Naomi_Klahn

New appreciation

After watching this dramatic movie, which has no light moments, I have a new appreciation for the talents of Jeff Satur! The FL Enfa Waraha was outstanding! There were no winners - the script was beautifully-written, but dark, dark, dark!
I didn't realise, when I started the show, that "Keng" Harit Buayoi was also in this, showing a hint of the good things to come
in Khemjira. When I read that Srida Puapimol won an award for her role, I thought that it was only right - she was fabulous! (R.I.P.)
There was no glitz and glamour to this Thai movie - only evidence of hard work, and scraping by.

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Hit and Miss

This was a very short (!) show.
I liked seeing 'Tape' in action before Bangkok Boys, with a completely different role.
The MLs were good- especially Chap, who is not only gorgeous, but a fine actor.
For a series about tailoring, there were some glaring mistakes - the father's red suit was two sizes too small, and the blue tux that Green wore to the birthday 'party' was not a good fit. And the jacket that Green (Aiaoon) wore to the cafe, was too short for his body type. (Having said that, I often find that the Wardrobe people aren't doing their job properly, because the taller men are sent out wearing trousers that are 5cms too short.
This had potential to be a longer programme with better character development.
It was lovely to hear Jeff Satur in the OST

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The "Bad Boy"

I had only seen Lee Jun Ho as the polished, uptight hotelier in "King the Land" , where he played a very good part. However, in Rain or Shine (Just Between Lovers) he is superb as the "bad boy" , and classic "angry young man".
His "Granny" sees through the facade, and she, Na Moon Hee, is my second favourite actor in this programme.
Most of the main characters are complex - dealing with their own trauma from the past - and the actors portray their pain well.
I haven't finished this series, but, so far, it's been an emotional ride - with a little humour to balance out the tragedy.

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When Darkness Falls

I rarely give a 9/10, but this time, it's a 10/10 from me. Jimmy and Sea were superb, and delivered an amazing script. This was a BL that was not all sweetness and light, but at times, there was great sadness, as I contemplated what it would be like to lose my sight. I liked Jimmy's portrayal of the gruff thug, especially after seeing him in My Magic Prophecy with Sea. On the face of it, they (Jimmy and Sea) are an unlikely pair, but in the few shows I've seen of theirs, the magic is there. Sea was wonderful as the 'spoiled' brat with a handicap, who overcomes his fears through his interaction with Mhok - his 'care giver'. Having just watched Mark Pakin as the autistic student in High School Frenemy, it just emphasised how good an actor he is, as he plays a completely different role here. All the supporting cast - esp. Kun Kunchanuj, who played a blind man, were wonderful. The controlling mother -played by 'Cream' - I wanted to grab her and yell "He's a grown arsed man, FFS", but restrained myself. I love how the 'novel', Last Twilight, was woven into the script. There were no usual Thai NC moments, just love and tenderness, when the "first time" occurred. I can't praise this enough. I am sure there are some holes that can be poked, but right now, I cannot think of any.

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Triangle of Obsession

This series was all about Gun, and his uncanny ability to *become* he character he is portraying - having since seen him play an
autistic man in "Leap Day", I am fully onboard the Gun Train.
I related to Jira, because I am an artist, and understand his frustration with the AI concept of replacing artists.
However, this show was all about the dynamics between three men, and the obsessions of those men. It was very easy to feel sorry for 'Pheem' who became obsessed with Jira, and not easy to sympathize with Koh, who also became obsessed with Jira. However, the more we saw the lengths Koh went to to have Jira in his life, the more we understood the man.
Off Jumpol and Dew Jirawat were perfect for their roles - again, Dew played a completely different
character from his role in Leap Day.
Support actors - AJ Chayapol and Emi Thasorn - were excellent. I would like to see AJ in an ML role.
I would also like to see Thor Thinaphan in an ML BL role - those stunning eyes and great physique make him stand out.
The evocative and exotic artworks were a major star of this show - will have to search for who the real artist was.
I would love to see "The Trainee" where Gun and Off are paired again....hope it comes to iQIYI

