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Movie Review: Love of Siam

Looking for a movie that touches you? Watch The Love Of Siam.

Note: If you belong to the category of the "short attention span audience", which I belong to, the slow-paced unfolding of the narrative will try your patience.

But! It didn't deter me from sittng through the entire two and a half hours simply because of its honest and straightforward film style.

The opening scene of the film pretty much sets the pace for the entire film. Extremely slow tracking continuity shots which reveal different parts of Mew's house. Medium shots, with no sudden close-up or unexpected camera movements, frame the characters in their mundane daily lives. Furthermore, the use of lighting accompanied with non-diegetic music ease the smooth flow of the narrative.

The effect of the mise-en-scene and cinematography is verisimilitude: a simulation of reality, naturalism that the audience can relate to instantly. Stylistically, The Love Of Siam allows audience to easily identify with the issues, characters and their situations in the film.

Apart from the technical aspects that have achieved its intended effect, there's one character that will capture your full attention.

The cutest boy in the cast that will not only make sure you have your eyes on the screen every second but also wish you have a Thai-German boyfriend that looks exactly like him.

Mario Maurer, plays the character Tong in the film, who falls in love with his childhood best friend and neighbour, Mew, played by Witwisit Hiranyawongkul.

Tong belongs to a staunch Christian family who faces problems as their daughter, Tong's elder sister Tang, goes missing. As Tong's parents leave him to stay with Mew and his grandmother while they look for their daughter, the friendship/love between Tong and Mew develops.

Perhaps what draws gay audience's attention is not merely because of the cute boy. And neither does the setting in Thailand distances us. But the issues such as societal norms and expectations, peer pressure, family values and objections are all too familiar and resonates in most of us.

For instance, Sunee, Tong's mother witnesses her son kissing Mew and was negatively impacted. What's new?

Her inability to accept what she saw caused her to confront Mew, where she said to him:

"Tong is the only one we have left, and I don't want to see him taking a path that is not right ... In the future, when Tong has graduated, he has to find a job, save money, and look for a good wife, get married and have a happy family; where they can take care of each other when they grow old. That is life, Mew. I tried to make sure he grows up that way. Do it for Tong, Mew. Stop this relationship that you have with him."

My heart sank. It was something that I could not only understand but completely relate to. The pervasiveness of social norms and what is expected of us, or Tong as the only son in the film, haunts us. Until we can find a solution that can free us from the entrenchment of designated social roles and responsibilites, some of us will find that we will still have to hide our true emotions as Mew did.

Along with social norms, there is peer pressure where Tong's friends appear insensitive and not understanding of his frustrations. Thus, the issue of understanding and coming to terms to one's self-identity or sexuality becomes not only an evident but personal struggle. It often reminds us of the harsh reality that we are not individuals living alone in a vacuum but with one another in a heteronormative society.

Indeed, this naturalistic film with no drastic dramatic high points or sensationalizing of any sort may not appear appealing on its movie posters or DVD cover, it is definitely worth a watch for its ability to capture the sentiments of gay love, if not, relationships.

BY Shayne

Q: How can I find the right bathing suit that suits my body?

A: Skip the board shorts this summer and show a little more skin without reaching for the bikini banana hammocks. This season’s sexiest swimsuits are cropped well above the knee from retro boxer-short styles to square cut lycra, ball-hugging skivvies. They are revealing without being obscene. And you don’t have to be a muscle mary or pack some major cargo up front to look great.

If you’ve got the body and the goods, bust out the tighter, more form fitting styles to show it off. Everyone from Burberry and Diesel to Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci have great styles this season. If you’re a little more reserved, mature or modest, opt for a classic look with a pair that fits but has a more forgiving and loose, boxer-style fit like those by Vilebrequin.

And don’t be afraid of bold colors and patterns. Not only will they add a fun and stylish touch to your poolside style, but large patterns can help camouflage any assets you wish were a bit larger.

Movie Review: Fate

“Ooh. Topless Korean boys. We have to catch this preview.”

That, in essence, summed up my thoughts. I was having lunch break with my colleagues when my roving gay eyes caught the A0 sized poster for Fate. With those dreamy Korean eyes and lean bodies, I was smitten.

This is, of course, despite the fact that I knew it was a gangster movie, which is hardly my cup of tea. Every inch of my cranium was warning me against watching this movie. But oh, the boys, the boys. I had to see them, even if it meant brain damage.

