In 2004, Banjong Pisanthanakun and then-collaborator Parkpoom Wongpoom kickstarted their directorial careers with “Shutter,” a supernatural thriller so effective it’s been remade (albeit to lesser effect) abroad three times to date. Less likely to translate that widely is Pisanthanakun’s latest solo effort, “The Medium.” Marking his return to straight horror after a couple romances and one more comedically slanted genre film (“Pee Mak”), this demonic possession saga is too thoroughly Thai in milieu and details to risk being just another derivative of “The Exorcist.”
Still, cultural specificity only brings so much freshness to an overlong tale that ultimately trades in too many familiar tropes, from the victim’s evil-grinning, black-gunk-spewing
hijinks to the deployment of a found-footage construct a la “Blair Witch.” There are perhaps too many ideas here, few of them novel, and none scary enough to keep these two-hours-plus taut. A watchable mixed bag that’s already been successful on home turf,...
Still, cultural specificity only brings so much freshness to an overlong tale that ultimately trades in too many familiar tropes, from the victim’s evil-grinning, black-gunk-spewing
hijinks to the deployment of a found-footage construct a la “Blair Witch.” There are perhaps too many ideas here, few of them novel, and none scary enough to keep these two-hours-plus taut. A watchable mixed bag that’s already been successful on home turf,...
- 10/14/2021
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
“Shutter,” the commercially successful Thai horror film that has spawned three remakes, among which an American one that received mostly negative reviews but was a huge box office success, has divided critics since it was first screened at the Bangkok International Film Festival. However, audiences around the world seem to love it and it has been heralded by many as one of the greatest Asian horror films of the 21st century. I personally believe that “Shutter” offers a few elements to be considered a cut above the rest, but ultimately fails to overcome its overabundance of clichés and lack of compelling scares.
After a long night of drinking with friends, Tun and Jane, a young couple, hit a woman with their car while returning home and they flee the scene of the accident. The following days, many bizarre happenings occur and they start noticing some strange shadows...
After a long night of drinking with friends, Tun and Jane, a young couple, hit a woman with their car while returning home and they flee the scene of the accident. The following days, many bizarre happenings occur and they start noticing some strange shadows...
- 3/30/2020
- by Lyberis Dionysopoulos
- AsianMoviePulse
Congralutations to Andy Lau (representing Hong Kong's Oscar submission A Simple Life) and Eugene Domingo (the star of The Philippine's Oscar submission Woman in a Septic Tank) who won the People's Choice Award for Actor and Actress at the 6th Annual Asian Film Awards.
They look so happy. The Oscars are long over but somehow it's comforting to know that people hold new trophies every day of the year for something or other and not all of them are dreaming of Oscar. And not all awards bodies are concerned with whether or not Oscar voters are watching.
It was a big night for A Separation (which we were just talking about) which took home the top prize and three others. The craft categories were mostly split between Wu Xia and The Flying Swords of Dragon Gale, neither of which have come to Us cinemas.
The acting awards were all over...
They look so happy. The Oscars are long over but somehow it's comforting to know that people hold new trophies every day of the year for something or other and not all of them are dreaming of Oscar. And not all awards bodies are concerned with whether or not Oscar voters are watching.
It was a big night for A Separation (which we were just talking about) which took home the top prize and three others. The craft categories were mostly split between Wu Xia and The Flying Swords of Dragon Gale, neither of which have come to Us cinemas.
The acting awards were all over...
- 3/21/2012
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Still from A Separation
Asghar Farhadi’s Nader and Simin, A Separation added to its long list of accolades after it scooped up four awards at the 6th Asian Film Awards (Afa) in Hong Kong. It won the Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenwriter and Best Editor.
Donny Damara won the Best Actor for Lovely Man (Indonesia) while Deanie IP won the Best Actress for A Simple Life (Hong Kong).
