs

This film is great. I would like to give this film A++++++++++, because I like its concept, its execution, its performances, etc.

However, my personal bias makes me unable to love this film wholeheartedly, because I identify myself too much with the villainess or the anti-heroine of this film. The young girl who tries to imitate "the stereotyped villainess in Thai TV series" in this film reminds me of myself. I am the one who is extremely fascinated by villainess or anti-heroines in Thai TV series, such as Welulee in PLEARNG PAI (เพลิงพ่าย), Pitawan in MAYA, or the Queen Anantip in PLEARNG PRANANG. So when BE INNOCENT ends by suggesting that some children may imitate the killing in Thai TV series, I'm not sure I agree with this kind of thinking. I'm just afraid that this kind of thinking will support the censorship, which I'm totally against. Of course several children may imitate bad things in television, but I don't think it is the reason why general people should be deprived of the right to enjoy such TV series as PLEARNG PAI.

5.NEMESIS (2011, Tharadol Kongnuntakul, 25 min, approximately A+/A)
ลงทัณฑ์ (ธราดล คงนันทกุล)
I didn't see the first few minutes of this film. What I like very much in this film is its serious tone and its macho world, which I don't see much in Thai short films. The film somehow reminds me of such macho films as MEAN STREET BLUES (1997, Kid Suwonsorn, A+).

6.THE BREATH OF LONGING (2011, Pirun Anusuriya, B+)
ลมหายใจของความคิดถึง (พิรุณ อนุสุริยา)

7.FLESH AND BLOOD (2010, Taviras Amatyakul, 25 min, D)
เลือดสีเดียวกัน (ทวิรัส อมาตยกุล)
I'm not sure why I feel bad after seeing this film. The film is actually not bad at all. Its cinematography is stunning. Maybe its beauty suffocates me. I also don't like it that the soldier in this film is portrayed as a calm man whose manner reminds me of stereotyped Thai heroes, while the red-shirted man in this film is portrayed as a hot-blooded person. In conclusion, the film is not bad and it has something interesting in it, but I just feel bad after seeing it.

I also saw DARK WORLD (โลกมืด) (2010, Teeranit Siangsanoh, 52:33 min, A+++++), which was shown on that day, but I saw it outside the festival.
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2011/10/dark-world-2010-shadow-play-aka.html




AND NOW THE PRESIDENT WILL TALK ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT (2011, Sitthichai Pleantongdee, 17:49 min, documentary, A+++++++++++++++)

Thai films seen on Thursday, July 28, 2011

1.AND NOW THE PRESIDENT WILL TALK ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT (2011, Sitthichai Pleantongdee, 17:49 min, documentary, A+++++++++++++++)
เรียนเชิญท่านประธานกล่าวรายงานวัตถุประสงค์ของโครงการ (สิทธิชัย เปลี่ยนทองดี)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb5yGGo4kqU

What I like very much in this film is its sincerity. The film depicts a group of university students who went on a project to improve a rural village. The film doesn't try to make this project look more important than what it really is. The most impressive scene in the film is the one in which the university students try to find some papaya for cooking. The film depicts "life", not "messages" nor "lessons".

2.THERE WILL BE DRAMA (2011, Janenarong Sirimaha, 9:43 min, A+++++++++++++++)
เรื่องน้ำเน่าของ "พลอย" (เจนณรงค์ ศิริมหา)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YChMR5WXNNE

After making READ ME! (2008, 17 min, A+++++++++++++++), Janenarong comes back this year and proves that he is still one of the best melodrama filmmakers. What I like very much in his films is that they are not ordinary melodramas. The dialogue and the actions of the characters in THERE WILL BE DRAMA are extremely illogical, thus extremely funny, and remind me of some absurd or surreal films. For example, when Woman A gives a drink to Woman B, Woman B doesn't drink it, but pours the water over her own hand, and says, "I'm sorry, but I drink water via my pores." When Woman A and Woman B quarrels, suddenly Woman A performs a Thai classical dance without any reasons. This kind of dialogue and actions can only come from a really creative mind.

