The Last Reel (2014)

Yep... I haven't seen a single film made in Cambodia that I actually liked since Bat Kloun by Khmer Mekong Films a few years back. This film is surely the best film Cambodia ever had in decades.

First of all, the storyline is amazing. Despite written by non-Cambodian writer but as a Cambodian, I approved everything about the characteristics of the characters, locations and even the minor details. I am surprise to see how the film maker focus on small details from culture references to clothing fashion. It does show almost 100% of Cambodian's general life/reality. The writer is awesome and probably better understand about Cambodian than most Cambodian writers do.

The actors were just incredible. As always, the protagonist, Ma Rynet, is awesome as she ever could be. Totally a big fan. Now that's what we call talent and a "real" actress. Newcomer, but she's probably better than most Cambodian "supposedly" actresses . Portray as the rebellious new generation child, but totally represent "real" nowadays Cambodians, who we all can related at some point. Every single moment Rynet able to appear fresh and real, not a single moment that we could say that this would never happen to a real person. Her performance in this film could never been better.

Again, Dy Savet is also as amazing as she can be. Just "real" and "relatable" as she can be. At her age and portray as an emotional disturb mother, but she's able to appear as flawless as she can be.

Every other characters are also incredible. Not well-known actors but definitely talented and relatable. The dad, the brother, the boyfriend, the director, the gang, first of all, they all look Cambodians. That is a big plus. Their performance is real and raw. They do look and sound like somebody's dad, brother, boyfriend... And each's characteristic is definitely real and relatable (again) big applause to writer and director and casting director, whoever you are. Because, these are what 99% of Cambodian films lacked at.

And I definitely love the location. The cinema is awesome. And the fact that the character's house is actually looks like most of Cambodian houses are just amazing. Again, because according to most of "Cambodian" writers and directors, everybody lives in a condo or a villa. And we all drive Range Rover. And we call have super white skin and blond hair. And we all woke up with full make-up and cat eyes. And we all go to the mall and brown cafe all the time.

Again, the film is definitely the best film Cambodia has seen for decades. This shows how Cambodian's film is in fact going into a right direction (even though most of film crew are non- Cambodian) but I'm happy that I can actually go to see a Cambodian film that is actually good and keep me thinking about the film and actually talk about real issues of Cambodian and I can actually relate to, after it finished and proud that Cambodian might bring back the golden age era of films. Awesome jobs everyone. Please make more awesome film.