Best bet: National Treasure.
At the bottom is my tabulation of movies and times for Major Cineplex at Airport Plaza and for Vista at Kadsuankaew beginning Thursday, January 10, 2008. Attached is the same chart in Word format. This is Issue Number 11 of Volume 3 of these listings.
The aliens and the predators have come out tops at the box office in Thailand for the past two weekends. In the US, the top film for three weekends now has been National Treasure. And The Golden Compass has departed; it was my favorite for several weeks now. I Am Legend has also left. Leaves us with a pretty bleak week. Sweeney Todd has been put off to January 31.
Now playing in Chiang Mai * = new this week
* Hitman 47 – US Action/Thriller – 100 mins – I quote the press release: "Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant) has been educated to be a 
professional assassin for hire, and his most powerful weapons are his nerve and a resolute pride in his work. 47 is both the last two digits of the barcode tattooed on the nape of his neck, and his only name. The hunter becomes the hunted when 47 gets caught up in a political takeover. Both Interpol and the Russian military chase the Hitman across Eastern Europe as he tries to find out who set him up and why they're trying to take him out of the game. But the greatest threat to 47's survival may be the stirrings of his conscience and the unfamiliar emotions aroused in him by a beautiful, damaged girl."
This movie is based on a video game, which is an entirely different medium than film, and basically non-dramatic. Its roots show: we simply see one meaningless violent encounter after another. I must add that the first few minutes (under the opening credits) are terrific, as boys are shown being programmed to become assassins by what looks like a combination of the Roman Catholic Church and organized crime, all to the accompaniment of "Ave Maria."
And now I find out that those fine opening moments didn't come from the filmmakers at all, but was footage "borrowed" from a TV series ('Dark Angel', the Fox TV series), and that the "boy" who grew up to be "47" is actually a girl. Can you trust no one?
Anyway, the "boy" grows up to be Agent 47, a killing machine who obeys instructions announced to him, "
Overall, I think it's an unfortunate combination of excessive violence, incoherent plot, and inane dialogue. There are several hilariously ridiculous instances of a naked woman's breasts pixilated by the Thai censors.
This is one of the very few movies rated NC17 in
* Mum Deaw – Thai Drama/Family –A gentle, sweet, and sentimental story. Unmarried Mum, played by Thai superstar Mum Jokmok, leaves his easy going, relaxed life in the quiet
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem: US Action/Horror/Sci-Fi – 86 mins – It's just what you would expect it to be, a comic book brought bloodily to life, loudly.
I found it an exciting and confusing blood bath and gore fest, with an excess of bodily fluids – blood from the humans and lord knows what translucent slime from the non-humans. It's all pretty mindless, and with truly banal dialogue. But see it if you're a fan of comic books blown up to movie-screen proportions. It's been the top film in Thailand for the past two weekends.
Has been given an unusual NC17 rating in Thailand, meaning, supposedly, that anyone 17 or under is not allowed to see it under any circumstances. Things have to be pretty bad and bloody to get this rating here, where blood on the screen is par for the course. It's also rated R in the US for violence, gore, and language. Generally negative reviews: 26/26 out of 100.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets: US Action/Adventure – 124 mins – The top film in the US for three weekends now. With Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris, Diane Kruger; directed by Jon Turteltaub. In this fun and action-filled follow-up to 
the box-office hit National Treasure, treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) once again sets out on a global quest to unearth hidden history and treasures. When a missing page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth surfaces, Ben's great-great grandfather is suddenly implicated as a key conspirator in Abraham Lincoln's death. Ben follows a chain of clues and puzzles, determined to prove his ancestor's innocence,
The movie is absolutely preposterous and utterly implausible, but I thought it a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it, but then I like very much Cage's persona and sense of humor. If you liked the first film, I think you will enjoy this one, also. Mixed or average reviews: 49/48 out of 100.
Konbai The Movie: Thai Romance/Comedy – Usual low-class Thai comedy with the usual stars, mostly from television. Nation: "The hot TV series is adapted into a film about some hilltribe lads who travel to the big city. An all star cast of Thai comics is featured." Kong Rithdee, in the Bangkok Post: "cashes in on the built-in buffoonery of a bunch of TV comedians in the movie version of a popular tube show."
Yen Pe Le Semakute (Three Cripples): Thai Low Comedy/Action – With Jaturong Mokjok. Though the film is directed by Poj Arnon, responsible for the groundbreaking and award-winning Bangkok Love Story, this is a far cry from that film. This is just an ordinary very low-class comedy with well-known television and movie stars.
Kong Rithdee, in the Bangkok Post: "Yen Pe Le Semakute (literally "the buck-toothed, the crippled, the cross-eyed") follows the familiar protocol of gross-out humor, foul expletives and labored physical gags bordering on exploitation. It's the story of three cripples who want to join a mafia gang, and before they even start doing anything funny, the get-up clearly tries to make their physical conditions comical. In other words, the movie wants us to laugh at freaks. Without acting up like a snooty petit bourgeois, we need to ask ourselves whether we, the audience, feel no qualms about this dubious brand of humour."
At Alliance Française on Friday, January 18, 8 pm
Les Soeurs fâchées/ Me and My Sister (2004), directed by Alexandra Leclère.
Scheduled to open Thursday, January 17
Cloverfield: US Action/Sci-Fi/Thriller – Revolves around a monster attack in New York as told from the point of view of a small group of people. This is being played for all its worth by the publicity people, with fake news stories all over the web about early monster attacks, like on an oil rig off the Atlantic coast of the US. You can see some of them here.
(http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=21735)
. . . and postponed to Thursday, January 31
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: US Thriller/Drama – 117 mins – with Johnny Depp in the Stephen Sondheim musical, directed by Tim Burton. In my opinion, one of the best musicals (or operas) ever.
