TEENAGE ANGST and "INAPPROPRIATE" LOVE = surefire BOX OFFICE SUCCESS for LOVE OF SIAM movie.

Let's give KUDOS to the THAI FILM MAKERS.

They are really smart at horning their craft.

They research into what their audience wants.

They tirelessly and painstakingly continue to churn out endless scare movies (the type that unintentionally makes you laugh), crude country comedies (heck, if not for cheap thrills, are they really funny at all?) and soapy teenage dramas (sure…. with tears thrown in aplenty).

With a huge population of 61.5 million, when a movie “flunk” at the box office, sales from the VCDs (not DVDs) help to cover investment costs.

Because VCDs are much cheaper (so that those country folks who cannot afford the expensive cinema ticket) would buy these for home entertainment and keepsake.

What if 50% of the 61.5 million buy your VCDs?

Just imagine how rich you can get, right? What you have achieved at the local Box Office is just a bonus, really. Not to speak about foreign distribution outside of Thailand.

So film making in THAILAND, unlike Singapore, Hong Kong or Malaysia can hardly go wrong. If you do it well, you strike gold.

Viva lah, VCDs !

These days, the ghost thrillers are so laughable that you’re bound to leave the cinema in stitches.

Mostly the deadly scenes are bloodied and gruesome and the plot sucks so much that at curtain call, you’d still be wondering what the goofy tale is all about.

And when you “roar” at the rude rustic comedies, you’d probably be laughing at yourself - because the jokes are so self-deprecating mostly.

The teenage romantic films tend to “make you feel oh-so-young again”. In life, if there is a second chance at rejuvenation …… why not?

After all, film making is also a cash making machine, and which true blue investor do not want to see a good return for money spent?

So the cycle goes on.

THAI people generally enjoy movies about teenage love as reflected in past successes, and following hard on the heels of recent blockbusters such as FARN CHARN (My Girl), PERN SANIT (My Bosom Buddy) and SEASONS CHANGE, 26 year-old writer and helmer CHUKIAT SAKVEERAKUL takes over the reins of LOVE OF SIAM and weaves a sad albeit heartbreaking tale of teenage angst, "inappropriate" love and a Catholic mother’s coming to terms with the loss of her missing daughter, an alcoholic husband and her teenage son’s growing sexuality.

Film Director CHUKIAT laces the film with two pairs of pretty boys and girls in key roles so there are plenty of eye candies for us to gawk at.

Bangkok’s SIAM SQUARE is a hip, trendy and “happening” place for teenagers with tons of “swell” eateries, designer boutiques, open air jamming sessions, karaoke and ‘live’ sing-along bar restaurants. If you are young or young-at-heart, this exciting place is a “must” for you.

LOVE of SIAM has an energetic pulse throughout the entire movie.

The film takes off when MEW, a young child prodigy and talented songwriter re-encounters long lost buddy TONG who is experiencing first love with a cute girl in SIAM SQUARE (where else)? FRIENDSHIP and CHILDHOOD MEMORIES are soon rekindled to a point where their pubescent feelings for each other run far too deep, and spinning of out control, thereby culminating in a rift with their own girl friends.

This is a different kind of teenage romance and it takes CHUKIAT’s competent directing to frame family loss, growing up pains, confusion of sexual identities and Thai pop boy bands in 150 minutes of running time in LOVE OF SIAM. There's also a controversial lingering scene of the 2 boys kissing passionately.

The ending? Well, it's Christmas time and TONG persuades his mum to allow him to make his own "choice" of his friendship with MEW.

He goes to find MEW who has just finished a performing gig in SIAM SQUARE and hands him a Christmas present. The yuletide mood is deeply haunting and with misty eyes TONG tells MEW that he cannot be his boy friend anymore as it is an "inappropriate" relationship. But his decision has "never been a choice of not loving MEW". On the contrary.

Newcomers MARIO MAURER as TONG and WITWISIT HIRANYAWONGKUL as MEW give extraordinary performances in their roles. They share an affable chemistry, but it is TONG's distraught mother-in-distress played by veteran actress SINJAI PLENGPANICH who dominates screen presence in most parts.

There are 2 very lovely and lilting theme songs thrown in for a measure, the type that stirs the fall-in-love-again feelings in you, and you may want to reach for a tissue. Sniff....