The 6th Afa that took place on March 19 is one of the opening events of Entertainment Expo Hong Kong and takes place with two other flagship events of the Hkiffs: the 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff), and the 10th Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf).
The winners of the 6th Afa are:
Best Film
• Nader And Simin, A Separation (Iran)
Best Director
• Asghar Farhadi ― Nader And Simin, A Separation (Iran)
Best Actor
• Donny Damara ― Lovely Man (Indonesia...
Asghar Farhadi’s Nader and Simin, A Separation added to its long list of accolades after it scooped up four awards at the 6th Asian Film Awards (Afa) in Hong Kong. It won the Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenwriter and Best Editor.
Donny Damara won the Best Actor for Lovely Man (Indonesia) while Deanie IP won the Best Actress for A Simple Life (Hong Kong).
The 6th Afa that took place on March 19 is one of the opening events of Entertainment Expo Hong Kong and takes place with two other flagship events of the Hkiffs: the 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff), and the 10th Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf).
The winners of the 6th Afa are:
Best Film
• Nader And Simin, A Separation (Iran)
Best Director
• Asghar Farhadi ― Nader And Simin, A Separation (Iran)
Best Actor
• Donny Damara ― Lovely Man (Indonesia...
- 3/20/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Nominations for the 6th annual Asian Film Awards were announced in Hong Kong today:
Best Film
A Separation (Iran) Postcard (Japan) The Flowers of War (Mainland China) Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (Hong Kong/Mainland China) Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan) You Don’t Get Life a Second Time (India)
Best Director
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Lovely Man Sono Sion, Guilty of Romance Tsui Hark, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Wei Te-sheng, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Zhang Yimou, The Flowers of War
Best Actor
Chen Kun, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Donny Damara, Lovely Man Andy Lau, A Simple Life Park Hae Il, War of the Arrows Yakusho Koji, Chronicle of My Mother
Best Actress
Vidya Balan, The Dirty Picture Michelle Chen, You Are the Apple of My Eye Eugene Domingo, The Woman in the Septic Tank Leila Hatami, A Separation Deanie Ip,...
Best Film
A Separation (Iran) Postcard (Japan) The Flowers of War (Mainland China) Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (Hong Kong/Mainland China) Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan) You Don’t Get Life a Second Time (India)
Best Director
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Lovely Man Sono Sion, Guilty of Romance Tsui Hark, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Wei Te-sheng, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Zhang Yimou, The Flowers of War
Best Actor
Chen Kun, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Donny Damara, Lovely Man Andy Lau, A Simple Life Park Hae Il, War of the Arrows Yakusho Koji, Chronicle of My Mother
Best Actress
Vidya Balan, The Dirty Picture Michelle Chen, You Are the Apple of My Eye Eugene Domingo, The Woman in the Septic Tank Leila Hatami, A Separation Deanie Ip,...
- 1/18/2012
- MUBI
The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate and the other nominations for the 2012 Asian Film Awards have been announced. The 6th Annual Asian Film Awards was presented by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (Hkiffs) “to recognize excellence of film professionals in the film industries of Asian cinema.” This year’s award ceremony will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 19, 2012.
The full listing of the 2012 Asian Film Awards nominations have been announced.
Best Film
A Separation (Iran)
Postcard (Japan)
The Flowers of War (Mainland China)
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (Hong Kong/Mainland China)
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan)
You Don’t Get Life a Second Time (India)
Best Director
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Lovely Man
Sono Sion, Guilty of Romance
Tsui Hark, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
Wei Te-sheng, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
Zhang Yimou, The...
The full listing of the 2012 Asian Film Awards nominations have been announced.
Best Film
A Separation (Iran)
Postcard (Japan)
The Flowers of War (Mainland China)
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (Hong Kong/Mainland China)
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan)
You Don’t Get Life a Second Time (India)
Best Director
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Lovely Man
Sono Sion, Guilty of Romance
Tsui Hark, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
Wei Te-sheng, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
Zhang Yimou, The...
- 1/18/2012
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
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