Now playing in Pattaya
Cars 2 3D: (Scheduled) US, Animation/ Adventure/
Comedy/ Family – Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas
to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship
becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own:
international espionage. As visually appealing as any other Pixar production,
but the story for most is not that great. Mixed or average reviews.
Contagion: (Scheduled) US, Drama/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller
– A scary story, tightly plotted and tensely told. Soon after her return from a
business trip to Hong Kong, a woman dies from what is flu or some other type of
infection. Her young son dies a few days later. Her husband however seems
immune. Thus begins the spread of a deadly infection. For doctors and
administrators at the U.S. Center for Disease Control, several days pass before
anyone realizes the extent or gravity of this new infection. They must first
identify the type of virus in question and then find a means of combating it, a
process that will likely take several months. As the contagion spreads to
millions of people worldwide, societal order begins to break down as people
panic. Stars Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Matt Damon. Generally favorable
reviews.
The Three Musketeers 3D: (Scheduled) Germany/
France/ UK/ US, Action/ Adventure/ Romance – The hot-headed young D’Artagnan
along with three former legendary but now down-on-their-luck Musketeers must
unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from
seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war. An action-filled
re-imagining of the Alexandre Dumas classic. Christoph Waltz plays the
villainous Cardinal Richelieu. No reviews: not to be released in the real world
until October 13.
The Outrage / U Mong Pa Meung: Thai, Crime/ Mystery –
Adapted from the famed Japanese film Rashomon, this beautiful and
brooding Thai version takes place in a wood during Thai’s Lanna period. There’s
a mysterious murder, and the event is told at a hastily convened court by the
three participants, the victim speaking through a medium. Later an eye-witness
discusses the event with a monk who was present at the trial, and a
grave-tender. All the stories that are told are different, but each swears their
version is the truth. Beautifully acted by Ananda Everingham, Chermarn
Boonyasak, Mario Maurer, and Mum Jokmok, directed by ML Bhandevanop Devakul and
developed by him from his play of 20 years ago. Highly effective; I’ve seen it
twice now, and I recommend it highly. With English subtitles at all locations
(at least as of Wednesday).
Mr. Popper’s Penguins: US, Comedy/ Family – I’ve seen
this, and though for a Jim Carrey film it’s bland, too inoffensive, and
predictable, there is fun in it – particularly when the penguins are center
stage. Carrey tries to hide the whole flock (if that’s the word) in his New York
City apartment. Nice turn by Angela Lansbury. Mixed or average reviews. At
Pattaya Beach only.
Johnny English Reborn / Johnny English 2: US/ France/ UK,
Comedy – Rowan Atkinson returns to the role of the most unlikely intelligence
officer in Her Majesty’s Secret Service, where he must stop a group of
international assassins before they eliminate a world leader and cause global
chaos. He is in truth a very funny man, and you may be surprised at how much
you’re laughing. Thai-dubbed at Big C; English elsewhere.
Friends with Benefits: (Still scheduled) US,
Comedy/ Romance – While trying to avoid the clich้s of Hollywood romantic
comedies, Dylan (Justin Timberlake, really quite good) and Jamie (Mila Kunis,
also good) soon discover that adding the act of sex to their friendship really
does lead to complications. The chemistry between the two leads is excellent,
and I found it all quite enjoyable. If you really need to see a Rom-Com, you
could do much worse than this. Rated R in the US for some violent content and
brief sexuality; 18+ in Thailand. Generally favorable reviews.
Abduction: US, Action/ Drama/ Mystery/ Thriller – Hunk of
all hunks, Taylor Lautner (the wolf from the Twilight movies) got his
breakthrough chance with this movie, and apparently blew it! I haven’t seen such
bad reviews in a long time, like: “One of the worst films of 2011. The script
and editing is so horrific that it made Sigourney Weaver and Alfred Molina, two
great actors, look bad. Stay far away!” Too bad, and I guess I’ll stay away.
It’s a story of a young man who has the uneasy feeling that he’s living someone
else’s life. When he stumbles upon an image of himself as a little boy on a
missing persons website, all of his fears come true: he realizes his parents are
not his own and his life is a lie, carefully fabricated to hide something
mysterious and dangerous. Generally unfavorable reviews (and at the low end of
that category). Thai-dubbed at Big C.
