Showing 1 - 8 of 8
Traditional tales
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 05/11/2021
» Anyone who lives in Asia knows that the countries are a treasure trove of supernatural beliefs that scared the living daylights out of us as kids -- and perhaps even now, as adults. With Folklore, iconic Singaporean director Eric Khoo takes the helm as showrunner as he gathers superstitions and myths from across Asia in an anthology series with each episode directed by different directors like Indonesia's Joko Anwar, the Philippines' Erik Matti and even first-time director Seiko Matsuda, who is known for her singing and acting career in Japan. The second season of the anthology series premieres on Nov 14 on HBO Go. Guru speaks with Khoo and Matsuda, who directed the second episode, about the series.
Now showing
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 08/10/2021
» Cinemas are back! After another semi-lockdown that forced cinemas to close, we can finally enjoy a proper movie-going experience again. Sure, it might be capped at 50% capacity and you can only sit with one person beside you instead of the classic cinema experience of having your girlfriend on your left while a dude who munches popcorn loudly is on your right. Sigh, nostalgia! But we'll take what we can get for now. Though it's easy to simply go to the nearest mall to go to the cinema, we're spotlighting places that offer a different experience. These indie cinemas deserve as much love as any of the multiplexes do. After losing iconic places like Scala and Bangkok Screening Room, we should do what we can to keep these cinemas alive. Get the popcorn and settle in. It's time to go back to the movies.
Father, gentleman, thief
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 11/06/2021
» Mystery shrouded Netflix's original TV show Lupin the first time it was announced as people wondered if this was going to be a modern version of the famous gentleman burglar a la BBC's Sherlock Holmes. But upon its release in January 2020, audiences were more than pleased and riveted at the story of Assane Diop, who employs the fictional thief's strategies, to go after the man who framed his father.
Read all about it
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 23/04/2021
» A blogger a number of years ago cited an alleged Unesco statistic stating that Thais only read eight lines per year compared to the five books a year Singaporeans and Vietnamese read. I couldn't find the statistic anywhere but a former editor for Guru also wrote in one of her past editor's note that the National Statistic Office reported in 2005 that Thais read an average of just seven lines a year. However, the Unesco site which you can check out has traced that illiteracy has begun declining in 2015 so perhaps the seven-lines-per-year has improved. But why in the world am I talking about Thailand's literacy rates when we usually talk about food or Uncle Tu's latest blunders in this magazine? Well, today is actually World Book Day, and we're listing out a few things you can do to celebrate the occasion -- and perhaps also keep that upward trajectory on the Unesco stat going. So choose a cozy spot and get ready to bury your nose in a few pages as we celebrate World Book Day 2021.
Dreamworld
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 25/12/2020
» If you heard the name "My Life As Ali Thomas", the first thing you'd probably say is "Wait, that's a name?" Yes, it's the name of a Thai indie-folk rock band that writes songs in English, and though the name is odd, the story behind it makes sense.
Twist & sounds
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 24/07/2020
» Now that we're able to go out and about again, watching a film about a house haunted by secrets and a mysterious ghost shouldn't be too bad, right? The Maid is the first Thai-produced Netflix horror film that was released a week ago, starring Teerapat Sajakul and Sawika "Pinky" Chaiyadech. Though the film seems like a straightforward horror story featuring a baby-faced and naive main character, a mysterious rich couple and a terrifying ghost out for blood, it quickly gives you a bunch of twists to keep you on the edge of your seat, as well as a couple of jump scares, all achieved with the help of terrifying visuals and bone-chilling sound design. Guru spoke to Lee Thongkham, the film's director and writer, and Traithep Wongpaiboon, who was the sound post-production supervisor, about the film and what role sound plays in getting audiences scared.
What's next on Netflix
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 14/12/2018
» Netflix has taken over all of our lives and we've sat back and welcomed it. "Netflix and chill" is now meant in the literal sense rather than being used as a euphemism back in the day i.e. a year or so ago. With the recent boom of the streaming service, it's no surprise that they show no signs of stopping. Having released a huge amount of new content this year, they also announced exciting releases for 2019 at the "What's Next" event at Singapore recently, with series from Thailand, too.
Screen stealers
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 21/09/2018
» It's not news that the Thai film industry is doing well and the films being produced are not just successful in Thailand, are also gaining recognition outside the country. Thai blockbusters, however, are the usual: rom-coms, comedies, horror movies, horror-comedies, with a few action movies thrown in for good measure. But these aren't the entirety of the movies being made in the Kingdom. Just last week, Manta Ray won an award at the Venice Film Festival. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of other Thai films that have not only gained recognition outside of Thailand but have also received awards.