TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

GazerRise Fantastic!

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Abbigail Bush what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Smoreni Zmaj Based on true story of English teacher who comes in Siam in mid of 19th century to teach king's children. Clash of two cultures causes many troubles, but also causes many changes in the king's way of thinking and understanding and mostly influence king's oldest son who when he inherits the throne, reforms country, abolish slavery and reforms judiciary.Great acting, very emotional story and just enough of action make two hours of movie simply whiz through you and leave you with tears in your eyes....................................................

Neil Welch It is interesting to be faced with a fundamentally different reworking of something which is so familiar that it has practically worn grooves in your brain. The much loved (especially by me) musical The King And I is a filmed adaptation of the stage musical based on the diaries of Anna Leonowens, tutor to the children of the 19th century King Mongkut of Siam, and charged with helping the Royal family of Siam move towards an understanding of, and accommodation with, the western world. Anna And The King, with Jodie Foster as Anna Leonowens and Chow Yun-Fat as King Mongkut tells the same story in straight dramatic fashion.It is a good film. The culture clash story is just as engaging as it was before. The story gets out and about rather more than the studio-bound musical, with production value well on display in terms of gorgeous scenery. Both Foster and Chow give excellent performances (Chow particularly so) and one gets a much better picture of the importance of the issues involved.This is a rewarding companion piece to The King And I.

ozi_wozzy I knew nothing about the history of Thailand or the king portrayed in this film based on a true story when I watched it, so I approached it from a purely entertainment angle. It delivers as an entertaining, artistic and engaging film. The story line is interesting, the leading actor and actress are credible and the scenery is stunning.Since then I have found out a bit more about the historical value of the king and his impact on the country. The teacher's influence on the king has understandably been exaggerated to suit the film's needs, but what I was disappointed with was the wasted opportunity to capitalise on the richness of the history and the significance of the events that played out.The act of betrayal that the king experiences, the simply beautiful location, the spirituality of the king and his people and the political motives of the aggressors were all present, but the film tried to relate them all to the romance between the king and the teacher. They should have been tapped into in their own right and the romance shouldn't have been the primary focus of the film. I do understand that was the point of the film, but I think Hollywood's habit of looking for romance in everything meant they missed what would have been a great film without the need to rely on tried and tested method. I guess romance sells and film makers nowadays want to produce safe films that will sell, rather then genuinely explore interesting events, but this is one of those films where the director should have been braver and respected the audience's intelligence.Still, as I said, it's an entertaining enough film, but I did not enjoy the, at times, cringe-worthy romance. Could have been an epic in my opinion but shame.

Chrysanthepop Andy Tennant, known for his comedy film, springs a pleasant surprised with the spectacular 'Anna and the King'. This dazzling film is absolutely mesmerizing, right from the art direction, music to cinematography and visuals. I wouldn't have expected Andy Tennant to be the first choice in directing this film but he's done an exceptional job here.Though the film was shot in Malaysia, Tennant and his art directors have captured the essence and beauty of the idea of what Siam might have been like in the 1860s. While the lavish sets and costumes are very detailed, there's plenty of subtlety. I also liked how the humour was infused into the situations. It's never over the top.The story flows fluidly. Much of it is based on Anna Leonoens's journal. Tennant tries to stay as true to history as possible. In addition the dialogues are well written and the key characters are properly fleshed out. The significance of honour, obligation and duty conflicting with justice and equality is also well depicted.Chow Yun Fat is brilliant as King Mongkut. His understated performance contrasts well with Jodie Foster's outspoken and headstrong Anna. Obviously, Foster knows her craft too well as she turns in yet another splendid performance. Her English accent is a little awkward at time but this can be easily overlooked. Bai Ling holds her own with a heartbreaking performance as the doomed Tuptim. The rest of the cast do well.I haven't watched 'The King and I' on which this movie is said to be based but I have heard from others that they're two different things and that 'Anna and The King' is a spectacular epic in its own right. I agree with the last part.