Thai Cinema

Paradoxocracy (???????????, Prachathipatai), Pen-ek Ratanaruang's documentary of Thailand's modern political history, is set for release at the end of next month. According to the movie's Facebook page, it'll get a limited run at Paragon Cineplex and Esplanade Cineplex Ratchada in Bangkok from June 24 to July 3. A pet project of Pen-ek's, Paradoxocracy was cleared by censors early in the year and was set for release in February. However, it ended up being delayed, with the blame at first attributed to "technical problems" but Pen-ek later admitted he'd encountered difficulties in finding a venue to screen it. Featuring a mix of archive footage and talking-head interviews with academics, Paradoxocracy covers such topics as the switch from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in the 1930s and the violent political protests of the 1970s to the rise in political power of populist telecommunications tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra. A trailer is available on Facebook, and it's embedded below. ATTENTION: This is a post from Wise Kwai's Thai Film Journal. The url for the source blog is http://thaifilmjournal.blogspot.com. If you're seeing this post anywhere besides your personal feed reader or a couple of social-networking sites, then it might be being misused against the spirit in which it is made freely available.

This is old, the beginning of the month of May 2013 old. It won’t be in Khun Chai Puttipat, we have to wait a few more weeks for this scene of James Jirayu giving Bella Ranee Campen a kiss in the last installment of the Gentlemen series in  ’Khun Chai Ronnapee’ with James Ma and Mint Chalida. It’s the last scene of the series where James Ma marries Mint Chalida with all his brothers and sister-in-laws present. At this point, Krong Kaew and Khun Chai Puttipat are happily married. She is wearing pink as one of the bridesmaid for her youngest brother-in-law’s wedding. In one scene, she gets a kiss from her husband. A real kiss between two people who unconditionally love each other. It’s well documented Bella and are close friends on set. They are playful together, she is seen in this clip bending his hands and then massaging him. The kiss that took several takes and it was a real kiss. Bella massaging James

It’s like I am a drug addict and the series ‘Khun Chai Puttipat’ is my crack–I can’t get enough of it and most likely I will suffer from withdraw symptoms when the lakorn ends this Friday May 24, 2013. It has been a long time since I have been MAJORLY obsess with a show, since the Korean series ‘Coffee Prince’–that was difficult since I had to reply on subtitles. With this, I can get all the spoilers I want, watch it live, it’s pretty satisfying getting a quick fix as much as I want. This lakorn transcends beyond James Jirayu, people seem to think the star of the series carries the show–to a certain extent it does but there has to be a good story executed well to make people cling emotionally to it. I think Khun Chai Puttipat is one of those rare gems for lakorns, it does have its flaws but I can overlook them because of the story and the chemistry of the cast. There is no weak characters–they embody what they are playing from the villains you hate to the good guy characters you love. It’s well-acted. I applaud the producers who chose their actors and actresses well. It’s Sunday May 19, 2013 and I have watched all the episodes of Khun Chai Puttipat that aired this weekend from episode 7-9, I think episode 7 was the weakness and it only went uphill from there. It got better and better. I just didn’t want it to end. Because each prime time lakorn is almost 2hrs long, when you are doing summaries, you want it to end. It’s NOT done but I am releasing it. I just didn’t realize how much important dialogue is in this episode. As they are dancing, Bai Bua’s people are plotting to kidnap Krong Kaew to give to Khun Pinit.  After the dance, they parted ways. Khun Chai Puttipat is disturb when he doesn’t see her in the ballroom, someone had asked Krong Kaew to see the host of the event but she is nowhere to be seen and the host is seen talking to other guests. Krong Kaew is lured outside and drugged with a chloroform cloth and placed in a car by Khun Pinit’s people. Ing On and her son Glai-Lerk intercepts Krong Kaew by attacking Khun Pinit’s people. Glai-Lerk attempts to assault Krong Kaew with his mom standing outside the car–what is wrong with this guy. Mom, he was like let me try it first that old guy won’t know about it. And you’re like ew. Luckily, Krong Kaew wakes up and pushed him back. Soon after Khun Chai Puttipat and his two younger brothers Ronnapee and Rachanon came to save her and beat up Glai-Lerk. Khun Chai Puttipat found one of her shoes when they were searching for her. Fighting for her well-being, Krong Kaew attacks Khun Chai Pat without knowing it. He carries her to his car. ‘It’s me, look at me, Kaew! Those people were trying to kidnap for Khun Pinit.’ She looks up and sees him and his two younger brothers. ‘You came to help me.’ Khun Chai Pat:’Right now, you are safe.’ The brothers advised Khun Chai Pat to take Krong Kaew into hiding, Khun Pinit is becoming more ruthless, he won’t stop until he has Krong Kaew, they must flee. Khun Chai Pat:’Will you go with me?’ He puts one of her shoes on for her:’I found this and I knew you were in danger.’ The brothers watched their hermit older brother with a smile, like fangirls. Aw. Khun Chai Pat:’We must quickly leave here.’ She lets out one tear drop and the brothers are like awwing in the background with smiles. Off they went off in his car. Krong Kaew:’I have cause you trouble again.’ Khun Chai Pat with a smile:’Who says that, you are helping me instead. Since I become a doctor I have never taken off not even a day. No one could ever remove me from the operation room until you Kaew.’ Kaew changes the subject:’The road is really dark.’ Khun Chai Pat:’Are you afraid?’ Kaew:’I am scared.’ Khun Chai

