The grand silent 'D'

Set in Civil War-era America, Tarantino’s Oscar-winning screenplay involves a former slave (Jamie Foxx) who is befriended by a genial bounty hunter (Oscar-winning supporting actor Christoph Waltz). Together, they set about to free Django’s wife (Kerry Washington), who has been captured by a cruel plantation owner – an oddly cast Leonardo DiCaprio, who is clearly having a ball playing the villain.
Tarantino regular Samuel L Jackson also stars, portraying a scheming house slave. And, in a tribute to the 1966 Italian western, the original “Django” Franco Nero appears in a cameo.
 

Also opening
“Side Effects” – Asserting that “movies don’t matter anymore”, director Steven Soderbergh swears this is his final feature for theatrical release, and that he’s retiring from filmmaking in order to become a painter. His swansong is about the things that go wrong for a troubled young woman (Rooney Mara) after she is prescribed an experimental anti-anxiety drug by a psychiatrist (Jude Law). Channing Tatum and Catherine Zeta-Jones also star.

“Pieta” – Polarising South Korean director Kim Ki-duk’s latest feature received a rare standing ovation at last year’s Venice film fest, but the festival jury headed by director Michael Mann was divided. They wanted to give all the awards to “The Master”, but that’s against the rules. So “The Master” got the prizes for best director and best actors and “Pieta” took the top prize Golden Lion. Read more about it in the review at right. It’s in Korean with English and Thai subtitles at Apex Siam Square.

“The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia” – The victims of taxidermy experiments gone wrong haunt a family that lives nowhere near Connecticut in this followup to the 2009 first entry in the horror franchise.

“Suddenly It’s Magic” (“Mahassajan Rak Kab Sing Lek Lek”) – The surprise hit movie of 2010, “Sing Lek Lek Thi Riak Wa ... Rak”, aka “A Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, starring Mario Maurer, spread its cuteness like a virus across Southeast Asia and infected Filipinos who watched it on TV. So popular was “Crazy Little Thing”, that the Philippines’ Star Cinemas got Mario to headline one of their movies, pairing him with starlet Erich Gonzales. The resulting romantic comedy has Mario as a broken-hearted Thai superstar who goes on vacation in the Philippines and falls for a local lass who works in a bakery. Hijinks ensue as fans want Mario to get back together with his Thai actress ex, played by his “Crazy Little Thing” co-star Pimchanok “Bai Fern” Luevisadpaibul, who is also crazily popular in the Philippines.

Also showing
“Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns” – Jimmy Shergill and Mahie Gill reprise their roles from Bollywood’s 2009 “Gangster” drama, which is set against the backdrop of a crumbling royal household. Irrfan Khan and Soha Ali Khan also star. Part of the “Bollywood Exclusive” programme, it’s in Hindi with English and Thai subtitles at Major Cineplex Sukhumvit and Rama III.