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Money matters:
Graham Macdonald MBMG International Ltd.
All you need to know about Hedge Funds - part 1
The first Hedge Fund (HF) was created in 1949 by Alfred
Winslow Jones, who was a Doctor of Sociology. He was also an ex-journalist for
Fortune magazine. He used short selling to ‘hedge’ against any risk in his
portfolio of more traditional equities. This means he decided that this was the
way to ensure his potential fortune did not suddenly disappear due to a sudden
market collapse as in 1929.
What is less well known is that Dr. Jones discovered a loophole in US company
law which allowed him to avoid the regulators for over ten years.
He proved his theory to friends and they gave him USD100,000. He ‘hedged’ his
portfolio. This means that for every share he bought, he sold ‘short’ the shares
of a similar company in the same sector, whose prospects he regarded as being
less favourable. Going ‘short’ means selling shares that have been ‘borrowed’
rather than owned in the expectation of buying them back at a cheaper price thus
making a profit from the decrease in the value of the share or stock. In essence
Jones was creating a portfolio that was much less of a hostage to the general
market and far more reliant on his ability as a stock picker.
Dr. Jones then borrowed more money to leverage his portfolio. His tax
‘avoidance’ was done by skirting the securities laws which barred investment
companies from dubious speculation. He did this by wrapping his investments into
a limited partnership. Seeing how successful he was, he then introduced
performance fees of 20% of the profits on top of a two percent per annum annual
management charge.
The good doctor then carried on quietly doing this for himself and his friends
until Fortune Magazine printed an article on him called The Jones That Nobody
Can Keep Up With. According to Fortune, Jones was outperforming his closest
rival in regular fund management by an incredible 85 percent over a five year
period - even after deducting those juicy fees.
People could not believe it and within a couple of years there were over 200
Hedge Funds, all developing a wide range of different strategies that fell
outside of the mainstream, although many of these moved away from Jones’
original concept of hedging in the best way to protect capital and to make
returns more predictable. One of the early pioneers was George Soros. This is
the same George Soros who managed the Quantum Fund which later took on the UK
government and won, making a fortune for Soros and forcing Sterling to exit the
ERM (the predecessor of the ECU and therefore the Euro).
By the early 1990s there were about 1,000 HFs.
Hedge funds were now becoming more widely understood but they were still only
really accessible for the super-rich. With the growth of more funds this was
soon to change as they came to be part of institutional and personal portfolios.
By this time, the whole concept had gotten a lot more complicated and diverse.
Derivatives were coming more and more into play but the wise ignored them. Soros
said they were the “economic equivalent of crack cocaine”. Warren Buffet, who in
essence was at the vanguard of that part of the hedge fund industry that focuses
on private equity, has despised them for decades. However, many ignored their
warnings and in the late Nineties the HF, Long Term Capital Management (LTCM),
nearly brought the financial system to a total collapse.
How did this happen? It borrowed the equivalent of more than USD125 billion even
though it only had collateral of just over USD2 billion in its portfolio. This
was used to make massive one-way bets in the bond markets - Jones would have
been horrified that anyone could class this as a hedge fund when, certainly at
the time of its demise, it was anything but. Notably, these ‘bets’ included
Russia and many other markets that it turned out, to LTCM’s cost, were closely
correlated to Russia. All seemed rosy until the gamble fell apart when Moscow
defaulted on its interest obligations in mid-1998.
Lessons were learned. Today’s HFs offer a lot more diversity than their
predecessors and the managers are much more open about how their funds operate.
Despite the fact that (largely because of LTCM and other members of the
investment lunatic fringe that get incorrectly classified as hedge funds) most
HFs are classified as High Risk, it is becoming more and more usual for them to
be a part of someone’s portfolio as ‘real hedge funds’ (i.e. ones that actually
HEDGE). They can offer good, medium term, risk adjusted performance which can
complement the more traditional bond and equity investments.
