It’s been a little while since we’ve paid attention to Pen-ek Ratanaruang. At one point, the Thai director behind “6ixtynin9,” “Last Life In The Universe,” and “Headshot“ seemed like he was going to break out into bigger international recognition, but that never quite happened. He’s steadily been making movies, but we dropped off a few films ago. However, at the Venice Days sidebar of the Venice Film Festival he’s back with “Samui Song,” and it certainly looks intriguing.
Continue reading ‘Samui Song’ Trailer: Pen-ek Ratanaruang Returns With Cult Thriller at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Samui Song’ Trailer: Pen-ek Ratanaruang Returns With Cult Thriller at The Playlist.
- 9/1/2017
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Bangkok-based Five Star Production has picked up international rights to biopic F.Hilaire, about a French priest who wrote a famous Thai language textbook.
Francois Touvenet Hilaire visited Thailand in the early 1900s and not only mastered the language but wrote the Darunsuksa textbook that is still used in Thailand today. Directed by Surussavadi Chuarchart, the film tells his story through a present-day teacher who is using the book and researchs Hilaire’s life for a Masters Degree.
Jason Young, a Bangkok-based actor who is fluent in Thai, plays Hilaire, while the teacher is played by Pharunyoo Rojanawuttitham (Still 2). The script was written by Chuarchart and Ek Iemchuen.
“We decided to distribute the film because we were impressed by the quality of the script and the acting. We’ve already had a lot of interest from Asian buyers,” said Five Star’s Amy Iamphungphorn.
Schedueld for Thai release in July, the project was produced by Bluering Company and Omac...
Francois Touvenet Hilaire visited Thailand in the early 1900s and not only mastered the language but wrote the Darunsuksa textbook that is still used in Thailand today. Directed by Surussavadi Chuarchart, the film tells his story through a present-day teacher who is using the book and researchs Hilaire’s life for a Masters Degree.
Jason Young, a Bangkok-based actor who is fluent in Thai, plays Hilaire, while the teacher is played by Pharunyoo Rojanawuttitham (Still 2). The script was written by Chuarchart and Ek Iemchuen.
“We decided to distribute the film because we were impressed by the quality of the script and the acting. We’ve already had a lot of interest from Asian buyers,” said Five Star’s Amy Iamphungphorn.
Schedueld for Thai release in July, the project was produced by Bluering Company and Omac...
- 5/15/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Drama will reunite director with Headshot producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon and is set to star Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak.
Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang is reuniting with his Headshot producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon on drama Samui Song, set to star Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak.
Chermarn will play an actress who is worried by her foreign husband’s growing obsession with a cult-like religious sect and its charasmatic leader, the Holy One. A mysterious stranger offers to rid her of her problem, but she ends up taking drastic measures to escape falling under the influence of the Holy One.
The cult leader will be played by Vithaya “Pu” Pansringarm, who recently starred in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives. Chermarn has credits including The Love Of Siam, Eternity and a supporting role in Pen-ek’s 2003 Last Life In The Universe.
Despite Samui Song’s dark themes, Pen-ek and Phathanavirangoon describe it as less serious than award-winning 2012 noir thriller Headshot.
“Using Hitchcock...
Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang is reuniting with his Headshot producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon on drama Samui Song, set to star Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak.
Chermarn will play an actress who is worried by her foreign husband’s growing obsession with a cult-like religious sect and its charasmatic leader, the Holy One. A mysterious stranger offers to rid her of her problem, but she ends up taking drastic measures to escape falling under the influence of the Holy One.
The cult leader will be played by Vithaya “Pu” Pansringarm, who recently starred in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives. Chermarn has credits including The Love Of Siam, Eternity and a supporting role in Pen-ek’s 2003 Last Life In The Universe.
Despite Samui Song’s dark themes, Pen-ek and Phathanavirangoon describe it as less serious than award-winning 2012 noir thriller Headshot.
“Using Hitchcock...
- 3/25/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Thailand’s Ministry of Culture is once again organizing the Thai Pitch event at this year’s Cannes Film Festival market. Four projects from well-regarded Thai filmmakers have been chosen to take part in this year’s initiative, to be held on Saturday May 18th from 10:00-15:30. The event will take place at the Thailand Pavilion in Cannes’ Village International no. 140. This year, Thai Pitch will be coordinated by producer and film programmer Raymond Phathanavirangoon.
The four projects include:
A Culinary Murder
dir: Somkiat Vithuranich (October Sonata)
prod: Pawas Sawatchaiyamet (Headshot, Red Eagle)
Born poor and raised as the kitchen maid to a wealthy, corrupt family, Anoma spends her childhood learning that the secrets to a man’s heart lie in his stomach. When she is made to marry the master of the house, she begins to transform her culinary skills into a deadly weapon. If food could kill, then her food is the deadliest.
The General’S Secret
dir/prod: Pimpaka Towira (One Night Husband)
Rian lives alone with her mother who suffers from a chronic back pain. One day, after a trip, she finds that her mother's condition has gotten better after receiving a homeopathic massage from an old masseuse called “auntie”. Rian does not believe in the treatment, but her mother feels otherwise. She decides to find out auntie’s secret by making a massage appointment with her.
The Way Back
dir: Boonsong Nakphoo (Four Stations)
prod: Pantham Thongsang (Tropical Malady, Mid Road Gang)
Sueb decides to leave the capital city Bangkok behind and bring his family to live a humble life in the countryside. Things initially seems to be as joyful as anticipated, until stresses gradually pile up. Unexpectedly, one day his wife takes their only son back to the capital city. Sueb insists on hanging onto his land until he finds the key to a harmonious life.
The White Buffalo
dir: Aditya Assarat (Wonderful Town, Hi-so)
prod: Aditya Assarat, Soros Sukhum (Mundane History, P-047)
This is the story of Peter, a European, who is married to a Thai woman and living in her village. It is a situation that reflects a colonial past, an age when white men came to the East to exploit and build their own paradise. But today, the balance of power has changed. The European is large only in body. He is no match for the cunning and deceit of the Thais.
For more information about the event and individual projects, as well as inquiries into booking meetings, please go to www.thaipitch.com...
The four projects include:
A Culinary Murder
dir: Somkiat Vithuranich (October Sonata)
prod: Pawas Sawatchaiyamet (Headshot, Red Eagle)
Born poor and raised as the kitchen maid to a wealthy, corrupt family, Anoma spends her childhood learning that the secrets to a man’s heart lie in his stomach. When she is made to marry the master of the house, she begins to transform her culinary skills into a deadly weapon. If food could kill, then her food is the deadliest.
The General’S Secret
dir/prod: Pimpaka Towira (One Night Husband)
Rian lives alone with her mother who suffers from a chronic back pain. One day, after a trip, she finds that her mother's condition has gotten better after receiving a homeopathic massage from an old masseuse called “auntie”. Rian does not believe in the treatment, but her mother feels otherwise. She decides to find out auntie’s secret by making a massage appointment with her.