What is great in Janenarong's films include great ideas, great scripts, great editing, great performances, and great casting. I hope he will keep on making films like this.

However, the reason why this film is my second most favorite film of the day, instead of my most favorite, is because Sitthichai's film makes me feel "free" to feel anything about it. THERE WILL BE DRAMA makes me laugh and thrills me a lot, but I know that my laughs and my excitement comes from the clever calculation of the director.


3.A MOMENT IN A RAIN FOREST (2010, Eakalak Maleetipawan, 14 min, A++++++++++)
เราจะข้ามเวลามาพบกัน (เอกลักษณ์ มาลีทิพย์วรรณ)
This film is one of the best films inspired by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film gets closer to Apichatpong's filmic universe than other films I have ever seen. However, I have seen it only once, and I think it is not the kind of film that is easy to comprehend in only one viewing.

4.FATE (2011, Chawagarn Amsomkid, 11:30 min, A+)
เรื่องของเวรกรรม (ชวการ อ่ำสมคิด)
After making MY HUSBAND (UNCENSORED) (2008, A+++++++++++++++), which I think is one of my most favorite cult films of all time, Chawagarn comes back this year with an essay film. A scene in this film is extremely funny--the one in which the camera depicts a couple in silence for a long time, before the woman says to the man, "We should break up," and the man complains in voiceover that the scene makes him wait for too long for this moment.

I can't remember other things in this film now, but I remember that the thoughts or ideas presented in this film are not extremely interesting for me. So while I may like the form of this film, because I like essay films in general, I feel that the content of this film is only moderately interesting.

5.A STORY IN A CAR (2011, Wachara Kanha, 4 min, documentary, A+)
เรื่องราวในรถ (วชร กัณหา)
The film captured the moment when Wachara quarreled with his mother because he thought that his mother spent too much money for his little brother in an inappropriate way. This is the drama of "real life". This is a part of human beings. And it is hard to judge who does wrongly or rightly in this film. Is Wachara justified in blaming his mother? Does he envy his little brother too much?

6.WE WILL BE ON TV (2011, Pimpet Pimthong + Nipaporn Kunsing, 9 min, documentary, A+/A)
เราจะไปออกทีวี (พิมพ์เพชร พิมพ์ทอง + นิภาพร ขันสิงห์)

7.MY MISTAKE (2010, Pitchaya Nivitanont, 2:21 min, animation, A)
เรื่องเข้าใจผิด (พิชญา นิวิตานนท์)

8.ROOMMATE (2011, Theerapat Wongpaisarnkit, 10:07 min, A/A-)
รูมเมท (ธีรภาส ว่องไพศาลกิจ)

9.PSYCHOSIS (2010, Anuphap Autta, 20:08 min, A-)
โรคจิต (อานุภาพ อุตถา)
หนังมันเหมือนมีจุดหักมุมแค่จุดเดียวน่ะ ซึ่งเป็นจุดหักมุมที่เราพอเดาได้ตั้งแต่ต้น แล้วพอมันเหมือนมีจุดที่น่าสนใจแค่อย่างเดียว ซึ่งก็คือการหักมุมในตอนจบ มันก็เลยทำให้ส่วนอื่นๆดูไม่น่าสนใจเท่าที่ควร เราว่าส่วนอื่นๆของหนังมันดู "ปานกลาง" น่ะ คือพล็อตหนังแบบนี้อาจจะทำเพียงแค่ 5 นาทีจบก็ได้ ไม่ต้องถึง 20 นาที แต่ถ้าหากจะทำหนังยาว 20 นาที พล็อตก็ควรจะซับซ้อนมากกว่านี้ หรือพล็อตอาจจะเหมือนเดิม แต่ควรจะสร้างเสน่ห์ให้กับรายละเอียดต่างๆได้มากกว่านี้