To be continued…
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The above data and research was compiled from sources
believed to be reliable. However, neither MBMG International Ltd nor its
officers can accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the above
article nor bear any responsibility for any losses achieved as a result of any
actions taken or not taken as a consequence of reading the above article. For
more information please contact Graham Macdonald on
[email protected]@mbmg-international.com.com
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Snap Shots: by Harry Flashman
The Ten Commandments
Photography remains in its purest sense, painting with
light. No matter how you record the image, be that digital or film, you
are only recording the way light falls on some subject. Taken to its
absurd level, when there is no light, you will get no image.
So remembering the basics, here are the 10 basic ‘commandments’ to get
better pictures. Follow them through, and I will guarantee you will get
better photographs. And get more fun out of your photography.
 Ansel
Adams.
The first is simply to take more shots of each subject. Photography,
like any sport, recreation or pursuit is something where the more you do
it and practice it, the better you get. That just means putting more
film through the camera, or using up space in the memory card. But be
careful you don’t just take the same shot 10 times! Move the camera
position and move the subject. One of the 10 shots will be a good one.
The one major fault in most amateur photographs is taking the shot from
too far away. From now on, make the subject the “hero” and walk in
several meters closer to make the subject fill the frame.
Focussing! With modern auto-focus cameras the most obvious focussing
problem is where the subject is off-centre. The magic eye doesn’t know
this and focuses on the background, leaving your close-up subject soft
and blurry. Focus on the subject and use the focus lock facility of your
camera.
Tripods I mentioned recently, but one of these will expand your picture
taking no end. Camera shake becomes a thing of the past, and you will
take more time to compose your shots. Using a tripod is the only way to
get ‘Ansel Adams’ landscapes.
Keep your interest and pride in your work by making enlargements of your
better photos. At around 100 baht for most places, this is very cheap
and enlargements do make good presents at Xmas time too.
We all get lazy and it is too easy to end up just taking every picture
in the horizontal (landscape) format. Make it a habit to always take at
least two shots of each subject - one in the horizontal format and the
other in the vertical. You can get some surprising results that way.
Don’t be lazy - do it!
With colour photography, which covers about 99.99% of most people’s
pictures these days, the one major factor to give your skies and seas
and scenery some colour oomph is the use of a polarizing filter. Get one
and use it.
You will always miss some “classic” shots and regret it later, but you
certainly will never get them if you don’t have a camera with you. With
so many incredible photo opportunities in Thailand, you should be
photographically ready at all times!
To give your daytime shots some extra sparkle, use “fill-in” flash. Most
new cameras have a little setting that will do this automatically for
you - even with point and shooters. If you haven’t, then spend some time
learning how to do it. It’s worth it when you see the results you get.
To give yourself the impetus to go out and take photos, develop a
project and spend your leisure time building up the images. It can be
flowers or fashion, cars or canaries, but fix on something and follow it
through. It’s worth it, just for the fact that it makes you become an
“enquiring” photographer.
Don’t forget, at the end of every year, give the camera a birthday by
buying it some new batteries. You won’t have a problem damaging the
sensitive innards with neglected battery acid and the camera’s light
metering system will work correctly every time. It’s cheap insurance.
Here is the list to cut out, laminate and put in the camera bag.
1. Take more shots
2. Walk several meters closer
3. Use the focus lock
4. Buy a tripod
5. Make enlargements of your better prints
6. Use different formats
7. Use a polarizing filter
8. Carry your camera with you
9. Use the flash during the day
10. Develop a project
Modern Medicine:
by Dr. Iain Corness, Consultant
Tootsies - disproportionate pain
Have you ever broken a toe? Any toe. If you have, you will
remember it as broken toes are damn painful. In fact, the pain is much
greater than many other fractures, such as a nose, or even a wrist, despite
the ridiculously small digits like toes.
Having been born inherently clumsy, I have fractured several toes, with most
occurring by walking into table legs or other immovable pieces of furniture.
I also sacrificed my big toe by managing to drop a large concrete brick on
it. While wearing no shoes. Inherently clumsy.
One year, I celebrated Xmas Day somewhat differently - I broke my toe! It
was unintentional, and not done to get out of domestic chores or to beg off
playing golf with our Xmas house guests, who had beaten me hollow on Xmas
morning. It was a simple matter of catching the corner of the bed in the
afternoon.