The Way Back
dir: Boonsong Nakphoo (Four Stations)
prod: Pantham Thongsang (Tropical Malady, Mid Road Gang)
Sueb decides to leave the capital city Bangkok behind and bring his family to live a humble life in the countryside. Things initially seems to be as joyful as anticipated, until stresses gradually pile up. Unexpectedly, one day his wife takes their only son back to the capital city. Sueb insists on hanging onto his land until he finds the key to a harmonious life.
The White Buffalo
dir: Aditya Assarat (Wonderful Town, Hi-so)
prod: Aditya Assarat, Soros Sukhum (Mundane History, P-047)
This is the story of Peter, a European, who is married to a Thai woman and living in her village. It is a situation that reflects a colonial past, an age when white men came to the East to exploit and build their own paradise. But today, the balance of power has changed. The European is large only in body. He is no match for the cunning and deceit of the Thais.
For more information about the event and individual projects, as well as inquiries into booking meetings, please go to www.thaipitch.com...
- 5/16/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Title: Headshot Directed by: Pen-Ek Ratanauruang Starring: Nopachai Chaiyanam, Sirin Horwang, Chanokporn Sayoungkul Thai cinema is undergoing somewhat of a transformation. In the past year, we’ve had both The Raid: Redemption and now, Headshot. Both are extremely violent films that are based around a sense of heightened reality. While Redemption is entirely centered on its protagonist’s physical abilities, Headshot is reliant on its protagonist’s inner struggle–but the physical, brutal nature of his job is no less present. It’s a far more cerebral take on the role of the assassin, a type of film that is quite common in Hollywood. The story concerns a cop who refuses to be blackmailed, and [ Read More ]
The post Headshot Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Headshot Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/15/2012
- by justin
- ShockYa
Wow, the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival already has been amazing!
Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Thursday, November 15th
Shorts Program 8: Quirky Relationships
Shorts Program 8: Quirky Relationships plays at 5:00pm at the Tivoli Theatre
Shorts that give romance a twist.
Boo! (Rupert Reid, Australia, 2012, 5 min.): An aging married couple keep their love alive by staying one step ahead of each other. Coffees (Alex Beh, U.S., 2012, 11 min.): As a last-ditch effort, Mikey decides to go to his ex...
Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Thursday, November 15th
Shorts Program 8: Quirky Relationships
Shorts Program 8: Quirky Relationships plays at 5:00pm at the Tivoli Theatre
Shorts that give romance a twist.
Boo! (Rupert Reid, Australia, 2012, 5 min.): An aging married couple keep their love alive by staying one step ahead of each other. Coffees (Alex Beh, U.S., 2012, 11 min.): As a last-ditch effort, Mikey decides to go to his ex...
- 11/15/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Day seven of the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival already?!? There are still four days and hundreds of great films to go!
Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Wednesday, November 14th
Booker’S Place
Booker’S Place plays at 7:15pm at the Tivoli Theatre
Booker Wright was an African-American restaurant owner who also served double-duty as a waiter in a whites-only restaurant in Mississippi in the 1960s. He became an unlikely activist for the civil-rights movement when he appeared on a 1965 network TV...
Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Wednesday, November 14th
Booker’S Place
Booker’S Place plays at 7:15pm at the Tivoli Theatre
Booker Wright was an African-American restaurant owner who also served double-duty as a waiter in a whites-only restaurant in Mississippi in the 1960s. He became an unlikely activist for the civil-rights movement when he appeared on a 1965 network TV...
- 11/14/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
For the first time in Academy Award history, 71 countries are vying for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. The submissions for 2012 include director Michael Haneke’s Amour, which won the Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival; France’s global box office sensation The Intouchables; and Nairobi Half Life, the first film ever submitted by Kenya. Check out the full list below:
Afghanistan: The Patience Stone, Atiq Rahimi, director
Albania: Pharmakon, Joni Shanaj, director
Algeria: Zabana!, Said Ould Khelifa, director
Argentina: Clandestine Childhood, Benjamín Ávila, director
Armenia: If Only Everyone, Natalia Belyauskene, director
Australia: Lore, Cate Shortland, director
Austria: Amour,...
Afghanistan: The Patience Stone, Atiq Rahimi, director
Albania: Pharmakon, Joni Shanaj, director
Algeria: Zabana!, Said Ould Khelifa, director
Argentina: Clandestine Childhood, Benjamín Ávila, director
Armenia: If Only Everyone, Natalia Belyauskene, director
Australia: Lore, Cate Shortland, director
Austria: Amour,...
- 10/8/2012
- by Adam B. Vary
- EW - Inside Movies
The Oscar season is almost upon us, and the submissions list is in for the Best Foreign Language Film category, featuring a record 71 entries, including the first submission from Kenya.
Last year, Iran’s Asghar Farhadi came away with the top prize for his acclaimed film, A Separation, and the year before, it was Denmark’s Susanne Bier with her In a Better World.
This year, there are already a handful of strong contenders amongst the pack, most notably Michael Haneke’s Amour, for Austria, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes; Olivier Nakache’s and Éric Toledano’s The Intouchables, for France, which has been breaking records at the global box office; Pablo Larráin’s No, for Chile, which also came away from Cannes with an award in hand; Kim Ki-duk’s Pieta, for South Korea, which took four awards at Venice, including (controversially) the Golden Lion; and...
Last year, Iran’s Asghar Farhadi came away with the top prize for his acclaimed film, A Separation, and the year before, it was Denmark’s Susanne Bier with her In a Better World.
This year, there are already a handful of strong contenders amongst the pack, most notably Michael Haneke’s Amour, for Austria, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes; Olivier Nakache’s and Éric Toledano’s The Intouchables, for France, which has been breaking records at the global box office; Pablo Larráin’s No, for Chile, which also came away from Cannes with an award in hand; Kim Ki-duk’s Pieta, for South Korea, which took four awards at Venice, including (controversially) the Golden Lion; and...
- 10/8/2012
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The Intouchables
A record 71 countries, including first-time entrant Kenya, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 85th Academy Awards®. In May, Michael Haneke.s Amour (Love) won the Palme d.Or at the 65th Cannes Film Festival and was shown this past weekend at the 50th New York Film Festival. However the film I was happiest to see make the list below is from France – The Intouchables from directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. Check out our review Here.
In the Academy’s rules, only one picture will be accepted from each country. Plus the Academy Statuette (Oscar) will be awarded to the motion picture and accepted by the director on behalf of the picture.s creative talents. Ultimately five foreign language motion pictures are nominated for this award.
Director/writer Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation from Iran won the Oscar for the Best...
A record 71 countries, including first-time entrant Kenya, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 85th Academy Awards®. In May, Michael Haneke.s Amour (Love) won the Palme d.Or at the 65th Cannes Film Festival and was shown this past weekend at the 50th New York Film Festival. However the film I was happiest to see make the list below is from France – The Intouchables from directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. Check out our review Here.