It’s a bittersweet win for Nadech as people are debating whether he should have won or not at Pantip and even at Sanook, it should have gone to ‘Porche’ Saran Siriluksana for his highly popular lakorn ‘Yok Luerd Mungkorn’ on Ch7 or even to Aum Atichart for his leading role in the historical Thai lakorn ‘Khun Seuk’ on Ch3 by TV Scene productions. Personally, I did not watch either of those lakorns I can’t make a comparison. I did however watch ‘Torranee Nee Krai Krong’ with Nadech and Yaya, I thought Nadech did well. Besides the whole Pinky and Tanya issue, this seems to be a hot topic. Some argued the Nataraja awards is not voted by popular vote it’s voted like the Oscars by people who work in the industry. Maybe they saw something in Nadech that a normal viewer might not have seen. The 4th annual Nataraja Awards 2012 took place today at the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall in Bangkok, it aired live a few hours ago on Modern 9 TV. Channel 3 like always dominated the award show, winning nearly every category. Winners for lakorns: Best Lakorn:’Khun Seuk’ by TV Scene productions on Ch3 Best Director: Chanintorn Prasertprasat for ‘Rang Ngao’ on Ch3 Best Actor: Nadech “Barry” Kugimiya for ‘Torranee Nee Krai Krong’ on Ch3 Best Actress: Noon Sirapan Wattanajinda for ‘Buang’ on Ch3 Best Supporting Actor: ‘Pip’ Ravit Terdwong for ‘Rang Ngao’ on Ch3 Best Supporting Actress: ‘Tanya’ Tanyares Ramnarong for ‘Rang Ngao’ on Ch3 Best Cast: ‘Rang Ngao’ from Broadcast Thai Television on Ch3 Best Set: ‘Sin Chronicle’ on Ch3 Best Song: ‘Ngao Tee Mee Hua Jai’ by Min for ‘Rang Ngao’ on Ch3 Best Script:Wisuthichai Bunyakanjon for ‘Rang Ngao’ on Ch3 Best Cinematography:’Khun Seuk’ on Ch3 Best Editing: ‘Raak Boon’ on Ch3. Best Art Direction: ‘Khun Seuk’ on Ch3 Best Costume: ‘Khun Seuk’ on Ch3 ‘Mew’ Nittha Jirayungyurn from the Gentlemen series looking like AFf Taksaorn Pinky Savika with her friend Paul Michio  Nok Sinjai and husband Nok Chatchai Pip showing off his award The winners. Actress and singer ‘Mint’ Mintita Wattanakul with her award Mr. Porche Saran looking mighty handsome in a simple black suit. The ladies of the Sixth Sense Taew went goth for the  award show and it is got to be the weirdest dress of the night.  Is that fake hair? Nadech happily showing off his trophy on the way home? Source: Sanook

The feud  between Pinky Savika the mia noi (mistress) and the mia luang (head wife) ‘Tanya’ Tanyares Ramnarong will never end as Tanya takes a jab at her husband  ‘Peck’ Sanchai Engtrakul at the 4th annual Nataraja Awards today May 19, 2013 after winning the best supporting actress trophy for her portrayal of Nopnapa, a woman crazed by her cheating husband in ‘Rang Ngao’. After thanking the script writer, the producer, CH3 for her award, she thanked her husband and it got a lot of cheers, embarrassing Pinky Savika in the process who was also in the audience with her new boyfriend Paul. ”The last person, I REALLY have to thank my husband ka. My husband P’Peck who made me reach the emotions of Nopnapa consequently making me feel like a real mia luang (head wife) ka,’ said Tanya up on stage. It’s saying you cheated on me with Pinky Savika and it helped my acting with a crazed character in Nopnapa who is also being cheated on repeatedly in the lakorn ‘Rang Ngao’. Ouch. There have been some post on Pantip on how it was inappropriate and Tanya doesn’t know when to stop. You can watch her thank you speech clip at youtube, her thank you message to her husband starts around the 3:50 time mark.