I was conned. My brain was right. This is the last time I let my nether regions trump my head.

Let this be a warning – if you're watching this movie in the hope of glorious topless images that pay homage to the beauty of Korean male bodies, you're in for a very nasty surprise. The only chance one gets to perv at the bodies of the two leads, Song Seung Hun (Kim Woo Min) and Kwon Sang Woo (Chul Jong), is in a gritty 5 minute rugby sequence at the end.

Indeed, sex sells. However, this isn't to say that the movie is lacking in cinematographic merit.

The leads have put on an admirable performance as two polar opposites, proving their acting worth as Korea's rising stars. Kwong Sang Woo and Song Seung Hun have, admirably, reversed their usual roles, rising above the usual typecast roles that they have played.

Kwong Sang Woo breaks out of his soft-spoken image as Cheol Jung, an expletive-spewing villian. Comedic at times, while just plain temperamental at others, Kwong Sang Woo puts on such a natural performance, playing the hot-tempered Cheol Jung to great effect.

It's hard not to warm up to this character with a sense of comic irony, who cares for his sister by day, and raids gambling dens by night, swearing all the way. If anything, you'll definitely learn a few Korean vulgarities from his lines, including the Korean word “Sheeba.”

Conversely, Song Seung Hun plays the scapegoat, Kim Woo Min, taking the rap and a two-year prison term in an effort to protect his lifelong friends. Managing emotional sensitivity in an action-laden plot like Fate is no mean feat, but Song Seung Hun manages to do so with grace and maturity.

Either that, or I'm just mesmerized. Casting good looking people has never worked better in Fate, and indeed, a handsome man can convey so many things on-screen more effectively.

The plot isn't very original of course. One has the usual back-stabbing emotional drama that is characteristic of such Asian gangster movies. It's the usual tension between brotherhood and camaraderie versus the more worldly temptations of money, power, and heroin.

Set behind a backdrop of absolute tragedy, the melodrama in this film is a bit much. Imagine watching a Hong Kong serial, replete with hysterical mothers, screaming girlfriends, and lots of crying. That, in essence, captures the emotional mood of Fate – absolutely wacko.

The script, itself, is filled with ridiculous lines as well. Woo Min utters lines like “don't be mistaken, I was never striving to attain happiness,” which just reeks of a self-aggrandizing and ennobling sort of brooding. Granted, something may have been lost in translation, but the sentiment is still quite ridiculous.

Who is this script writer? How can happiness not be the aim of life? Does he mean to undo Aristotle's centuries of wisdom with a 2-hour Korean gangster movie?

Staunch non-smokers would not be pleased with this film either. I'm guessing that a large part of the budget came from buying smokes for the film – a cigarette is lit nearly every 5 minutes. Mother goes hysterical, lead smokes. Best friend tries to kill himself, lead smokes. Business not going well, lead smokes. Getting out of the car, lead also smokes.

And these are Marlboro cigarettes, at that.

Anyway, after I watched the movie, I left the cinema with two life lessons.

The first, is that one should listen to one's head, more so than one's dong.

The second, is that there are only two paths in life. One must be extremely smart, cunning, manipulative, and ruthless. Without appearing to be so.

If one can't be that, one should resign oneself to a life as a junkie. Because apparently, these are the only two characters that succeed in the world of Fate.

- Tim, Trevvy

Climax 2 - Indie Boys

As I write this letter, CLIMAX 2 is currently with the printers and set to be released on August 15, 2008.

It has been a long wait but I guarantee a worthwhile wait. CLIMAX 2 features the biggest actors in independent movies today, which is why the issue is aptly called INDIE BOYS. Check out the photo section in our Yahoo group to get a glimpse on who will be included in this installment of CLIMAX.

You, our loyal readers, know that CLIMAX magazine seeks to push the limits set by commercial publications. But it is also these same limits that prevent us from exposing frontal nudity that may compromise on the creativity and image of the magazine. Our distributors also have limits and we have to conform to them as well.

Some of the models in this issue of CLIMAX had no qualms about exposing themselves but we stuck to our limits and still tried to give you the best possible product we can. It is a product we ourselves will shell out our hard earned money for if we were in your position. Our quality pictures and production values speak for itself and I hope that you will enjoy looking through the magazine and find every cent you've spent on it worthwhile.

