Asian Movie Fanatic: January 2010

Saga of the Phoenix (1990) - 1 Movie

The sequel to 1987's Peacock King. Yuen Biao reprises his role as Peacock, designated guardian from the minions of Hell. He’s assigned to watch over Ashura (Gloria Yip), who was the cute-as-a-button daughter of Hell that was prophesied to bring about Armageddon. The forces of good wish to imprison her, but she’s such a sweet girl that they give her a week to play around, with Peacock and brother Lucky Fruit as her guardians.
Sadly, Hell’s Concubine decides to stir things up and tries to repeatedly kidnap Ashura. She fails initially, but freezes Peacock in a block of ice. After that it’s all downhill. Nevermind that no one seems to care that Peacock is missing - the film takes a massive turn and tells the story of Ashura’s new friendship with a wacky inventor and his free-spirit sister (Loletta Lee). Lucky Fruit hangs around, which leads to the blossoming of a romance with the sister.
As if that weren’t wacky enough, the filmmakers go the Ewok route and introduce Genie, a flatulent muppet that attempts to steal the show but only succeeds in annoying the piss out of anyone watching. The antics are unbearable, but eventually they take a turn for the worse when Hell’s Concubine possesses Genie and tries to use him against Ashura. The pain that registers watching the little mutant attempt cuteness is beyond belief - it’s like watching Salacious Crumb dance for our amusement. By the time Peacock returns to set things straight, the damage has been done. Also, Lucky Fruit is played by a taller, different Japanese actor than in the original. All told, the film is passable in spurts - if you cut out the little muppet then the film would improve considerably. Sadly, it’d also be 25 minutes long. (Kozo 1998)

To watch this show: TBA

Song Rao...Nirundon (2005) - 15 Episodes

Song Rao...Nirundon (The Two of Us…For Eternity)

Ittsara (Itt) had it all; wealth, power, and most importantly, a beautiful and charming fiancé, Nitracha (Nit). However, Nit’s best friend, Opau, was also in love with Itt. She had been suppressing her feelings until the day of the wedding. Opau confessed to everything while driving Nit to the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Fahkram (Fah) had just dropped off Praifon (Fon) to make a business transaction while he picked up a birthday cake for her. On his way back to pick up Fon, he collided into Nit and Opau’s car with full force. Fah and Opau were badly injured, but Nit lost her life. Itt could not come to terms with her death and decided to leave Thailand. Opau used her power and turned the blame onto Fah. After the injustice caused by the Hi-So, Fon changed completely. She was no longer the timid girl who couldn’t stand up for herself. She became strong, independent, and guarded.

One year later, Mungon (Itt’s best friend) found him and pressured him into returning to Thailand. Itt was still not ready to return to his “normal” life so he went to the beach instead of his welcome back party. There, he ran into Soda (Fon’s nephew) and Fon. He staggered around and eventually ended up at Fon’s restaurant. Itt felt the love and warmth of Fon’s family and was compelled to stay. He abandoned his previous life and identity so that he could follow his passion in cooking.

Out of desperation, Fon hires Itt to be their chef. Fon and Itt constantly quarreled because of their stubbornness and strong personalities. However, the time they spent together healed Itt’s broken heart and he was able to love again. Things were going good until Fon found out the truth about Itt’s past and true identity.

~AnothaiDara

To watch this show: TBA

Seub Lab Rahat Rak (2007) - 14 Episodes

Seub Lab Rahat Rak (Secret Code of Love)

Because of the mysterious death of Paew, the granddaughter of Minister Wiset, so Tinnapop, a psychometrer who helped the government job called his friend, Anon, the secret agent to invertigate this case. Both Anon and Tinnapop suspected that the Soleil cult, the social group that worships the sun as their god, might be behind Paew's death.

At the same time, Neungruethai or Nueng, the owner of the big perfume company met Tinnapop and he knew from his psychometric power that she was looking for Thatit, her younger brother who was missing after he joined in the Soleil cult. Tinnapop offered to help her, but he wanted her to disguise herself as Anon's wife and join in the Soleil cult to find out the truth with Anon.

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Sarp Phusa (2009) - 15 Episodes

Sarp Phusa (Cursed Frabric)

In the past, Princess Seeked, the princess from the vassal state, is skillful in weaving the golden brocade in the royal palace. She meets Prince Tad. They fall in love with each other and Princess Seeked gets pregnant later. However, Prince Tad decided to get married with Princess Chai to satisfied his parents. With her vengefulness, Princess Seeked weaves a golden brocade with her curse in every thread before she kills herself while pregnant.

In the modern day, Maipim, a girl who loves the ancient fabric gets a job to take care of the brocade shop that Preechaya is the owner after her graduation. One day, a mysterious man offers to sell a beautiful ancient brocade at the shop but was turned down and chased away instead leaving behind his cloth. After that incident, the spirit of Princess Seekad appeared to Maipim and started using her as part of her revenge to the people who have ever hurt her in the past.

