The Believers

We have seen Christian and Jewish hypocrites, but most of us are unconscious of Buddhist hypocrites.  Still if there wasn't something strong at the core hypocrites would need to find another cover.

In "The Believers" three teenagers (Game, Win and Dear) fail at a gaming business venture and find themselves in very deep debt. They try to find an alternative to get out of debt and stumble on the idea of taking advantage of the Buddhist temples that seem to generate large income with little accountability.

They are very clever at how they manipulate those who run a small temple.  But they do attract attention.  They are basically laundering money, but others see temples as a great way to deal drugs.  Some of the monks are corrupt, but we also learn that many had been forced into monasteries by poor parents. 

The plot revolves around the schemes to pay off their debt and to deal with accusations of drug dealing.  They get involved with religious and miraculous symbols.  

There are a few sincerly religious people and one character is very good at articulating his beliefs.

Along the way you get a view of Thailand from moderately well off to poorer sections.from natural wild settings to modern cities and of course beautiful temples.   But it is really people who make this film so memorable.

Wattanapong Wongwan is the director in only his second feature. 

Aummmarapora Phandintong is the creator and a key writer for this series.  She has 13 credits for writing and 2 credits for the Script and Continuity Department.  She also was creator for "Analog Squad" (2023), one of my top favorites from last year,  Check http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/12/analog-squad.html

R.J. Khanijaon provided the music.

Kittiwat Semerat was a cinematographer with 5 film credits.

Paradorn Vesurai was an editor with 6 editor, 2 editorial department and 2 composing credits.

Teeradon Supapunpinyo plays Win.  He speaks English and worked with Ron Howard directing  in "Thirteen Lives" (2022).    He played in a rock band.  He has 27 film credits including "Bad Genius" (2017) and "In Family We Trust" (2018).http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/09/in-family-we-trust.html and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/06/bad-genius-out-of-thailand.html

Pachara Chirathivat played Game.  Was a band member including writing music, singing, keyboard and guitar.  He has 16 actnig, 1 composing and 1 soundtrack credit.Achiraya Nitibhon played Dear, sister to Game.  She took an online course with the Berklee College of Music.  As a singer she once had the number one hit in Thailand.  She has 2 film credits.

Channarong Khuntee-tao played Tang, one of the manipulators.  He has 11 acting and 1 directing credit.

Pramod Sangsorn played Yod, a detective who went against his superior.  He has 2 acting credits.

Will make you more conscius Available on Netflix dubbed or subtitled.

Analog Squad

This is the third Thai series I felt compelled to do a blog on this year and there were a few other good Thai films accessed on Netflix.  I think Netflix is on to a good thing.

As the series begins we meet up with four people.  We learn that each of the two younger have not met the other three prior to getting together.  The older women admits she used to be the girl friend of the older man but that he dumped her to marry another woman who left him and took their two kids.  The older man, Pond had learned his father was dying and although he had not seen him in twenty years he wanted to show his father his wife and two children before he died. In effect he had hired three actors. 

It turns out the younger woman balks at what she considers a lie.  Talked into it she and the other two talk briefly to the father, a man they have never met.  From this point it is difficult to see how cast and crew could justify seven more episodes, but there are lots of surprises  There is a lot of humor, but also time for reflection on relationships, lies and misunderstandings.

Relations develop between all four and beyond. The actors chosen are all engaging.

I also left out that this scenario happens leading up to the Y2K crisis.  You might recall there was a great fear that the whole internet was built without concern what would happen when the dating system tipped to 2000.  Disaster was predicted by many.  Fortunately there was a lot of effort to avoid the expected disaster, but nobody was certain that our dependence on the internet wouldn't lead to an apocalypse. 

You can anticipate a happy ending, but not necessarily with every fantasy detail.  

 This is good series by any standards.  Here are some of those responsible for it. 

Nalina Chaysombat was the director and a producer.  Prior to this series she had been an assistant director and a producer for 3 films. 

Nithiwat Tharatorn is listed as a creator and a screenwriter.  He has five writing credits including "The Teacher's Diary"  (2014) which was made into a Bollywood remake, "Notebook" (2019).

