SLIFF 2017 Review – POP AYE

POP AYE screens Thursday, Nov. 9 at 9:00pm and Friday, Nov. 10 at 7:05pm as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival Both screenings are at The Plaza Frontenac Cinema (210 Plaza Frontenac St. Louis , MO 63131). Ticket information for the Nov. 9 screening can be found HERE. Ticket information for the Nov. 10 screening can be found HERE

In “Pop Aye,” a successful Bangkok architect in the midst of a midlife crisis is reunited with an elephant he knew growing up. The two embark on a road trip to the man’s childhood home in the idyllic Thai countryside. Along the way, they meet a colorful cast of characters that includes a pair of nonplussed local police officers, a forlorn transgender sex worker, and a mysteriously wise drifter. As the encounters mount and the bond between man and elephant deepens, filmmaker Kirsten Tan weaves a strikingly universal tale in a feature debut that won prizes (and hearts) at the Sundance and Rotterdam film festivals. “Filmmaker Kirsten Tan riffs on the tropes of both the buddy film and the road trip movie in her absurd yet subtly observed feature debut,” writes the Washington Post, which hails “Pop Aye” as “the thinking person’s feel-good film of the summer: Much is communicated nonverbally (or, at most, with sparse dialogue). The palpable bromance — if that’s even the right word for this interspecies relationship — is visible in each trunk nuzzle.”

Review of POP AYE by Cary Paller:

Sometimes the best films just let the story unfold from beginning to end.  There is no hidden agenda or a false narrative to surprise the audience with a big revelation at the end.  POP AYE is a film that relies on an introspective story.  For a very subtle film it felt like there was a lot more going on than there really was.  Writer/Director Kristen Tan did a wonderful job of keeping the film centered, grounded and low key without losing its undercurrent of what could happen next.  With practical locations giving the film a realistic, low budget look, I am sure they had no real budget to speak of, you cannot help but get sucked into the story.  It is in nature that everybody can find their way.  Thaneth Warakulnukroh plays Thana a man drifting in life without purpose.  Living a life that lacks fulfillment.  Till he comes across an Elephant from better times in his life.  His portrayal of a man at a crossroads is very thought provoking.  Seeing the elephant named POP AYE gives him some hope and drive that his listless existence was missing.  Of course not a lot is said but you can see it in his eyes. He is full of reflection which gives the  film something that a film like “Operation; Dumbo Drop” does not have.  Which is a sense real adventure without feeling it has to come to silly jokes or child’s play but in the end you forget the movie almost instantly.Being able to tell a good story without relying on action or special effects is becoming a challenge now a days.  Kristen Tan deserves whatever praise she can get for making a film that feels like an old fashion road movie without the slapstick and chase scenes.  I really enjoyed watching it. It was such a beautiful movie if I may say. It was patient and it did not waver from the path it was meant to be on.  I look forward to future projects from her.