009:Draw 20 fanarts. Part 2

 

This is the second fanart I've done (I finished it a few days the Manner of Death series ended). It's the actors Tul Pakorn & Max Nattapol as the characters Tan & Bunn. The lily, chili and cactus are all things from the show and the Thai text it a line from the Manner of Death end theme (it means "I love you"). There's so much I'm not happy with in it, but I think it at least vaguely looks like them. Unsurprisingly, next fanart I do will probably be from The Untamed.

101 in 1001: 003. Watch/finish 20 foreign language films/shows. The Untamed

 7. The Untamed

Title: The Untamed (陈情令)
Year: 2019
No. of Seasons: 1
No. of Episodes: 50
Cert: 12
Genre: Xianxia, Fantasy, Period, Action Adventure
Language: Chinese (Mandarin)
Director: Zheng Weiwen & Chen Jialin
Starring: Xiao Zhan, Wang Yibo, Wang Zhuocheng

Plot: "In a magical world of inter-clan rivalry, two soulmates face treacherous schemes and uncover a dark mystery linked to a tragic event in the past." - Netflix

Overall: 'The Untamed' (陈情令 Chen Qíng Ling) is based on a novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu & a donghua, both called (魔道祖师 Mo Dao Zu Shi). It follows the donghua adaption's story fairly closely, but differs somewhat from the novel. This series was released through WeTV/Tencent (same company that released Manner of Death last/this year) in 2019, but then was also released on Netflix. Unfortunately, I only got around to watching it this year, since I'd usually feel bad for watching a 50 episode series instead of doing something more "productive", but I've had a lot more free time lately so I finally sat down and watched. 

Honestly I regret not watching it sooner, as it is now one of my favourite series! The acting was great (mostly), the plot was compelling and the cinematography, costuming & settings were absolutely stunning. The method of storytelling - going back and forward in time to uncover more layers of the plot - is very effective, and the mystery of who is behind everything continues right up until the last few episodes.

The main difference from the book was the missing eventual overtly romantic relationship between Wei Wuxian and Lang Wangji, which was instead replaced with healthy doses of subtext and symbolism and a very close friendship. This was due to Chinese censorship laws that have banned openly LGBTQ+ relationships from being shown onscreen. 

While this disappointed some fans of the book (I can understand why), the series is fairly faithful to the novel and there is still a deep, soulmate friendship and implied romantic relationship throughout the show.  Also, the main storyline is about so much more than romantic love and it would be ridiculous to not enjoy the series only because it doesn't state that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are a couple.  

Both  young men stand up for what they believe in and their bonds and ideals are sronger than anything - family, rules, public opinion, right and wrong, even life and death. Lan Wangji especially, who is from a prestigious, strict clan and also extremely emotionally repressed, has to re-evaluate and change his whole life/code of conduct in order to 'do the right thing' and to help and support Wei Wuxian, who he cares for deeply and he believes is a truly good person.

Best Bits:

The development of the main characters and their relationship is one of the best parts of the show. They both grow up - Wei Wuxian becomes more responsible, mature and selfless, while Lan Wangji realises that rules can be broken sometimes, especially if it's to protect something/someone important to you - and make each other better people.

The underlying critique of abuses of power and mob mentality is very well done. Sometimes themes like this can feel preachy or are put in without any relevance to the story. However, in The Untamed, these themes form an integral part of the plot. War crimes happen on all sides, and rules are strictly adhered to without taking the context of the situation  into account. There is no strict dividing line between good and bad, just a lot of grey areas. People are quick to attack others and just go along with everyone else so that they won't become the target themselves.

Also, I know Xue Yang is a complete bastard and the actor's acting wasn't always the best, but I thought he was a great character, who never tried to make any excuses for his behaviour. He genuinely didn't seem to understand that anything he did was wrong. The one time that he seemed to have a little understanding of the cruelty of his actions was after a situation that he caused, which meant that he was emotionally hurt by something himself, rather than it affecting someone else. This character is, again, part of the wider themes - "it's alright for other people to suffer - for me to cause them to suffer - but when I suffer, then it's a tragedy and people have to pay for it".

Worst Bit: That it had to end? If I can't choose that, then some of the effects and CGI weren't great. For an example: the dog in the Wen dungeon was really bad. 

Watch it if you like: Xianxia, period Chinese shows/films, shows based on books, fantasy, mystery, magic, gorgeous cinematography, costumes and settings, well-developed characters and plots.

003. Watch/finish 20 foreign language films/shows. Manner of Death/พฤติการณ์ที่ตาย -6

 

Title: Manner of Death (พฤติการณ์ที่ตาย)
Year: 2020-2021
No. of Seasons: 1
No. of Episodes: 14
Cert: 18
Genre: Suspense, romance, crime
Language: Thai
Director: Ma-Deaw Chookiat Sakveerakul
Starring: Tul Pakorn Thanasrivanitchai, Max Nattapol Diloknawarit, Great Sapol Assawamunkong, Meiko Chonnikan Netjui

Synopsis:

When his childhood friend, Jane ("Meiko" Chonnikan Netjui), is found hanged at her home, forensic pathologist Dr Bun ("Tul" Pakorn Thanasrivanitchai) has reason to believe that her "manner of death" was murder, not suicide. The first person he suspects of the murder is the victim's boyfriend, a cram school teacher called Tan ("Max" Nattapol Diloknawarit). Bun eventually becomes less suspicious of Tan and the two of them work together to solve the mystery of Jane's death, while facing pressure and intimidation from some powerful people. Bun also has to deal with his developing feelings for Tan, whom he still doesn't trust completely.

Watch on WeTV

Overall: As I mentioned in this post, Manner of Death is loosely based on a novel of the same name by the author Sammon. The basics are the same, but the series takes a different path and adds many additional and important plot points, as well as reimagining some characters and adding new ones.

I really loved this series! The plot was intriguing, the acting was solid, the soundtrack was pleasant (though sometimes a tad overdramatic in some scenes), the cinematography and setting were gorgeous and the two lead actors had amazing chemistry. Although it was a serious show, with some very dark themes, there were also funny and sweet moments mixed in as, which created a nice balance. 

Best bits: Tan's insane and inappropriate flirting/idea of romance, Jane being the bravest person in the whole town, the way the story unfolded and was pieced together episode by episode, the chemistry between Tan and Bunn, no homophobia at all, cactus & chili, the focus being on the murder/crime plot rather than just the romance.

Worst bits: Having to watch Jane die multiple times (but it had a point, so okay). Honestly, I can't think of anything else I didn't like.

Watch it if you like: Interesting characters in a well thought-out story, stories involving police corruption, strong female characters, the BL genre in a more serious & grown-up setting, murder mysteries, crime dramas, adrenaline junkies, action, romance, love expressed in unusual ways.