The Broken Us, 2022 12 episodes
A single event brings four strangers into each other's lives. They're all very different and struggling with their own concerns, which leads to friction as well as understanding.
This gentle lakorn takes on serious, heavy issues and wraps them in warmth and kindness. It's about friendship, acceptance and helping each other. It is beautifully done, from the gentle acoustic closing song to the quirky coffee shop with Mackintosh metalwork to the care that's taken with the progression of the characters' growth individually and in their friendships.
The characters feel real and believable, especially the four central ones, along with the issues they face and the changes they make in their lives. All in all, this is one of the most emotionally satisfying series I've seen.
On Thai PBS with
English subtitles.
****************************************************************************************
The Library, written and directed by
Nattawut Poonpiriya. Available
here, 31 minutes
The story for this is rich enough it could easily have been made into a full length film or series.
It would have been less if it had. The acting and directing are exquisite. They convey everything they need to tell this story through a look, or a few words. Together, this richness and brevity make for an emotionally powerful story. There is nothing extraneous to dilute its impact.
Cinematography and music complement it well, making the perfect atmosphere.
Cannot recommend this one highly enough. It is quietly, gently, heartbreakingly beautiful.****************************************************************************************
May Who?
Watched this at a time when I was struggling with words so I didn't get anything down. I loved it though, exactly my type of warm, goofy coming-of-age movie with good characters, genre-borrowing that becomes its own lexicon, and told with the open-hearted, generous humour which infuses many Thai comedies. Will certainly return to it.
****************************************************************************************
Khun Chai (To Sir, With Love) 2022, 17 episodes
Parents having to deal with and overcome cultural homophobia are at its core, and there's a beautiful romance between men, but it's more of a story about very determined women using whatever resources they can find to negotiate life within the constraints of cultural sexism. Li is ferociously strong, Jia's knowledge of herbs is magic, Chan is whatever the moment needs, and sometimes that's a touch of comic relief, Bua's strength is in her gentleness, Pin is plucky and resourceful, Cai is always paying attention.
It's melodrama so everything is exaggerated. Settle into its rhythms, it's a wild, captivating ride and well worth it.
with English subtitles
*****************************************************************************************
Stay, 2015, 4 episodes (ask me for a link to fansubs which have fortunately kept this gem still available)
An inquisitive, full of life young Thai woman ends up in Japan on her own and not knowing the language. The family at the farm where she'll be living and working for three weeks is warm, kind and welcoming. Two more show up and cause a bit of chaos. There's a fair bit of sightseeing and a lot of food, some out at markets and restaurants but the most memorable are at home amongst this found family.
Everything is balanced. Jook's vitality, Mee's calm steadiness; uncle Hattori's mischievous grin, his daughter Naomi's gentleness; difficulties when there isn't a shared language, the ways they find around that. All of the characters are well thought out and portrayed. They're each distinct in personality but fit together well. It's a lovely group of people to spend time with.
It's a quiet series, which might disappoint some. The emotions aren't big or dramatic, they're just very real.
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elisheva_m
