February

I really liked this movie. I thought it was a bittersweet glimpse into the life of a dying woman. The soundtrack was incredible and I still listen to it even now, 12 years later. The film does start out rather slowly, but I felt that it picked up towards the middle. I was captivated with the story and waited anxiously for the next plot twist. The storyline made me care about the characters and cheer for them when things looked down. It was obviously done on a budget but even working within those constraints the film maker managed to get a lovely story across to the audience. If you like the feeling you get from investing in a character you will like this movie.

This movie for me represents a trial to take Thai movies further from silly comedies and action movies. Other people are doing this too(some better - e.g., Pang Brothers), but this is at least an attempt to make something that is art as well as entertainment.

The story and editing is a bit confused though, and the story is not as moving as it could have been. Also some really bad supporting roles (by Farangs - westerners, maybe the producers or friends/ relatives?) and the fact that some characters speak English as if they were trying to teach the Thais English just lowers the quality of the movie.

We are still waiting for really good Drama from Thailand...(but it's going to come soon, I foresee it)

to make it short, i really dislike this movie. I usually enjoy asian films- if they're good.

one of february's major flaws is the almost missing plot. i won't give away any detail now, in case you still come around this flick and decide to give it a go nevertheless.

still, stretching the already ultra-thin story over a time of almost 2 hours results in a complete narrative vacuum. this artistic void is further drained soulless by the lead actress' bad performance. displaying the same facial expression of stupefied amazedness for almost the entire length of the movie annoyed me beyond belief.

to make things even worse, the sound designer opted for outfitting "february" with a cheaply produced "melodramatic" soundtrack. you know what i'm talking about, cheap synthesizer chords underlined with some wannabe "deep" guitar solo. shudder. this is pulp hollywood melodrama gone thai.

additionally, the movie plays around with ambient sounds, like passing cars, which are suddenly cut off when the camera focuses on some actor. this destroys the last essence of credibility, if there ever was any in this dull, pointless, waste-of-time movie.

FEBRUARY is an excellent film, with the kind of detailed and exceptional camera work currently owned, seemingly, by South Korean filmmakers. The aesthetics of FEBRUARY are quite impressive, with lavish attention to detail in every scene. But if there is one complaint, it's that the movie goes on for about 15 minutes too long. It should have ended at the 90-minute mark -- had it done so, the film would have left a lasting impact on the audience, as we realize how cruel fate is. Even so, FEBRUARY is a must-see, and definitely marks the move toward maturity for the Thai film industry.

8 out of 10

After rummaging through my old movie collection I found an old VCD of this movie, and decided to watch it again, as I surprisingly remembered the plot and how much I liked it.My view hasn't change at all after watching it once again.

February is not a movie which is done to impress plot-wise. Yes, the story-line may be thin, but it's full of emotions. Having a sub-plot about crime, the movie is about love, loss and sacrifice. The cinematography is beautiful too, detailed and atmospheric. The fact that it is mostly set in New York brings a whole different feeling in comparison to other Thai-Dramas. The music was something new at times, and I disliked 'Peter' the interior designer, he seemed rather comical to me, however it doesn't make this movie bad.

Bottomline is, I loved the raw acting of Shahkrit, his English impressed me once again. I gave it a 10 - because, well it is one of my all-time favorites, and this movie made me realize that love doesn't always have to be perfect. I would recommend anyone to watch this who is looking for a simple, imperfect, but beautiful movie.