ถ้าหากเราเป็นผู้กำกับ เราอาจจะทำหนังเรื่องนี้ให้เป็น mockumentary นะ คือทำเป็นเหมือนกับว่าหนังถ่ายจากกล้องของผู้ชายโรคจิตตลอดทั้งเรื่อง เป็นกล้องที่ไปแอบถ่ายผู้หญิงเซ็กซี่ตามจุดต่างๆ ก่อนที่คนถ่ายจะ...ในตอนจบ

ถ้าหากผู้กำกับจะเอาดีกับหนังโรคจิตแบบนี้ เราขอแนะนำว่าให้ดูหนังอย่าง THE WITCH (Alwa Ritsila) หรือ THE STORY ABOUT YOU AND ME (Alwa Ritsila) เป็นตัวอย่างนะ เราว่าหนังสองเรื่องนี้แหละที่นำเสนอความโรคจิตของตัวละครออกมาได้อย่างน่าสนใจตลอดทั้งเรื่อง
http://vimeo.com/14085858
http://vimeo.com/13837222

10.THEATRES (2011, Wachara Kanha + Teeranit Siangsanoh, 80 min, B+)
โรงหนัง (วชร กัณหา + ธีรนิติ์ เสียงเสนาะ)
My most favorite scene in this film is the one in which the camera secretly records the reflection of a beautiful woman on a glass wall of a fast food restaurant. The scene is a little bit long, and it gives me excitement because I didn't know if the woman would know about it or not. So I waited to see if she would get angry and scold the filmmakers. I like this scene very much, because it reminds me of myself. For example, when I see a handsome guy in a sky train, I will secretly look at his reflection on the opposite glass wall from time to time.

However, this film is the worst film made by the Underground Office in my opinion. The film deals with the various aspect of "cinema" in the lives of the filmmakers, but the film lacks the poetic touch. Many parts of the film are a little bit boring, and these parts are joined together crudely, not poetically.

11.THE HOPE (2010, Saranya Premjai, 15 min, C+)
เรื่องเล่าของหมอ (สรัญญา เปรมใจ)





MARATHON FILM FESTIVAL GAME PART 4

You can find MARATHON FILM FESTIVAL GAME PART 1 here (in Thai):
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2011/08/marathon-2011-game.html

MARATHON FILM FESTIVAL GAME PART 2
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2011/09/marathon-film-festival-game-part-2.html

MARATHON FILM FESTIVAL GAME PART 3
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2011/09/marathon-film-festival-game-part-3.html

This game is inspired by Graiwoot Chulphongsathorn.

The questions below mostly concern Thai films which were shown in the Marathon Film Festival from 1997 to 2011, but also concern foreign films and Thai films shown outside the festival.

The word "film" here includes all kinds of moving images.

Answer these questions and your life will be better:


19. Discuss how the performances of stage actors/actresses contribute to the success of these films.

19.1 BLIND (2008, Kanjana Akasin), starring Sasapin Siriwanij and Kusuma Thepparak

19.2 BODILY FLUID IS SO REVOLUTIONARY (2009, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke), starring Athapol Anunthavorasakul, Watcharapong Kanjanakrit, and Sawanee Utoomma

19.3 A CHRONICLE OF LOVE AND PAIN (2009, Kanchat Rangseekansong), starring Wanatsanan Sasom

19.4 FAIRY FEMININE (2009, Arpapun Plungsirisoontorn), starring Sumontha Suanpolrat
http://vimeo.com/5754635

19.5 HASAN (2008, Attapon Pamakho), starring Suphasawatt Purnaveja and Pavinee Samakkabutr

19.6 HUNGRY OR FULL (2009, Anuchit Muanprom), starring Watcharapong Kanjanakrit

19.7 JIM (2005, Tosaporn Mongkol), starring Farida Jiraphan

19.8 KONTHAN (2010, Witchupong Sukhavichai), starring Montree Wongbutra

19.9 LOVE IS (NOT) MAD (2008, Tosaporn Mongkol), starring Pinthip Satprertprai

19.10 MAE NAK (1997, Pimpaka Towira), starring Mullika Tangsa-ngob

19.11 MIDNIGHT RAINBOW (2008, Patha Thongpan), starring Duangjai Hirunsri

19.12 MOTHER (UNFINISHED VERSION) (2011, Vorakorn Ruetaivanichkul), starring Natthaya Nakawech

19.13 MY LOVE TV (2011, Duangporn Pakavirojkul), starring Sumontha Suanpolrat

19.14 PANATIPATA (2010, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit), starring Sawanee Utoomma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYu4VcvNbmM

