The great and the good from the silver screen, TV screen and phone screen.
FILM
Regional voice and political frustration
ISAN RISES
Identity politics, stirred into life in the mid-2010s, remains the cultural force of 2018: the #metoo movement, the black lives matter activism, or the flip side of nationalism and nativism. They are clearly manifest in the movie culture throughout the past 12 months -- from the success of Black Panther to the passionate call for more female directors at major film festivals, from the downfall of badly-behaved film stars to the excitement (in the US) over Crazy Rich Asians.
In Thailand, these phenomena rarely matter or find their local counterparts. But a mild version of identity politics is here, too, and it has found its expression on the screen in the rise of regional cinema, or to be precise, Isan cinema.
It began a few years ago but the trend is cemented this year. Films produced by northeastern filmmakers, speaking northeastern dialect, and targeted primarily northeastern audiences in the Northeast, have become a real cultural and marketing force. Earlier in the year Tai Ban The Series, a romantic comedy about Isan boys and girls, drew massive crowds to multiplexes in the Northeast, making over 50 million baht. In November the sequel was released -- after a slight scare when the censors told the director to cut a scene showing a monk crying at a funeral -- and it was a major hit in the region. The film earned over 120 million baht, with only a fraction of this amount coming from Bangkok while the rest of the haul was from Isan.
The filmmaking behind Tai Ban was sparked two years ago with Phu Bao Tai Ban, which made nearly 150 million baht, and now producers plan to expand the narrative into "the Tai Ban universe" -- think the Marvel cinematic universe -- with several more movies featuring the same characters.
Next year, look forward to more films about Isan romance, molam music and other representations of Isan life. This decentralisation of filmmaking activity and cultural hegemony away from the bourgeoise dominance of Bangkok is a sign of diversity that may hint at the future of Thai cinema. Keep watching.
BOX-OFFICE REPORT
The highest-grossing film of 2018 in Thailand is -- what a no-brainer -- Avengers: Infinity War. In Bangkok, the Disney/Marvel superhero jamboree made 420 million baht, a new high for Hollywood film. The total receipt from the whole country is around 700 million baht (note that the Thai box-office report is always unofficial and slightly exaggerated). Let's see if the final Avengers film that will come out in May next year will beat that.
Avengers: Infinity War.
The Thai film that reigned above all this year is Nagi 2, a movie sequel of a hit TV drama about two lovers and a mythical snake. Starring popular soap actors Nadech Kugimiya and Urassaya Sperbund, the film made 160 million baht in Bangkok and 400 million baht in total. Nagi 2 was an unexpected hit and an unusual case of a cinematic version that becomes as successful as the original TV series. Look forward, naturally, to Nagi 3 in the near future.
The second-biggest Thai title of the year came from hitmaker GDH-599 -- the romantic comedy Nong Phi Tee Rak (Brother Of The Year) earned 150 million baht in Bangkok and 245 million baht in total; the film again stars Urassaya Sperbund, the TV darling who's now cast her appeal over the big screen as well.
POLITICS ON SCREEN
Politics had been absent from Thai cinema for a long period. Thanks to the May 2014 coup and the subsequent build-up of frustration, politics has found its way back to the screen -- not in large doses, but just enough to show that Thai filmmakers still have political bones in their body.
This month, Ten Years Thailand passed the censors (to the surprise of many including the filmmakers) and was released in limited cinemas. Though relying on metaphors and symbolism, the omnibus of four short films is by far the clearest anti-junta cinematic stance to have hit the big screen. The four stories -- about state censorship, intolerance of dissension, national hypnotism and an intriguing meditation on Thailand's authoritarian past -- are critical without being belligerent, and they've done a great service of bringing down the ceiling a few notches.
But the clearest anti-junta statement arrived not on the big screen but on YouTube -- the music video for the rap track Prathet Ku Me rattled the status quo with raw energy and courage, and the video's re-enactment of the Oct 6, 1976, massacre is a gutsy move in presenting one of Thailand's most long-standing taboos. That it escaped the wrath of the establishment was probably because of its huge popularity. Prathet Ku Me also achieves something unusual for a political statement -- it's so compelling that the view count now tops 48 million.
Rap Against Dictatorship.
Besides national politics, identity politics also find their rightful places on the screen. The Thai film that travelled most extensively and garnered strong reviews internationally before its planned release here next year is Kraben Rahu (Manta Ray), a tale of a Thai fisherman and a Rohingya refugee. Meanwhile, Thailand submitted Malila: The Farewell Flower to the Oscars (it didn't make the long-list). The film about gay love and Buddhist nihilism is one of the year's best films, and the decision to propose it to the Oscars is a courageous move.