After the initial mutterings of hopping one-legged around the bedroom going
“Ow! Ow!” I expected the buzzing throb to quietly go away. It didn’t, but
what did come was the slow appreciation that I had done a little more than
just a stubbed toe. The toe began to swell and took on a beautiful purple
hue, which is almost 100 percent indicative of a fracture. X-Rays really
only confirm the clinical diagnosis.
Now I was actually quite lucky. If you must have a fractured toe as a
pastime, do not pick the big toe for this. It really is the only important
toe, as it is the one that keeps your balance. No joke. When you are
standing, there are all sorts of little receptors in your head that tell
your brain whether you are stable, or in danger of falling forwards or
backwards. These receptors then relay messages to your big toe, to increase
or decrease pressure to keep you upright - and you thought the only reason
for your big toe was to move family pets out of the way!
I was lucky in the fact that my Xmas fracture was of the middle toe. After
the importance given to the big toe, all the others are only there to fill
up the space in your shoes. And no, I’m not joking. Just have a look at your
other toes. What a twisted, misshapen bunch of digits they all are. What
earthly other use is there for them? About as useful as a box of matches in
a typhoon.
So what is the treatment for fractured toes? Let me assure you from nerve
tingling personal experience, that the first is pain relief. (As an aside, I
have always said that the ideal doctor to consult is one who has had the
ailment you are suffering from. I am now a specialist in fractured toes.)
Pain relief! Some paracetamol with a good lump of codeine in it works well
for the first 24 hours, and after that, simple paracetamol is really all
that is necessary for the smaller toes, but the big toe might need the extra
oomph of codeine for a few more days.
Again there is a difference between big and little toes as far as further
treatment is concerned. The big toe often needs some kind of immobilization,
and splinting or even plaster may be required. For the smaller toes, taping
to the next toe up is all that is necessary, or if it is the very tip of the
toes that is fractured (that’s the bit we medico’s call the ‘Terminal
Expansion’), just masterfully ignore the toe.
Shoes? Or no shoes? Two schools of thought here. The first is just to wear
sandals or thick socks only, and undoubtedly this can be more comfortable,
but the toes is more vulnerable to more small knocks and bumps. The other
school of thought is to screw your eyes up tight and get the foot into a
shoe. It contains the swelling, effectively immobilizes the digit and does
offer some protection to bumping of the exquisitely painful extremity. Ow!
Ow! Ow!
 Heart to Heart with Hillary
Dear Hillary,
Is the situation in Thailand as bad as I hear it to be? I have been writing to a
couple of ladies through a dating service and was going to come out over
Christmas to see them and make a choice, but reading about all the problems with
these ladies I wonder if it is such a good idea. I’m 55 and divorced, so I’ve
had experience with ladies, it’s not as if I’m 21 and wet behind the ears, yet I
read of other blokes the same age as me, and all they get is being ripped off.
You seem to have a handle on what’s going on. What do you think?
George
Dear George,
You are probably the ideal candidate to get ripped off, my Petal. 55, unlucky in
love, probably comfortably well off and working through a dating agency. What
are the women like that you’ve met in dating agencies in your own country? All
of them carting years of psychological baggage I imagine. There is a common bond
here - you are desperate and so are they. That is not necessarily the best
foundation for a life-long bond, is it? Having said all that, I am sure there
are some absolute gems in the dating agency files, but do not, repeat do not,
come over here at Xmas to “choose” which one of these lovely ladies you will
take as your blushing bride. See if you like either of them, see if they really
can speak English as good as the emails would suggest, and make a promise to
come back at Easter. And keep your wallet locked, don’t write your PIN number on
the back of your credit card, and stay away from the bars. Probably not what you
wanted to hear, but that’s my opinion. I thought I was wrong once, but I was
mistaken.
Dear Hillary,
Or as the ladies in the corner shop would say, “Peepo! Peepo!” Peasmold
Gruntfuttock has been elevated to the peerage and wonders if the title, “Lord
Fitznok of Soi 6” would be acceptable?
