News: SFX Cinema Pattaya Beach has converted a second cinema to 3D.
Now playing in Pattaya
Captain America: The First Avenger: US, Action/ Adventure/ Sci-Fi/
Thriller – After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers (Chris
Evans) volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain
America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals. Three cheers for
the Red, White, and Blue!! They say it’s a solid, old-fashioned blockbuster,
with some fine performances. Also starring Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L.
Jackson. See if you can figure out how the moviemakers got Steve Rogers so
skinny to begin with. Diet maybe? A body double, with Rogers’ head superimposed?
Answer next week. Generally favorable reviews.
Horrible Bosses: (Scheduled) US, Comedy/ Crime – It’s been called
a bouncy, well-built, delightfully nasty tale of resentment, desperation, and
amoral revenge. Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Jason Bateman, and Kevin Spacey
are nasty, uneven, and funny. Rated R in the US for crude and sexual content,
pervasive language, and some drug material. Mixed or average reviews.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2: US, Action/ Adventure/
Sci-Fi – Go see it. You know you will eventually anyway. This, the final
Harry Potter, is an exciting and massively eventful finale that will grip
and greatly please anyone who has been at all a fan of the series up to now.
It’s powerfully acted and visually dazzling. The entire series of Potter books
and motion pictures has been leading us to this final showdown between Harry and
Voldemort. The fight here between good and evil is more than satisfying. It’s
thrilling – carrying an ultimate message that will resonate with every viewer,
young or old: there is darkness in all of us, but we can overcome it.
It’s much better than the book, in my opinion, which has
sections that are so preposterous that no amount of suspension of disbelief can
overcome. Playing in both 2D and 3D versions at all three cinemas, in English,
except at Big C, where the 3D version is Thai-dubbed, one 2D version is in
English and another Thai-dubbed. I saw it in 2D; from what I’ve read so far, the
3D (which is post-production conversion) is good, but doesn’t add all that much.
Reviews: one of the rare films to be labeled by Metacritic as “Universal
acclaim.”
The Moon (Pumpuang Duangjan): Thai, Drama/ Musical –
The biography of Pumpuang Duangjan, considered the Queen of Thai country music.
The rags-to-riches story charts her successes in the 1980’s up to her early
death in 1992 at the age of 31. One of the most anticipated Thai films of the
year, and with a newcomer in the starring role. Prettified as biography, with
reportedly anything that shows anyone in a bad light changed or deleted.
Largo Winch 2 (Tome 2) / The Burma Conspiracy: France/
Germany/ Belgium, Action/ Adventure/ Thriller – Quite excellent, and a logical
choice to be shown in Thailand. Some of it is set in Chiang Mai, some in
Bangkok, and the crucial center of the story takes place just over the border in
Burma, among the Karen. The themes of “Crimes Against Humanity” and corporations
too large for their own good are straight from the headlines of the day.
“Largo Winch” is a popular Belgian comic book series
following the travails of a young and handsome orphan and his adoptive father
Nerio, head of a business empire. After his father is murdered, Largo inherits
the empire, but he is accused of crimes against humanity on the very day he
announces his intention to sell the corporation and use the proceeds to create a
humanitarian foundation.
Despite being listed as in English with Thai subtitles, or
told that at the box office, the truth is that it is shown in its original
languages (note the plural) and with English and Thai subtitles as needed. The
original languages are English, French, Thai, Serbian, and some Karen. Maybe a
few others. Quite an interesting international mixture, mirrored by the
world-trotting locales, and the stars from many nations. Proves that not only
Hollywood can come up with a first-class action film. It’s exciting and
full-bodied, and the Berlin-born French-but-of-Russian-and-Yemenite-origin
stand-up comedian Tomer Sisley is just perfect for the heroic central role of
Largo. I’d like to see more of him. Mixed or average reviews. At Pattaya Beach
only.
The Lost Bladesman: Hong Kong, Action/ Biography/
Drama/ History – This historical martial arts film set in AD 200 is adapted from
the story of Guan Yu crossing five passes and slaying six generals, as told in
Luo Guanzhong’s historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Most
reviewers claim it’s confusing, some admit to not understanding a thing, but
being very impressed with the fine balance between sweeping epic and intimate
personal drama. With superstar Donnie Yen. Generally favorable reviews.
Thai-dubbed only; not at Major.
Hanna: (Scheduled) US, Action/ Crime/ Mystery –
A really weird one, sort of a cross between a Euro Art Film and an ass-kicking
female action flick like those of Thailand’s own Jeeja (Chocolate). Hanna
(played by Saoirse Ronan) is a teenage girl with the strength, the stamina, and
the smarts of a solider; these come from being raised by her father (Eric Bana),
an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland. Her upbringing and training have been
one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning
point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a
mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched
after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own (Cate
Blanchett). An odd film with odd actions done for obscure reasons, but
entertaining and intriguing. Generally favorable reviews.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon: US, Action/ Adventure/
Sci-Fi – The opening 12 or so minutes I think is magnificent movie-making:
exciting and provocative, beautifully shot, great story, involving. Then we get
the titles and the beginning of the story of the two stars, the incredibly
irritating Shia LaBeouf and his girlfriend played by Victoria’s Secret model
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who is dreadful. The movie falls to pieces in my eyes
whenever their story is front and center, only to be further undermined by the
silly and incredibly noisy battles of the tinker toys.
Too bad, because there’s an involving and interesting movie
hidden beneath this one’s detritus. Set against the space race between the USSR
and the USA, the film re-imagines the reasons for the race, and neatly combines
historical footage with the fictional “true reasons” which, wouldn’t you know,
involves the Transformers and their hidden role in all this.
This indeed has been a big 2D and 3D spectacular at all
Pattaya locations, and has been continuing in 3D at Pattaya Beach in its new
second cinema devoted to digital 3D films. In 2D at the other locations, and
Thai-dubbed at Big C. The 3D is the best I’ve seen since Avatar. A lot of
care went into that aspect by the studio and director Michael Bay. Mixed or
average reviews.
Mai Ga Mum: Thai, Comedy/ Drama – Another Thai comedy
directed by and starring Thailand’s undisputed comedy superstar, Petchtai
Wongkamlao (Mum Jokmok). Mum’s close friendship with a woman leads to
misunderstandings with his wife. At Pattaya Beach only, but may have departed.
Gan Core Kud: (Scheduled) Thai, Comedy/ Horror
– Usual Thai horror-comedy. A hip-hop group called Gan Core Club is stuck on a
remote island. Their paradise turns to horror when they encounter bloody
islanders who love to kill people, and zombies that rise from the sea.
