“Suffers from so much style over substance, lack of internal logic, contrived subplots and wooden performances that it makes Twilight look like Gone with the Wind.” Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru

“I Am Number Four has more than a whiff of number two about it...” Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

“A flashy, lunkheaded sci-fi extravaganza sure to appeal to teenagers who like their interplanetary warfare bloodless, their high-school soaps squeaky-clean and their numbers countable on one hand.“ Justin Chang, Variety

“Witless, insultingly derivative, muddy-looking, and edited in the hammering epileptic style that marks so many films produced, as this one is, by Michael Bay.“ Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

“Trivial and trite, its days are numbered.” Susan Granger, SSG Syndicate

“Frey didn’t really need a ghostwriter for this story, he just needed an archivist with a Xerox machine and a mercenary streak.” Tasha Robins, The Onion A.V. Club

Kai, waiter at Seng Sim Ee in Suan Luang for 16 years
I prefer the old market. Without the Suan Luang fresh market there are less people. I have been here since I was very young, so I’ve seen a lot of changes and this is the biggest change to this area. We used to close our shop at 10pm as we sold everything, but that’s not going to happen these days.

Aew, waiter at Seng Sim Ee in Suan Luang for two years
We’ve never known exactly what they will do with the land. There are several rumors: some say it will be a dormitory while others say it will be something else. But one thing I do know is that we have a lot less customers. Without the parking space at the market it’s not convenient for people to pick up food around here.

Prachob, owner of Por Pang Ping grilled bread shop in Suan Luang for 15 years
I wish it could still be the same but I know it won’t. I used to sell bread and milk with my cart in front of the fresh market but I had to move here [into a shophouse] when they knocked it down. Without the fresh market, things have changed. There are only half as many people as there used to be and now I mostly get customers at night. Even though I work longer hours I sell around 10% less than what I used to when I was a street vendor. But you know what, I used to be scared that they [Chula PMO] wouldn’t renew my contract and kick me out of the building. Now I’ve made up my mind. I am too disheartened to stay here. If possible I want to move somewhere else and start something new.

Sirigesinee, Assistant Director of Marketing Communications at Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square. Working in Siam Square for 10 years
I have been working here long enough to see plenty of changes to Siam Square—mostly positive. I don’t mind new developments if they keep the space as savvy and lively as before. But honestly one thing I don’t understand is why Chula are going to have a hotel just right opposite us, a loyal, long-term renter. No matter what they say, two hotels will be targeting the same customers so we can’t avoid competition. The hotel business in the CBD area is tough enough. And what if one day they just don’t renew our contract?

Jay, Training Manager at Hard Rock Café Bangkok. Working in Siam Square for 20 years
Chulalongkorn University might not be on the best track with their development plans in Siam Square but at least they’ve succeeded in making this place the teen headquarters for several decades. One thing that is a concern is the maintenance or lack of it. Chula have added so many new things but then not taken care of them.

Sarintorn, senior year student at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Communication Arts. Studying at Chula for four years
I don’t like the development plan.Because my faculty is right next to Sam Yan it’s where I always go have lunch and hang out. But because of the changes, all the restaurants and shops have gone and I have to walk a lot further to find restaurants. I also feel that Sam Yan is an old area and we should keep it traditional. Sam Yan would not be Sam Yan if it’s full of new modern buildings.

Found in 1917, Chulalongkorn University, a.k.a. Chula, is Thailand’s most prestigious higher education institution. With 1.76 sq kilometers (1,100 rai) of property in the heart of Bangkok, it’s also sitting on some of the most valuable real estate in Thailand. After years of asking, Chula has finally gained the government’s nod of approval to knock down shophouses to make way for its multi-billion-baht redevelopment projects but shopkeepers in Siam and Sam Yan—some of whom have been renting there for decades—are understandably upset. We spoke to Associate Professor Permyot Kosolbhand, chief of the Chulalongkorn University Property Management Office, to get his spin on Chula’s big plans.

“It’s a dilemma. If we don’t do anything, the university will die. On the other hand, we also need to deal with angry renters who have been here for several decades,” says Permyot. As he points out, the university is now partially privatized, with the government funding only 30% of the budget and the tuition fees and alumni donations bringing in a negligible revenue. Chula is therefore dependent on its real estate but little shophouses selling t-shirts or noodles are obviously not paying the kind of money needed for a competitive university in the 21st century.