Mistersingha
Dear Mistersingha,
You are a silly twisted boy, and I would imagine, with your strange English
phraseology and perverted thoughts, you would realize that phrase comes from the
wonderful, all leather Goon Show, when in the fifth series, Grytpype-Thynne says
this to Neddie Seagoon on a regular basis in regard to his silly behavior. It is
also heard in “China Story”, following Ned Seagoon’s admission that he is the
British ambassador, and in “The Whistling Spy Enigma” after Ned arrives at MI5,
giving a long list of patriotic and foolhardy deeds he is willing to do for his
country. And in fact, it was (the late) Spike Milligan who wrote, “The genuine
all-leather Goon Show, price two and six at any good chemist’s.” These were the
masters, Mistersingha. You and I are mere amateurs and should perhaps keep our
wit to ourselves.
Dear Hillary,
The wife of one of my husband’s friends will be coming to visit Thailand next
month, along with a couple of her girl friends. They would all be in their 50’s,
and shocked me when they wrote and said they wanted to see a “sex show” while
they are here. Do you think it’s proper for me to take them to some of the more
outrageous places, or what? I’m really blown away by this. What do you
recommend, Hillary?
Blown Away
Dear Blown Away,
There is nothing to worry about, my dear. Everybody knows we don’t have sex
shows in Thailand. The nice policeman told me so. If you’re really worried, get
your husband to take them.
Dear Hillary,
We are often in Thailand and the one thing that completely confuses me is the
subject of tipping - when and how much? If the establishment charges a “service”
fee, should you tip as well? What do you do as someone living there, for
example? I believe that the wages are not high for some of the people in bars
and restaurants and they need the tips, but I do not want to throw money away
either? What’s your tip about tipping?
Terrie Tipper
Dear Terrie Tipper,
There are two situations here - Service Charge or no Service Charge. If the
establishment adds on 10 percent (the usual amount), then as far as I am
concerned - that’s the tip. There are some places that no doubt pocket the
Service Charge, but that’s not anything of our doing, nor can we change it. That
is something between the employees and the owners to work out. However, if I
feel that the waiter or service provider has gone well beyond that which could
be expected, then I reward with a little extra something for that person,
irrespective. You know the sort of things I like - a little fawning, groveling
and lots of compliments. In an establishment that has no standard add on Service
Charge, then it really is up to you. Small change left over or up to 10 percent
is quite normal. The Thai people are grateful for anything you leave them. It
all adds up by the end of the day.
Learn to Live to Learn: with Andrew Watson
Globe Trotting
From the port-hole of my up-graded window seat, I’m soaring
above the earth, watching the curvature in sharp relief, a
glorious, improbable juxtaposition of Prussian blue and
iridescent primrose yellow, the last vestige of light marking
the end of another day on this remarkable planet.
 Jerusalem;
the classic view from the Mount of Olives
As I write, I’m on the way to Italy from the land of our fathers
- Israel, not Wales. I attended a wedding and what a tremendous
three days it’s been. But I’m feeling a little shattered; there
hasn’t been a great deal of rest in the past week. In jet lag’s
slipstream, sleep has followed reluctantly. Sooner or later, I
know that those frozen hours will come flooding back. Most
likely, I’ll miss out Wednesday, come up smiling Friday.
The Rabbi conducting the ceremony was about five-foot-four,
including hat. If you remember “The Crankies” (I’m pleased to
say I don’t but I was assured of the resemblance) or the scary
old woman in “Poltergeist” then you have an idea of how he
looked and indeed, sounded. He was a mezzo-soprano; it was as if
he was on helium.
The assembled company, consisting of a variety of American
diplomats on one side and Sephardic Iraqi Jews on the other,
broke into spontaneous, suppressed guffaws, which quickly
reached the bride and groom, who not for the last time that
evening we might presume, were unable to contain themselves. The
mood, however, remained largely reverential, embroidered with an
air of increasing frivolity. Until the groom, with an exquisite
sense of occasion and timing, in not so much broken but
lacerated Hebrew, promised to marry himself, smashed the glass
with his foot and limped over to kiss the bride with clinking
glass remnants embedded in his shoe.