19.15 QING (2011, Boonyanuch Kraithong), starring Sasapin Siriwanij

19.16 69 (201, Somkid Phukpong), starring Sawanee Utoomma

19.17 STAINED (2009, Manasrawee Wongpradu), starring Pattarasuda Anuman Rajadhon

19.18 TAKE A MESSAGE (2005, Maythus Chaichayanon), starring Jaturachai Srichanwanpen

19.19 THAI FAMILY (2009, Yingsiwat Yamolyong), starring Donruedee Jamraschai and Montree Wongbutra

19.20 THIS CONSTRUCT CAN SERVE NO PURPOSE ANYMORE (2008, Sathit Sattarasart), starring Duangjai Hirunsri

19.21 WASABI (2007, Asit Wangsuekul), starring Shogo Tanikawa

19.22 WOMAN I (2010, Nuntanat Duangtisarn), starring Nophand Boonyai, Sasithorn Panichnok, Sumontha Suanpolrat, and Ornanong Thaisriwong


20. If there's a book called "TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES AND THEIR RELEASES THROUGH THAI CINEMA", which films among these do you think fit to be discussed in this book? And why?

20.1 AT LEAST/MODERATELY/TREMENDOUSLY (อย่างน้อย/อย่างกลาง/อย่างมาก) (2011, Tritos Termarbsri, 90 min)

2.0.2 BANG-KERD-KLOAW (บังเกิดเกล้า) (2011, Kamontorn Eakwattanakij, 35 min)
http://vimeo.com/25540318

20.3 A BRIEF HISTORY OF MEMORY (2010, Chulayarnnon Siriphol)

20.4 CITIZEN JULING (2008, Ing K + Manich Sriwanichpoom + Kraisak Choonhavan)

20.5 THE GIRL WHO LIKE TO CALL HER HOUSE (2010, Suparom Ronyut, Theemaporn Thanapala, La-ongsri Kongkachasing, 20 min)

20.6 LETTER FROM THE SILENCE (2006, Prap Boonpan, 5:11 min)

20.7 ONE DAY YOU WILL LOVE ME LIKE I LOVE YOU (สักวันเธอจะรักฉันอย่างที่ฉันรักเธอ) (2011, Wachara Kanha, 50 min)

20.8 TEARS (2003, Patana Chirawong, 13 min)

20.9 TSU (2005, Pramote Sangsorn)

20.10 WE WILL FORGET IT AGAIN (2010, Napat Treepalawisetkun, 9 min)


21. Which films below do you think display the ecstatic confluence of music and motion?

21.1 AGERU (2010, Tossapol Boonsinsukh)
http://www.youtube.com/user/nangtoszlong#p/u/3/gkrgi1wrJMg

21.2 BUNGALOWZEN: THE AMERICAN TRILOGY (2004, Taiki Sakpisit, 19 min)

21.3 DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH MY BAG! (1997, Surachai & Manorom, 5 min)

21.4 FIREFLIES (2005, Chawit Waewsawangwong, 4:12 min)

21.5 FOURTH WORLD (พื้นที่ในสำนึก) (2007, Chayanis Wongthongdee + Techanan Jirachotrawee, 13 min)

21.6 HAPPY EXISTENTIALISM (อัตถิภาวะนิยมสุขสันต์) (Phaisit Phanphruksachat, 6 min)

21.7 MV: DANCIN' MOOD -- Super Glass Ska Ensemble (2009, Chardchakaj Waikawee)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSCKibyrOsQ

21.8 MV: KHOR BORG -- Photo Sticker Machine (2001, Wit Pimkanchanapong, 4 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8qYz20N_yg