In the Academy’s rules, only one picture will be accepted from each country. Plus the Academy Statuette (Oscar) will be awarded to the motion picture and accepted by the director on behalf of the picture.s creative talents. Ultimately five foreign language motion pictures are nominated for this award.
Director/writer Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation from Iran won the Oscar for the Best...
- 10/8/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Update: The official list has been revealed and the total is a record 71 movies. I have updated the list directly below or you can check it out here. The original article follows. I have been tracking the Oscar Foreign Language submissions again this year, as I have for the past several years, and it looks like we finally have a full field as I expect we will be seeing an official press release from the Academy some time this week. This year we have five more submissions already over last year as the total has now reached 68 submissions compared to last year's 63. This, despite, Iran boycotting the Oscars this year due to the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims, which has sparked so much controversy as of late. To reach the total of 68 films I have just finished adding 16 more titles to the list from the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina,...
- 10/7/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
I have been tracking the Oscar Foreign Language submissions again this year, as I have for the past several years, and it looks like we finally have a full field as I expect we will be seeing an official press release from the Academy some time this week. This year we have five more submissions already over last year as the total has now reached 68 submissions compared to last year's 63. This, despite, Iran boycotting the Oscars this year due to the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims, which has sparked so much controversy as of late. To reach the total of 68 films I have just finished adding 16 more titles to the list from the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, China, Georgia, Greenland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey and Uruguay. To siphon out front-runners is never easy in this category, though there are a few that stick out immediately.
- 10/7/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Indian Oscar entry Anurag Basu’s “Barfi” will have to compete with 64 films from around the world. Barfi’s chance will be sealed on January 24th 2013 when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the five nominees.
The deadline for submission of entries for the foreign language category got over yesterday on October 1st.
63 countries had sent their entries for the category last year.
Iran, the winner of last year (A separation) decided not to send an entry this year in protest of a youtube film that ridiculed the prophet.
The final list of submissions is yet to be announced by the academy.
Also Read: Who Selected “Barfi” for Oscars? and Where does “Barfi” stand in the Oscar race?
Here is the complete list of announced submissions:-
Afghanistan – The Patience Stone, directed by Atiq Rahimi (Persian) Albania – Pharmakon, directed by Joni Shanaj (Albania) Algeria – Zabana!, directed by Saïd Ould Khelifa (Arabic,...
The deadline for submission of entries for the foreign language category got over yesterday on October 1st.
63 countries had sent their entries for the category last year.
Iran, the winner of last year (A separation) decided not to send an entry this year in protest of a youtube film that ridiculed the prophet.
The final list of submissions is yet to be announced by the academy.
Also Read: Who Selected “Barfi” for Oscars? and Where does “Barfi” stand in the Oscar race?
Here is the complete list of announced submissions:-
Afghanistan – The Patience Stone, directed by Atiq Rahimi (Persian) Albania – Pharmakon, directed by Joni Shanaj (Albania) Algeria – Zabana!, directed by Saïd Ould Khelifa (Arabic,...
- 10/2/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
You think it’s too early for this? Trust me, it’s not and that’s exactly why we’re here today to start our little chat about the official foreign language submissions for Oscar.
Nothing to be surprised about, after all – these titles are already familiar to you, mostly because of their success in some Film Festivals. Check out the rest of this report to see the list of announced submissions.
As you’re about to see, quite interesting list of movies from all over the world. Unfortunately we don’t have trailers and official synopsis part for every single film, but I’m sure we’ll soon have more material to share with you.
In the mean time, we will inform you that Kim Ki-duk‘s movie, Pieta, which won Golden Lion statue for best movie at the Venice Film Festival this year, has been submitted by South...
Nothing to be surprised about, after all – these titles are already familiar to you, mostly because of their success in some Film Festivals. Check out the rest of this report to see the list of announced submissions.
As you’re about to see, quite interesting list of movies from all over the world. Unfortunately we don’t have trailers and official synopsis part for every single film, but I’m sure we’ll soon have more material to share with you.
In the mean time, we will inform you that Kim Ki-duk‘s movie, Pieta, which won Golden Lion statue for best movie at the Venice Film Festival this year, has been submitted by South...
- 10/1/2012
- by Fiona
- Filmofilia
Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Headshot is an antithetical thriller that easily morphs into a subdued, slate-grey crime noir. With a striking sense of ease and control, Ratanaruang steers his eighth feature through the paces of political, police and underworld manipulations, allowing it to nearly float to its uninhibited conclusion. Returning to the atmosphere of his 1999 film 6ixtynin9, Headshot looks down the short barrel of a pistol and displays a languid mood to a rich narrative that works just slightly outside of the box, albeit with ample bloodletting. Tul is a hitman, or as his boss prefers, an "expert assassin." The film opens with a mysterious man at a typewriter preparing information on a political target. Tul picks up the instructions, and, in the first of many...
- 9/27/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Headshot
Written by Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Directed by Pen-ek Ratanaruang
France/Thailand, 2011
At the outset of Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s thriller Headshot, hitman Tul (Nopachai Jayanama) dresses as a Buddhist monk in order to do a job. In the process of executing that hit, he is shot in the head, and upon awakening he sees the entire world upside down. Given that description, one might expect a film that is daring both in its visuals and its philosophy, but the end product doesn’t quite make it to that level.
Although there are upside-down shots scattered throughout the movie, for the most part the cinematography is spare and straightforward. This removes much of the thrill from the action scenes, during which the entire concept of Tul seeing the world upside down seems to be forgotten. This film will occasionally have a strong noir moment – a bracing torture sequence will be difficult to...
Written by Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Directed by Pen-ek Ratanaruang
France/Thailand, 2011
At the outset of Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s thriller Headshot, hitman Tul (Nopachai Jayanama) dresses as a Buddhist monk in order to do a job. In the process of executing that hit, he is shot in the head, and upon awakening he sees the entire world upside down. Given that description, one might expect a film that is daring both in its visuals and its philosophy, but the end product doesn’t quite make it to that level.
Although there are upside-down shots scattered throughout the movie, for the most part the cinematography is spare and straightforward. This removes much of the thrill from the action scenes, during which the entire concept of Tul seeing the world upside down seems to be forgotten. This film will occasionally have a strong noir moment – a bracing torture sequence will be difficult to...
- 9/25/2012
- by Mark Young
- SoundOnSight
Director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang’s (“Last Life in the Universe”) “Headshot” begins in a quiet moment, with a man seated at a desk, gently keying a letter on a typewriter. Nice, right? Only the man has a gnarly neck scar, and the letter is an assassination order. The film that follows this inauspicious, though ominous opening is not so much an action movie as it is a badass character study. A sprawling, twisted crime story that bounces around in time, “Headshot” has cops, robbers, guns, and gangsters. Jarring bursts of violence set the stage to play with themes of identity, selfhood, spirituality, and the very nature of good and evil. All in all, this is fertile ground for a crime movie to dig into. Hailing from Thailand, you might expect a lighting pace, epic fight scenes, and stunt performers throwing their bodies about, willy nilly, with no regard for personal safety.