“The future of American foreign policy is in safe hands,” we
thought. There was nothing for it but to dance furiously,
relentlessly into the night. The peace and tranquillity afforded
by a comfortable seat on an easy plane journey provided a
quintessential opportunity for reflection. I fell asleep
laughing.
And I awoke smiling still, as the wheels on the tarmac of
Linate, Milan bumped me into unwilling consciousness. It’s funny
how and when memories force their way to the forefront of your
mind. At this moment I remembered a class in Jerusalem; there
had been a bombing and together, we were searching for a way out
of the misery. “What is happiness?” a girl asked, for it seemed
at the time such a remote concept. Another answered; “Happiness
is a feeling of joy that makes you smile.” It was such a simple
way of describing something so fleeting, so ephemeral and so
apparently unobtainable. Knowing what it was we were after made
it easier to grasp.
Another country, and another event of such magnitude that any
residual feelings of fatigue were swept aside by a wave of
anticipation. I had recently experienced the world’s largest,
and by all accounts best, interior design fair, where fortune
had favoured me indeed. There I had been given tickets to Teatro
alla Scala or “La Scala”, by common consent one of the world’s
great stages. In my pocket were tickets, would you believe, for
“Il lago dei cigni” better known to native English speakers as
“Swan Lake” and surely the world’s favourite ballet. Opened in
1778, the Opera house has long been the place to be seen for the
noble, wealthy and pompous and dare I say it, for lovers of
quality ballet, music, opera and theatre. Where I qualify, I
leave you to decide.
In the past, the Milanese in the stalls would watch the shows
standing up, tomatoes at the ready. They are a notoriously
fickle crowd, the Milanese. Now, the stalls retail at about 200
euros a bash; very expensive to those who can afford it, free to
those who can’t. We had a box, the perfect view. I trembled when
I saw the price of the ticket; not much change out of 500 Euros.
I felt peculiar and had to sit down. A glass of Veuve Clicquot
calmed my nerves, albeit temporarily. The lights of the vast
million-starred chandelier were beginning to dim.
For the next four acts, over four hours, I sat in thrall. I
can’t pretend I know the works of Tchaikovsky inside out but the
simple drama of the piece set my heart a flutter. Light and dark
were at work, tonal differentiation rendered with perfect
distinction. And then there was the astonishing gilded
athleticism of the jester. He sprinted over thirty metres of
expansive stage, every leap a gasp-inducing, physically
improbable splits a metre above earth. The guy was flying and
watching him made me feel like I was too, still. Oh my God; the
disciplined, beautiful unison of the cygnets was enough to make
you weep. Body, mind and spirit were as one. I thought of Naz
Neufeld of PMTV. Small wonder that a terpsichorean of perfect
artistic discipline and consummate confidence such as she,
recently danced off with the Elite model award for Thailand. She
would have loved this.
As the final curtain fell, the “Danseur” (the male equivalent of
the Prima Ballerina) loved himself just a little too much. His
ego was more obvious than the contents of his cod-piece. Oh the
thighs! On our feet, our hands were already sore; we were
cheering the Jester and the Ballerinas.
For fear of turning into pumpkins, presumably, all La Scala
shows must finish before midnight; the longer the show, the
earlier they begin. Similarly, every building in Milan must be
shorter than the ever-dominant 11th century Gothic Duomo. Being
there, even for just one night, kind of makes you part of it
all. It’s a wonderful feeling. It’s a bit like walking around
Jerusalem, as I had done just hours before.
I took a cab to the airport. Three hours to another country,
another culture. This time to England, the country of my birth.
For all the majesty of my globe-trotting experiences, there was
something reassuring about heading north. Even though I no
longer live there; even though they have no La Scala, no Wailing
Wall, no Jerusalem, I feel a familiar stirring of the senses as
I board the plane. It feels like I am going home.
Next week: A Sense of Mission
DOC ENGLISH Teaching your kids how to learn English:
Young, gifted & talented?
Welcome back to the regular column for parents teaching their kids
English at home.
Most schools tend to place emphasis on improving education for the
“average” student or students at the margin of success. Often there is
less provision made for children who consistently struggle in school, or
indeed for students who find that school work is simply not challenging
enough.