To sum up, let's take a verse from JO HALE's poem:

"ANOTHER DAY PASSES,

MY LIFE GOES BY,

I THINK OF YOUR MEMORY,

AS I SIT HERE AND CRY,

I REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES,

THERE WERE MANY WE HAVE SHARED,

AND I ALWAYS KNEW

THAT FOREVER YOU CARED,

AND I'LL CARRY YOUR MEMORY

RIGHT HERE IN MY HEART."

LOVE OF SIAM movie picks up many accolades in different Thai festivals, and the latest is the 2008 STAR ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS where it bags:

BEST PICTURE

BEST DIRECTOR

BEST ACTRESS

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

BEST SCREENPLAY

BEST COMPOSER

AWESOME, isn't it?

KEN ESCUDERO - Pinoy Actor, FRESH from the OVEN. He's PIPING HOT and 100% SULTRY.

Feeling the heat?

Meet delectable PINOY hottie - KEN ESCUDERO, fresh from the oven.

He has just wowed audience at home and abroad with his compelling portrayal of ENZO, a lovelorn hunk who's desperately fighting his "inner demons" from a tortuous romance.

ENZO has a more-than-platonic-friendship with his male childhood friend, who in turn has the hoots for another girl.

To portray ENZO who's nursing an unspoken love requires a lot of pain, but KEN ESCUDERO delivered his task with aplomb.

This arthouse indie is SIKIL and it's directed by ace director RONI BERTUBIN and executive produced by JO JO BARRON.

Critics say KEN is beautiful, this CUTIEPIE with that doleful boyish look.

He's likened to a hapless pup in peak form - an unwilling HERO or SEX SYMBOL, whatever you may wish to call KEN.

And that's what his mentor-cum-manager, JO JO BARRON described him.

KEN ESCUDERO can give HARRY LAUREL, the one other PINOY sex icon a run for his money.

In fact, he's working a lot more than HARRY LAUREL who has temporarily shifted his gear to casinos-invested MACAU, for whatever-he-maybe-doing there.

Modeling in MACAU? I've yet to hear of this one.

Whetting people's appetites and oozing immense sex appeal aren't priorities in KEN's life.

Gratification comes from being respected for your brain and your latent talent.

KEN ESCUDERO had bagged the title MR. PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL in 2006.

He went on to represent PHILIPPINES in the MR. INTERNATIONAL FINALS in SINGAPORE that year and did his country proud by taking home the MR. PHOTOGENIC award.

At 22 he is also armed with a BACHELOR DEGREE in MARINE TRANSPORTATION, so he ain't anybody's fool.

He loves movies, basketball, reading and strumming the guitar.

And boy, this dude can sing!

He loves to gesticulates and ejaculates with the occasional outbursts of:

"I LOVE TO SING!

I LOVE TO ACT!

BOTH ARE PURE ENERGY AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO MISS THESE OUT FOR THE WORLD!"

The list would go on for KEN ESCUDERO, the "feel good" celebrity hunk.

He may be a relative newbie in show business, but the past year saw him in a lead role in an arthouse film, a sprinkle of theater performances, amongst them GREASE plus a "crunch" of two soap operas.

Progressive and definitely with more to come.

The only thing KEN has to contend with is the myriad of backstabbing, professional jealousies, bitching and mayhem in this flimsy industry of make-belief entertainment.

Not forgetting the two timing PLASTIC people aplenty.

But he sees a competent manager in JO JO BARRON who guides and charts his career path.

Despite being cool and discreet, the admirable thing about KEN is his disarming frankness to difficult questions.

THIS INTERVIEW IS UNRATED AND UNCENSORED, SO PLEASE READ WITH AN OPEN MIND:

I am only 22, he says, the only son in my family comprising also of my dad, mum and two other siblings.

YES, I am dating a special someone at this moment.

YES, I have had a few unsucessful relationships prior to this one. TO LOVE AND BE LOVED is of supreme importance to me.

SEX?

YES, let's not be hypocritical about this. Everybody enjoys great sex, to be honest. I am a homebody at heart and do not hang out much, except when I am hitting the gym.

Sex is an expression of love, of a shared physical intimacy between two people in love. I lost my virginity at the age of 15. No regrets - but for me, if you are not in love with that someone, then don't even think about exploring sex.