Usually I don’t notice  a lot of things, this I noticed–a ‘Domo’ themed backpack near the end of episode 8 of Khun Chai Puttipat. They are at the market to buy food and they are arguing, she is thinking about starting up a shop selling appetizers and sweets in Ayutthaya and he is annoyed she is planning to leave him. Khun Chai Pat:’Why are you always thinking about leaving me?’ He walks away and she follows him. Kaew:’I must be able to raise myself up. I can’t disturb other people from now on.’ Khun Chai Pat:’Who are these other people?’ Kaew utters his name and in the backdrop there are backpacks hanging in a nearby shop, most notably a ‘Domo’ themed backpack. This is annoyed some Thai viewers who complained on Pantip that the Director was careless and this is a period lakorn set in 1961 (2504), why is there a Domo themed backpack when the Domo short-motion animation character was created in 1998 by Japan’s NHK television station. Some found it funny like  this Thai viewer:’5555 (meaning Ha ha ha), my mom found it really funny like huh back then they had Domo too?’ Or this, ‘I didn’t see it because I was too focus on Khun Chai Puttipat.’ Other people started to complain about other details in the lakorn such as the purse (I don’t know which one they are talking about) they didn’t have it back then, Khun Chai Pat’s surgery instruments, his surgery technique,  no blood, guy villain Glai-Lerk (played by DJ Man)’s fixed perfect teeth. ‘Whenever he talks I would notice DJ Man’s arranged teeth,’ wrote a observant Thai viewer on Pantip. And I thought wow, these people watch lakorn in such detail and I was proud I noticed one flaw in the series. One point for me–Oh yea! Some found it distracting, I think most still like the lakorn and are still ‘in’ to the Khun Chai Puttipat and Krong Kaew pair. Back to the scene. Khun Chai Pat:’What are we? Answer me what are we?’ Kaew struggles to answer him. ‘It’s just…’ Khun Chai Pat:’Just a marriage license that makes us husband and wife.’ Kaew:’I will quickly sign the divorce papers as soon as possible. I won’t postpone or delay the process at all.’ Khun Chai Pat:’So you really want to leave me as soon as possible.’–awww she doesn’t. Kaew:’It’s not like that.’ Khun Chai Pat:”Then what do you want?’ Kaew:’You have done a lot for me. You have sacrifice yourself to protect me from danger. You are also caring for my father. I have always been the one who is receiving. I am taking an advantage of you. The thing I want to tell you is that I want to build myself up to have a foundation, to have dignity, to have everything better than what I have now. When that time comes, I want to repay you back.’ Khun Chai Pat playfully:’You are the most conceited and arrogant woman ever.’ Kaew:’A person must stand on their own two feet, they must be beneficial to other people, they can’t just depend on other people forever.’ Khun Chai Pat:’Every word you say is ‘other’ people. Have you  never heard a husband and wife is one person according to the law.’ Kaew:’You keep saying that again.’ Khun Chai Pat:’Because it is the truth.’ He holds up his jade necklace from her neck. ‘Look at this, you are wearing my mother’s jade necklace which was intended to give to her daughter-in-law. Like this, how can we be other people to each other. Most importantly everything I have done is the responsibility of a husband.’ He holds her shoulders and stared into her eyes. ‘Your responsibility is to speak sweetly, act gentle, play the part well.  Don’t forget, the hoodlums are after you, they looking for an opportunity to har

