Sinjai Plengpanich Movies
Two young men go from friends to lovers as one stands on the verge of stardom in this drama from Thailand. Mew and Tong were best friends as children, and Tong's sister Tang was a close confidant to them both. Years later, Mew (Witwisit Hiranyawongkul) has become a professional musician, and he's the lead singer and songwriter with a pop group, August, who are poised to achieve major commercial success. One day, Mew happens to meet Tong (Mario Maurer) for the first time in years, and the two waste no time getting reacquainted; while both of them have girlfriends, it becomes clear that there's a bond between them that they've never felt with other people, and their friendship begins to grow into something deeper. Meanwhile, Tong's family is still reeling from Tang's mysterious disappearance several years before, and her father, Korn (Songsit Roongnophakunsri), has become a hopeless alcoholic. When Tong meets June (Chermarn Boonyasak), a personal assistant for August, he's struck by her uncanny resemblance to Tang, and asks her to pose as his sister in hopes her presence will help his father snap out of his depression. Rak Hang Siam (aka The Love of Siam) was written and directed by Matthew Chookiat Sakveerakul, who also had a hand in writing the songs for the film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sinjai Plengpanich, Songsit Roongnophakunsri, (more)
A fabled moment in the history of Thailand sets the stage for this lavishly mounted historical epic. In 1528, Thailand's leadership is in chaos, as the Northern and Southern factions of the nation declare their own kings; in the midst of this confusion, young Suriyothai (M.L. Piyapas Bhirombhhakdi) is forced to marry Prince Tien (Sarunyoo Wongkrachang) and leave behind her true love, Piren (Chatchai Plengpanich). In time, Prince Tien becomes the nation's sole ruler, but King Tabinshweti (Suphakit Tangthatswasd), the ruler of nearby Burma, declares his designs upon Thailand; and as the two countries go to war in 1548, Tien is lost in battle. As Thailand's independence hangs in the balance, Suriyothai stands as her nation's new champion; she rallies the Thai forces, and, traveling by elephant, leads a brave and determined campaign against the invading Burmese troops. Suriyothai originally opened in Thailand in the summer of 2001, screening in a sprawling 185-minute version, and became one of the country's biggest box-office hits. Two years later, director Chatrichalerm Yukol, a member of Thai royalty, reshaped the film for international release with the help of his friend Francis Ford Coppola; the film was shortened to 142 minutes and retitled The Legend of Suriyothai. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