Apollo 18: US, Horror/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller – Decades-old
found footage from NASA’s abandoned Apollo 18 mission, where two American
astronauts were sent on a secret expedition, reveals the reason the US has never
returned to the moon. Basically The Blair Witch in outer space, with an
ultra-low budget. Spanish director Gonzalo L๓pez-Gallego makes his
English-language feature debut. Generally unfavorable reviews – even lower than
Abduction. Not at Big C.
Baan Phee Pob: Reformation: Thai, Comedy/ Horror – The
evil spirit of Phee Pob (or Phop) is revived again! This is a long-running
ghost-comedy series of some twenty installments so far, and is notable for the
scenes of villagers running around and then hiding in large water jars. You must
have seen some of this. Some in the audience need to see nothing more than a
huge water jar and a hapless villager to start in with uncontrollable laughter.
Stars veteran actress Natthanee Sitthisaman as the gut-munching female ghost who
disembowels her victims. Must not be too ghoulish, though, as it’s rated G. At
Big C only, with English subtitles.
Colombiana: US/ France, Action/ Adventure/ Drama – I
liked this as an action flick and found it intriguing and exciting. A young
woman, after witnessing her parents’ murder as a child in Bogota, grows up to be
a stone-cold assassin. Stars Zoe Saldana (from Avatar) and she is a
riveting presence onscreen indeed. It’s chock-full of action, sex, and violence
– so much so that’s it’s rated 18+ in Thailand (but only PG-13 in the US). Mixed
or average reviews. Pattaya Beach and Major only, as of Wednesday.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark: US/ Australia/ Mexico,
Horror/ Thriller — Produced and co-written by Guillermo del Toro. The original
of this was a television thriller from 1973 which so bewitched the then
9-year-old del Toro that he then and there determined on a life of making
fantasy horror films – which he has done. A young girl sent to live with her
father and his new girlfriend in Rhode Island discovers creatures in her new
home who want to claim her as one of their own. They say it starts out being
quite scary indeed. With Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes. Rated R in the US for
violence and terror; 15+ here. Mixed or average reviews. Major only.
Shark Night 3D: US, Horror/ Thriller – A weekend at a
lake house in the Louisiana Gulf turns into a nightmare for seven vacationers as
they are subjected to fresh-water shark attacks. Generally unfavorable reviews.
Shown in 3D at Pattaya Beach and Major; 2D and Thai-dubbed at Big C.
Bad Teacher: US, Comedy – Cameron Diaz plays a
foulmouthed, ruthless, altogether inappropriate teacher who drinks, gets high,
and can’t wait to marry her meal ticket and quit teaching. It’s a repulsive
character, and I felt uncomfortable. With Jason Segel and Justin Timberlake (who
is getting to be a very pleasant person to share a movie with). Rated R in the
US for sexual content, nudity, language, and some drug use; 18+ here. Mixed or
average reviews. Pattaya Beach only.
Zookeeper: US, Comedy/ Family/ Romance – I’ve seen this,
and some of the animal antics made me laugh, and I dare say you too will find
them amusing to watch. But I think your overall appreciation of the film will
depend purely on how interesting you find the two human leads, Kevin James and
Rosario Dawson, and their rocky road to romance. I’m not enamored of either.
Generally unfavorable reviews. Playing as of Wednesday at Pattaya Beach only.
Cowboys & Aliens: US, Action/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller – Whatever
were they thinking? This is a film in which characters with ugly personalities
do unpleasant things to each other – the characters being humans, semi-humans,
and aliens. I can’t think of one reason why anyone should want to see this. Very
mixed styles, very mixed messages, all of it uncomfortable – despite the
high-priced help of Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. Mixed or average reviews. As
of Wednesday it was still playing at Major.
Luer Lae: Thai, Comedy/ Musical – Veteran comic Note
Chernyim collaborated with fellow comedian Yong Chernyim in this comedy aimed at
raising awareness of folk music among a new generation, urging them to preserve
it for future generations. The story is of a three-man band, all of whom are
crazy about ska music and hope to become famous. After troubles that force them
to disband, the three wander into a village where folk music is still being
preserved. Not at Major.
