Thai movies with English subtitles to discover the Thai cinema and familiarize yourself with the thai culture and language. In particular with the romantic comedy Hello Stranger which became a cult movie in Thailand. Thai cinema triumphed by winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2010. Here no Uncle Boonmee but other Thai films to discover. Thai movies with English subtitles to discover the Thai cinema and familiarize yourself with the thai culture and language. In particular with the romantic comedy Hello Stranger which became a cult movie in Thailand. Thai cinema triumphed by winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2010. Here no Uncle Boonmee but other Thai films to discover.
The runner-up in our list of the top Thai movies of 2018 is Ten Years Thailand, a rather trippy take on challenges facing modern Thai society. Part of a successful franchise that started in Hong Kong and has also made its way to Japan and Taiwan, Ten Years Thailand is an anthology of four short films from acclaimed Thai directors. All language subtitles for The.Pool.2018.THAI.1080p.BluRay.H264.AAC-VXT.
The top Thai movies from 2018, ranging from romance and comedies to documentaries and thrillers.By Richard Yu, 23 Jan 19 03:48 GMT
2018 was a diverse year for Thai films. From rom-coms to documentaries, many titles made their way onto the world stage outside Thailand. In 2018, Thai movies not only found themselves succeeding in theaters across Asia, but also captured audiences at film festivals in Venice and Cannes.
Cinema Escapist takes a look at some of the Best Thai movies of 2018—whether you’re a newcomer to Thai movies, or a long-time fan of Thai cinema, we’ve got you covered.
• • •7. 7 Days
'>Starring: Nittha Jirayungyurn, Kan Kantathavorn| Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Have you ever wanted to live a day in someone else’s life? What if you did that every day? This is the premise of 7 Days.
The film’s protagonist Tan (Kan Kantathavorn), a master chef who is on the verge of proposing to his girlfriend Meen (Nittha Jirayungyurn), suddenly wakes up as a completely different person—but retains all his past memories. Tan must then convince Meen that he’s still himself, despite the different appearances he has every day
In many ways, 7 Days is reminiscent of the South Korean film The Beauty Inside, which is one of the best Korean movies on Netflix.
6. Homestay
'>Starring: Teeradon Supapunpinyo, Cherprang Areekul, Suquan Bulakul | Genre: Drama, Thriller, Romance, Fantasy
Everyone’s only given one life on this world—unless you become a wandering spirit. In Homestay, a mysterious “Guardian” gives a wandering spirit a second shot at life by putting him in the body of Min—a teenager who recently committed suicide. There’s a catch: the spirit must discover the reason behind Min’s suicide, or die permanently. By exploring Min’s troubled family life, crush (played by BNK48’s captain, Cherprang Areekul), and best friends, the spirit aims to unravel this mystery.
Homestay was based on the Japanese novel Colorful, but we can’t help but think that the Chinese film Beautiful Accident may have also inspired the story. While other critics gave the film mixedreviews, we believe that Homestay is a good reminder for us to value our time on earth and treasure those around us.
5. Brother of the Year
'>Starring: Sunny Suwanmethanont, Urassaya Sperbund, Nichkhun Horvejkul (of 2PM) | Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama
Those of us with siblings know that the relationship with our brothers and sisters can be trying at times, but ultimately we love each other unconditionally. The same team that brought us Bad Genius explores this love-hate relationship in Brother of the Year, starring Sunny Suwanmethanont as a Chut, a playboy advertising exec.
Chut’s life is turned upside down when his sister Jane (Urassaya Sperbund) moves in with him and starts dating Moji (Nichkhun from 2PM)—one of Chut’s clients. The ensuing conflict of personalities between the immature, “won’t ever grow up” Chut and the straight-edge Jane makes for an entertaining movie.
Brother of the Year is a romantic comedy in its own way—just not the girlfriend-boyfriend kind. Director Vithaya Thongyuyong artfully blends slapstick humor with melodrama, and his skill pays off: in just one week, Brother of the Year managed to surpass Bad Genius’ all-time box office success.
4. BNK48: Girls Don’t Cry
'>Directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit | Genre: Documentary
The Thai girl pop idol group BNK48—inspired by Japan’s AKB48—has captured the hearts of many in Thailand. However, the life of a pop star is not all glamor and excitement—plenty of sweat and tears go into their public image. Director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit stitches together interviews with BNK48 members and backstage footage to shine some light into the daily lives of Thailand’s favorite singers in BNK48: Girls Don’t Cry.
