The Korea Herald

Movie brings digital and divisive redesign of ‘Ninja Turtles’

Aug 6, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― Over the past two years, inside the high-tech sanctuary of Industrial Light and Magic, the man who built a virtual virgin jungle for the last “Indiana Jones” movie and conjured 150-foot-tall aliens for “War of the Worlds” has been confronting his most difficult task yet: creating a digital version of the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that could realistically interact on screen with Megan Fox. On this assignment, Pablo Helman needed more than just turtle power. “For me
Jun Ji-hyun richest female celeb in property assets

Aug 6, 2014

Jun Ji-hyun, the star of the mega-hit TV series “My Love from the Star,” ranks No. 1 on the value of real estate holdings among female celebrities in South Korea, market research showed Wednesday. The combined value of buildings owned by Jun in southern Seoul was estimated to be worth 13.15 billion won ($12.72 million) as of end-July, according to Chaebul.com, a website that tracks the wealth of the rich. Jun Ji-hyun accepts an award from the Korea Tourism Organization during a cermony held in
[Newsmaker] Yi Sun-sin sensation takes hold in cinemas

Aug 5, 2014

Period action flick “Roaring Currents” has set one box-office record after another since its opening last Wednesday. Previous period flicks have enjoyed notable successes, including “The King and the Clown” in 2005 and “Masquerade” in 2012. But none became box-office hits as quickly and sensationally as “Roaring Currents.” The film premiered on July 30, with the biggest-ever opening-day viewership in Korean film history (682,778 viewers). It topped the 6 million mark in just seven days on Tuesda
‘Roaring Currents’ tops 5m viewers for six days

Aug 4, 2014

A scene from “Roaring Currents”A homegrown action film about a 16th-century Korean naval hero’s astonishing victory against Japan surpassed the 5 million viewer mark on Monday, the movie’s investor-distributor said.“Roaring Currents” exceeded the milestone at about 9:30 a.m. Monday, the sixth day since opening, CJ Entertainment said.This was four days faster than a record shared by “Snowpiercer” (2013), “The Face Reader” (2013), “Iron Man 3” (2013) and “The Thieves” (2012).Released on Wednesday,
Studio Ghibli to put film production on hiatus

Aug 4, 2014

One of the world’s top animated feature filmmakers Studio Ghibli ― creator of internationally acclaimed works including “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Princess Mononoke” and the Oscar-winning “Spirited Away” ― has announced that it will put its production on a hiatus. A scene from “My Neighbor Totoro.” (Studio Ghibli)Suzuki Toshio, the general manager of the Tokyo-based animation studio, said it would stop making new films for the time being, instead focusing on “restructuring and rebuilding” during an
Marvel’s ‘Guardians’ rockets to top of box office

Aug 4, 2014

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― “Guardians of the Galaxy” blasted past expectations at the weekend box office. Marvel Studios’ cosmic romp starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista as members of an intergalactic band of rebels earned $94 million in its debut weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Ahead of its Friday debut, box office analysts initially projected that the comic book adaptation would earn between $60 million and $75 million in North America. The out-of-this-world launch gives
Director Ann Hui wins BIFF Asian Filmmaker of Year

Aug 4, 2014

Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui has been chosen as the winner of the 2014 “Asian Filmmaker of the Year” by the Busan International Film Festival, organizers said Monday.“We selected director Ann Hui as the winner of this year’s award to show respect for her contribution to the Asian film industry and her pioneering spirit with the creation of many masterpieces that will be remembered for ages,” the film festival said in a release.The award is given annually to an Asian filmmaker who has significantl
‘And So It Goes’ pretty well for star Michael Douglas

Aug 3, 2014

Everyone seems shocked when they find out “And So It Goes” is the first time veteran actors Michael Douglas, 69, and Diane Keaton, 68, have worked together.“I take that as a compliment because it means that we must look very comfortable working together,” Douglas says. “I knew going in the movie that it would be a real treat to work with her, but after the first day I knew that it was just going to be a lot of fun. She’s a sweetheart and so talented.“Diane has a way of making you think you’re th
‘Code Black’ captures ER at best, health system at most bureaucratic

Aug 1, 2014

“Code Black” opens in chaos, settles into systemic calm and ends with young doctors struggling against “the failure of the system” to get back some of that chaos.But this isn’t this year’s new variation on TV’s “young doctors, under stress and in love.” It’s a documentary film filled with adrenalin junkies, idealistic Type-A personalities and over-achievers. They’re residents at L.A. County Hospital’s “legendary” emergency room, capturing the urgency and immediacy of this last line of defense ag
[Weekender] Box Office

Aug 1, 2014

The Pirates (Korea)Opening August 6Adventure, Action. Directed by Lee Seok-hoon“The Pirates” takes place on a pirate ship, and tells the story of a royal seal that went missing early in the Joseon era (1392-1910). Based on the true story of a missing seal, the movie fuses history and imagination in recounting the search for the artifact. The searches are conducted by a group of bandits headed by Jang Sa-jung (Kim Nam-gil), a group of pirates headed by Yeo-wol (Son Ye-jin), and government officia
‘Roaring Currents’ sets box office record

Aug 1, 2014

The period blockbuster “Roaring Currents” drew a record number of viewers in just two days, surpassing the number of viewers who saw “Avatar” in the first week of its release. According to the Korean Film Council, the movie drew more than 1.4 million viewers in the first two days of its debut, the fastest record so far this year. The movie attracted 700,866 viewers on Thursday, making it the most-watched film on a single weekday in Korean cinema history. It also had a record opening with 680,000
Animal-themed film festival to open in Suncheon Bay

Jul 31, 2014

A film festival to promote the coexistence of people and animals will be held at Suncheon Bay, South Jeolla Province, from Aug. 21-26. The “Animal Film Festival in Suncheon,” in its second year, will screen 50 animal-themed films from 20 countries. The movies will deal with the preservation of nature and interactions between humans and animals. Japanese film “7 Days of Himawari & Her Puppies” directed by Emiko Hiramatsu, will kick off the festival. The film is based on a true story and depicts a
Boseman drips with charisma as James Brown

Jul 30, 2014

There’s a delicious moment in “Get on Up,” Tate Taylor’s new James Brown biopic, when Brown ― played by Chadwick Boseman, in a thrillingly magnetic performance ― is about to appear on the T.A.M.I. Show, a multi-act concert filmed in 1964. Backstage, the singer is informed that he and his band won’t be closing the show; that honor will be going to an up-and-coming British band called the Rolling Stones. Brown shakes off the disappointment, goes out and blows the roof off the place with the force
[Herald Interview] Kim Nam-gil returns in perfectly tailored role

Jul 29, 2014

Actor plays a down-to-earth bandit in comedy-adventure flick ‘The Pirates’
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ irreverent but not enough

Jul 29, 2014

At the height of their powers, our overlords at Marvel have deigned to prove, like an emperor tolerating a court jester, that they do, in fact, have a sense of humor. The Marvel universe, of course, isn’t entirely lacking comedy, as we’ve seen in “Iron Man” and “The Avengers.” But on the whole, the Marvel kingdom is built on an unshakable foundation of self-seriousness. The comic book studio seems to fear that if the solemnity of its fiction isn’t diligently guarded, people might start questioni