Citizen Dog (2004)

You won't be disappointed!

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

I absolutely loved this film! Difficult to describe, but like a cross between AMELIE (France) (without the super expensive CGI), TASTE OF TEA (Japan) and perhaps a bit of CHUNGKING EXPRESS (Hong Kong) (with quieter cinematography instead of Chris Doyle's kinetic style.) So visually rich it can even be enjoyed without subtitles, although what it has to say is important.I can't wait to see this director's other films: TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER, and particularly THE UNSEEABLE, a supernatural horror that is getting rave reviews.This film was shot on HIGH-DEF, yet looks better that most American films shot on 35mm.It just goes to show that it is not budget that determines a great film, but TALENT, HEART and VISION.

In the first scene, we noticed that the director must be a Jean Pierre Jeunet fan. This is not bad. I really appreciate that but there are too much coincidences and resources already seen on Amélie. It's very interesting the way the colors are used. The descriptions of the protagonists is very similar to Jeunet most popular film. It seems to me a bit long in duration but there are some scenes very laughing and gallant. Maybe this young director could find a more consistent script for his next film and not to exaggerate with some resources that are, if so much used, boring. Despite the things I described, I really enjoyed the film. I laugh in several scenes and applaud when the film was finished.

I felt that I was brutalized by this film. This was a rip off of Amelie. There are moments that defy good taste and good sense. While the main characters are very attractive, they lack charm. I didn't care about them. There is the young woman with OCD who rearranges the cans and jars in the cupboards so that the labels all face out. Her would be suitor looks at her with loving though vacuous eyes.The subplots don't help either. Is there something in the water that makes these people so insipid? A little girl who doesn't get enough attention at home takes cab rides to arcades so that she can shoot things. She has a talking bear that is hard drinking and chain smoking. There is another couple that has fallen in love after meeting on a packed bus.I was annoyed by the characters who are self-absorbed and silly. Why is Bangkok so cartoonish? Does any audience ever need the intrusion of a constant voice over? Why must this film also have an annoyingly shrill soundtrack? Unselfish love is a noble goal; don't let anyone you love see this film.

Granted the setting is vastly different (contemporary Bangkok) and there's not a drop of blood to be seen, "Citizen Dog" is a brilliant sophomore work from the director of "Tears of the Black Tiger" -- one of the best and most original movies I've seen in the last ten years.Retaining the odd color schemes in a somewhat muted form, and excellent choice of soundtracks, this movie is really a lot of fun. A large ensemble of bizarre characters completes the picture including a dead motorcycle taxi driver, an amnesiac addicted to licking things, and a talking, chain-smoking teddy bear.Follow the adventures of Pod as he moves to Bangkok from the country, takes a number of different jobs and meets Jin, the girl of his dreams. Along the way, a number of really weird things happen and everyone gets a tail, but hey, love's like that.