Though I was in Bangkok last week for a close friend's wedding, distance doesn't matter when it comes to film viewing (and criticism). Here are some notable films that I've seen recently:
BEAUTY IN TROUBLE
From the director of the Oscar nominated Divided We Fall (2000) comes this loosely-plotted and potent social commentary on contemporary Czech life. This time, frequent collaborators Jan Hrebejk and writer Peter Jarkovsky set their sights on the ever-complicated women-in-distress sub-genre. A young mother has recently divorced her carnapping business owner husband in favor of maintaining a "normal" life for her kids. Though her nagging mom and crazy adoptive dad only makes domestic life worse, good fortune comes in the presence of a rich Czech man who goes back to her native land. As the famous adage says, "misery loves company," and with many catchy lines and interesting dialogue and confrontations in the script, viewers should prepare themselves for trouble in keeping themselves quiet in this perfectly crafted socio-political family comedy. Strong performances are another asset of this Cine Europa 2008 entry, the best among the rest of the line-up this year.
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Sally Hawkins (who won Best Actress honors at Berlin last spring) is the highlight of Mike Leigh's well acted character study (with touches of his patented socio-political commentary). With her natural gifts and perfect dramatic and comic timing, the young actress is a contender for next year's Oscars. Though Leigh's script falls wayward at times (especially after the climax), strong performances by the supporting cast enliven the viewing experience. At this time wherein there's so much bad news in the world, Happy-Go-Lucky should at least provide an interesting diversion amidst the pessimism of the film and the real world.
ART MUSEUM BY THE ZOO
Jeong-Hyang Lee (Barking Dogs Never Bite, 2001) wrote and directed this intriguing variation on the movie-within-a-movie sub-genre. This time, the movie is actually an entry for a scriptwriting contest by an ambitious videographer. With a recently-dumped flatmate on her room, sparks fly between the two. Though the plot is conventional, fine performances from the two leads and Lee's perfect attention to the narrative make this a notable departure from the typical cutesy romantic comedy genre.
UPCOMING QUICK TAKES
1. Sukiyaki Western Django, Takashi Miike (2007)
2. Les Chansons d'Amour, Christophe Honore (2007)
3. Mad Detective, Johnnie To (2007)
4. Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna), Patricia Haggens (2007)
5. Bashing, Masahiro Kobayashi (2005)
6. Night Run, Dana Nechushtan (2006)
7. And When Did You Last See Your Father, Anand Tucker (2007)
8. In This World, Michael Winterbottom (2002)
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