As it turns out, simply being admitted to the girl group is not enough—only the 16 members with the most social media followers actually get to be a part of the core performing group, driving the girls to compete against each other in a race to the top.
BNK48: Girls Don’t Cry has enjoyed a successful run on the festival circuit, making appearances in Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, and even Rotterdam.
3. App War
'>Starring: Nat Kitcharit, Warisara Yu, Patchanan “Orn BNK48” Jiahuracgite | Genre: Romance, Comedy, Business
App Warcomes to cinemas as the Thai government tries to stimulate a startup ecosystem to help the kingdom move up the economic value chain. Bomb (Nat Kitcharit) and June (Warisara Yu) are the founders of two startups building similar apps, both competing to win funding in an upcoming startup competition. Patchanan “Orn BNK48” Jiahuracgite from the popular girl group BNK48 also makes an appearance as an intern in one of the startups, alongside a host of models and celebrities from TV advertisements.
A number of online publications have praised the film for inspiring young entrepreneurs. However, at its heart, the film is a rom-com—so regardless of your future plans to create the next tech unicorn, App War will be an entertaining, light-hearted movie to watch.
2. Ten Years Thailand
'>Shorts directed by Aditya Assarat, Wisit Sasanatieng, Chulayarnnon Siriphol, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Genre: Drama, Political
The runner-up in our list of the top Thai movies of 2018 is Ten Years Thailand, a rather trippy take on challenges facing modern Thai society. Part of a successful franchise that started in Hong Kong and has also made its way to Japan and Taiwan, Ten Years Thailand is an anthology of four short films from acclaimed Thai directors.
The anthology’s shorts touch on topics ranging from censorship to political conflict, making it particularly relevant as Thailand prepares for its first elections since a 2014 military coup overthrew the democratically-elected government.
Unlike its peers elsewhere in Asia, Ten Years Thailand takes a less direct approach in its exploration of social issues. This is perhaps to avoid drawing the ire of the Kingdom’s censors, ensuring the film can have a domestic theatrical release. While foreign audiences may have to work harder to grasp the commentary lying under psychedelic light sequences, the film did manage to score a screening at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018.
Interested in learning more? Read our in-depth review of Ten Years Thailand.
1. Manta Ray
'>Starring: Wanlop Rungkumjad, Aphisit Hama, Ramsee Wayrana | Genre: Drama, Thriller
Topping our list of the best Thai movies from 2018 is Manta Ray, a story of human compassion and identity. A fisherman picks up a wounded Rohingya refugee, nursing him back to health. The two slowly develop a deeper bond, as they partake in mundane activities together like playing with manta rays and riding motorcycles. However, the fisherman is also involved in some less savory business, which ultimately causes him to mysteriously disappear.
Phuttiphong Aroonpheng’s directorial debut unabashedly addresses the Rohingya conflict in neighboring Myanmar; Aroonpheng opens the film with a dedication to the Rohingya people. The film is particularly timely given the ongoing international concerns over the refugee crisis that has accompanied military crackdowns in the Rakhine region of Myanmar.
Manta Ray had a number of successes along the festival circuit, winning awards at the Venice Film Festival and the Cairo International Film Festival. The Chinese video-streaming service Youku worked alongside French and Thai producers to create Manta Ray, a surprising fact given the Chinese governments support for the Burmese government.
| Pee Mak | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Banjong Pisanthanakun |
| Produced by | Jira Maligool Chenchonnee Suntonsaratoon Suwimon Techasupinun Pran Thadaweerawutar Vanridee Pongsittisak |
| Written by | Nontra Khumvong Banjong Pisanthanakun Chantavit Dhanasevi |
| Starring | Mario Maurer Davika Hoorne Pongsathorn Jongwilas Nattapong Chartpong Auttarut Kongrasri Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasook |
| Music by | Chatchai Pongpraphaphan Hualampong Riddim |
| Cinematography | Narupon Sohkkanapituk |
| Edited by | Tummarut Sumetsuppasok |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | GMM Tai Hub(Thailand) Intersolusindo Film (Indonesia) Golden Screen (Malaysia) Golden Village (Singapore) Panasia (Hongkong) Star Cinema(Philippines) |
Release date | |
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | Thailand |
| Language | Thai |
| Budget | $1.8 million |
| Box office | $33 million[1] |
Pee Mak (Thai: พี่มาก..พระโขนง; RTGS: phi mak phra khanong) is a 2013 Thai comedy-horror-romance film directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun.[2] The story is an adaptation of the Mae Nak Phra Khanong legend of Thai folklore.[2] It was released on 28 March 2013.[2] The film stars Mario Maurer as Mak and Davika Hoorne as Nak, and Pongsathorn Jongwilas, Nattapong Chartpong, Auttarut Kongrasri and Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasook.[2] At present, this is Thailand's highest grossing-film of all time.
