Today's Her Majesty the Queen's birthday, which is also Mother's Day, and it's the start of a four-day weekend in Thailand.
And so the industry has rolled out a pair of movies – a slapstick comedy and a teen romance – designed to attract the idlers to the multiplexes.
Phranakorn Film has Luangphee Teng 3 Roon Ha Khayao Lok (หลวงพี่เท่ง 3 รุ่นฮา เขย่าโลก), the third entry in the company's crown-jewel monastic comedy series that started in 2005.
The first film starred comedian Teng Terdterng as a former street hood who seeks to redeem himself as a monk. He joins a down-at-the-heels temple in a small town and faces all kinds of new situations in helping the locals deal with their problems. It was the biggest box-office hit of the year.
The series continued in 2008, with rapper Joey Boy taking over the lead role, playing a monk who preaches in a rapid-fire style, energizing the disadvantaged residents of a rural area.
The latest to shave his head and don the saffron robes is singer-actor Krissada "Noi Pru" Sukosol Clapp, who is known for taking on challenging film roles. But here it doesn't seem to be much of a stretch for the 13 Beloved leading man, as he plays a rock star named Noi who enters the monkhood.
As a new and somewhat rebellious monk, he has to deal all kinds of new situations.
Chalermpon “Jack Fan Chan” Thikampornteerawong, Natee Ekvijit (better known as Oui from the rock band Budda Bless), Kotee Aramboy and veteran comedian Der Doksadao also star. Musician Ad Carabao rides his Harley to help out. As always, Bumrer “Note Chernyim” Phonginsee directs.
The trailer is at YouTube and here.
Following fast on the heels of Tukky Jao Ying Khai Kob (ตุ๊กกี้เจ้าหญิงขายกบ), Sahamongkol Film International and Workpoint Entertainment offer another co-production with the teen romance First Love (สิ่งเล็กๆ ที่เรียกว่า...รัก, Sing Lek Lek Thee Riak Wa … Ruk, or literally "a little bitty thing called love").
Mario Maurer stars. He's 21 years old, but the Love of Siam actor can't seem to get away from being cast as a schoolboy.
Here he's the heartthrob of the school and crush object of a rather plain schoolgirl (Pimchanok Luevisetpaibool).
A makeover is needed. So ditch the schoolgirl uniform and maybe the glasses. But she needs to wipe that dumb look off her face, or else it'll stick like that. In fact it has, on all the posters, frozen for time immemorial.
Sudarat "Tukky" Butrprom plays a teacher who's trying to catch the eye of the gym teacher.
Putthiphong Promsakha na Sakon Nakhon and Wasin Pokpong direct. The trailer's at YouTube and embedded here.
I watched Sing Lek Lek today and really enjoyed it. I thought it was sweet, funny and appropriately sad in parts. I have some complaints but I'll leave them until after your review :)
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