Thai Films (specifically)

[DexterH]

I would appreciate recommedations of Thai films, rather than any others.

I thought Beautiful Boxer was ok and have also seen a film called Chocolate (which also has a few ladyboys in it, mostly associated with a Bangkok crime boss); but have not explored this country's cinema much. I have avoided a film called 'Bangkok Dangerous' as it stars Nicolas Cage whose painful inability to act weakens fatally the films he has been in -as Dorothy Parker said of the truly horrific Katherine Hepburn when she appeared on Broadway in the 20s or 30s -'she (he-Cage)- runs the gamut of emotions from A to B'...

Thanks in advance.

[Road Runner]

I'm probably the wrong one to reply.

Having seen quite a few Thai films over the years I've come to the conclusion that they all have the same storyline.

Main character is down on luck, suffers further setback, meets ghost, meets future boyfriend/girlfriend, ghost suffers come-uppence/demise, couple live happily ever after.

There was one about some incompetant bank robbers that was fairly funny but I forget what it was called.

Must admit I've never seen Beautiful Boxer or Chocolate.

RR.

[PigDogg]

Yasothorn II and Som Tam are two comedies I enjoyed.  These are not great movies and if I had never gone to Thailand wold probably not think very much of them.  

A more serious film is My Girl.

[Snick]

Shutter
Ong Bak (but skip 2+3)
Bangkok Dangerous, the original Thai version
Perng Mang / Haunted Drum

[kahuna]

A second for Bangkok Dangerous...The original...Very good film by any standard...

[El_hefe]

Yeah..... the 2 Bangkok Dangerous's are very different films, tho the Thai one is "artier" than most American's are accostumed (sp?) to.

I really enjoyed "6ixty9" , very well done & entertaining. I don't share the Thai obsession with ghosts & horror that seems to be the theme of most of their films.

[Bumpa STIKKA]

I've downloaded over 100 Thai movies and watched loads of them at the theater.

They were all shit except for one which features a well known Thai personality playing the part of a taxi driver.

Can't remember the name of it, though...

[si geena]

There are some pretty good Thai flicks. Depends on what you enjoy, but I dare say that some of the better ones as follows.

1. Tears of the Black Tiger (Fah talai jone) This was done in a very American Western style. The colours are very lush and vivid.

Google Images of Tears of the Black Tiger

2. Citizen Dog (Mah Nakorn) A very well-regarded film about modern city living. I think the director, writer or producer for both Tears of the Black Tiger and Citizen Dog are one and the same.

3. Transistor Love Story (Monrak Transistor) This is a rather atypical love story between the 2 leads. Boy and girl grows up as neighbours, boy courts girl, get married and the boy gets drafted into the Army. Boy AWOLs from army, becomes a Singer and doesn't come back home till some 5-7 years later. Amusing and bittersweet altogether.

4. Midnight My Love (Cherm) This is the one that Bumpa Stikka recommended. It's endearing. Worth a second look. It helps that the leading actress is very spectacularly good looking.

5. Love of Siam (Rak Haeng Sayam) This caused quite an uproar when it was first released. Just from the trailers only, many assumed it would be a typical growing of age love story between the 2 pairs of good looking couples. Turns out that it was a boy loves boy plot. The soundtrack got a good run in end 2007, early 2008.

6. Me ... Myself (Khaw hai rak jong jaroen) And your obligatory amnesiac ladyboy who turned straight.

[DexterH]

Many thanks for your recommendations guys, I will try and see as many as I can, not realsing there were two versions of Bangkok Dangerous. Thanks again.

[marshal]

Take snicks advice mate. Ong bak is a good film, i enjoyed the first Bangkok dangerous, another film with a similar name is Bangkok haunted. The film is actually three short films/stories. Superstition,ghosts and the afterworld feature heavily in some thai films. They are catering to a thai market don't forget!

Chocolate is a watchable film, but bear in mind if downloading or when buying there are three films with similar names.

The big budget production called Chocolat with juliette Binoche and Jonny Depp.

An Indian film called Chocolate, that was set in London which is very good with the added bonus of the female lead called tanushree Dutta who is sexy as hell.

Then the Thai film Chocolate, which as i have already said is quite good.

[friedfrunk]

shutter
alone (aka twin)
bangkok dangerous (thai version)
the love of siam
ong bak

[thaibound]

has no one mentioned Uncle Boonmee, which won the palm d'or at cannes this year? i'm anxious to see it, but don't know where/if it's playing -- in u.s.a. or LOS.

agree the first bkk dangerous better than the cage crap, but i'm worried john burdett's great novels will never be films because other shits are already stealing all his titles (bkk dangerous, bkk haunts, etc)

[manarak]

meatgrinder

[Stingray]

No one mentioned Prang Chompoo yet?

[seanbeag7]

I agree that the origional Bangkok dangerous is a lot better than the re-make.

I love these thai films

Iron ladies but funny as fuck

blissfully yours (lovely film)

Ong-Bak (the other 2 are crap)

Beautiful boxer

chocolate