First postponed from Jan. 3 to Jan. 24, it has now been postponed to Jan. 31. Keep your fingers crossed.
"What you will see is as dark as the grave. What you will hear is some of the finest stage music of the past 40 years."
The setting for this harrowing melodrama is Victorian England, where Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) is living a simple life as a barber with his wife Lucy and his daughter Johanna (Jayne Wisener) when the lust of a judge (Alan Rickman) throws all of their lives into chaos. The judge has Benjamin Barker deported to Australia, and many years later he returns to England, under the pseudonym Sweeney Todd, with revenge in his heart. He wishes to reclaim his family and punish the judge and the society who destroyed it. With the help of Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), a pie shop owner who had known Sweeney and his family all those years ago, Sweeney goes about seeking vengeance and reaping the benefits of that bloody journey.
Rated R in the US for graphic bloody violence. Reviews: Universal acclaim: 83/79 out of 100.
The scores given, on a basis of 100, are from two web sources. The first, in bold, is from Metacritic.com, and the other is from RottenTomatoes.com. Both read a great number of critics and convert what is said into scores, which are then averaged. For movies released in the US only.
Major Cineplex
4th Floor Airport Plaza
Telephone: 053 283-939
Schedule on Major Cineplex Website
Week beginning Thursday, January 10, 2008.
All times given here are fairly accurate for the first two days only. On the weekend, when the mall opens an hour earlier, times are generally one hour earlier, with an extra show added at the end of the day. Hopefully! Check the website, call, or just go look.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (AVP2)
86 mins (English Version)
US Action/Horror/Sci-Fi – The top film in Thailand for two weeks. It's just what you would expect it to be, a comic book brought to life, loudly. Two species of monsters continue their epic battle here on earth, killing a cast of unknowns. Rated NC17 in Thailand, R in the US for violence, gore, and language. Generally negative reviews: 26/26 out of 100.
11:50| 13:40| 15:40| 17:40| 19:45| 21:45|
Hitman
100 mins (English Version)
US Action/Thriller – An unfortunate combination of excessive violence, incoherent plot, and inane dialogue. Rated NC17 in Thailand, R in the US for strong bloody violence, language, and some sexuality/nudity. Generally negative reviews: 35/36 out of 100.
11:30| 13:30| 15:30| 17:30| 19:30| 21:30
Konbai The Movie
110 mins (Thai/English Subtitles)
Thai Romance/Comedy – Usual low-class Thai comedy with the usual stars, mostly from television.
11:55| 14:10| 16:25| 18:45| 21:05|
Mum Deaw
110 mins (Thai/English Subtitles)
Thai Drama/Family – Mum (Mum Jokmok) leaves his quiet village for Bangkok where he meets his future son.
11:35| 12:35| 13:55| 14:55| 16:15| 17:15| 18:35| 19:35| 20:55| 21:55|
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
124 mins (English Version)
US Action/Adventure – Tops at US box office for three weeks. Treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) once again undertakes an action-packed global quest to unearth hidden history and treasures. Absolutely preposterous and utterly implausible, but I thought it a lot of fun. Mixed or average reviews: 49/48 out of 10.
12:05| 14:35| 17:05| 19:50|
Yen Pe Le Semakute (Three Cripples)
100 mins (Thai/English Subtitles)
Thai Low Comedy/Action – With Jaturong Mokjok. An ordinary very low-class comedy with well-known television and movie stars.
11:50| 14:00| 16:10| 18:20| 20:30|
Vista – Kadsuankaew
Telephone: 053 894-415
Week beginning Thursday, January 10, 2008.
Times here are for the entire week; fairly reliable.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (AVP2)
86 mins (English Version)
US Action/Horror/Sci-Fi – The top film in Thailand for two weeks. It's just what you would expect it to be, a comic book brought to life, loudly. Two species of monsters continue their epic battle here on earth, killing a cast of unknowns. Rated NC17 in Thailand, R in the US for violence, gore, and language. Generally negative reviews: 26/26 out of 100.
11:45| 13:45| 15:45| 17:45| 19:40| 21:30|
Hitman
100 mins (English Version)
US Action/Thriller – An unfortunate combination of excessive violence, incoherent plot, and inane dialogue. Rated NC17 in Thailand, R in the US for strong bloody violence, language, and some sexuality/nudity. Generally negative reviews: 35/36 out of 100.
11:45| 12:45| 13:45| 14:45| 15:45| 16:45| 17:45| 19:40| 21:30
Konbai The Movie
110 mins (Thai/English Subtitles)
Thai Romance/Comedy – Usual low-class Thai comedy with the usual stars, mostly from television.
11:30| 13:30| 15:30| 17:30| 19:30| 21:30|
Mum Deaw
110 mins (Thai/English Subtitles)
Thai Drama/Family – Mum (Mum Jokmok) leaves his quiet village for Bangkok where he meets his future son.
11:30| 12:30| 13:30| 14:30| 15:30| 16:30| 17:30| 18:30| 19:30| 20:30| 21:30
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
124 mins (English Version)
US Action/Adventure – Tops at US box office for three weeks. Treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) once again undertakes an action-packed global quest to unearth hidden history and treasures. Absolutely preposterous and utterly implausible, but I thought it a lot of fun. Mixed or average reviews: 49/48 out of 10.
18:45| 21:00|
Yen Pe Le Semakute (Three Cripples)
100 mins (Thai/English Subtitles)
Thai Low Comedy/Action – With Jaturong Mokjok. An ordinary very low-class comedy with well-known television and movie stars.
11:30| 13:30| 15:30| 17:30| 19:30| 21:30|
Vista – 12 Huaykaew
Permanently closed.