Plot[edit]
The story is set in mid-19th century Siam, during the era of King Mongkut and at the height of the Rattanakosin Dynasty, when Siam was plagued with wars with its neighboring kingdoms. Mak (Mario Maurer) was drafted to serve in a war, forcing him to leave behind his pregnant wife Nak (Davika Hoorne) at the town of Phra Khanong, not far from Central Bangkok. He was wounded during a battle and sent to a medical camp, where he met fellow soldiers Ter, Puak, Shin and Aey, who later became his best friends after he had saved them from certain death. Meanwhile, in Phra Khanong, Nak struggled alone painfully to give birth to the baby; she calls out for help, but she is too weak to be heard. Shortly after, rumors started circulating the village that Nak had died in labor and was now a ghost of a very powerful form haunting the house. The villagers in the neighborhood then heard her singing lullabies to her baby, terrifying them and forcing them to cower in fear. When Mak and his friends arrive back in Phra Khanong in the evening, they find the town completely silent. The five soon arrive at Mak and Nak's house during the night, and Mak introduces Nak to them. As it is now too dark to continue traveling, Mak's friends decide to stay. The following day, the men visit the village market but are shunned by the fearful community. A drunk villager attempts to shout out a warning to Mak but is forced down and hushed by her son. Mak's four friends then discuss what they had heard, but dismiss the rumors as ridiculous. Shin, however, while he was sent to fetch Mak, saw that the house was a dilapidated wreck that hadn't been maintained for months, that the baby cot that Mak and Nak's son, Dang, was supposed to be sleeping in, was rocking by itself, and then he saw Nak extending her arm to an unnatural length to retrieve a dropped lime under the house. The following day, Ter discovers a decomposed corpse behind the house wearing exactly the same ring as Nak. The drunk villager who had also tried to warn them earlier also turned up mysteriously drowned. Soon, all four friends are convinced that she is a ghost. The friends then try numerous methods to convince Mak of the news, including a game of charades, and come within inches of being murdered by Nak, with only Mak's presence preventing her from doing so, and she scares them away. Worse, Mak dismisses all of their warnings, proclaims that they are no longer his friends, and kicks them out of their accommodations.
Later, Mak and Nak go out on a date in the town, visiting an amusement park. Mak's friends' attempt to separate the two by kidnapping Mak, but their plans are foiled when Nak discovers them and chases them away. Suddenly, during the getaway, Mak's old wartime wound reopens. His friends express surprise at how slowly it has healed, but Shin and Ter become convinced that he, not Nak, is the ghost, and their fears are seemingly confirmed when Mak reacts in pain when they attack him with holy rice. The friends then flee from their wounded friend and rescue Nak. While escaping in a boat, Mak 'returns' to them, walking into the river to them, but ends up almost drowning when he suffers cramps. As ghosts are not supposed to feel cramps, Mak is revealed to not have been a ghost, and he is rescued; when asked why he screamed when hit by the holy rice, he reveals that the rice had riddled his wound, making him yell out in pain. In the following confusion, Aey drops a ring identical to the one Mak, Nak, and the body behind the house had been wearing. Aey is immediately pronounced a ghost and kicked off the boat. The others then try to escape, but, as they had lost the paddles to the boat earlier, they cannot move. Nak then somehow produces a soaking wet paddle and hands it to Ter, who suddenly recalls that all of them had been thrown overboard, and had already drifted too far away for a normal person to recover. Ter then stands up on the boat to look between his legs at the group; Nak is revealed to have been the ghost all along, and the four remaining men, including Mak, retreat to a temple.
