I've recently been attending my very own Asian film festival. Every day, I watch a film or two. People say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but that's not true at all. I judge these DVDs by their cover, and 80% of the time my prediction is correct.
So far, 'Ice Kacang and Puppy Love' has won the top prize for best film in my eyes. Don't sniff at the title (I know, it's weird sounding). The story takes place in a Malaysian town, and there's a host of famous Chinese singers that act in this film (a fact I was nicely surprised by after watching the high quality acting). The main character is a tough girl nicknamed Fighting Fish who has everyone shaking in their boots except for Botak, who is sincerely in love with her (hence the 'puppy love' part of the title). Ah niu, who plays Botak, handles the role perfectly--and although his character is mostly silent (besides the voiced over narration), he deftly communications the feelings behind a first love. The movie plays out village life and the angst brewing within--we are introduced to a caricature of supporting actors. Their traits are exaggerated enough to make us laugh but not so much that it comes across as gauche. There are multiple story lines, but the quality of each is not sacrificed.
Fun fact: Ah-niu, the actor who plays Botak, also directed and wrote the film. Triple threat!!!!
If you manage to get your hands on this film, I strongly recommend watching it. I don't have anything bad to say about it. The acting is great, but you can't deny the power of a well-done screenplay. There are moments of hilarity as well as one that showcase trying family times.
