MUSES
MUSES
…is our brand new review blog of Southeast Asian books, films, music, and other published works.
Through this blog, we hope to provide another avenue for our students to deepen their understanding of the region by engaging with its rich creative and academic publication scene.
We hope you’ll find a new Southeast Asian work to appreciate and learn from through Muses!
หลานม่า (How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies) (2024) by Pat Boonnitipat
“[The film’s] storyline is plain yet honest, hilarious yet emotional, heartbreaking yet heartwarming — calmly expressing many cruel yet unchangeable truths and deeply resonating with those who have had similar experiences.”
Babae At Baril (The Girl and the Gun) (2019) by Rae Red
“When Jane, your average yet extraordinarily tolerant saleswoman stumbles upon a gun, she sets forth to take revenge on the men who have mistreated her, unleashing her pent-up rage and breaking the bounds of societal expectations.”
The Paradise of Thorns (2024) by Boss Kuno
“As dark as it is becoming, the film's cinematography follows the cultivation of durian that is both metaphorical and visually intoxicating.The fruit, native to Thailand and Southeast Asia, appears as a motif throughout the entire film, cleverly interweaving its fragility and thorns akin to the film's characters.”
Wonderland (2023) by Chai Yee Wei
“A tearjerker, Wonderland (2023) forces us to question whether the stoicism embodied by many of our own elderly parents conceal their unspoken traumas. More than that, it sheds light on the fact that many elderly fear posing an emotional burden on their loved ones, clinging helplessly to a twisted version of filial piety.”
The Unseen River (2020) by Pham Ngoc Lan
“While the young couple fears their unknown future, the elderly couple recollects and regrets their past relationship... The movie sets the scene in two parallel timelines, tied to the flow of the [Mekong] river.”
Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? (2002) by Rudi Soedjarwo
“Ada Apa Dengan Cinta?... is a staple romance film among many Indonesian teens today. It follows Cinta, a popular high school student in suburban Jakarta who spends most of her time with her four girlfriends—that is, until she meets and falls for Rangga, the unassuming winner of the school poetry competition.”
Himala (1982) by Ishmael Bernal
“The movie highlights the question “Is there still such a thing as miracles?” and focuses on faith or people’s ability to fight for their commitments rather than hiding behind religion.”
Manila in the Claws of Light (1975) by Lino Brocka
“The film’s theme of young rural workers migrating to urban cities in search of better opportunities still runs true in many Southeast Asian countries today. Equally true is the human trafficking, workplace abuse and exploitation, police brutality, and bureaucratic capitalism that these young hopefuls faced and continue to still face.”
Have a review you’d like to submit?
Submissions to Muses are open year-round and accepted on a rolling basis.
Please read the Submission Guidelines before submitting through the Submission Form, linked below. Thank you and we look forward to receiving your reviews!