Aummaraporn Phandintong is also listed as a creator and a screenwriter.  She has 11 film credits.

Noachai Chaiyanam played Pond, the father.  He has been involved in commercials, music videos and graphic design.  He has 26 film credits as actor including "Delete" (2023) and "Hunger" (2023).  He has also been a director for 5 films.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/05/hunger-interesting-movie-from-thailand.html

Kritssanapoom Pibulsonggram plays Keg.  He had been a guitarist with a boy band.  He has 19 film credits including "In Family We Trust" (2018).  Check http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/09/in-family-we-trust.html

Namfon Kullanat Preeyawat played Lilly.  She has 6 film credits.

Wipawee Patasiri plays Bung.  This was her third film credit.

Yoko Takano played Papae, a former nude model and the mother of Keg.  She has 6 film credits.

Available in subtitled or dubbed platform on Netflix.

Once Upon a Star

Some of us older folks remember black and white films and some of our predecessors can recall movies with no sound dialogue.  Thailand went through a similar progression, but during the period before sound became readily accessible they offered live dubbing which was practical in rural areas with small villages.  They didn't charge admission, but got money from selling medicines usually by interrupting during tense moments in the film.

Unless you are a little interested in history and how things came to be you might find it a bit boring.  However the writer and director have plotted and handled events to be compelling. 

The troop we are following consists of three men, Manit, Kao and Uncle Man two of whom speak dialogue into the mikes while the third provides sound effects, sometimes including music.  The female voices are voiced by Manit.  The dialogue is sometimes improvised and the tone doesn't always match the script.  The three men realize that  they would get better responses if they hired a female.

This changes the dyanamics.  Kae has just left her abusive husband and needs the money.   Her ambition is actually to be typist.  At one point two of the men admit they have feelings for her, but agree not to make a play.  The boss, Manit fixes things and finds a typewriter to make workable and gifts it to Kae.  This infuriates the other, Kao and while they are heatedly discussing it are overheard by Kae who resents that an agreement was made without her knowledge.  After some hard feelings are expressed the situation is resolved by outside factors.

But still the four have competition.   In one segment two screens are side by side close enough that viewers can shift from one to the other.  There is a real tug of war and both use improvisation to good effect.

They also have mechanical problems which come from an old vehicle forced to travel down narrow muddy paths.  On one occasion they are rescued by a team of buffalos and another by a military troop.

Mitr Chaibancha a well regarded actor performed in non talkies.  His films were the attraction for many of the viewers.  In real life he died from a helicopter accident while filming on October 8, 1970.  This coincided with the troop running into hard times from modernizing efforts.

It runs smoothly and engagingly due to the efforts of the cast and crew.  Here are a few.

Nonzee Minbutr is the director/producer.  He started his career as a director of television commercials an music videos.  He has 14 film credits.

Ek Iemchuen is the writer.  He has 7 credits as a production designer and 4 as a writer.

Music is by Chatchai Pongraphan  with twenty years of experience.  He has been quoted saying "I make music for eyes, not ears."  I interpret that to mean the music supports the visual and in this film it certainly does.  He has 40 film credits.       

Teerawat Runjinham was the cinematographer.  He has 22 film credits.

Manussa Vorasingha is the editor. with 54 credits including "Bad Genius" (2017) and "Hunger" (2023).  See one of my favorite films  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/05/hunger-interesting-movie-from-thailand.html

Sukollawat Kanarot played Manit.  He has 54 film credits.

Nueghida Sophon played Kae.  She is best known for singing.  An award winner at an early age.  She has 13 film credits.

Jirayu La-ongmanee played Kao , the youngest of the three men.  He had been a prominent boy band member.  He has 22 film credits including a number of television series for multiple episodes.

Samart Payukaroon played Uncle Man.  He had been a muay thai and boxing champion.  He has 17 film credits.

We watch movies including the latest with the most fanfare, but we should maybe stop and realize there was a lot of history to reach this stage.  Thailand is making a mark on the international scene, but not forgetting how they got there.