- 9/24/2012
- by Brent McKnight
- Beyond Hollywood
In an effort to add yet another title to my seemingly never-ending cinematic backlog, distributor Kino Lorber is bringing director Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s 2011 action flick “Headshot” to Region 1 DVD this autumn. To be perfectly honest, this one had fallen off my radar until just recently, so it’s nice to know the flick has garnered enough positive attention to warrant a Stateside release. Here’s hoping this one is worth the wait. A synopsis, to refresh your memory: Tul, a hitman, is shot in the head during one assignment. He wakes up after a two-month coma to find that he sees everything upside down, literally. He goes back to his job, but his new affliction doesn’t make things easy. Doubt starts to set in about what he does for living. But karma’s a bitch, and the past starts to catch up with him. Then he meets a girl...
- 7/22/2012
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
It's been a while since we heard anything about Headshot, the latest from Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang, but blu-ray.com got wind of plans for U.S. distributor Kino Lorber to give the film a Stateside blu-ray release on October 2nd. How cool is that? Ratanaruang is arguably the best director in Thailand and we've been waiting since at least last October to get this flick in our hands. Synopsis: Tul, a hitman, is shot in the head during one assignment. He wakes up after a two-month coma to find that he sees everything upside down, literally. He goes back to his job, but his new affliction doesn't make things easy. Doubt starts to set in about what he does for living. But karma's a bitch, and the past starts to catch up with him. Then he meets a girl who turns his world even more upside down. Plus, who...
- 7/21/2012
- 24framespersecond.net
[With Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Headshot playing Fantasia, we return to Kathie Smith's review from earlier this year]Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Headshot is an antithetical thriller that easily morphs into a subdued, slate-grey crime noir. With a striking sense of ease and control, Ratanaruang steers his eighth feature through the paces of political, police and underworld manipulations, allowing it to nearly float to its uninhibited conclusion. Returning to the atmosphere of his 1999 film 6ixtynin9, Headshot looks down the short barrel of a pistol and displays a languid mood to a rich narrative that works just slightly outside of the box, albeit with ample bloodletting.Tul is a hitman, or as his boss prefers, an "expert assassin." The film opens with a mysterious man at a typewriter preparing information on a political target. Tul picks up...
- 7/20/2012
- Screen Anarchy
The 12th Osian’s Cinefan Film Festival, New Delhi (27 July to 5 August 2012) will open with Japanese director Keiichi Sato’s “Asura” and close with Rituparno Ghosh’s “Chitragandha”.
Festival announced its competition lineup and highlights on Wednesday.
According to the official press release the festival will present 15 World premieres, 8 International premieres, 104 Indian premieres and 13 Asian premieres from China, Estonia, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Morocco and Algeria among other Asian and Arab countries.
Films In Competition
Asian & Arab
1. Death For Sale (Mort à Vendre)/Faouzi Bensaidi, Morocco, France, Belgium, United Arab Emirates
2011/India Premiere
2. Ex Press (Ex Press)/Jet Leyco, Philippines 2011/India Premiere
3. Headshot (Fon Tok Kuen Fah)/Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Thailand 2011/India Premiere
4. Highway (Autobahn)/Deepak Rauniyar, Nepal, USA 2011/Asia Premiere
5. Inside (Yeralti)/Zeki Demirkubuz, Turkey 2012/Asia Premiere
6. Mekong Hotel/Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, UK 2012/India Premiere
7. Milocrorze: A Love Story (Mirokurôze)/Yoshimasa Ishibashi, Japan 2011/India...
Festival announced its competition lineup and highlights on Wednesday.
According to the official press release the festival will present 15 World premieres, 8 International premieres, 104 Indian premieres and 13 Asian premieres from China, Estonia, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Morocco and Algeria among other Asian and Arab countries.
Films In Competition
Asian & Arab
1. Death For Sale (Mort à Vendre)/Faouzi Bensaidi, Morocco, France, Belgium, United Arab Emirates
2011/India Premiere
2. Ex Press (Ex Press)/Jet Leyco, Philippines 2011/India Premiere
3. Headshot (Fon Tok Kuen Fah)/Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Thailand 2011/India Premiere
4. Highway (Autobahn)/Deepak Rauniyar, Nepal, USA 2011/Asia Premiere
5. Inside (Yeralti)/Zeki Demirkubuz, Turkey 2012/Asia Premiere
6. Mekong Hotel/Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, UK 2012/India Premiere
7. Milocrorze: A Love Story (Mirokurôze)/Yoshimasa Ishibashi, Japan 2011/India...
- 7/12/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Welcome to issue 11 of Trailer Trash our series showcasing the latest trailer releases – this issue once again features our all-new “excitement-o-meter” where we rate (in exclamation marks on a scale of 1 to 5) each and every trailer by how excited we are to see the film after watching it. This issue of Trailer Trash includes new trailers for Americano, Storage 24, Django Unchained, Flight and Korean thriller Headshot.
Americano
Americano, Mathieu Demy’s directorial debut, is both an homage tohis famous parents, filmmakers Agnes Varda and Jacques Demy, and a work thatstands entirely on its own. A deeply moving drama about inheritance andlegacy that deftly mines the past of a true-life filmmaking family,Americano weaves a mesmerizing fictional narrative about coming to termswith unattended grief and uncomfortable pasts. Excitement-o-meter: !
Storage 24
London is in chaos. A military cargo plane has crashed leaving its highly classified contents strewn across the city. Completely unaware London is in lockdown,...
Americano
Americano, Mathieu Demy’s directorial debut, is both an homage tohis famous parents, filmmakers Agnes Varda and Jacques Demy, and a work thatstands entirely on its own. A deeply moving drama about inheritance andlegacy that deftly mines the past of a true-life filmmaking family,Americano weaves a mesmerizing fictional narrative about coming to termswith unattended grief and uncomfortable pasts. Excitement-o-meter: !
Storage 24
London is in chaos. A military cargo plane has crashed leaving its highly classified contents strewn across the city. Completely unaware London is in lockdown,...
- 6/13/2012
- by Phil
- Nerdly
We Laurent Cantet’s Foxfire pegged for Tiff, Jim Mickle’s We Are What We Are slotted for Sundance 2013 and Under the Rainbow being an obvious choice for Cannes, one might overlook the fact that this year Emilie Georges’ Memento Films Int. are repping the Critics’ Week selected Los Salvajes and Un Certain Regard chosen The Pirogue. Breaking news for today is that the company will back Asghar Farhadi’s next project to star Marion Cotillard. Filming beings this fall in Paris.
Compliance by Craig Zobel
The Pirogue by Moussa TOURÉ
We Are What We Are by Jim Mickle
Bad Seeds (Comme Un Homme) by Safy Nebbou
For Ellen by So Yong Kim
Foxfire (Foxfire: Confessions D’Un Gang De Filles) by Laurent Cantet
Headshot (Fon Tok Kuen Fah) by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Kids Of Today (Des Jeunes Gens MÖDERNES 2.0) by Jérôme De Missolz
Lore by Cate Shortland
Los Salvajes...
