Headshot

Detective noir cloaked in the gloom of smoldering cigarette butts and damsels in distress are the backdrop for this film. The movie opens with a hit going wrong for hitman, Tul, as he finds his life literally turned upside down. As Tul tries to come to grips with his inverted vision, you are introduced to his "normal" past life. In a stupor you are slowly immersed in to his life as a film eerily reminiscent of Wanted, is flashed across the screen. Take away the lack of originality of the concept and add in the Pen-ek twist, you find yourself enjoying a thriller like the drama that was Last Life in the Universe.

Rating: * * *

Ploy

A Thai-American couple, Dang and Wit, checks into a Bangkok hotel after a long flight from the US. A death brings the two back to their homeland after many years. Jetlag has captured Dang while Wit falls prey to restlessness.Wit's entry to the hotel coffee shop introduces us to the other characters in the movie. The movie languidly wanders over the state of the couple's marriage while cutting to some bizarre disconnected sex scenes. One of Mr. Ratanaruang's earlier films that shows his silent promise.

Rating: * *

Poster via Wikipedia.

Mon-Rak Transistor

Pan is simple minded country boy whose love for music and pursuit of fame finds himself AWOL from both his wife and the Thai army. There is not much else to say about the sparse storyline of this film which is a blend of comedy, musical, romance and crime thriller. One of Pen-Ek Ratanaruang earlier efforts where it is obvious that his art needs honing. I guess one has to go through the process of making movies such as these before you end up with something original and timeless.

Rating: * * 

Poster licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia.

6ixtynin9

When God give you a gift...
...he also gives you a whip.

- Truman Capote

What will you do if you find a box of money on your doorstep? Tum (Lalita Panyopas) decides to keep. The movie traces a day in her life after she finds the money. This is one of Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's earlier films. I have to hand it to him for keeping us glued to the movement of this morbid film which he has magically infused with snatches of humor. And he does indeed have fine taste in women.

Rating: * * +

Invisible Waves

The triumvirate from this movie is back with a dream like 2 hour sequence. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang returns to make a story of Tadanobu Asano as a hired killer who increasingly feels that he has been fucked over in more ways than one.

Like the director says, the story unfolds quite naturally and believably, but the core of the movie lies in the atmosphere. Atmosphere and atmosphere. And more atmosphere. Thats where our friend Chris Doyle makes his presence felt with superb footage of overcast Hong Kong, dilapidated Macau and quaint Phuket. Some critics complain about the visual quality - which I dont get at all. Fucking far from it. But am not entirely convinced about Pen-Ek's ability to develop a storyline thats as robust as his atmosphere-creating capabilities.

Rating: * * +

Last Life in the Universe

There are certain books out there that suck you in and you end up living its world for as long you are reading it. This movie did the same to me. You gently float along with the tale of Kenji, a quiet, sensitive and shy young Japanese man living in Bangkok. He wants to commit suicide though not for the usual reasons like heartbreak, despair and loneliness. There are hints of Wong Kar-Wai and Haruki Murakami and having Chris Doyle behind the lenses definitely helps.

I really don't want to say more about the film. The feeling that I have cannot be translated into words. But I would only recommend this to Wenerd and Aromal...

Rating: * * * *