We want to keep a low profile for this issue. CLIMAX 2 will be sold only through THREE retailers. These are namely CV Magazine in Landmark Makati, Dongskie (below QC MRT and Cubao MRT Walkway) and through Filbars branches. I am glad that Filbars has agreed once again to distribute our product despite the many protests from its conservative customers. This issue will not be displayed on the shelves. You will have to ASK the sales attendant for a copy. Do tell your friends about this so that they know how to get the issue. I know that you may have to exert more effort in getting the magazine but once you get a hand on the copy, I know you won't feel short changed. This is CLIMAX and it has not disappointed our readers yet. Those close friends who have seen this issue through print outs agree that this is our best issue yet.

And for those who are asking what's next, I can only hope that we can complete a new X-RAY installment. Currently, we have started approaching stars to appear in the magazine and I hope that you can keep your fingers crossed for us. Do continue to check on this group from time to time for updates.

Enough said. I won't keep you any longer from checking out the photo section. Thank you once again for all the support you have given us.

Regards,


DANIO CAW
X-ray Books Publisher

* * *

As much as I enjoy photobooks, I'm sorry to say that while the (back) cover and some of the models are nice to look att, I was hoping (and failed) to see that this would be tastefully done. I liked the way the original X-ray books were made. The climax line just proves to be a bit away from the style that I'm looking for. Still, it it does please the others...

Movie Review: No Regret

A powerful and emotionally rewarding gay romance that turns abruptly violent at the end. Up to that point, assuring direction and intense performances help make No Regret one of the best gay dramas to come out of Asia.

While watching the Korean indie film No Regret, I could not help making comparisons between it and Wong Kar-Wai's masterpiece Happy Together. I think the comparisons are entirely valid; both films deal with realistic male homosexual relationships, both often delve into the dark side of these relationships, both feature graphic sex scenes; and both would be just as compelling if the relationships depicted were heterosexual ones. Fortunately for No Regret, which managed to capture record audiences during its limited run, they are both also just as good.

No Regret opens at a countryside orphanage that Su-Min (Lee Yeong-Hoon) is forced to leave upon reaching adulthood. Su-Min moves to Seoul, where he struggles to afford school and works two jobs, as an assembly-line worker during the day and as a private chauffeur at night. While he is openly gay, he takes no interest when customer Jae-Min (Lee Han) hits on him. Su-Min is fired from his job at the factory just as he finds out that Jae Min is also an executive there. Jae-Min tries to save Su-Min's job at the factory, but he quits out of pride anyway. Strapped for cash, Su-Min reluctantly becomes an escort at a gay bar, where he's warned by the head of the bar, Madame, that he doesn't like hiring gay men because they elope when they fall in love with customers. Luckily, Su-Min is so disillusioned that he's convinced that money is more important than love. Jae-Min eventually manages to track Su-Min down, and after Jae-Min's many advances (not to mention Su-Min's many rejections), they finally fall in love. However, real world circumstances will come to drive them apart, and violence ultimately threatens to plague their relationship.

While Happy Together tells a messy story about the slow destruction of a relationship, No Regret uses a simpler love story structure: two people meet, fall in love, and fight. And as oxymoronic as it sounds, the film also possesses some clichés that one is used to seeing in a film with homosexual themes, such as Jae Min's fiancé and his family forcing him to get married. Yet, writer/director Leesong Hee-il, an openly gay man himself, manages to create convincing emotions throughout. This can be credited to the screenplay, which develops not just the two focal characters effectively, but also the supporting characters who will come to impact the plot. Although not all bases are covered, as Jae-Min's clichéd subplot still rings somewhat false, the screenplay manages to be strong enough that the audience is still involved even when the film takes an absurd turn at its finale - which is really the film's only noticeable flaw.

Shot in digital, No Regret captures the shadowy world of gay prostitution using impressive handheld long takes and polished visuals, which are very rare in an indie production such as this. As in the works of Michael Mann, digital provides a better way to capture low-light environment, helping No Regret build a dark atmosphere that represent the sometimes-dangerous world Su-Min lives in. The film's look is supported by Leesong's strong direction and dependency on visual storytelling rather than verbal exposition. As polished as the visuals are, the storytelling remains gritty, and while the sex scenes are explicit, Leesong still presents them in a fairly tasteful fashion.

No review of No Regret can be completed without mentioning the performances. As the conflicted Jae-Min, Lee Han expresses the dilemma that faces a closeted gay man with an equal dose of pain and conflict. However, the star of the show is Lee Yeong-Hoon, who also starred in Good Romance, a short film by Leesong that was eventually expanded into No Regret. Lee's intense performance effectively brings out the anger, the desperation and the courage of Su Min - the anger of being betrayed, the desperation of his situation, and the courage to fall in love. They may not be as seasoned as Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, but Lee Han and Lee Yeong-Hoon are definitely actors to watch out for in the future.