21.9 MV: ONE RAI STI -- Soundlanding (2007, Winai Kitcharoen)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fZ0U9JT2x0

21.10 MV: SAWANG PAI SAWANG MA (2010, Sonthaya Subyen)

21.11 MV: SUPER BASS -- Nicki Minaj (Parody version) (2011, Pitchayakorn Sangsuk)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taXrahJIc-8

21.12 ONE DAY YOU WILL LOVE ME LIKE I LOVE YOU (สักวันเธอจะรักฉันอย่างที่ฉันรักเธอ) (2011, Wachara Kanha, 50 min)

21.13 PAMELA, POUR TOUJOURS (2005, Alain Bourges, France)
http://vimeo.com/3782820

21.14 PIECES AND PIZZA (2010, Pesang Sangsuwan, 9 min)

21.15 T-BONE COME TO TOWN (2001, Wit Pimkanchanapong, 4 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ez2wGNXNvE

21.16 A TRANSVESTITE DANCING IN FRONT OF MORLUM STAGE (2011, anonymous)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F21PrroWvvY

21.17 TWILIGHT VIDEO IN AFTERNOON (2007, Rachawadee Komolsut, 17:22 min)

21.18 WOOHOO (อัศจรรย์สวยข้ามคืน) (2010, Pitchanon Jenbanjong, 6:47 min)


22. Jean-Luc Godard wrote in 1964, "There are several ways of making films. Like Jean Renoir and Robert Bresson, who make music. Like Sergei Eisenstein, who paints. Like Stroheim, who wrote sound novels in silent days. Like Alain Resnais, who sculpts. And like Socrates, Rossellini I mean, who creates philosophy. The cinema, in other words, can be everything at once, both judge and litigant.

Misunderstandings often arise from the failure to remember this truth. Renoir, for instance, may be accused of being a bad painter, whereas no one would say this of Mozart. Resnais may be accused of being a bad storyteller, whereas no one would think of saying this of Giacometti. The whole, in other words, is confused with the part, denying either one the right of exclusion as well as inclusion.

This is where the trouble begins. Is the cinema catalogued as a whole or a part? If you make a Western, no psychology; if you make a love-story no chases or fights; if you make a light comedy, no adventures; and if you have adventures, no character analysis

Woe unto me, then, since I have just made LA FEMME MARIÉE, a film where subjects are seen as objects, where pursuits by taxi alternate with ethnological interviews, where the spectacle of life finally mingles with its analysis: a film, in short, where the cinema plays happily, delighted to be only what it is."

Do you think if each of the film below "plays happily, delighted to be only what it is"? And why? You should also notice that crossing the genre boundaries can be considered "an act of freedom" in the case of some films, while mixing some genres together can be considered "the norm" in the case of other films.

22.1 AT LEAST/MODERATELY/TREMENDOUSLY (อย่างน้อย/อย่างกลาง/อย่างมาก) (2011, Tritos Termarbsri, 90 min)

22.2 BANGKOK KUNGFU (2011, Yuthlert Sippapak)

22.3 A BRIEF HISTORY OF MEMORY (2010, Chulayarnnon Siriphol, 14 min)

22.4 DISAPPEAR (อำพราง) (2010, Tani Thitiprawat, 26 min)

22.5 DONT' WARM EGGS IN MICROWAVE OR ELSE THEY WILL EXPLODE! (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, 14 min)

22.6 THE FANCIFULNESS OF THE UNIVERSE (ความฟุ้งของจักรวาล) (2010, Krit Twinwawit, 40 min)

22.7 FRIENDS (2010, Pichanund Laohapornsvan, 63 min)

22.8 FUENG (2010, Teeranit Siangsanoh, Wachara Kanha, Tani Thitiprawat)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBIkfdi1m4s

