Finally, I return to Thursday Movie Picks series by Wandering Through the Shelves. As for this week, the theme is kinda close to me: Non-English Language Movies – Asian Language Movies Set in South East Asia.
I’d traditionally choose Indonesian flicks for this kind of theme. However, there are other Southeast Asia movies, which really deserves attention. From a Singaporean family drama, Indonesian Alice in the Wonderland to Thai equivalent to Lost in Translation makes my picks for this week.
So, I present you my picks.
01. Ilo Ilo (2013) – Singapore
Anthony Chen’s directorial debut is a hell of a family movie. It centers around a middle-class family in Singapore with a series of tragedy and unfortunate events, but it is kept warm by uplifting relationship of the housekeeper and the child of the family. Warm but melancholy, Ilo Ilo is a real portrait of family issue in Singapore without facade.
02. Fiksi. (2008) – Indonesia
fiksi. is a slow-burning Indonesian psychological thriller which centers around the dwellers of an apartment in Jakarta suburb from the perspective of a troubled girl. It’s a realistic inversion of Alice in the Wonderland with a darker premise, a more bitter conclusion, and more Asian touches. When I said Alice in the Wonderlands, it’s the real one.
03. Last Life in the Universe (2003) – Thailand
With three languages spoken through the entire movie, Last Life in the Universe is one of the most unique Thai movies. Tadanobu Asano is a Japanese librarian in Japan Foundation in Thailand. Twist of fate leads him to meet his Thai sort-of lover with mutual guilt. It might be too pretentious, however, there’s a quintessence of Japanese and Thai artsy elements pinned along the film making it a peculiar collaboration.
So that’s it…my three picks. Hit comment button if anything.
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