I have two films in mind, which are Ladda Land and Tee Rak (Eternity). Regarding Ladda Land, more than 50% of films released last year fall into either the rom-com or ghost story category, but Ladda Land nailed managed a perfect mix between ghost story and drama. Despite the horror part, the film tells the story of a middle-income man who bears the responsibilities and pressure of being the head of a family. Thai films rarely touch on this issue. That’s because if they did, and talked solely about this, then the film would bomb [in this country]. The additional part of the ghost turns out to be the perfect support for the whole story.
For Tee Rak, I’d say this is the kind of the love story that is real and has more variety than other cliché Thai chick-flicks. The film is split into three timelines: it starts with a guy searching for his loved one; then another couple’s love story; and ends with the story of a girl who has to move on with her children after her husband dies. The way these timelines are arranged creates a huge impact at the end, when the truth is revealed.
I’d give it to Thep Pohngam in Friday Killer. This film by Yuthalert is slightly different from his other action flicks, as it packs in some real drama. We’ve never see a comedian like Thep Pohngam star in a pure drama role before, and he holds his own here as an old, desperate retired-killer. Yuthalert breaks up some of the intensity with a joke here and there, but it isn’t overdone.
Paowalee in Poom Puang definitely wins. Apart from her appearance, which is so similar to Poom Puang’s, her acting and singing are superb—so great that audiences could actually believe that she is the real Poom Puang. The lack of realism and details they got wrong in the plot make the story bland and dry, but this lead performance saves the movie.
Peach Patchara in Suckseed. I think Peach did better in Suckseed than in Top Secret. The film is quite over-the-top and cartoonish, but his overacting does not go over the edge, rather, it seems natural.
We saw Dame Judi Dench awarded Best Supporting Actress for her 15-minute appearance in Shakespeare In Love. Just as goodis Poramaporn’s cameo as CP Manager in Top Secret. There’s even this buzz that she was a real CP Manager.
I’d give to Ladda Land. On top of what I’ve said about Ladda Land before, both the drama and horror aspects were extremely well-written.
I think the direction in Tee Rak (Eternity) is smooth throughout the film. There’s a lot of silence and landscape scenes that work well. Headshot is well directed as well. This kind of time-twisting film is hard to understand if the director can’t arrange it well, but this was done right.
Ken Poopoom in 30 Kam Lang Jeaw.
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