22.9 LIKE REAL LOVE (2008, Anocha Suwichakornpong, 38 min)

22.10 MARIJUANA GIRL (แม่ดอกกัญชา) (1977, Dokdin Gunyamarn)

22.11 MOTHER (UNFINISHED VERSION) (2011, Vorakorn Ruetaivanichkul)

22.12 MYSTERIOUS OBJECT AT NOON (2000, Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

22.13 PANYA RAENU (ปัญญา เรณู) (2011, Bin Banluerit)

22.14 THE POB'S HOUSE (บ้านผีปอบ) (2010, Ukrit Sa-nguanhai, 15 min)

22.15 REMEMBRANCE (กาลานุสติ) (2010, Sittiporn Racha)

22.16 A TOUGH CREATURE WHO BURDENS THE EARTH (สัตว์วิบากหนักโลก) (2004, Phaisit Phanphruksachat)

22.17 UPTOGU (2011, Pachara Yang, 19:50 min)

22.18 WHY DO YOU JUMP? (โดด) (2011, Korn Kanogkekarin, 19 min)


23. Ray Carney wrote, "Forget about saying something big. Forget Kane, 2001, and Blade Runner, and bloated, puffed-up metaphors about solitude, technology, or angst. Big ideas are trite and obvious. Say something small and particular. That’s hard. Tell the truth about a boy and a girl breaking up. That’s plenty of truth for one movie. All the truth we really need."

Discuss how Carney's quote may or may not be applied to each of the films below:

23.1 BLUE LOVE (2011, It Khaena)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd38MNB1zfQ

23.2 DARKEN SKY (ฟ้าสีเทา) (2010, Anuwat Upanun, 27 min)

23.3 DAW (2009, Wasunan Hutawach, 7 min)

23.4 DISTANCE (สิ่ง-ไหน) (2010, Chonlasit Upanigkit, 55 min)

23.5 HUNGRY OR FULL (2009, Anuchit Muanprom)

23.6 THE ORDINARY ROMANCE (2005, Teekhadet Watcharathanin, 85 min)

23.7 SHE WITH ME (ชีวิตมี) (2009, Anusak Fongsanuwong, 30 min)

23.8 STILL (2008, Wisarut Deelorm, 52 min)

23.9 SWEETHEART (สุดที่รัก) (2010, Woratep Tummaoros, 20 min)

23.10 TERRIBLY HAPPY (สุดสะแนน) (2010, Pimpaka Towira)

23.11 THERE (2008, Rajjakorn Potito, 65 min)
http://vimeo.com/22645716


23.12 UNLIKENESS (นอกหน้าต่าง) (2011, Pitchnut Suktorn, 26:22 min)

23.13 ZERO (2010, Kriangkrai Watananiyom, 30 min)


24. Ray Carney said that Mike Leigh and John Cassavetes " show us how extraordinary the most ordinary life can be. They show us that it’s not the complexity of events that makes for interest but the complexity of a character’s feelings.

The turning points in life usually occur in the simplest settings and situations. Not racing somewhere in a car, but sitting in a room and suddenly realizing something. Not yelling and screaming, but reading a magazine and feeling bored or discouraged. If you feel your character has to have something extraordinary happen to her to make her interesting, ask yourself why ordinary life does not matter enough to hold your interest."

Discuss how Ray Carney's quote above may or may not be applied to the following films, and why?:

24.1 DINNER (2005, Sivaroj Kongsakul)

24.2 FLUSH TANK (น้าโอมอยากมีผัว) (2011, Tossaphon Riantong)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w8TmpKw4_g

24.3 HAPPINESS (สุขขี) (2011, Chadchon Nonthichan)

24.4 LET'S EAT (2011, Wasunan Hutawach)

24.5 ON THE ROAD (2010, Thepmanee Kittitawornkul)

24.6 THE OTHER WORLD (2007, Chutchon Ajanakitti)

24.7 OUR LAST NIGHT TOGETHER (ค่ำคืนสุดท้าย) (2010, Wachara Kanha, 48 min)

24.8 SHE IS READING NEWSPAPER (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWwOcpknjLA

24.9 STUDENT (2005, James Prutwarasin)

24.10 TO (2010, Uruphong Raksasad, 16 min)

24.11 A WEEK'S VACATION (1980, Bertrand Tavernier, France)

24.12 A YEAR HENCE (2011, Rachakorn Potito)

24.13 YESTERDAY (2008, Sompot Chidgasornpongse)


25. Jonas Mekas wrote 39 years ago, "The most beautiful movie poetry will be revealed someday in home-movie footage. The day is close when home movies will be appreciated as beautiful folk art. Time is laying a veil of poetry over them."