Compliance by Craig Zobel
The Pirogue by Moussa TOURÉ
We Are What We Are by Jim Mickle
Bad Seeds (Comme Un Homme) by Safy Nebbou
For Ellen by So Yong Kim
Foxfire (Foxfire: Confessions D’Un Gang De Filles) by Laurent Cantet
Headshot (Fon Tok Kuen Fah) by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Kids Of Today (Des Jeunes Gens MÖDERNES 2.0) by Jérôme De Missolz
Lore by Cate Shortland
Los Salvajes...
- 5/17/2012
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
I can't remember a time I went to the Seattle International Film Festival (Siff) press launch and looked over the list of films and saw so many I was interested in seeing. The claim to fame for over the years is to call it the largest and most-highly attended festival in the United States. This is a fact I've often taken issue with as I don't equate quantity with quality. Granted, there has been a large number of quality features to play the fest over the years, including Golden Space Needle (Best Film) winners such as Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), My Life as a Dog (1987), Trainspotting (1996), Run Lola Run (1999), Whale Rider (2003) and even recent Best Director winner, Michel Hazanavicius's Oss 117: Nest of Spies in 2006. That said, looking over this year's crop of films I see a lot of films I will be doing my absolute best to see.
- 4/27/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Headshot is both the title and metaphoric description for Thai director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang’s (Last Life in the Universe, 6ixtynin9) latest mind-melting noir thriller. This is non-linear storytelling, people, so let’s keep alert and on our toes, shall we?! By the by, it also happens to be a moody and atmospheric cinematic treat, so buckle up, we’re going in …
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
- 4/27/2012
- QuietEarth.us
Getty Images Filmmaker Pen-ek Ratanaruang at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.
In the opening scenes of “Headshot,” a man sporting a shaved head and clad in the orange robes of a Buddhist monk enters a courtyard, turns toward a group of thugs, pulls a gun from a small bowl and fires at them. The imposter is a hitman, not a holy man, and in the subsequent chaos he’s shot in the head.
Three months later he wakes from a coma...
In the opening scenes of “Headshot,” a man sporting a shaved head and clad in the orange robes of a Buddhist monk enters a courtyard, turns toward a group of thugs, pulls a gun from a small bowl and fires at them. The imposter is a hitman, not a holy man, and in the subsequent chaos he’s shot in the head.
Three months later he wakes from a coma...
- 4/26/2012
- by Dean Napolitano
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
It’s back to the Big Apple with another batch of some of the most compelling titles that this year’s Tribeca Film Festival has to offer. This time around, we’re zinging over to Thailand for an eye-opening spin on the crime noir (no other film this year will make you want to invest in a helmet more), before zipping back to the U S of A and over to the left coast for two films about life in Los Angeles, relationships on the rocks, and cinematic twists that both surprise and sustain. Which one of these films marks the voice of an exciting new independent director and which will leave audiences begging for more, of all things, gimmicky behavior? As is the best part of all film festivals, let’s discover something new. Check out our latest batch of mini-reviews for Headshot, Caroline and Jackie, and Double or Nothing after the break. Headshot...
- 4/25/2012
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Looks like there might not be any "sun" in Sunday - but that's okay, Saturday was beautiful, wasn't it? And now that the Drive-In is behind us, let's hunker down in some movie theaters and get serious about the films and filmmaking at Tff 2012. Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper - Based on the Book 1:00 pm: Barnes and Noble Union Square Price: Free Tff filmmakers Pen-ek Ratanaruang (Headshot), Charles Matthau (Freaky Deaky), Donald Rice (Cheerful Weather for the Wedding), and more discuss their experiences adapting fiction to film. Moderated by Mark Adams, Chief Film Critic and Reviews Editor for Screen International. Tribeca Talks Industry: Imagine More 2:30 pm: Sva Theater Price: Free Join us for a screening of When You Find Me, the Ron Howard-produced short film shot using Canon cameras, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the production, followed by a discussion with Canon representatives and filmmakers...
- 4/22/2012
- TribecaFilm.com
This is a reprint of our review from the Vancouver International Film Festival.
The hitman genre has been done to death. If cinema can be a reflection of the times we live in, and a recorded piece of history of what the filmmakers are concerned with at the time of inception and production, then it’s amazing any of us are still alive. When done well, the genre can be a lot of fun – as well as dramatic, escapist, cool and artful – but there’s just too many professional killers running amok in the movies.
So if every story in the genre has already been told, then why make a hitman film? For one, you could argue that about every single genre out there. There are no new stories. But there is always a new, inventive and/or clever way to tell a story. And cinema is nothing if not a referential medium,...
The hitman genre has been done to death. If cinema can be a reflection of the times we live in, and a recorded piece of history of what the filmmakers are concerned with at the time of inception and production, then it’s amazing any of us are still alive. When done well, the genre can be a lot of fun – as well as dramatic, escapist, cool and artful – but there’s just too many professional killers running amok in the movies.
So if every story in the genre has already been told, then why make a hitman film? For one, you could argue that about every single genre out there. There are no new stories. But there is always a new, inventive and/or clever way to tell a story. And cinema is nothing if not a referential medium,...
- 4/20/2012
- by Erik McClanahan
- The Playlist
Headshot
Written by Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Directed by Pen-ek Ratanaruang
France/Thailand, 2011
At the outset of Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s thriller Headshot, hitman Tul (Nopachai Jayanama) dresses as a Buddhist monk in order to do a job. In the process of executing that hit, he is shot in the head, and upon awakening he sees the entire world upside down. Given that description, one might expect a film that is daring both in its visuals and its philosophy, but the end product doesn’t quite make it to that level.
Although there are upside-down shots scattered throughout the movie, for the most part the cinematography is spare and straightforward. This removes much of the thrill from the action scenes, during which the entire concept of Tul seeing the world upside down seems to be forgotten. This film will occasionally have a strong noir moment – a bracing torture sequence will be difficult to...
Written by Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Directed by Pen-ek Ratanaruang
France/Thailand, 2011
At the outset of Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s thriller Headshot, hitman Tul (Nopachai Jayanama) dresses as a Buddhist monk in order to do a job. In the process of executing that hit, he is shot in the head, and upon awakening he sees the entire world upside down. Given that description, one might expect a film that is daring both in its visuals and its philosophy, but the end product doesn’t quite make it to that level.
Although there are upside-down shots scattered throughout the movie, for the most part the cinematography is spare and straightforward. This removes much of the thrill from the action scenes, during which the entire concept of Tul seeing the world upside down seems to be forgotten. This film will occasionally have a strong noir moment – a bracing torture sequence will be difficult to...
- 4/20/2012
- by Mark Young
- SoundOnSight
The 2012 Tribeca Film Festival officially kicks off tonight with a screening of The Five- Year Engagement. That of course means my Tff experience officially starts tomorrow with the first of many early morning press screenings. I currently have a temporary schedule consisting of 15 films spread across 5 days. I also plan to check out some online screenings, as well as a few festival events. Since most interview opportunities seem to be falling on days when I will not be at the fest, I.ve decided to play it by ear much like last year. Also like last year, you will be able to see my Tribeca experience unfold in real-time by following @GetStuck on Twitter.