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Dorm(2006) - 1 movie

In Thailand, young Ton Chatree is sent to a boarding school by his father to make him study harder and spend less time watching television. Once in the school, Ton feels like an outcast and misses his family and friends. His new schoolmates tell ghost stories about a boy that died in the swimming pool and a young pregnant woman that committed suicide and Ton becomes quite frightened by them.

He becomes close friends with another lonely boy, Vichien, and later Ton realizes that Vichien is the boy that drowned in the swimming pool, and his death repeats every night. Ton tries to find a way to help his friend to rest in peace.

To watch this show: TBA

Boot has been living with tension and stress for all of her life, she works hard for her family as a noodle cook.
Sometimes, she is controlled by a mysterious voice that suggests her to do or not to do things.

One day, she encounters a chaos in town and is rescued by a guy named Attapol who later becomes her companion. That evening after the chaos, Boot surprisingly discovers a guy lying dead under her stall, she discreetly looks at him and comes up with her new recipe. Boot begins to slice his flesh, mix it with spices, and throw it into her noodle pot.

After her secret recipe is introduced, Boot gains so many customers and reputation of her delicious noodle. Meanwhile, the haunting voice still keeps talking to her, and tell her what to do. Boot tactfully starts to lure and murder people. The more she kills, the more of her dark side reveals. And when Attapol begins to suspect Boot's behavior, he stumbles on the evil of her as he is now the hunted.

To watch this show: TBA

Hua Jai Song Park (2009-2010) - 13 Episodes

Hua Jai Song Park (A Divided Heart)

Tawanchay came back from Australia after she heard that Rarn, her father was dead in a car accident. At the airport, she met Don by accident. Don is a player. He had a crush on her and volunteered to take her home and she accepted it.

When she arrived her home, she found that her father was not dead and he was playing card with his friends. She was introduced to know her father's friends, Chuck and Araya(Don's father). They're the rich business man. Tawanchay has prejudice against Chuck because of his coldness.

Later, when Chuck knew that Don, his best friend fell in love with Tawanchay, he tried to warn his friend that her father was indebted and had financial problem and he feared that her father would try to sell his daughter to someone. But Don didn't believe him.

When Rarn knew that his daughter was close to Don, he wanted to stop their relationship because he knew that Don was a player. So, he told Araya to keep his son away from his daughter. Don was indebted because of gambling, so Araya told him that he would help to pay for the debt for him but he must get out of the country for a while and Don accepted it.
Later, Rarn was indebted with Araya and Araya tried to press Rarn to pay him. Rarn
didn't have money to pay, so he offered his daughter to Araya and Araya accepted because he also liked Tawanchay.

When Chuck knew it, he wanted to help keeping Tawanchay for his friend, so he offered Rarn that he would pay for the debt instead of him, but he must give him his daughter. Rarn liked Chuck, so he accepted Chuck's offer because he thought that it would be better if his daughter would end up with Chuck. But Chuck told him that he didn't want to get married with Tawanchay, so Rarn thought that Chuck would make Tawanchay his mistress, so he was hurt and dead of a heart attack later. Chuck was very sorry for Rarn's death, so he promised him that he would take good care of Tawanchay as best as he can.

Later, when Don came back to Thailand and misunderstood that Tawanchay became his friend's mistress, so he was very angry at his friend and break off his friendship with him.

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Gae Roy Rak (2008) - 12 Episodes

Gae Roy Rak (Trace of Love)

This drama evolves in solving the reason behind the death of a popular singer Annie. At the start of the drama, Annie was having premonitions already about her death through her dreams. Because of this, she went to the Plian Fah Residence. That residence house was a family of fortune tellers wherein Chomduen (Rita) belongs. Out of these family of fortune tellers, Chomduen unfortunately does not have the gift which she really regrets.

As told by the fortune tellers, Annie died. And her soul kept on appearing on different occasions. She also kept on contacting Plianfah (Chomduen’s younger brother). Because of this, Chomduen decided to solve the mystery of her death by applying in HeartSong Company where Annie was once a recording artist and is owned by the brothers SongRob (Rome) and SongTon. As Chomduen seeks for the truth, both she and SongRob started to have feelings for each other until it came to her knowledge that somehow SongRob was lying to her about the death of Annie’s death.

The search for the truth has begun! What will Chomduen find and how will she deal with it?

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Fai Chon Saeng (2009) - 14 Episodes

Fai Chon Saeng (Fire's Glowing Light)

Wantagan (Chompoo) returns home to Thailand from America after hearing that her father passed away. She insisted that her father was swindled, slandered, and murdered. She just needed to prove it.

Her twin sister, Tienwan (Chompoo), also suspects the same, but is too afraid to vindicate herself. Since she is Natin’s (Chai) long time girlfriend she does not believe he or his family would betray them. Wantagan, on the otherhand, is determined to uncover the truth at all costs and leaves no one out as a possible suspect.

