Life evaluates the year's best in cinema, streaming and television FilmPraised by critics and enjoyed by audiences, a catalyst of endless debates and academic papers, a zeitgeist work of art that clicks both at the popular and cerebral level, Bong Joon-ho's Parasite is easily our film of the year. GDH-559's Friend Zone. Photo © GDHElsewhere, the case of Todd Phillips' Joker and whether this is the best comic-book movie in the world or a shallow, self-important display of muddled philosophy will keep critics busy for at least a few more months, as the film is likely to score several Oscar nominations, including the Big Ones. That, however, shouldn't distract us from the spat of the year: the Scorsese v Marvel faceoff, to which Marty responds with classy aplomb in The Irishman, an engrossing, sombre mob saga produced by Netflix (which means you can watch and rewatch it to your heart's content deep into awards season). Indeed, Netflix is so determined to be accepted into the Oscars club that they also stream us the searing divorce drama Marriage Story, directed by Noah Baumbach and starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson (these two films were not released theatrically in most countries, including Thailand).Let's save our final salute for Once Upon A Time.
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In Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino's surprisingly touching ode to vintage Hollywood and the magic of cinema, both making it and watching it. Saeng Krasue (Inhuman Kiss). THAI CINEMA: SAME OLD, SAME OLDThe big hitter keeps hitting big, while the rest keep praying they could do the same. GDH-559, once again, is the most bankable studio of 2019 with two major hits, and their strong performance continues to be the sole stabiliser that keeps the wobbly Thai film industry on its feet. GDH scored earlier in the year with Friend Zone, a romantic comedy that made over 130 million baht in Thailand and was a hit in many Asian markets; then its Tootsies & The Fake, a queer comedy, breezed past the 100 million baht mark in less than a week in early December and is still in the cinemas now. Next week, the studio will release its oddball separation drama Happy Old Year, and the forecast is again positive for the last Thai title of the year.Saeng Krasue ( Inhuman Kiss), a well-produced romantic horror from Transformation Studio, was a medium-size hit back in March; its portrayal of a female ghoul as the victim of social prejudice is clear-eyed and fresh, and the film has been chosen to represent Thailand at the Oscars.
Back in January, P Nak, a ghost comedy from Five Star Entertainment, was a sleeper hit that proves that old formulas still work, and that the same-old, same-old unpredictability of the Thai film industry isn't going anywhere soon. Orange Is The New Black. Photo © NETFLIXStreamingIt's Baby Yoda's time! The tiny green creature from The Mandalorian has already taken over Planet Earth despite its platform Disney+ being officially available only in a few countries. The global streaming arena is looking at growing tough competition. The new streaming giant is quickly gaining stride, with reportedly over 10 million subscribing the day it was launched.
Sinopsis Drama Korea My First First Love My First First Love bercerita tentang kehidupan Yoon Tae Oh (Ji Soo) dan teman-temannya. Karena berbagai alasan pribadi, teman-teman Yoon Tae Oh pindah ke rumahnya. Do you remember when we met for the first time? Hyun Jin - a girl who finally meets her coveted guy. Hee Jin - a girl that is still in love.
It's unclear when Disney+ will be available in Thailand.While Disney+ remains in the West (for now), Netflix continues its reign in this region. We see long-time series turning out their last chapter, while new ones begin their first step.
One of its pioneering originals, Orange Is The New Black, concluded in July. This dramedy about ladies behind bars has continuously pushed boundaries, receiving acclaim through its seven-season run since the show's debut in 2013.Other must-see hits from Netflix this year include the continuation of other originals like The Crown, which sees a whole new cast joining its third season. Despite initial apprehension, audiences were quickly won over by the enigmatic Olivia Colman and the powerhouse actors who complete this great ensemble. The Stranded. Photo © NetflixThe first original Thai series on Netflix is released. The Stranded mixes teen drama, island survival and supernatural occurrences in a debut that has both thrilled and baffled its viewers. With the way the series ends, Season 2 is definitely on the agenda, and we hope it will up its game the second time around.In cross-national streaming, we also have the martial-arts fantasy The Untamed, which originally aired on the Chinese streaming website Tencent Video and is now available on Netflix.The line between streaming and 'older' platforms such as television and cinema has continued to be blurred, and it's becoming increasingly harder to determine what category a project falls under.
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Sunny and Davika in My Ambulance. Photo © Nadao BangkokTelevisionPeriod drama is leading the way this year. Riding on the vintage vibe was Thong Ek Mor Ya Tah Chaloang, starring Mario Maurer, a romcom about a traditional medical practitioner in the 1800s.Another hit from Channel 3 is Krong Kam, in which Ranee 'Bella' Campen and Mai Charoenpura battle in an in-law feud set in the late 60s. Over on Channel 7, the costume drama trend continues in Buang Sabai, featuring two half-sisters in a tale of romance and jealousy that leads to tragedy. Thais sure love hard and juicy drama, and when they're made right with a great cast and script to match, they become unbeatable hits.There are also some controversial lakorn this year. Challenging the idea of morality and family, Korn Arun Ja Roong follows the life of a teenage girl who is raped by her father, and how the entire family deals with the aftermath of the incident. There's also a transgender drama, Bai Mai Tee Plid Plew, which sees actress Pimchanok 'Baifern' Luevisadpaibul playing a trans woman who seeks revenge on her father's side of the family for childhood mistreatment and her mother's death.
Interestingly, this lakorn has become very popular in China. 10 Fight 10.Another trend we've noticed is Thai remakes of South Korean series. One of the most anticipated was My Love From The Star. The original Korean version starred mega actors like Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun and became a hit throughout Asia in 2014. Its Thai remake, unfortunately, wasn't as well-received, and even the star power of its leads, like Nadech Kugimiya, wasn't able to salvage the ratings.Later in the year, the medical romcom drama My Ambulance became a big hit with the help of its catchy soundtrack that went viral nationwide.
Sunny Suwanmethanont plays a busy doctor who can be magically summoned by his girlfriend, played by Davika Hoorne.For TV shows, standing out in the sea of singing and cooking shows is 10 Fight 10, which pitches male celebrities together in kickboxing matches. There were lots of bruises, pain, tears and drama. We didn't know we needed to see handsome stars in a brawl, but we do now.Internationally, winter has come and gone. Game Of Thrones has concluded with the Dragon Queen fallen and the Raven wearing the crown. The show's Season 8 saw fans calling it a disappointing end to a remarkable show.
There's even an online petition signed by over 1.8 million people demanding to have the entire season remade properly. Still, despite its final season, the show has already left a strong impact on pop culture for generations to come.
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