While I mentioned that comparisons to Happy Together or even Brokeback Mountain are valid, it should be noted that No Regret is strong enough to stand on its own among the pantheon of great gay films. The direction is confident, the script is strong, the performances are intense, the emotions are credible and the film is easily as engaging as any heterosexual love story. The film may not be everyone's cup of tea based on the subject matter and its graphic depiction of sex, but anyone who's willing to take the plunge will find No Regret to be one the strongest and audaciously authentic indie films to come out of Asia in 2006.

- Kevin Ma, LHKF

Movie Review: Bangkok Love Story

It's clearly monsoon season. Can't you tell from all the rain?

To say that Bangkok Love Story is a gay movie is spot on – it has quite the exhibitionistic streak. Bathing in the open, smooching in the streets, having sex on a water logged rooftop – it appears that while killing people is a crime in Bangkok, lusty gay sex in the open isn't. If only Singapore were like that, oh what a gay place it would be.

Besides the exhibitionism, it appears that Bangkok is also facing a shortage of clothes. Stone, played by Chaiwat Tongsang, is clad in very skimpy boxer briefs for a large part of the movie, and seems to have no sense of shame running around in them 24/7. For a brief (pun unintended) while I contemplated the fact that perhaps his clothes were dirty, but wait – even in the comfort of his highly luxurious home, he's still topless, and I highly doubt it's because he wants to seduce his wife.

Not that I'm complaining of course. Stone's rekindled my interest in Thai men, and has given rice queens all over the world a new reason to celebrate. This boy is drop dead gorgeous from head to toe.

While the actors might be one of the most gorgeous guys that Asian film has seen, the plot itself suffers from an overdose of melodrama. In general, most movie characters seek to have a sense of emotional progression. Dramatics are good, if there is a build up that manages to soften its shock value.

But Bangkok Love Story, being a groundbreaking gay movie, has dispensed with this tradition. You'll find yourself jumping from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other in a matter of seconds. Mothers hang themselves, tears pour forth in buckets, wives open fire on their gay husbands, and the rain, oh, the rain. Suffice to say that the proponents of the Save Water campaign would not be pleased.

I have a small quibble with the love story too. Stone falls in love instantly. I know being the saved damsel in distress often precipitates this sort of affection, one only needs to look at fairy tales for a precedent.

But this is a bit too much of a jump here – holing up in a rooftop for a few days and scrubbing each other down doesn't quite necessitate the kind of undying, unrequited, and highly persistent love that Stone seems to have for Cloud. If you ask me, the best man in his wedding video didn't look like a bad alternative at all. At least that one didn't seem to come with all that emotional baggage.

Yet, if you ignore the implausible ground from which this unconventional love sprung forth, you'll find pretty sweet depictions of love. You can't quite fault the actors in this department – the loving that goes on at the rooftop is rather tender, be it gingerly feeding each other food, playing glancing games, or passionately making out in the streets. It's so sweet that when it ended, in a Bollywood hide-and-seek game of unrequited love no less, I did feel a small tug at my heartstrings.

Perhaps the photography played a part. The true beauty in this film lies in the cinematography. Images are juxtaposed to interesting effect, and unconventional angles capture the scraggly Bangkok city against the wondrous open sky. With scenes like the shootout in a Buddha statue factory, the grunge of Bangkok is contrasted with slow, moving music that creates an interestingly engaging effect. I was particularly struck by the image of the two leads making out on a reflective sheet of water, so much that I forgot the incredulity of it for a moment.

In essence, the key to enjoying this movie is to believe in it. The story, at its very basic premise, is engaging. It's a romantic gay love story filled with manly shoot-out action that's portrayed in an artistic yet nail-biting way. Throwing away stereotypes of traditional Thai kathoey and replacing them with hard gangsters results in a drama that involves the audience, instead of alienating them through comedy. Add a socially responsible sub-plot aimed at raising awareness for AIDS victims, and you've got a movie that has the potential to engage most gay audiences, if you believe.

And while I was a little skeptical, judging from the teary-eyed audience, it seems that it succeeded

- Tim, Trevvy

Sunkist Iced Tea - "Basketball"

This clip is so funny!