Carnage (France, Germany, Spain and Poland)Opened Aug. 16Comedy. Directed by Roman Polanski. Two pairs of middle-class parents meet to discuss why one couple’s child broke the front teeth of the other couple’s son. Though both parties try to remain “civilized” and “well-mannered” in the beginning of the meeting, they end up becoming childish and even attacking each other while drunk. Starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly, the film is an adaptation of celebrated

Terrific debut by World Famous HeadlinersWorld Famous Headliners “World Famous Headliners” (Big Yellow Dog Music) Three singers. Three songwriters. Three guitarists. That should be three strikes against the World Famous Headliners.Instead, the chemistry created in this collaboration is captivating. Big Al Anderson, Shawn Camp and Pat McLaughlin -- with plenty of help from bassist Michael Rhodes and drummer Greg Morrow -- have made an album that justifies the band‘s hyperbolic, tongue-in-cheek na

Boy, it sure looks like Dax Shepard is doing all his own crazy, gonzo stunt-driving in “Hit and Run,” the car-chase comedy he wrote and co-directed.“All me, 100 percent,” he says.You know how you can tell? Look in the eyes of his co-star and off-camera fiancee, Kristen Bell. Yeah, she’s in the car with him in those scenes. And no, she wasn’t scared.“Dax has always been in to off-roading, so I’ve logged many hours with him in the car doing crazy tricks,” Bell says. “I know how capable he is behin

NEW YORK (AP) ― Korean rapper Psy ― who is having a pop culture moment with his viral music video for “Gangnam Style” ― says he’s been doing funky choreography for a decade in his native Korea. But he’s excited his colorful style is being celebrated in the United States, and around the world.“I did a lot of strange dance moves for 12 years in Korea,” Psy said in an interview Wednesday, adding that the reaction today reminds him of his musical debut back home. “This is kind of (the) same story.”T

The Korean heist film “The Thieves” became the fourth best-selling Korean film of all time, beating “Haeundae,” a disaster drama that opened three years ago, according to the latest official box office tally.“The Thieves,” featuring 10 Korean and Chinese thieves teaming up to steal a valuable diamond necklace at a Macao casino, had attracted about 11.5 million viewers as of Wednesday, the data from the Korean Film Council showed.The movie passed the 11.4 million audience record for “Haeundae,” p

The Yanghyun Foundation announced on Thursday the selection of Mexican artist Abraham Cruzvillegas as the winner of the 5th Yanghyun Prize. Cruzvillegas, 44, received recognition in the international art scene with his installation and video works that reflect the unique social and economic circumstances in Mexico. “Cruzvillegas explores the social, historical meaning of an object and expresses the meanings through an artwork in different forms,” said the judges.  The Mexican artist has been act

Actor Lee Je-hoon, 28, will join Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Oct. 25 to complete his 21-month military service. “Lee was planning to enlist in the military right after shooting his movie,” said Saram Entertainment, Lee’s agency. “Lee himself volunteered, so there will be no postponing.” The actor is now filming “My Paparoti” and “Ethics of Anger.” Filming for the movies began in August and July, respectively. Lee will visit China on Aug. 29 for Korean Film Festival that marks the 20th an

“Pandora,” the title song of KARA’s new mini album released Wednesday, has topped Korean online music charts.On Thursday, “Pandora” beat Psy’s sensational “Gangnam Style” and ranked first on the real-time charts of music sites such as MelOn, Olleh Music, Bugs, and Naver Music. KARA presented the showcase of their new mini album on Wednesday at Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul. The girl group’s performance of the song will air for the first time on KBS Music Bank on Friday. The choreogra

Indie bands rock festival to be held in Seoul’s Nanji Hangang ParkIndie music fans can look forward to performances by some of the best known indie musicians at “2012 Korea Live Music Festival” to be held in Seoul Nanji Hangang Park’s Youth Square from Sept. 1-2. Subtitled “LIVE DAY,” the concert will feature performances by some 70 musicians representing various genres including pop, funk, rock, metal and hip-hop.Now in its seventh year, the festival began in an alley beside a parking lot in Ho

When Union Pharmacy CEO Ahn Byung-gwang bought a print copy of the famous modern Korean painter Lee Jung-seob’s “Bull” painting in 1983, Ahn didn’t know who the artist was or whether it was just a print copy or an original painting. Now 29 years have passed, and he has became a collector of more than 100 paintings, including the authentic “Bull” painting, and is about to open a museum to share his collection with a wider audience. “I took cover from rain under the roof of a photo frame shop and

(AFP)An elderly woman's catastrophic attempt to "restore" a century-old oil painting of Christ in a Spanish church has provoked popular uproar, and amusement.The well-intentioned but ham-fisted amateur artist, in her 80s, took it upon herself to fill in the patches and paint over the original work, which depicted Christ crowned with thorns, his sorrowful gaze lifted to heaven.Her work done, the "r

“Blinded, cruel days. Bloodstained, lacerated skirt, and my body. Forgive your vice. But remember. A bobbed-hair girl sits.”Kim Hyun-sung, a well-known local singer-songwriter, premiered a song dedicated to Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement last Wednesday when former sex slaves and some 2,000 of their supporters gathered in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul for a weekly protest, demanding an apology and compensation from Tokyo for its atrocities.The issue of elderly Korea

The sluggish economy has hit the art fair market as seen in the number of foreign galleries stepping back from participating in this year’s Asia Top Gallery Hotel Art Fair Seoul, which is slated to open at the Westin Chosun from Friday to Sunday. The number of participating foreign art galleries decreased from 20 in 2010 to nine this year due to the poor economy around the world, which has also struck Korea. The total number of galleries participating decreased from 69 in 2010 to 52 this year. 

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― When Tupac Shakur rose from the stage in the California desert earlier this year, it was not only a jaw-dropping resurrection, but also the beginning of a new form of live entertainment. “Come with me,” the digital Shakur called out, not just to tens of thousands of screaming fans but seemingly to other artists.Follow, they will. Elvis Presley’s estate announced it has authorized holograms of the King of Rock, Marilyn Monroe’s estate has expressed interest and there’s no short

Local production company of ‘La Boheme’ cancels two shows due to sluggish ticket salesThe cast is amazing: The combination of the three top names ― maestro Chung Myung-whun, prima donna Angela Gheorghui and rising star Vittorio Grigolo ― has already mesmerized audiences, even before the curtain goes up next week.However, ADL, a local production company that brought these celebrities together for outdoor opera “La Boheme,” admitted on Wednesday that its sales have failed, forcing the company canc