This week I want to talk about this latter group of students, the
‘Gifted and Talented’ students. If your child regularly appears to find
school work (and homework) too easy, or he/she often displays a negative
attitude towards school and school work, then perhaps your child is not
being challenged enough in school. This week’s article might help you
determine if your child is ‘Gifted and Talented’ and hopefully allow you
determine the best course of action for your young Einstein.
What is a ‘Gifted and Talented’ child?
Gifted and talented (G&T) children are those who have one or more
abilities developed to a level significantly ahead of their year group
(or with the potential to develop these abilities). G&T children need to
be presented with work that challenges, stretches and excites them on a
daily basis.
How can you spot a G&T child?
Many educationalists have produced lists of characteristics of very
able children. Some of these appear to be negative, but these
characteristics may be a result of not being challenged in school. Once
your child is identified as a G&T child and receives adequate support,
then you may see some of these negative traits disappear.
General characteristics of gifted, talented and more able pupils - he or
she may:
* be a good reader
* be very articulate or verbally fluent for their age
* give quick verbal responses (which can appear cheeky)
* have a wide general knowledge
* learn quickly
* be interested in topics which one might associate with an older child
* communicate well with adults - often better than with their peer group
* have a range of interests, some of which are almost obsessions
* show unusual and original responses to problem-solving activities
* prefer verbal to written activities
* be logical
* be self taught in their own interest areas
* have an ability to work things out in their head very quickly
* have a good memory that they can access easily
* be artistic
* be musical
* excel at sport
* have strong views and opinions
* have a lively and original imagination / sense of humour
* be very sensitive and aware
* focus on their own interests rather than on what is being taught
* be socially adept
* appear arrogant or socially inept
* be easily bored by what they perceive as routine tasks
* show a strong sense of leadership
* not necessarily be well-behaved or well liked by others
Provision for G&T students
There are many ways for teachers to support G&T students. You can
discuss the best forms of support with your teacher and with your child.
Your child might object to being withdrawn from a class so you should
agree the best course of action with your child before you start. The
school may charge extra for additional support, or you can provide your
own support / extra tutoring at home.
Separate classes
Gifted students are educated in a separate class. Some classes offer
directed studies, where the students lead a class themselves and decide
on their own projects, tests, and all other assignments.
Self pacing
Self-pacing methods, such as the ‘Montessori’ Method allow children
to advance at their own pace. Self-pacing can allow children to learn at
a highly accelerated rate.
Acceleration
Pupils are advanced to a higher-level class covering material more
suited to the pupils’ abilities. This may take the form of skipping
grades or completing normal curriculum in a shorter-than-normal period
of time. Discuss with your teacher whether your child should move up a
class, even if it’s only for certain subjects.
Pull-out
Students spend a portion of their time in a gifted class, and the
rest of their time with same grade students of varying abilities. These
programs vary widely, from carefully designed half-day academic programs
to a single hour each week of educational challenges.
Enrichment
Students spend all class time with their peers, but receive extra
material to challenge them. This work is done in addition to, and not
instead of, any regular school work assigned.
Home tutoring
Such as extra tutoring, weekend classes, summer school.
Hobbies
Activities like chess, foreign languages, art, dance or music give
an extra intellectual challenge outside of school hours.
I hope this week’s article has been useful. If you want more information
on Gifted and Talented children, you could try this web site from the
BBC Schools Web Site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/life/sen/gifted_and_talented.
That’s all for this week mums and dads. If you want more information on
teaching your kids at home you can email me at: docenglish
[email protected] Enjoy spending time with your kids.
Let’s go to the movies:
by Mark Gernpy
Now playing in Pattaya
Wanted: US Action/Thriller – A young man (James McAvoy)
discovers his father is an assassin, and when his father is murdered,
the son is recruited into his father’s organization and trained by a man
named Sloan (Morgan Freemen) to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Rated R
in the US for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language, and
some sexuality.
Get Smart: US Action/Comedy – A funny and action-filled film,
almost as good as having a new James Bond film around. Steve Carell is
Secret Agent Maxwell Smart, based on the 60’s US television series
created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, which made fun of spies in the
cold war and secret spy gadgets.
