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My Best Worst Adventure
USA 2020
produced by Kaew Tavoranon, Ray Huber, Fabienne Wen (executive), June Wong (executive) for Itsy Bitsy Film, Motionpictures Company, Road Dawg Films
directed by Joel Soisson
starring Lily Patra, Pan Rugtawatr, Chinnaphat Kitichaivaranggoon, Phanida Suwansaad, Jim S. Meesri, Pubet In-Tharid, Cheeraporn Manakornkowit, Eoin O'Brien, Vichuda Kaewsanan, Mathilde Lorenzon, Pattamanat Kunhayothin, Zabian Songpon, Kosal Wongtassaneeyo, Phongsaran Sriset, Pitinun Rugtawatr, Nusorn Panpeng, Chuea Saensanthia, Naruthai Chanpradit, Boonler Boonchana, Phana Bensu, Montien Dejchinda, Somchat Chortong, Geoffrey Giuliano, Claudia Templeton, Tyler Nyerges, Lily Bhusadhit-a-nan, Somdej Ketwattha, Theptacha Pothiket, Jack Bungkan, Prapai Chonvanich, Korrawit Kongprawej, Den Chansree, Watchara Intamaploy, Wathanyoo Chansree, Jirapong Chansree
story by Chariyanan Tavoranon, screenplay by Joel Soisson, music by Vanilla Sky
review by Mike Haberfelner
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For the summer, Jenny (Lily Patra), a girl who doesn't speak, is sent
from LA to rural Thailand to spend time with her grandmother (Phanida
Suwansaad) she has never even met, without even speaking or understanding
a word of Thai. At first she sees that merely as a punishment, especially
since she has the overwhelming feeling she doesn't belong, and that her
grandmother has put her into the local school doesn't make things better
as she can't really follow any of the lessons - and the only boy in school
who speaks any English, Archit (Chinnaphat Kitichaivaranggoon), is an
over-confident bully. Jenny tries to run away, but to no avail. Eventually
though, she takes a liking to Boonrod (Pan Rugtawatr), son of poor parents
and thus the prime target of Archit's bullying, a boy who like she doesn't
talk. Boonrod's best friend is his parents' lone buffalo, and over him he
and Jenny manage to bond. Thing is, Boonrod's father (Pubet In-Tharid) is
highly in debt, and eventually he sees no other way out but giving away
the buffalo, which is when Boonrod and Jenny make a getaway with the
animal. However, just running won't solve anything, so they decide for
Boonrod and the buffalo to participate in a buffalo race. Problem is,
Archit is the local buffalo racing champion, and he's not likely to let
Boonrod, an accomplished buffalo rider, win just like that - even if
Archit has resort to cheating ...
Sure, the basic premise of My Best Worst Adventure is a
tried and true one, a coming-of-age story with a little-engine-that-could
plotline and some exotic locale for colour and a finale that's sure to
make you shed some tears. Thing is, all of this seems very fresh in this
film, for one because the film doesn't try to sugarcoat things, goes for
true understanding of its Thai backdrops rather than a travelogue
approach, and lets its underdog story slowly blossom rather than hit the
audience over the head with it, and wisely spends much time developing its
main characters to full-blown persons, even without the help of spoken
words. And the outcome is the rare example of a family film that subtly
gets under your skin regardless of your age.
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Robots and rats,
demons and potholes, cuddly toys and shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill Your Bones to is all of that.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to -
a collection of short stories and mini-plays ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle,
all thought up by the twisted mind of screenwriter and film reviewer Michael Haberfelner.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
Out now from Amazon!!! |
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