For now, here are some of the films we are most looking forward to this year:
2 Days In New York
This deliriously witty follow-up to 2 Days In Paris finds Marion (writer/director Julie Delpy) living a...
For now, here are some of the films we are most looking forward to this year:
2 Days In New York
This deliriously witty follow-up to 2 Days In Paris finds Marion (writer/director Julie Delpy) living a...
- 4/18/2012
- by Jerry Cavallaro
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Tribeca: Tell us a little about Headshot. How do you describe the movie in your own words? Pen-ek ratanaruang: Headshot is the story of a hit man who is shot in the head on one of his assignments. When he wakes after being in a coma for three months, he sees everything upside-down, literally. This disability causes him to question his life and his profession. When he attempts to quit his job, his past and his karma eventually catch up with him. Headshot essentially is a Buddhist film noir. Tribeca: What inspired you to make Headshot? What drew you to the crime/noir genre? Pen-ek Ratanaruang: No one film inspired me. I'm a fan of classic film noir, and I just wanted to make a film in that genre for fun. Tribeca: Headshot switches between the past and the present with incredible ease, and you manage to keep the viewer alert and engaged.
- 4/13/2012
- TribecaFilm.com
2012 Tribeca Film Festival Announces Film Selections
For Spotlight And Cinemania Sections And Special Screenings
***
Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival Lineup Also Revealed
The Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by American Express, today announced its feature film selections in the Spotlight and Cinemania sections, as well as Special Screenings and the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival lineup. The 11th edition of the Festival will take place from April 18 to April 29 in New York City.
The Spotlight section screens 34 films, 22 narratives and 12 documentaries that demonstrate the breadth of films at the Tribeca Film Festival. Nineteen films in the selection will have their world premieres at the Festival. The Cinemania section offers a largely international assortment of seven thrilling narrative films.
.The Spotlight program is a wonderful encapsulation of the originality and diversity of filmmaking that Tribeca seeks to highlight. We have films from emerging filmmakers as well as seasoned veterans, narratives that...
For Spotlight And Cinemania Sections And Special Screenings
***
Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival Lineup Also Revealed
The Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by American Express, today announced its feature film selections in the Spotlight and Cinemania sections, as well as Special Screenings and the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival lineup. The 11th edition of the Festival will take place from April 18 to April 29 in New York City.
The Spotlight section screens 34 films, 22 narratives and 12 documentaries that demonstrate the breadth of films at the Tribeca Film Festival. Nineteen films in the selection will have their world premieres at the Festival. The Cinemania section offers a largely international assortment of seven thrilling narrative films.
.The Spotlight program is a wonderful encapsulation of the originality and diversity of filmmaking that Tribeca seeks to highlight. We have films from emerging filmmakers as well as seasoned veterans, narratives that...
- 3/8/2012
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The next group of films screening at this year's Tribeca Film Festival has been announced, and while several seem more thriller than horror, we're including info on the most interesting sounding ones as well as the full Cinemania section.
“With Cinemania our selections demonstrate the imagination and resourcefulness of filmmakers from around the world who push the boundaries of genre in order to entertain, thrill, and engage,” said Frédéric Boyer, newly appointed Artistic Director of the Tribeca Film Festival.
The Tribeca Film Festival runs April 18th-29th in New York City. Visit the official Tribeca 2012 website for the entire lineup and more info; and keep your eyes on Dread Central for full event coverage!
Cinemania
Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal
Directed and written by Boris Rodriguez (Canada, Denmark) – North American Premiere, Narrative
Onetime art star Lars Olafssen is all washed up. Unable to paint without inspiration, he accepts a teaching stint...
“With Cinemania our selections demonstrate the imagination and resourcefulness of filmmakers from around the world who push the boundaries of genre in order to entertain, thrill, and engage,” said Frédéric Boyer, newly appointed Artistic Director of the Tribeca Film Festival.
The Tribeca Film Festival runs April 18th-29th in New York City. Visit the official Tribeca 2012 website for the entire lineup and more info; and keep your eyes on Dread Central for full event coverage!
Cinemania
Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal
Directed and written by Boris Rodriguez (Canada, Denmark) – North American Premiere, Narrative
Onetime art star Lars Olafssen is all washed up. Unable to paint without inspiration, he accepts a teaching stint...
- 3/8/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
I've barely had time to go over the titles in this year's World Narrative, Documentary and Viewpoints sections, and here the folks at Tribeca have the audacity (shocker!) to spring on us 34 more titles for Spotlight, Cinemania and their Special Screenings -- 19 world premieres among them! Oh, well... more excitement is... more exciting? Below, you'll find the full press release detailing all this promised magic of the cinema, which includes: Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's live action follow-up to Persepolis, Chicken With Plums, Thai Auteur Pen-ek Ratanaruang's noirish Headshot, the U.S. premiere of Sarah Polley's latest directorial effort Take This Waltz (with Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen), and Jackpot, the latest film adaptation of a story from Norwegian mystery/thriller author Jo Nesbø (Headhunters) ...
- 3/8/2012
- Screen Anarchy
A new big batch of films have been added to the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival line-up, and while there aren't a lot of big premieres in the bunch, there's a lot to catch up with for those of you (and us) who didn't attend Tiff 2011, Sundance 2012, etc. etc.
Highlights for us include Sarah Polley's sophomore directorial effort "Take This Waltz," starring Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams, Julie Delpy's "2 Days In New York," starring herself and Chris Rock in a sequel to "2 Days in Paris," Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's "Chicken With Plums," their directorial follow-up to the very excellent 2007 animated film "Persepolis," Lynn Shelton's "Your Sister's Sister" starring Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and Mark Duplass, and "Lola Versus," Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister Jones' follow-up to the celebrated 2009 micro-budgeted indie "Breaking Upwards" starring Lister Jones herself alongside Greta Gerwig, Joel Kinnaman (AMC's "The Killing," the new "RoboCop"), Bill Pullman,...
Highlights for us include Sarah Polley's sophomore directorial effort "Take This Waltz," starring Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams, Julie Delpy's "2 Days In New York," starring herself and Chris Rock in a sequel to "2 Days in Paris," Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's "Chicken With Plums," their directorial follow-up to the very excellent 2007 animated film "Persepolis," Lynn Shelton's "Your Sister's Sister" starring Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and Mark Duplass, and "Lola Versus," Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister Jones' follow-up to the celebrated 2009 micro-budgeted indie "Breaking Upwards" starring Lister Jones herself alongside Greta Gerwig, Joel Kinnaman (AMC's "The Killing," the new "RoboCop"), Bill Pullman,...
- 3/8/2012
- by The Playlist
- The Playlist
Tribeca 2012 Announces Final Line-Up Including ’2 Days,’ ‘Take This Waltz,’ ‘Sleepless Night’ & More
After an initial unveiling earlier this week, Tribeca Film Festival 2012 have announced the rest of their feature film line-up and it is a surprisingly strong one. We’ve got lots of great films that have premiered at previous fests.
