Kick it...

Last night I finally made it to HIFF. There are always several movies I'd like to see, but most of them play when I can't be there. I hate it when my schedule interferes with my desire for spontaneity! Heheh, at least I try.

A couple friends and I went to see CHOCOLATE, a Thai action movie reminiscent of our favorite Kung Fu classics. The blows are fast and furiously delivered with unrelenting swiftness, tirless precision and the sound effects that make us cringe with the crack of each breaking bone. Yay. If you love muay thai, kung fu or even capoeira, this one's for you. If you're into dialogue, you should step into another line outside the theater.

Zen, played by Thai martial arts actress Nicharee "Jeeja" Vismistananda, is a young, autistic girl who becomes a martial art savant. Growing up near a muay thai school, she mastered the art by mimicing. When her mother is diagnosed with Cancer, Zen's friend, Moom, discovers a list of people who owe Zen's mother money (from her mother's years as a gang member) and the two of them set out to collect it from the unwilling debtors to pay for the chemotherapy.

After all the fighting is done and you let out a fatigued sigh, stay for the beginning of the credits, they'll show you some of the cool "stunts." Um, people are really falling... without cushion or lines to hold them. After seeing the procuction clips, I wanted to watch the fight scenes again!

CHOCOLATE plays once more on Thursday night, 8pm at Dole Theaters.

Hawaii International Film Festival
CHOCOLATE
EXTREME ASIA | HAWAII PREMIERE
From the director of ONGBAK!
THAILAND 2008 | ENGLISH, THAI, JAPANESE W/ ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 110 MIN.
Director: Prachya Pinkaew; Cast: JeeJa Yanin, Ammara Siripong, Hiroshi Abe, Pongpat Wachirabunjong