Discuss how Mekas' quote may or may not be applied to the following films:

25.1 AND NOW THE PRESIDENT WILL TALK ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT (เรียนเชิญท่านประธานกล่าวรายงานวัตถุประสงค์ของโครงการ) (2011, Sitthichai Pleantongdee, 18 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb5yGGo4kqU

25.2 AOMM (2008, Somchai Vachirachongkol, 30 min)

25.3 FRAGRANCE OF THE WIND (2007, Chaiwat Wiansantia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTDlZbNZQaM

25.4 FROM NACHUAK TO BANGKOK (2005, Siwadol Ratee, 83 min)

25.5 GHOSTS (2005, Anocha Suwichakornpong)

25.6 HERE COMES THE SUN (2008, Supakit Seksuwan, 7 min)

25.7 HOME VIDEO (2008, Yanin Pongsuwan, 14 min)

25.8 HOUSE OF VIEW MOM DAD AND SOMETIME OREO (2009, Thakoon Khempunya, 10 min)

25.9 IN TRAIN (เวียนหัว และ เมื่อยก้น) (2011, Boripat Plaikaw, 83:30 min)

25.10 I REMEMBER (2011, Authawut Boonyuang, 90 min)

25.11 MATERIAL FICTION: A BIOGRAPHY OF THE AMULET (2008, Prap Boonpan)

25.12 ME AND MY VIDEO DIARY (2010, Tani Thitiprawat, 30 min)

25.13 THE MORNING ATMOSTPHERE AT MY HOME AT SIX O'CLOCK (บรรยากาศยามเช้าที่บ้านตอน 6 โมง) (2011, Wachara Kanha)

25.14 MRS. NUAN WHO CAN RECALL HER PAST LIVES (2010, Chulayarnnon Siriphol)

25.15 MUSIC VIDEO: UP TO YOU (YUCHAROEN VERSION) (2011, Eakarach Monwat, 4 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JU5Q3OCIxc

25.16 MY GRANDFATHER (2008, Pichet Smerchua, 45 min)

25.17 MY MOTHER AND HER DARKNESS (แม่กับแมงเม่า) (2008, Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_PX16nlFD4

25.18 MY ROOM AND I (2010, Ka-nes Boonyapanachoti, 20 min)

25.19 MY SONG CLASSROOM (หนังสือรุ่น) (2005, Benjaphan Rungsubhatanond, 14 min)

25.20 A NEANGLY FAIRYTALE (BREAKDOWN: SIDE STORY) (2009, Nattaphan Boonlert, 21 min)

25.21 AN ORDINARY STORY (เรื่องธรรมดา) (2007, Meathus Sirinawin, 46 min)

25.22 OUR FILM (หนังของเรา) (2005, Atthasit Somchob, 22 min)

25.23 A PLACE OF DIFFERENT AIR (สถานต่างอากาศ) (2008, Chaloemkiat Saeyong)

25.24 SIAM SQUARE (1998, Chanarai Sutthibutr, 22 min)

25.25 SMALL WORLD (2008, Wasunan Hutawach)

25.26 SUNDAY (2010, Siwapond Cheejedreiw, 24 min)

25.27 TAN (2007, Wanweaw Hongwiwat + Weawwan Hongwiwat, 5 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjBslkQ9hPQ

25.28 THERE, THERE (2006, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit)

25.29 WANG YUEN HAB (วังยื่นหาบ) (2008, Sompong Soda, 35 min)

25.30 WHEN I DANCE (ผม ตัวผม และไดอารี่ของผม) (2006, Unnop Saguanchat, 90 min)

End of the Game

Thanks to every filmmaker mentioned in this game who have made films which give me so much pleasure during the past 15 years.