New releases that hit cinemas in Thailand this week.
Turning Red
Directed by Domee Shi.
Who’s in it?
The voices of Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh and Ava Morse.
What’s it about?
A thirteen-year-old girl named Mei Lee is torn between staying her mother's dutiful daughter and the changes of adolescence. And as if the challenges were not enough, whenever she gets overly excited she transforms into a giant red panda.
Why watch it?
The number 4 is considered unlucky in Chinese culture; it sounds similar to the word for "death" in both Mandarin and Cantonese.
Pattaya Heat
Directed by Shu-peng Yang.
Who’s in it?
Ananda Everingham, Jirayu Tantrakul and Krissada Sukosol.
What’s it about?
Thot, the killer of the gang, is released from prison. He begins to work in a pizza shop Singha. Fah, his brother's wife, fancies Thot but gets rejected by him. Singha doesn't like Thot. Sergeant Chai, a police officer nearing retirement, loses a bet at a casino. Unwilling to sell the golden revolver that he left to Simon, the owner of the casino. Simon returns the golden revolver to Sergeant Chai because he wanted Chai to help him transport gold from Bangkok to Pattaya.
Why watch it?
Ananda Everingham playing Simon, the fiercest mafia godfather, clashes with Jirayu Tantrakul, who plays Tot. Krissada Sukosol aka Noi Pro plays Six, while Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak plays Ji, who is behind the clever planning in the form of a fortune teller, and Thanet “Ek” Warakunnukroh plays Sergeant Chai, a low-ranking police officer. Christine Kulsatri plays the role of Fah.
Dune: Part One
Directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Who’s in it?
Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.
What’s it about?
A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.
Why watch it?
To refresh your memory from when the movie was released two years ago, as Part Two is being released at the end of the month.
Night Swim
Directed by Bryce McGuire.
Who’s in it?
Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon and Amélie Hoeferle.
What’s it about?
Forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, former baseball player Ray Waller moves into a new house with his wife and two children. He hopes that the backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for himself. However, a dark secret from the home's past soon unleashes a malevolent force that drags the family into the depths of inescapable terror.
Why watch it?
Originally a four-minute short. Same title, writer, director. Released in 2014. The swim school that Izzy is asked to join is called the Harold Holt Swimming School. Harold Holt was the 17th Prime Minister of Australia who disappeared (presumed drowned) while swimming.
Jin shouzhi (The Goldfinger)
Directed by Felix Chong.
Who’s in it?
Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Andy Lau and Charlene Choi.
What’s it about?
Set in the 1980s, the film depicts cut-throat machinations between Hong Kong's jostling business elites amidst the backdrop of the tail end of British colonial rule. It tells the story of the rise and bust of a fictional Hong Kong company called Jiali Group, following the travails of its chairman Cheng Yiyan through 15 years of investigations by the Independent Commission Against Corruption as murders are committed, billions in market value evaporate and millions are spent on litigation fees.
Why watch it?
It is the second time that actors Liu Dehua and Liang Chaowei cooperate with director Zhuang Wenqiang after filming Internal Affairs 20 years ago.
Baghead
Directed by Alberto Corredor.
Who’s in it?
Freya Allan, Jeremy Irvine and Ruby Barker.
What’s it about?
Following the death of her estranged father, Iris learns she has inherited a run-down, centuries-old pub. She travels to Berlin to identify her father's body and meet with The Solicitor to discuss the estate. Little does she know, when the deed is signed she will become inextricably tied to an unspeakable entity that resides in the pub's basement — Baghead — a shape-shifting creature that can transform into the dead. Two thousand in cash for two minutes with the creature is all it takes for desperate loved ones to ease their grief. Neil, who has lost his wife, is Iris' first customer. Like her father, Iris is tempted to exploit the creature's powers and help desperate people for a price. But she soon discovers breaking the two-minute rule can have terrifying consequences. Together with her best friend Katie, Iris must battle to keep control of Baghead and figure out how to destroy her, before she destroys them.
Why watch it?
Shock ending.
PREMIERES ON FEB 14
Madame Web
Directed by S.J. Clarkson.
Who’s in it?
Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Dakota Johnson.
What’s it about?
In a switch from the typical genre, Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing's most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who develops the power to see the future... and realizes she can use that insight to change it. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women bound for powerful destinies...if they can all survive a deadly present.
Why watch it?
It was announced in March 2022 that actress Sydney Sweeney had joined the cast in an undisclosed role. She told Variety that she's been buying a lot of Spider-Man comic books in preparation.
Aku wa sonzai shinai (Evil Does Not Exist)
Directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi.
Who’s in it?
Hitoshi Omika, Ryô Nishikawa and Ryûji Kosaka.
What’s it about?
Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a camping site near Takumi's house offering city residents a comfortable "escape" to nature.
Why watch it?
A classic tale of the rural-urban, human-animal, nature-civilisation divide.