TV and STREAMING
Nostalgia for the light
VINTAGE VIBE
Thai people -- and even the Dear Leader -- hadn't been this crazy about a soap opera in a long time. In February, Bupphaesannivas (Love Destiny) became a smash hit and launched a cultural phenomenon for nostalgia. The time-travelling romance aired on Channel 3 brought the young and old to the TV screen and became the highest-rated soap opera in the digital-TV era. The story is told through the eye of a modern-day archaeologist who's transported back to 1660s Ayutthaya, throwing in elements of drama, romance and humour. The huge popularity of Bupphaesannivas also sparked the or jao fever that saw the return of period costumes, traditional food and historical tourist attractions to the mainstream.
Bupphaesannivas.
TOP TV CONTENDER
One channel to keep an eye on is PPTV36, which has been establishing itself as a go-to channel for both news and variety shows, gaining stride as a strong contender on television. The channel already has a broadcasting license for the Premier League. This year, especially, we are seeing contents from long-time "main" channels finding their new home here, such as popular shows like The Face Men Thailand and The Voice Thailand that have moved from Channel 3. The Miss Universe 2018 competition was also broadcast on this channel, while the 2017 competition was aired on Channel 3. At the start of next year, PPTV will also welcome Gik Du, a famous singing contest from Channel 7, in its line-up.
Miss Universe 2018.
PLAYING DETECTIVE
Another of this year's top talked-about TV dramas was Leud Kon Khon Jang (In Family We Trust) on Channel One 31 that got the entire nation on a quest to solve a fictional murder case. As the story goes, a big Thai-Chinese family is in chaos the moment its eldest son is shot dead in his own bedroom, with several members in the family looking all kinds of suspicious. The drama, produced by Nadao Bangkok and 4Nologue, also explored the dynamics and traditions of Thai-Chinese households. One of the attributes that led it to become very successful was its ensemble cast of both well-known, legendary stars and budding newcomers that gave some of the most memorable performances on Thai TV this year. These include Songsit Roongnophakunsri, Kathaleeya McIntosh, Saksit Tangtong, and Thanapob Leeratanakajorn, just to name a few. Reruns are available on LineTV.
In Family We Trust.
REMAKE FROM ANOTHER STAR
Each year, our screen is cluttered with remakes. But while we are used to remakes of Thai dramas through the decades, recently we're seeing more and more Thai versions of Asia-wide content, especially those from South Korea. This year, we've had My Girl and Oh My Ghost -- two famous Korean series -- getting their Thai reincarnations on True4U. Next year, one of the most anticipated titles of this nature will be My Love From The Star -- a story about an obnoxious top actress and an alien -- which will be aired on Channel 3. Thailand's own Nadech Kugimiya and Peranee Kongthai will take on the roles made famous by South Korean superstars Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun five years ago. The team that helms this drama is also the same one that previously worked on Bupphaesannivas. From the released images, it seems they do try to emulate the feel and atmosphere of the original story as much as possible, and it remains to be seen how much of a Thai essence this localised version will end up carrying.
My Love From The Star.
WORTH THE WAIT
There may be a lot of shows to come next year, but nothing can rival the anticipation over the intense fight for power in HBO's Game Of Thrones. Its eighth season, and the series' last, is set to premiere in April. Fans are, of course, torn between the excitement of the upcoming grand finale, and the sadness that this beloved series is inevitably coming to an end. This final season is slated for six episodes only, and they are sure to be packed with all the action one could squeeze in. Hopefully, nobody's favourite character will get killed, but that's almost impossible in this series where people drop dead like autumn leaves.
Game Of Thrones.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
We sure have a lot of streaming platforms these days: Netflix, LineTV, iflix, Hooq, Hulu and more. Taking a giant leap into this competitive arena is Disney+, and what a strong presence it'll be with all the original films and series from Walt Disney Studios on the new platform set for launch late next year. Some Marvel and Star Wars-based content is already among that announced for Disney+.
Their existing film library from Disney, Pixar and Marvel Cinematic Universe will reportedly be available for streaming as well. It is expected that all of Disney's content on Netflix will be transported into Disney+ once the distribution agreement is over. We now wait to see how the new platform will fare, as well as how it will affect its competitors.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.