She’s determined to avenge those who hurt her family. Subsequently, enemies (old and new) progressively grow more resentful of her and her actions. While everyone holds her in disdain, Chatchai (Great) yearns to understand her. He wants to be able to accept her for who she is, but is her personality too strong? Will she be able find justice for her father? If so, would it be worthwhile? ~AnothaiDara

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Hello Schoolgirl (2008) - 1 Movie

Kwon Yeon-woo is a thirty year old low-level civil servant who works in a district office; quite innocent for his age, he has been on numerous blind dates in an unsuccessful bid to find a wife. After moving into a new place, he begins to encounter a high school girl, Soo-yeong, on his way to work every morning, and she begins to develop feelings for him. Meanwhile, Kang Sook has just started working at the district office straight out of high school, and falls head over heels for older woman Kwon Ha-kyeong.

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Hansel and Gretel (2007) - 1 Movie

A reckless youngster Eun-soo drives to his mother’s, and has a car accident. When Eun-soo wakes up, he meets a mysterious girl and is led to her fairytale-like house in the middle of the forest. There, Eun-soo is trapped with the girl and her siblings who never age. Soon he learns all the adults who visited or stayed in the house have met mysterious yet terrible ends. More shockingly, their cruel deaths are drawn in details and made into a fairytale book by the children. Scared Eun-soo tries to find the way out, but the house is secluded in the forest with no way out. And then, Eun-soo discovers a book which tells a brutal end of none other than himself!

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Hi! My Sweetheart (2010) - 14 Episodes

Xue Hai was a certifiable dork when he first arrived in Shanghai. After his schoolmate Bao Zhu saved him from bullying, she became his first love.

Then, a misunderstanding caused them to lose contact with each other. Bao Zhu moved back to Taiwan with the support of her Judo Senior, He Yan Feng. And Xue Hai with the thought that he was dumped, transformed himself from a dork to a hunk and never got serious with another girl again.

Three years later, while setting up something for his sister and her ex-boyfriend on the radio, he heard her voice again. He found out that she was now a DJ on "Sweetheart Time" and in order to seek revenge he bought the radio station and attempted to pursue her using his looks and money.

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Himitsu no Hanazono (2007) - 11 Episodes

Himitsu no Hanazono (Hanazono's Secret)

A 28-year old female magazine editor who is tired of work and feels she doesn't have a life is assigned to be in charge of a very popular cartoonist with a most lovely name, Yuriko Hanazono. But as she goes to Hanazono's residence/office, she is met by four men who seem to be her assistants. Then it turns out those four men are brothers who form a team named Yuriko Hanazono by taking roles to create popular comics. In this heartwarming comedy, the exhausted editor may find out the key to be happy while she is being driven crazy by this unique gang of brothers. --Fuji Creative

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Mendol (2008) - 1 Movie

The story revolves around three ordinary girls named Asahi, Nami, and Hinata who are aiming to become idols, but they repeatedly fail in their auditions. One day, they witness a serious crime, and they are forced to flee from the culprits. Fortunately, they are saved by a producer who is willing to let them debut, but they have to hide their true identities and dress up as boys instead.
--Tokyograph

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Teppan Shoujo Akane!! (2006) - 9 Episodes

Kagura Akane (Horikita Maki) is the only daughter of a family who runs a teppanyaki place in downtown Tokyo. Akane had always been proud of her father Tetsuma, who was called the “No.1 teppanyaki chef in Japan.” Growing up in such an environment, she naturally acquired “teppanyaki skills.” However, when her mother died of illness, her father lost his energy to work and disappeared. Since then, Akane has managed and protected the restaurant all by herself. One day, out of the blue, she is visited by Erena (Katase Nana), the rich daughter of a major food company, who orders Akane to move out at once because her father had borrowed money against his restaurant. Though feeling disappointed, Akane makes up her mind to close the store. But when her father’s friend, Kurogane (Jinnai Takanori), shows her “Ittetsu,” a grilling plate that Akane’s father cherished, it reignites her passion towards teppanyaki.

In order to protect the restaurant, she embarks on a journey with Shinta (Tsukamoto Takashi) to search for her father, but wherever she goes, she ends up getting involved in culinary battles. "--TBS"

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Tokyo DOGS (2009) - 10 Episodes

Takakura So witnessed his father's murder at a young age. Pledging to catch the killer, he grows up to become an elite cop in New York City, where the criminal lives. His character is cool-headed and disciplined, yet adapts well. Because of major drug dealings, he gets sent to Tokyo to conduct a joint investigation with the Japanese police. There, he gets teamed up with, Kudo Maruo, a detective from a special investigative division. Kudo is a hot-blooded fighting expert due to his earlier days as a delinquent, but he makes a strong impression with his stylish appearance and is always interested in going on group dates. His personality, interests, and investigation methods are completely mismatched with Takakura's, but the two somehow work together to crack the case they've been given. --Tokyograph

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Stand Up! (2003) - 11 Episodes

Four schoolboys find themselves the last virgins left at school. During the summer holidays, a girl they knew as children 11 years ago, moves back to the neighborhood. Despite their childhood attraction to her, they realize she is a mere shadow of the "princess" they all thought they knew. This story of summer - love, friendship, school, family, the hypocrisy of adults, complications of life, experience and failure is set in an everyday shopping district and shows the clumsiness of children who have developed a little later than their peers. It's a bright romantic comedy that both young and old can appreciate. --TBS

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