The irony is that Chula needs private funding, but the government’s stake means it also needs cabinet approval for any project with a budget greater than one billion baht. “People say we’re rushing to knock down those Sam Yan shophouses, but actually it’s long overdue. We’ve been asking the last four governments for permission [to develop the area],” says Permyot.

But does Bangkok really need another ‘lifestyle’ mall or hotel where small, individual businesses once stood? “The shophouses are over a half-century old. They could collapse any time. It’s impossible to find a harmonious solution for everyone, but we’re still trying. This is Chula’s biggest facelift ever, but we want the old Siam and Sam Yan to remain recognizable. It’s not that we don’t preserve old things, it’s that we preserve them in our own way.”

The relationship with the tenants will also be profoundly different. Gone are the days when Chula could afford to simply build and rent. “The Sam Yan area alone is almost 14 rais [22,400 sq meters] so we decided to invite private enterprises to invest and then share the profits,” says Permyot.

We’re skeptical that anything recognizable will remain of our teen memories and we really don’t need another mall. At least, Chula is getting in bed with bland retail/hotel/condo developers for a good cause—education—as opposed to simply lining some investors (or government official’s) pocket—though only time will tell.

“Just Go With It is so dispiritingly awful that responsible cinema staff should make audiences remove their ties and shoelaces on their way into the auditorium.” Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

“It’s abundantly clear that Sandler is caught in his own memory gap. As he wrestles with an uncomfortable middle age, he’s either forgotten or ceased to care about how to make people laugh.” Peter Howell, Toronto Star

“To describe Just Go With It as another failed romantic comedy would imply that at one time it wanted to succeed as romantic comedy.” Gary Thompson, Philadelphia Daily News

“Ever been so starved of entertainment you’ve tried to see how far you can push a pencil into your ear before hitting your eardrum?” Elliott Noble, Sky Movies

“You may root for Sandler and Aniston to just ‘go with it,’ but only so you can be done with it.” Stella Papamichael, Digital Spy

Prequel/sequel

While we can’t say we’re excited about the likes of Final Destination 5 or Scream 4 there are plenty of more exciting follow-up movies on the horizon. Things really kick off in May with the launch of three big hitters. First up, Johnny Depp reprises Captain Jack for the fourth time in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides where he’s joined by Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane in the search for the Fountain of Youth. Equally over the top, and also aimed at kids, Kung Fu Panda 2 returns with Po (Jack Black) back to protect the valley of peace from a villain bent on using a secret weapon to destroy China. Finally in May, we get the chance to see how Bangkok compares to Vegas with the launch of Hangover Part II—expect plenty of disapproval here. Cars 2 is the next sequel to race onto the big screen in June with Lightning and Mater travelling the world in a James Bond inspired spy storyline before Harry, Hermione and Ron battle it out with Voldemort in the final installment of the magic movie franchise Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (July). We’d mention the latest Transformers called Dark of the Moon (yes the title doesn’t make sense) but the last one was so bad we kinda lost interest in giant shape-changing robots.

Haven’t we seen this before?

When there isn’t a sequel to make, Hollywood can always just look through the old movie archive for inspiration. This summer is no exception with a whole host of remakes starting off with English funnyman and former playboy (Russell Brand) reviving a film starring another English funnyman and playboy (Dudley Moore), Arthur (April), in a comic tale about a funny English err playboy. Another blast from the 80s past is the return of Conan the Barbarian (August) to our big screens. No Arnie cameo in the remake but expect plenty of sword action and chiseled chests in this tale of revenge. More bare chests, well at least some sweaty singlets, in the remake of cult 80s dance movie Footloose, which is slated for release in October. If you didn’t see the original teen hit it involves plenty of rebellious pouting, a legendary 80s soundtrack and lots and lots of dancing. Less cheery by half is the final big remake of 2011. The revival of Sam Peckinpah’s controversial and violent Straw Dogs (September) about a young American academic and his wife terrorized by local thugs. James Mardsen takes on the Dustin Hoffman role while the setting has been transplanted from rural England to the deep South of America.