There, the men come under the protection of the local monk, armed with holy rice, holy water, and the temple is fortified with an enchanted 'safety ring.' Nak quickly appears, in her terrifying ghostly form, and attacks. Initially, the holy 'weapons' successfully keep Nak at bay, but, in a panic, coupled with Mak's struggle to get back to his wife, all of the holy rice and water are wasted, and the monk was accidentally kicked out of the 'safety ring.' The monk then fled the temple, leaving the four, who had since destroyed the 'safety ring' while trying to run, to face the angry Nak. A pale Aey then reappears, and it was revealed that he is also human; he was in possession of the ring because he had stolen it off of the corpse behind the house to finance his gambling. Nak angrily shouted at the five that she just wanted to be with her loved one, which the four friends argued against since they didn't believe the living can be with the dead, and accuse her of killing the drunk; Nak furiously denies her involvement and says that the drunk had drowned herself. Nak, in a combination of sadness, anger, and desperation, then threatens to kill Mak and take him to live with her, but stops when she sees how much she had been scaring her husband. Mak then revealed he knew the truth about Nak all along, having had his suspicions raised during the game of charades. He had already looked at Nak between his legs, which revealed her ghostly form, and found her decomposed corpse. However, even then, he is far more afraid of living without her than of her being dead. The two tearfully reconcile. His friends, seeing them reuniting, also tearfully reaffirm their friendship, and vow to never leave each other again. A flashback to Mak and Nak's first meeting is shown.
In the credit scenes, Mak, his wife and now his four friends live happily in the village. Nak uses her supernatural abilities to do chores, play charades (and helping Mak win for the first time), scare off villagers attempting to drive her away (who are led by the village drunk's son) and even run the town's 'haunted house' attraction. It is also revealed that her child, Dang, also possesses some of her abilities, even though he is still an infant.
Reception[edit]
Pee Mak has earned more than 1 billion baht ($33 million) in revenue worldwide (mostly in Asia), and is currently the highest-grossing Thai film,[3] beating the record of Ong-Bak and one of Asia's highest-grossing films of all time. The film sold a record 16 million tickets worldwide. The film has been screened in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Cambodia, Australia, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, China, South Korea, parts of the South Pacific and parts of the United States.
Cast[edit]
- Mario Maurer as Mak
- Davika Hoorne as Nak
- Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasuk as Aey (เอ, RTGS: E)
- Nuttapong Chartpong as Ter (เต๋อ, RTGS: Toe)
- Wiwat Kongrasri as Shin (ชิน, RTGS: Chin)
- Pongsathorn Jongwilas as Puak (เผือก, RTGS: Phueak)
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 24th Star Party TV Pool Awards | Teen Idol Actress Award | Davika Hoorne | Won |
| 6th Siam Dara Star Awards | Best Movie | Pee Mak | Nominated | |
| Best Movie Director | Banjong Pisanthanakun | Nominated | ||
| Actress Excellent | Davika Hoorne | Won | ||
| Most Popular Female Star | Nominated | |||
| Actor Excellent | Mario Maurer | Won | ||
| Most Popular Male Star | Nominated | |||
| Scene Stealer Award | Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasuk, Nattapong Chartpong, Wiwat Kongrasri & Pongsatorn Jongwilak | Won | ||
| 11th Seventeen Choice Awards | Hot Guys of the Year | Mario Maurer | Won | |
| Hot Girl of the Year | Davika Hoorne | Won | ||
| 56th Asia-Pacific Film Festival | Best Art Director | Arkadech Kaewkotara | Nominated | |
| OK! Awards | Spotlight Award | Pee Mak | Won | |
| 2nd Kerd Awards | Born to be Famous Award | Davika Hoorne | Nominated | |
| Born to be the Best | Won | |||
| Born to be Together Award | Mario Maurer & Davika Hoorne | Nominated | ||
| Born to be a Comedian Award | Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasuk, Nattapong Chartpong, Wiwat Kongrasri & Pongsatorn Jongwilak | Won | ||
| Kerd of the Year | Mario Maurer | Won | ||
| 11th Starpics Thai Films Awards | Best Movie | Pee Mak | Nominated | |
| Best Movie Director | Banjong Pisanthanakun | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Mario Maurer | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Pongsatorn Jongwilak | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Nontra Kumwong, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Chantavit Dhanasevi | Nominated | ||