There is July Delpy‘s 2 Days In New York (our Sundance review here), Sarah Polley‘s Take This Waltz (our Vancouver review here), the awesome action thriller Sleepless Night (our Tiff review here), as well as one of my favorites from Toronto, Chicken with Plums (our Tiff review here), from the Persepolis directors. We’ve also got premieres of Jenna Fischer‘s Mechanical Man and Chris Colfer‘s Struck by Lightning, as well as docs by Billy Corben, Morgan Spurlock and Keanu Reeves‘ filmmaking doc Side by Side. Check them all out below.
Spotlight Section
2 Days in New York, directed and written by Julie Delpy. (France) – New York Premiere, Narrative. This...
There is July Delpy‘s 2 Days In New York (our Sundance review here), Sarah Polley‘s Take This Waltz (our Vancouver review here), the awesome action thriller Sleepless Night (our Tiff review here), as well as one of my favorites from Toronto, Chicken with Plums (our Tiff review here), from the Persepolis directors. We’ve also got premieres of Jenna Fischer‘s Mechanical Man and Chris Colfer‘s Struck by Lightning, as well as docs by Billy Corben, Morgan Spurlock and Keanu Reeves‘ filmmaking doc Side by Side. Check them all out below.
Spotlight Section
2 Days in New York, directed and written by Julie Delpy. (France) – New York Premiere, Narrative. This...
- 3/8/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
HollywoodNews.com: The Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by American Express, today announced its feature film selections in the Spotlight and Cinemania sections, as well as Special Screenings and the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival lineup. The 11th edition of the Festival will take place from April 18 to April 29 in New York City.
The Spotlight section screens 34 films, 22 narratives and 12 documentaries that demonstrate the breadth of films at the Tribeca Film Festival. Nineteen films in the selection will have their world premieres at the Festival. The Cinemania section offers a largely international assortment of seven thrilling narrative films.
‘The Spotlight program is a wonderful encapsulation of the originality and diversity of filmmaking that Tribeca seeks to highlight. We have films from emerging filmmakers as well as seasoned veterans, narratives that showcase stellar performances and insightful writing, and documentaries that challenge and inform their audiences,’ said Frédéric Boyer, newly appointed Artistic...
The Spotlight section screens 34 films, 22 narratives and 12 documentaries that demonstrate the breadth of films at the Tribeca Film Festival. Nineteen films in the selection will have their world premieres at the Festival. The Cinemania section offers a largely international assortment of seven thrilling narrative films.
‘The Spotlight program is a wonderful encapsulation of the originality and diversity of filmmaking that Tribeca seeks to highlight. We have films from emerging filmmakers as well as seasoned veterans, narratives that showcase stellar performances and insightful writing, and documentaries that challenge and inform their audiences,’ said Frédéric Boyer, newly appointed Artistic...
- 3/8/2012
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Tribeca Film Festival announced its Spotlight and Cinemania programs today, including Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary, Mansome, period drama Cheerful Weather for the Wedding with Like Crazy’s Felicity Jones (right), and Struck By Lightning, written by Glee’s Chris Colfer. “It was important that we head into Tribeca’s second decade highlighting projects that were attuned to the pulse of our cultural climate,” said director of programming Genna Terranova, in a release. “That said, both consciousness and levity play a prominent role in this year’s selection. We are also eager to introduce audiences to a group of...
- 3/8/2012
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
Based on Win Lyovarin‘s novel, Headshot (Fon Tok Kuen Fah) is a noir assassin story that features a killer who takes a bullet to the brain – leaving him seeing the world upside down. Considering that it’s from Thailand, has a crazy premise and involves violence, there’s a word of warning that should come along with writer/director Pen-En Ratanaruang‘s film: it’s far more drama than action film. For whatever reason, Ratanaruang and company chose to abandon anything about the story’s gimmick that makes it viable and loaded down their structure with faulty flashbacks and confused caricatures. It’s a fairly standard crime story with wasted potential, but it has a leading man that comes close to making it worthwhile. Tul (Jayanama Nopachai) is a hitman, but he used to be a cop. The good kind. Unfortunately, the good kind of cop often goes after the wrong kind of bad guy, and...
- 2/16/2012
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Following up the initial announcement of titles, the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival revealed it will open with the period drama Les Adieux à la reine (Farewell My Queen) today. From director Benoît Jacquot, the drama stars Inglourious Basterds lead Diane Kruger, as well as Léa Seydoux who broke-out in Midnight in Paris and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol this year. Based on, Chantal Thomas’ novel we have the first stills of the film (from Lumiere via The Playlist) that follows the “first few days of the French Revolution from the perspective of the servants at Versailles.”
Kruger, who plays Marie Antoinette here, has only appeared in one big film following her post-Basterds role with Unknown, but I look forward to her future work, especially with this film. I thought Seydoux was great as an action villain in Ghotocol and excited to see her career rise. Check out the stills below,...
Kruger, who plays Marie Antoinette here, has only appeared in one big film following her post-Basterds role with Unknown, but I look forward to her future work, especially with this film. I thought Seydoux was great as an action villain in Ghotocol and excited to see her career rise. Check out the stills below,...
- 1/4/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
The 62nd Berlin International Film Festival to be held from February 9-19, 2012 announced the list of films to be screened in Panorama section. The lineup includes renowned names such as Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Volker Schlöndorff, Cao Hamburger, Pen-ek Ratanaruang and Teona Strugar Mitevska.
No Indian film has yet found a place in Berlinale Panorama 2012. Last year Vishal Bhardwaj’s 7 Khoon Maaf, Kaushik Mukherjee’s Gandu and Phil Cox’s The Bengali Detective were presented in this section.
Feature films to date:
10+10 by Hou Hsiao-hsien,Taiwan
Death For Sale by Faouzi Bensaïdi, France
Die Wand (The Wall) by Julian Roman Pölsler, Austria/Germany
Dollhouse by Kirsten Sheridan, Ireland
Elles by Malgoska Szumowska, France/Poland/Germany
Fon Tok Kuen Fah (Headshot) by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, Thailand/France
From Seoul To Varanasi by Kyuhwan Jeon, Republic of Korea
Hot boy noi loan – cau chuyen ve thang cuoi, co gai diem va con vit...
No Indian film has yet found a place in Berlinale Panorama 2012. Last year Vishal Bhardwaj’s 7 Khoon Maaf, Kaushik Mukherjee’s Gandu and Phil Cox’s The Bengali Detective were presented in this section.
Feature films to date:
10+10 by Hou Hsiao-hsien,Taiwan
Death For Sale by Faouzi Bensaïdi, France
Die Wand (The Wall) by Julian Roman Pölsler, Austria/Germany
Dollhouse by Kirsten Sheridan, Ireland
Elles by Malgoska Szumowska, France/Poland/Germany
Fon Tok Kuen Fah (Headshot) by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, Thailand/France
From Seoul To Varanasi by Kyuhwan Jeon, Republic of Korea
Hot boy noi loan – cau chuyen ve thang cuoi, co gai diem va con vit...