That SHE is number 1 and he is number 10. It was her birthday and everyone on the set of her lakorn with Por Thrisadee is avoiding her, teasing her that she is no longer the darling of the set–a woman who was playing with Yaya said James Jirayu is. In retaliation, Yaya looked at the camera and sent this message to James Jirayu in a cutesy manner:”To nong Jirayu I am #1, you are #10.’ The message has caught the attention of many lakorn fans. Producer  ‘Ja’ Yossinee Nanakorn joked on her IG this past Thursday May 16, 2013 that ‘Linping (a playful nickname for Yaya after the Panda in captivity) has changed channels. Everyone was crowding around Yaya for her lakorn fitting then James Jirayu came out of the elevator suddenly all of the cameras turned to him. Linping has fallen wrote Khun Ya (meaning Yaya is no longer popular). Yaya went around saying if she dressed up like a boy she would more handsome. It has become the ‘cute’ feud of the week–Yaya playfully getting jealous of James’ popularity. James and Yaya have very similar characteristic both are EXTREMELY playful and act ‘immature’ at times. Thai lakorn fans want to see a James and Yaya pairing in a lakorn directed by Paa Jaew because they want to be amuse in seeing James and Yaya compete for the attention of everyone on set. Yaya sends the message to James in the clip at the 1:11 time mark. Though fans talk of a playful feud between the two popular young stars, the two seem to like each other very much. James secretly crawled on his knees to watch Yaya’s lakorn fitting. Yaya personally praised James on his acting. ’I am watching your lakorn na. Your acting is really good and you have a good voice,’ she told him upfront which made him smile. James with Yaya and hugging Khun Ja. Here he is on his knees at Yaya’s ftting. I don’t remember where I read this, Sanook or Kapook, some people were dubbing James Jirayu as Nadech  Kugimiya’s downfall. Someone wrote this, James Jirayu was born solely to kill (not literally, career wise) Nadech. Then there is this clip of James being a normal 19 year old posting a comment on socialcam he wants to learn how to play ‘HON-Heroes of Newerth’ and you realize he is JUST a kid.  What he said in the clip at Mthai Games:’Hello during the evening of the 10th. I have been failing at this since this morning. I don’t understand it. The thing I don’t understand is how do you play this program?’-click on the link to watch the clip, he has a nice voice. http://game.mthai.com/online-games/23966.html/comment-page-1#comments Another James tidbit: Paa Jaew, the director of ‘Khun Chai Puttipat’ wrote this recently on his IG about James:’A star is born …… Born to be a star……… But better than that is being a simple actor name @jirayu_jj …Love to see you grow up smarter and stronger.’ Source: Kapook, Pantip, Mthai Games

Good or Bad. I don’t know. Each personal manager has their own strategy for keeping their star in the spotlight–it seems like most are aiming towards overexposure and maxing out the most profit from their stars. James Jirayu’s personal manager P’Pik Chanchalad is taking a different approach limiting James’s exposure by not accepting events. This is where Thai stars make their money making appearances at events for a fee. His reasoning behind this is that James Jirayu must focus on being a legitimate ACTOR with staying power, not someone who is just passing by. This explanation was given by Khun Pran Pramoon the famous script writer for ‘Khun Chai Puttipat’, ‘Sawan Biang’, ‘Malai Saam Chai’ and several notable Thai lakorns–she wrote on her personal facebook account: James and his personal manager are not aiming to seize for a short period, they are aiming to be the real thing in the entertainment industry for a long time and to develop the

The Great Gatsby"A Baz Luhrmann movie is like spaghetti that someone covered in Skittles and spiced rum," opined the Holy Taco humor website upon the opening of the Australian director's latest glitter-covered literary adaptation The Great Gatsby.And it's as apt a description of Luhrmann's oeuvre as any. Previous iterations have included the contemporary reworking of Shakespeare with Romeo + Juliet and the pop-music-infused Moulin Rouge!Boasting a soundtrack co-produced by hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and featuring songs by such modern-day artists as Fergie, Lana Del Rey and Florence and the Machine, F. Scott Fitzgerald's rags-to-riches story of the Roaring '20s centers on the unlikely millionaire Jay Gatsby, as seen through the eyes of an impressionistic young neighbor.Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the title role, reuniting with Luhrmann following Romeo + Juliet. Other stars are Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton and Isla Fisher.The film has premiered in the U.S. already with a strong showing at the box office

They look decent together, Mark Prin and ‘Bella’ Ranee Campen are featured as two lovers in ‘Tum’ Warawut Poyim’s first single ‘Ja Ruk Jon Gwa Ja Roo (I will love before you know)’ after winning The Star singing competition season 9 on Modern 9.  It’s a really sappy ballad. Tum seem to have  a strong impression of Bella, he stated he was shy around her because she is so beautiful. They started filming for the MV early in the morning, he met her when she was not wearing any make-up. Even without make-up, she is stunning said Tum. This MV will be released on May 23rd, 2013. After seeing these pictures of Bella and Mark, Thai fans want them paired off together in a lakorn. At least just one lakorn wrote a Thai netizen. Their faces match. Sorta. Teaser for the MV Audio of the song ‘Ja Ruk Jon Gwa Ja Roo’ LYRICS: Like just the wind blowing by Like the dwindling fog That touches you and fades away Like the dim candle light Not warm like a bonfire Though