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Second Time Around - Still 10/10

I watched Shine (Orchestrated) twice - big screen and small – hoping that I would be able to write a review that could show the excellence of this drama, as a straight-out drama, and not just a BL drama.
I did not succeed. Shine will go down, in the annals of Thai tv drama, as the best script, acting, cinematography, OST (who else listens to the OST on Spotify) and authenticity of the era in which it was shot. I was 10yo (in Australia) when the Americans landed on the moon, so the whole hippie era was all around me.
Let’s look at the BL side of this show, as that is the overriding theme–
Miles and Apo had their roles reversed from those in KinnPorche, and how amazing were they? There was a real depth to their characters that was only hinted at in KP. Miles, as the free-wheeling hippie, was both attractive and funny, but later on showed his deep side. Apo, as the clean freak, buttoned-up academic made the viewer want to call out to the screen “take off your tie”. In fact, that first scene in the back yard of ‘Tanwa’s’ shop, where ‘Tanwa’ got him down to rolled up trousers and shirt, was ‘Trin’s’ awakening. In contrast with KP, they only had one sex scene, and a cheeky skinny dip, but, even as a Yaoi, I didn’t find that a problem. The scene was so tastefully done, that it was worth the wait.
SonEuro – wow! Just Wow! They were so well-suited to their roles -so different, yet perfectly-matched. How explosive were their sex scenes?! The piano scene, where they switched roles! I hated the ending of this pair, and the character that instigated their separation – ‘Dhevi’! Someone else, who hated the ending, an amateur BL writer, Esther Down, has written an alternate story of ‘Krailert’ and ‘Naran’, but changed the names, and most of the background – although the era is the same. (You can find her story on Wattpad, under Esther Down, “Ballan and the Colonel”)
The script writing – I am in awe of the writers – Ning, Pond, Den, and Bua – their collaboration alone on this complex script is legendary. The way they wove storylines together – Tanwa’s mother’s novel, the letters between Sarasawadee and Krai lung, the student protest content and Trin’s diary – was perfect. Who wrote the humourous lines and scenes? – so funny! However, it was the poignant, heart-wrenching lines that really made this show the epic tale that it is.
I held off watching ep8 again for as long as possible – it still had me in floods of tears, though! Why did ‘Dhevi’ have to be so cruel?! The wrenching scene where ‘Trin’ gives his uncle the letter from ‘Sarasawadee’, and after, when ‘Lert’ cries uncontrollably! ‘Tanwa’ in the depths of despair, in a continual drug-induced fog, being brought back to life by his father, whom we all thought was a cold-hearted man. ‘Lert’ writing a beautiful song to his beloved, who is miles away from him, and probably never to return. ‘Tiva’ kneeling down to ‘Victor’s’ parents, blaming himself for his death!
This show also had three brilliant – and beautiful - actresses!
‘Moira’ (Nok Sinjai Plengpanich) who could believe that this amazing woman is 60 years old?! She *was* Moira – a strong, independent woman of her time.
‘Dhevi’ – as much as I hated the vindictive person that she became – I mean, how can you say you “love” someone, when you treat them like that? – I found her acting magnificent. Didn’t we all want her to hook up with the sweet ‘Veera’, at least once?
And ‘Dao’ ("Punpun" Sutatta Udomsilp) – she owned that shoe “bitch slap” in the café after ‘Naran’ told her he loved a man! (seems the actress has bounced back from a bit of controversy, perhaps with maturity?– so, good on her)
I have only one thing to point out to the Production Designer - "Tum" Pawas Sawatchaiyamet, - who did a phenomenal job in reproducing 1969 Bangkok – the type of plastic bags (“freezer” bags) that ‘Victor’ used to bring ‘Trin’ his meal, were not around at that time. An absolutely miniscule error, that this pedant picked up on – sorry.
This is a 10/10 show, that I will probably revisit in years to come.

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