- 1/4/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The Berlinale's announced today that 20 films are now lined up for its Panorama program. All in all, around 50 titles will make up the main program, Panorama Special and Panorama Dokumente.
10+10 by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Wang Toon, Wu Nien-Jen, Sylvia Chang, Chen Guo-Fu, Wei Te-Sheng, Chung Meng-Hung, Chang Tso-Chi, Arvin Chen, Yang Ya-Che and others, Taiwan — see a full report from the Taipei Film Commission: "Funded by the Golden Horse Film Festival and the Republic of China Centenary Foundation, 10+10 [is] a movie comprised of 20 short films by 10 renowned and 10 emerging Taiwanese filmmakers."
Death For Sale by Faouzi Bensaïdi, France
With Fehd Benchemsi, Fouad Labiad, Mouhcine Malzi, Imane Elmechrafi, Faouzi Bensaïdi
Die Wand (The Wall) by Julian Roman Pölsler, Austria/Germany
With Martina Gedeck — Synopsis from The Match Factory: "(1.) The wall is a highly unusual exploration of solitude and survival. (2.) It is the story of a woman who is separated from the...
10+10 by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Wang Toon, Wu Nien-Jen, Sylvia Chang, Chen Guo-Fu, Wei Te-Sheng, Chung Meng-Hung, Chang Tso-Chi, Arvin Chen, Yang Ya-Che and others, Taiwan — see a full report from the Taipei Film Commission: "Funded by the Golden Horse Film Festival and the Republic of China Centenary Foundation, 10+10 [is] a movie comprised of 20 short films by 10 renowned and 10 emerging Taiwanese filmmakers."
Death For Sale by Faouzi Bensaïdi, France
With Fehd Benchemsi, Fouad Labiad, Mouhcine Malzi, Imane Elmechrafi, Faouzi Bensaïdi
Die Wand (The Wall) by Julian Roman Pölsler, Austria/Germany
With Martina Gedeck — Synopsis from The Match Factory: "(1.) The wall is a highly unusual exploration of solitude and survival. (2.) It is the story of a woman who is separated from the...
- 1/4/2012
- MUBI
Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Headshot, not to be confused with the upcoming Walter Hill film starring Sylvester Stallone, is a Thai crime thriller with a rather unique twist. The movie stars Nopachai Jayanama as a hitman named Tul who gets shot in the head. When he wakes up in the hospital three months later, his vision is completely inverted and the camera reflects this by showing much of the subsequent action from his point of view. He sets off in search of his would-be killer. The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival back in September where it was picked up for U.S. distribution by Kino Lorber. The first domestic trailer has apparently been online for a while but it is definitely worth a look. It showcases plenty of blood and violence, but it also seems to be heavy with symbolism and philosophical musings as well. Headshot will hit...
- 11/2/2011
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Head wounds are unpredictable. One person might endure grievous trauma to the noggin and display no ill effects, while a seemingly minor knock on the dome can drop someone else into a coma for years. So I don't find it difficult at all to accept the idea that a man who survives being shot in the head might find that he sees everything upside-down. That's part of the basic conceit of Headshot, a cops and gangsters thriller from Thai director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang in which a cop experiences exactly that sort of shooting and aftermath, and then tries to deal with the aftermath. I've been following the slow reveal of images and video from Headshot ever since the first materials premiered on Twitch [1]. A couple of trailers showed up there over the past months, and we never ran them. The English-subtitled one is cropping up once more this week, likely thanks...
- 10/27/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
"How does it feel to see the world upside down?" There's a trailer for a Thai film called Headshot that you've got to check out, mostly for the concept. Thanks to a tip from Film School Rejects, Headshot is about a hitman who gets shot in the head and wakes up seeing the world upside down. Basically, his vision is flipped, which causes him to have a completely different view on life. It looks good, and Fsr's Rob Hunter likens Thai filmmaker Pen-Ek Ratanaruang to Christopher Nolan, but that's quite a bit of a stretch. I definitely do want to see this at some point. Just be warned - this trailer is Nsfw as it has some sex/nudity. Watch the first official trailer for Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's Headshot, straight from YouTube: Tul (Nopachai Jayanama), a hitman, is shot in the head on a job. He wakes up after a...
- 10/27/2011
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The first images I encountered for director Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s “Headshot” instantly hooked me, which is why I’m a little surprised I missed the first trailer when it debuted a few weeks ago. I’m a little glad I had my head in the sand at the time, as the English-subtitled trailer for the aforementioned titled is quite nice. It’s always nice to know what people are saying when they’re attempting to tell a story. Makes the narrative easier to understand, you see. Don’t remember what this one’s about? Here’s a synopsis: Tul, a hitman, is shot in the head during one assignment. He wakes up after a two-month coma to find that he sees everything upside down, literally. He goes back to his job, but his new affliction doesn’t make things easy. Doubt starts to set in about what he does for living.
- 10/21/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
A variation on a theme, but always good to know what’s going on when you don’t speak the language – A little while back we brought you a new trailer for Pen-ek Ratanaruang's ultra violent Thai thriller Headshot. This week we’ve got one for you, English subbed. Nice. Synopsis: Tul, a hitman, is shot in the head during one assignment. He wakes up after a two-month coma to find that he sees everything upside down, literally. He goes back to his job, but his new affliction doesn't make things easy. Doubt starts to set in about what he does for living. But karma's a bitch, and the past starts to catch up with him. Then he meets a girl who turns his world even more upside down. Plus, who was trying to kill him in the first place? Headshot trailer...
- 10/21/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
A variation on a theme, but always good to know what’s going on when you don’t speak the language – A little while back we brought you a new trailer for Pen-ek Ratanaruang's ultra violent Thai thriller Headshot. This week we’ve got one for you, English subbed. Nice. Synopsis: Tul, a hitman, is shot in the head during one assignment. He wakes up after a two-month coma to find that he sees everything upside down, literally. He goes back to his job, but his new affliction doesn't make things easy. Doubt starts to set in about what he does for living. But karma's a bitch, and the past starts to catch up with him. Then he meets a girl who turns his world even more upside down. Plus, who was trying to kill him in the first place? Headshot trailer...
- 10/21/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Headshot is an antithetical thriller that easily morphs into a subdued, slate-grey crime noir. With a striking sense of ease and control, Ratanaruang steers his eighth feature through the paces of political, police and underworld manipulations, allowing it to nearly float to its uninhibited conclusion. Returning to the atmosphere of his 1999 film 6ixtynin9, Headshot looks down the short barrel of a pistol and displays a languid mood to a rich narrative that works just slightly outside of the box, albeit with ample bloodletting.Tul is a hitman, or as his boss prefers, an "expert assassin." The film opens with a mysterious man at a typewriter preparing information on a political target. Tul picks up the instructions, and, in the first of many...
- 10/8/2011
- Screen Anarchy
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