Action Jackson

Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Iron Man—you get the idea, comic heroes usually equal big bucks when transported to the big screen. So it’s no surprise that Hollywood continues to scour the comic books to find the next hit in 2011. Ryan Reynolds play a test pilot who is granted access to amazing powers and free membership to an intergalactic squad of peace keepers in The Green Lantern (July). Steve Rogers who played the human torch in 2007’s Fantastic Four, swaps fire for a shield as he becomes a super soldier with a nifty uniform in Captain America: The First Avenger (July). Even more retro is the screen appearance of Norse god Thor (May), who has been kicked out of the realm of Asgard and now must spend his days wandering around earth with his big hammer protecting us mortals. Finishing up the superheroes there’s also time for some old favorites with an X Men prequel. In X Men: First Class (June) we go back to a time when Professor X and Magneto were best friends, not archenemies, and used their new found powers to save the world.

BK Picks

A film that does get us excited is Cowboys & Aliens (July) starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Sam Rockwell, it features hardcore aliens and very craggy cowboys kicking off in a mashup sci-fi western. Oh and it’s directed by Jon Favreau who did Iron Man. Mashups like this could be the next hot trend, with Natalie Portman set to star in a movie version of 2009 hit novel Pride and Prejudice & Zombies very soon. More aliens come in the form of the J.J. Abrams (Star Trek) project, Super 8 (Jun), about an alien escaping enroute to Area 51. Finally, a very different type of monster is at large in Kevin Smith’s (Clerks, Chasing Amy) new movie Red State (Oct), a horror film loosely based around the activities of Right wing American religious groups like the Westboro Baptist Church.

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DRAMA

Headshot

Buzz: One of Thai cinema’s most exciting director’s Pen-Ek (6ixtynin9, Last Life in the Universe) returns with a modern film noir about a man trying to forget his past but whose past—and karma—won’t forget. The film is an adaptation of the novel Fon Tok Keun Fa (Rain Falling up to the Sky) by award-winning writer Win Leowarin.
In theaters: 14 July 2011
Studio: Local Color Films
Director: Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Stars: Chris Horwang, Peter-Noppachai Chainam, Joey Boy, Theeradanai Suwanhom
Synopsis: Tul (Peter), a hitman, is shot in the head during an assignment and when he wakes after a two-month coma he finds that he sees everything upside down, literally. He goes back to his job, but his new affliction doesn’t make things easy and he starts to doubt what he does for a living. But karma’s a bitch, and the past starts to catch up with him. Then he meets a girl that turns his world even more upside down. Plus, who was trying to kill him in the first place?

Shambala

Buzz: Picking heartthrobs Ananda and Sunny for your movie already has fans salivating but we’re equally excited about the epic views of Tibet in this brotherly tale of real and spiritual journeys.
In theaters: 23 June 2011
Studio: Sahamongkol
Director: Panjapong Kongkanoi
Stars: Ananda Everingham, Sunny Suwanmethanon, Osa Wang
Synopsis : Wut and Tin are brothers who have totally different attitudes towards life. Wut, the older of the two, follows his dream to go to Shambala, a mythical kingdom hidden somewhere in Tibet, leaving the burden of family responsibility to his younger brother. Tin finally decides to go find his brother and ask why he left his family in the first place.

Poompuang (The Moon)

Buzz: The latest project by director Prachya Pinkaew (Chocolate, Tom Yum Goong, Ong-bak) takes a very different direction from his normal martial art driven films. Based on the unauthorized biography Duangchan Tee Jak Pai from SEA write winner, Binla Sankalakhiri, it tells the ultimately tragic tale of famous Luk Thung singer, Poompueng Deuangchan.
In theaters: Not dated yet
Studio: Sahamongkol Film International and Baramyoo
Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Stars: Nattawut Sakidjai, Paowalee Pornpimol
Synopsis: The true story of an illiterate girl, Numpueng, whose incredible voice sees her escape the poverty of her childhood on a sugarcane farm to become the queen of luk tung. The movie follows her meteoric rise, and her struggles leading up to her untimely death at the age of 31 from leukemia.