YES,I have read a lot about the wonders of KAMA SUTRA.

MY FAVORITE POSITIONS?

On a scale of 1 to 10, my favorites would be the missionary and the doggie stances ...(laughing). These positions allow for deeper penetration from my own experiences . (He jests and winks mischievously).

YES, I am physically well endowed (he demonstrates this with an 8 using his fingers, lo and behold. He brandishes a broad impish grin).

And NO, penile size is immaterial as love and techniques should be the pre-requisites to mutually enjoying wonderful sex with your partner.

YES, my soulmate has to be really hip, smart and understanding.

YES, I love SINGING. I believe I have a competent voice, and aspire to cut an album soon. I am a devout fan of JERICHO ROSALES as he is one great actor cum singer to emulate.

YES, I had accepted a role in a gay genre indie film called SIKIL as a stepping stone to an acting career. I had no qualms about being stark NAKED on the screen, as this is part of my acting profession.

YES, i want a variety of challenging roles and I always look forward to doing the occasional theater acting. I have just completed two prime time soaps with the GMA and ABS-CBN networks.

KEN ESCUDERO thinks that HAPPINESS is a byproduct of love, peace and joy to the world and he wants to spread this goodwill around.

He is ready to move on to the next chapter of his life as a serious actor.

That's one swell guy for sure.

LET'S dedicate this cutesy song to KEN ESCUDERO for his honesty, a song of the 60s, aptly called MY BOY LOLLIPOP:

"MY BOY LOLLIPOP,

YOU MAKE MY HEART GO GIDDY UP,

YOU ARE AS SWEET AS CANDY,

YOU ARE MY SUGAR DANDY.

WOH OH, MY BOY LOLLIPOP,

YOU NEVER, NEVER LEAVE ME

'CAUSE IT COULD GRIEVE ME

MY HEART TOLD ME SO.

I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU SO,

BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW,

I NEED YOU, I NEED YOU, I NEED YOU SO,

AND I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO ......"

Feel the beat of this sweet upbeat song?

KEN ESCUDERO is asking you, "SHALL WE DANCE?"

Would you, please?!!

I have uploaded the YOUTUBE VERSION here for your listening pleasure.

ENJOY!!!

LOOKING BACK AT THE EARLY 90s in picturesque SINGAPORE. A NOSTALGIC TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE.

IN RETROSPECTIVE, 2008 had been a turbulent year.

It could have been worse.

There were the usual upsides and downslides in terms of global economy and politics.

We are soon embarking on a brand NEW YEAR.

Did you enjoy the little moments that made up the last 12 months?

YES?

Then you know what LIFE's about.

NO?

Then it's a tad sad, since moments gone can never be retrieved.

As far as time is concerned, there's no second chance.

TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO MAN.

From old archives, I wiped off cobweb and dust.

And discovered vintage pictures of some SINGAPORE MEDIA CORP artistes of the 90s.

That was a cool 15 years ago, some time between 1992-3.

OH, THOSE GLORIOUS YEARS!

Do you still recognize a few of these Artistes who may still be around with Singapore TV Station?

Did their looks change much during the past 15 years?

You're asking me?

TIME REALLY FLIES!

Like they say, an ARTISTE is "public property", subject to incessant gossip about their private lives.

We chart their growth, their ups and downs in the media.

Some fare pretty well and are still scaling new heights.

Some fell from grace ....

Others just simply disappeared into oblivion.

THE SMARTER ONES USED THE TV STATION AS A STEPPING STONE TO GREATER SUCCESS AND ARE NOW BASKING IN THE GLORY OF THEIR CORPORATE ACHIEVEMENTS.

THERE IS NO GUARANTEE IN THIS BRUTAL ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

Career security is something virtually unheard of.

Being an actor is great when he achieves both money and fame.

But what happen to those artistes who have been shunned by the Station, and are down and out?

Behind that sweet smile, an entertainer's life may not be that charming.

There's no glamor finally, when he reaches the sunset of his acting career.

He may turn his back to you and brushes away a tear or two.

DID YOU SEE HIM CRY?

He wishes that you understand, when all around him is crumbling.

He was your idol before, but now you are clamoring and rooting for his competitor.

He feels desolate and lonely without your support.

But do you know?

Or care?!

HAPPY TIMES OR SAD TIMES - MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THESE.