| Best Movie Editing | Tummarut Sumetsuppasok | Nominated | ||
| Best Art Director | Arkadech Kaewkotara | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Music Score | Chatchai Pongpraphaphan, Hua Lampong Riddim | Nominated | ||
| Popular Movie | Pee Mak | Won | ||
| 2014 | 23rd Thailand National Film Association Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Banjong Pisanthanakun | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Davika Hoorne | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Pongsatorn Jongwilak | Nominated | ||
| Wiwat Kongrasri | Nominated | |||
| Nattapong Chartpong | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay | Nontra Kumwong, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Chantavit Dhanasevi | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Narupon Sohkkanapituk | Nominated | ||
| Best Film Editing | Tummarut Sumetsuppasok | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Music Score | Chatchai Pongpraphaphan, Hua Lampong Riddim | Nominated | ||
| Best Recording and Sound Mixing | Kantana Sound Studio | Nominated | ||
| Best Art Director | Arkadech Kaewkotara | Won | ||
| Best Makeup Effects | Pichet Wongjansom | Nominated | ||
| Best Costume Design | Suthee Muanwaja | Nominated | ||
| Best Visual Effects | Oriental Post | Nominated | ||
| 4th Mthai Top Talk Awards | Top Talk About Movie | Pee Mak | Won | |
| 22nd Bangkok Critics Assembly Awards | Best Movie | Nominated | ||
| Best Movie Director | Banjong Pisanthanakun | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Mario Maurer | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Wiwat Kongrasri | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Nontra Kumwong, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Chantavit Dhanasevi | Nominated | ||
| Best Movie Editing | Tummarut Sumetsuppasok | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Narupon Sohkkanapituk | Nominated | ||
| Best Art Director | Arkadech Kaewkotara | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Music Score | Chatchai Pongpraphaphan, Hua Lampong Riddim | Won | ||
| Highest Grossing Movie of the Year | Pee Mak | Won | ||
| The Nine Fever Awards | Thai Movie Fever | Won | ||
| The BK Film Awards[4] | Best Actress in Leading Role | Davika Hoorne | Won | |
| Best Actor in Supporting Role | Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasuk, Nattapong Chartpong, Wiwat Kongrasri & Pongsatorn Jongwilak | Won | ||
| 11th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Pongsatorn Jongwilak | Nominated | |
| Best Movie Director | Banjong Pisanthanakun | Nominated | ||
| Popular Movie Award | Pee Mak | Nominated | ||
| 4th Thai Film Director Association | Excellent Movie | Won | ||
| Excellent Director | Banjong Pisanthanakun | Won | ||
| 8th Kazz Awards | Movie of the Year | Pee Mak | Won | |
| Popular Actor Award | Mario Maurer | Nominated | ||
| Superstar Man of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Popular Actress Award | Davika Hoorne | Nominated | ||
| Superstar Woman of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 7th Nine Entertain Awards | Film of the Year | Pee Mak | Nominated | |
| Actor of the Year | Mario Maurer | Won | ||
| Creative Team of the Year - The Screenplay | Nontra Kumwong, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Chantavit Dhanasevi | Nominated | ||
| Creative Team of the Year - The Art Director | Arkadech Kaewkotara | Nominated | ||
| 3rd Daradaily The Great Awards | Movie of the Year | Pee Mak | Won | |
| Best Film Actor of the Year | Mario Maurer | Won | ||
| Best Film Actress of the Year | Davika Hoorne | Won | ||
| 2015 | 2nd ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards | Special Jury Award | Pee Mak | Won |
Posterity[edit]
Pee Mak has been adapted to Tamil in Bayama Irukku (2017), and in Malayalam as 'Kinavalli' (2020)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&id=_fPEEMAKPRAKANONG01
- ^ abcdElley, Derek (July 26, 2013). 'Pee Mak'. Film Business Asia. Retrieved July 28, 2013.[not specific enough to verify]
- ^Brzeski, Patrick (May 3, 2013). 'Teenager Dies in Thailand Imitating Scene From Hit Film 'Pee Mak''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- ^The BK Film Awards 2014. BK - THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO BANGKOK. FEB 27, 2014.
External links[edit]
The Pool Thai Full Movie With English Subtitles
- Pee Mak on IMDb
- Pee Mak Movie at sanook! (in Thai)
- Pee Mak the movie at Movie MThai (in Thai)
The Pool Thai Movie Eng Sub Indonesia