Death Sentence: US Drama/Thriller – Despite the overwhelmingly
scathing reviews, I liked this film, and I think its star, Kevin Bacon,
is a vastly underrated actor. This time, once again, he gives an intense
and gutsy performance. The film is a white-collar revenge fantasy in the
vein of Death Wish (and based on a novel by the same author) pondering
the nature and limits of retribution, asking if murder can ever be
justified. Rated R in the US for strong, bloody, brutal violence, and
pervasive language. Generally negative reviews.
The Last Moment/Rak-Sam-Sao: Thai Romance/Drama – A love triangle
develops between three university friends, one of whom becomes
terminally ill.
Good Morning Luang Prabang: Thai/Lao Drama/Romance – Thai superstar
Ananda Everingham, part Laotian himself, is extraordinarily charming as
a partly-Laotian Thai photographer assigned a photo shoot in Laos. He is
reluctant to return to his homeland, which he left many years before, as
he feels estranged from his country. This relaxed and sweet love
story/travelogue is a valentine to the land and people of Laos. It’s a
Thai-Lao co-production, and marks the first Laotian feature film in
nearly 20 years. Slow, languid, and loveable – and recommended.
The Happening: US/India Drama/Sci-Fi – M. Night Shyamalan
produces another mysterious film people will either love or hate.
Shyamalan is an accomplished director and even if one of his movies does
not entirely work, it is sure to be more interesting than your average
run-of-the-mill suspense movie. This film is beautifully crafted, with
some excellent scenes of tension and spookiness, and I think an
outstanding performance by Mark Wahlberg. If you plan on seeing it, I
suggest you don’t read too much about it before you see it – go with an
open mind. Rated R in the US for violent and disturbing images, but it
seems much of this has been clipped out in Thailand. Generally negative
reviews.
The Incredible Hulk: US Action/Sci-Fi – With an excellent
performance by Edward Norton, it’s a terrific comic-based action picture
with mythic themes – shades of King Kong and Frankenstein. Very exciting
indeed, and a top notch production. I’m enjoying this new series of
movies from Marvel Studios starring their ever-popular superheroes,
which started with the recent excellent Iron Man. Generally favorable
reviews.
Kung Fu Panda: US Animation/Comedy – Pure fun! And I laughed a
lot. An animated comedy set in the legendary world of ancient China,
about a lazy panda who must somehow become a Kung Fu Master in order to
save his valley from a villainous snow leopard. Sort of a take-off of
the recent Jet Li/Jackie Chan film The Forbidden Kingdom, full of
irreverent invention against bright Chinese images, with dazzling
animation. Sharp and funny, with some surprisingly tender moments.
Jackie Chan voices the monkey, Angelina Jolie voices the tigress, and
Dustin Hoffman voices Shifu. The scene after the credits is actually
very sweet and meaningful. Almost worth staying for. Generally favorable
reviews.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: UK/US
Adventure/Family/Fantasy – Further adventures of the four British kids
in Narnia. This has been around a long time here in Thailand, as movies
go, and it’s still the fourth most popular film here. You will enjoy
this sequel if you enjoyed the first film, or if you are interested in
Christian allegories. Or see it if you simply enjoy children’s
adventure/fantasy stories. This is the second episode in the seven book
series. Generally favorable reviews.
Sex and the City: The Movie: US Comedy – Fans of the television
show and Sarah Jessica Parker should be very happy with this chick-flick
about very rich, witty, well-dressed women and their so-called problems.
Mixed or average reviews. Rated R in the US for strong sexual content,
graphic nudity, and language.
Puppy Love / Haakao: Thai Comedy/Romance – With Mum Jokmok and
other old and new comedy stars, in a story with a bit of female
homosexuality, a talking dog, a lady-boy, and ghosts.
Scheduled for July 3
Hancock: US Action/Comedy – A different kind of superhero:
edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood. He gets the job done and
saves countless lives, but he also seems to leave an awful lot of
collateral damage as well. The people of Los Angeles have had enough.
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