films seen
11
average score
3.32*
nationality
Thailand - 62 years old
status
Alive and kicking
more info

One of Thailand's absolute finest. Ratanaruang loves to combine light crime elements with impeccable styling and ethereal moods. His films could be a little too slow for some, other than that his entire oeuvre's an easy recommend.

Movies


Last Life in the Universe

Ruang Rak Noi Nid Mahasan
2003 / 112m - Thailand
Drama, Mystery
Last Life in the Universe poster

For a long time, you may wonder what the fuss is all about, but then the end credits start to roll and you suddenly realize what a truly wonderful film Ratanaruang delivered.

Invisible Waves

2006 / 115m - Thailand
Drama, Crime
Invisible Waves poster

Compared to RRNNM just about everything is more polished. The visuals look tastier, the soundtrack is even more profoundly present and the acting is just about perfect.


Nymph

Nang Mai
2009 / 109m - Thailand
Mystery
Nymph poster

Nymph is a good film by all means, it's just not all that commercial.

6ixtynin9

Ruang Talok 69
1999 / 115m - Thailand
Comedy, Crime
6ixtynin9 poster

In the end, Ruang Talok 69 is a very fun ride, nicely shot and awesomely scored, presented with a great sense of humor and key scenes that are wonderfully executed.


Samui Song

Mai Mee Samui Samrab Ter
2017 / 108m - Thailand
Drama, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
Samui Song poster

Not quite a return to form for Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, but a good film nonetheless. Combining thriller elements with a more arthouse aesthetic, Samui Song is a film that keeps you on your toes. Well made, well acted and not at all predictable, but ultimately lacking some stand-out moments.

Headshot

Fon Tok Kuen Fah
2011 / 105m - Thailand
Drama, Crime
3.5*/5.0*
Headshot poster

Ploy

2007 / 105m - Thailand
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Ploy poster

A good film, but Ratanaruang clearly struggled without Doyle behind the camera. It's not that the cinematography is bad, but for a film that put emphasis on long and slow takes, it's not quite refined enough. The score compensates and adds oodles of atmosphere, it's just wasn't quite enough to keep me engaged all the way through.

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Wit and his wife Dang return from the USA to Bangkok to attend a funeral. They arrive in the middle of the night and check in at a luxurious hotel. Wit can't sleep and goes to the bar, where he runs into Ploy, a young girl waiting for her mother to arrive. He invites her back to his room to freshen up.

There isn't much in the way of a plot, just a central cast of characters who cross paths. The soundtrack is moody, the cinematography is polished, and the performances are flawless, but for a film like this, everything needs to be perfection and that's not quite the case. Still worth a watch though, especially if you liked Ratanaruang's other work.

Transistor Love Story

Monrak Transistor
2001 / 90m - Thailand
Comedy, Musical
3.5*/5.0*
Transistor Love Story poster

Fun Bar Karaoke

1997 / 103m - Thailand
Comedy, Crime
2.5*/5.0*
Fun Bar Karaoke poster

Another micro-shorts anthology. They were relatively popular for a while, but they rarely lived up to their potential. With just a single minute to make an impression, directors were given a tricky challenge. One that proved a bit too daunting for most involved, as too many of the entries failed to make an impact.

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This isn't so much a real film as it was an experience though. There doesn't remain a proper copy of this anthology since it was only screened once, then burned right after. I usually stray from watching low-quality recordings, but with nothing else available, it was either that or not watching it ever.

There are some interesting names here, but few of them stand out. The goals of the project are lofty, but it's all very conceptual and the films themselves never really match or strengthen the project's ideals. It's a good thing that the score is pretty interesting, which at least kept me going. Not all that interesting.


Paradoxocracy

Prachathipa'Thai
2013 / 85m - Thailand
Documentary
1.0*/5.0*
Paradoxocracy poster