Behind the Scenes

Pen-ake Ratanaruang, director of Headshot

What is exciting about this project?
This is the first time that we’re doing a film without a film studio’s money. All my previous films have been financed by big studios, with some additional financing from abroad. We kick-started this project with some investment from the Thai government and then we raised the additional investment from abroad. We also don’t have a Thai distributor, so we’re talking to some cinema chains to release the films ourselves. Apart from making the film as special as we can, we’re also working on the website and Facebook to promote the film and have fun with our audience.
And what’s challenging?
Our last few films have been slow and meditative, high on atmosphere and low on storyline. This project is a return to the more commercial style we used to do six-seven years ago, the kind of movie along the lines of Mon-Rak Transistor and 6ixty nin9. It’s plot driven, fun to watch over and over again and a bit faster. The challenge is to pull this off successfully. It’s been a while since we took this route.
Has the Thai film industry improved?
We’re still trying to copy Hollywood films without having the pool of talent, budget, and resources that Hollywood has. Another thing is censorship. It still doesn’t make sense that we have a ratings system but then the authorities still ban films. And the reason for banning those films is always the same tired reason, to protect Thai citizens from watching something that would be harmful to them. Let mature Thai citizens watch those films and decide for themselves! The reason we implemented rating system, I thought, was to stop censoring films.

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ROMANTIC COMEDY

Love Julinsee

Buzz: Being set at the Big Mountain concert and having a soundtrack by Paradox would be enough to put this film on our radar without the added buzz of the trailer getting banned for showing two teenagers actually kissing (shock, horror) in this romantic comedy about first love.
In theaters: 3 March 2011
Studio: M39
Director: Chainarong Tampong and Sakol Tiachareon
Stars: Jirayu La-Ongmanee, Apinya Sakulchareonsuk, Alex Rendell, Tisanat Sornsuek, Kamolnut Chalwanitchsut, Irada Siriwut, Nutcha Chantapan and Nuttapong Piboonthanakiet
Synopsis: The Big Mountain concert is the setting for four separate stories of first love. Now and Yo are both waiting for each other to say the words “I love you”? Pla is a musician who goes to the concert to forget her former playboy boyfriends. Fon looks back to the memorable times she had with her junior at school, while best friends, Yok and Eue, realize that things have got complicated since they became a couple.

Suckseed

Buzz: A teen flick that originated from a final university movie project by a former Thai Airway’s steward. Intriguing enough, but this movie has now been given an added touch of polish by feel-good studio GTH, who just made B130 million from last year’s runaway hit movie Hello Stranger and yes, cute boys Jirayu and Pachorn.
In theaters: 17 March 2011
Studio: GTH
Director: Chayanop Boonprakob
Stars: Jirayu La-Ongmanee, Pachorn Jirathiwat, Natcha Nualjam, Thawatch Pornrattanaprasert
Synopsis: Ped (Jirayu), an out of touch sixth grade student, learns to love music and find love thanks to Earn, his cool classmate, only for his heart to be broken when Earn has to move away. Six years later, Earn returns with a cool look and a real musical talent as a guitarist. Ped, still a loser, decides to create his own band to win her heart.

Behind the scenes

Chayanop Boonprakob, director of Suckseed

How did this project come about?
I actually made this movie as my final project at university, though the story is totally different from the new blockbuster version. The original story is about a band who post their performance on Youtube and get a very good response until they are invited to perform at a live concert. It turns out terrible as they suck and aren’t cool like in the video clip. But despite it all there is one fan whose love and devotion sees them finally become a success. The idea is that no matter how much you suck, you can still be an inspiration for others. A sequel was then made of my film by my junior at university.
How did it become a big screen movie?
Director Keng-Jira Malikul called me in to talk about this project while I still working as a flight attendant. He talked to me and my junior who made the sequel and asked us to create a new blockbuster version of Suckseed. And yes, I quit my flight attendant job.
Was it hard to make that decision?
Yes, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime offer! There are tons of people who want to be a director but they offered this job to me. I can be a steward for the rest of my life but being a director in my own movie project? This is it.
Did you feel under pressure?
I didn’t really feel pressured because I loved every minute of making this film. This is my dream. The only tough thing is just making all the actors, who are mostly newcomers, become closer to each other because they have to be really close friends in the movie. My tactic? I brought all of them to sleep over at my house and made them play games all night.

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We speak to Billy Bautista of the famed La Monita Taqueria (Mahatun Plaza, Phloen Chit Rd., 02-650-9581) and get him to reveal the recipe for this chunky, crunchy and tart guacamole.

Ingredients

• 4 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 jalapeno chillies, diced (or substitute Thai prik kee noo)
• a handful of cilantro, chopped
• juice of 2 limes
• a pinch of cumin powder
• a pinch of salt
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
1. Combine the first seven ingredients in a large bowl to make salsa fresca.
2. Add a pinch of salt to the chopped avocado and lightly cut with a spoon.
3. Add the mixture from step 1, and combine, mashing to your desired level of chunkiness.