Now playing in Pattaya
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2: US, Action/
Adventure/ Sci-Fi – This, the final Harry Potter, opened yesterday, absent a
major catastrophe, and is probably the only film playing, or nearly. Anyway,
don’t fight it, go see it. You know you will eventually anyway. The word is that
it’s 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. The entire series of
Potter books and motion pictures has been leading us to this final showdown
between Harry and Voldemort. But 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.
I can almost predict with a certainty that it is now playing
in both 2D and 3D versions at all three cinemas, and that the ones at Big C are
Thai-dubbed.
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. Not at Major.
The Roommate: US, Drama/ Thriller – I haven’t seen such
scathing reviews in a long time. Story of a deranged college freshman who
becomes obsessed with her new roommate. Consensus seems to be that it lacks
chills, thrills, or even cheap titillation, and is just plain bad. Worse, it’s
plagiarized from the film Single White Female, pitched to teens. Rated
18+ in Thailand, presumably for violence and menace, sexual content, some
language, and teen partying; rated only PG-13 in the US. Generally unfavorable
reviews, and at the lower end of that category. Pattaya Beach only.
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, with both versions Thai-dubbed at Big C. How the coming of
Harry Potter changes the schedule is unknown as this is written. 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.
Insidious: US, Fantasy/ Horror/ Thriller – A couple are still
unpacking boxes in their family’s new home when the wife first senses a sinister
presence. Eerie events steadily escalate into supernatural attacks, until one
day their oldest son slips into a mysterious coma. I thought it a very scary and
very fun haunted-house thrill ride by horror specialist James Wan, the
boyish-looking director responsible for the Saw series, and member of the
unofficial “Splat Pack” – directors who make brutally violent horror films. Not
so bloody here, just good old-fashioned scares. See it! Mixed or average
reviews. Not at Big C.
Green Lantern: US, Action/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller – A test pilot is
granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well
as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within
the universe. The personable and pleasing Ryan Reynolds becomes one of the six
Green Lanterns patrolling Sector 2814, which includes Earth. Also starring Mark
Strong and a delightfully evil Peter Sarsgaard. Much action on another world,
which is nicely detailed visually.
The film does everything right for a hero that is not exactly
the world’s favorite (not even well-known), but he has a sizable fan base, and
they should be pleased: It’s good comic-book fun. Hidden in the closing credits
is a scene from the sequel, in which a surprising character turns out to be
evil. I guess they’re assuming this story will continue through at least one
more film. Mixed or average reviews. As of earlier this week, it was being shown
in 2D only; not at Big C.
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. May have departed.
X-Men: First Class: US, Action/ Adventure/ Drama/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller – Smart,
spectacular, often thrilling, always incredibly entertaining – they did
everything right with this one. Following the classic Marvel mythology, the film
charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik
Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men –
beautifully realized by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender – discovering their
extraordinary mutant powers for the first time. Also features President John F.
Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis, in a re-imagining of that
near-catastrophic standoff. Generally favorable reviews. Film was never planned
for 3D; the director, Matthew Vaughn, prefers 2D. Now only at Pattaya Beach, if
indeed it’s still playing.