By Mark Olsen, Los Angeles TimesThe documentary “Life Itself” is about the life, career, death and legacy of film critic Roger Ebert but, as the title implies, also much more. It is about the role of work and love and passion and ideas in the living of one’s life, all the things that come together to make each of us who we are. An adaptation of Ebert’s 2011 memoir of the same name ― a New York Times review called it “the best thing Mr. Ebert has ever written” ― the movie is directed by fellow Ch

Digital platforms fast increasing market share

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Terry Notary is Hollywood’s human shape-shifter. In a blink, he can become an elf, an ape or almost any other moving creature. An expert in motion-capture performance, he specializes in bringing nonhuman characters to life on screen. He’s played goblins in “The Hobbit,” a Who in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and a winged, dragon-like banshee in “Avatar.” In “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” opening Friday, Notary plays more than 100 primates. He also taught the film’s stars

Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival pushes boundaries of horror, thriller, sci-fi

A documentary on the late Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan (1922-2009) will open in theaters on Aug. 7 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of his passing. “The Cardinal,” directed by Jeon Seong-woo, presents the life of the late clergy member, through interviews with him in his last three years and many accounts from those who knew him. The documentary will focus on acknowledging the cardinal as a human being, beyond his public image. The official poster of “The Cardinal.” (Mountain Pictures)“The

Confession (Korea)Opening July 10Crime, Drama. Directed by Lee Do-yoonHyun-tae (Ji Sung), In-chul (Ju Ji-hoon) and Min-soo (Lee Kwang-soo) have been close friends for 20 years. One day, a deadly fire occurs and takes the life of Hyun-tae’s mother and all of her property. The accident turns evolves into an unsolved mystery. Hyun-tae’s suspicion grows over the death of his mother as he begins looking for any kind of evidence. Hyun-tae asks his friends to help, but as the truth unfolds, he begins t

He has been referred to as Korea’s version of Quentin Tarantino, with Quentin Tarantino himself recently likening him to Steven Spielberg. Now, with the ambitious sci-fi action film “Snowpiercer,” Bong Joon-ho makes his English-language debut and a bid for a broader audience.The film is the most expensive South Korean production ever, with a budget of more than $40 million, and broke box-office records when it was released there last year. The film has also weathered a high-profile behind-the-sc

The words and feelings pouring out of Celestelle Webster, 19, and Christelle Roach, 18, on this sunny afternoon seem fiercely, startlingly beyond their years.“The bones in my body are like needles in my skin ... I am a bomb, take shelter.”Facing each other onstage in the small auditorium at the Miami Beach Regional Library, they summon a wrenching vision of domestic violence with lines they wrote together.“Why are you still here? I’m in love with the arsonist ... There is a fire burning inside m

Chinese actress Tang Wei and Korean filmmaker Kim Tae-yong will get married in the fall, Kim’s agency Bom Film Production said on Wednesday.The two first met through the 2009 film “Late Autumn” as an actress and director. After the film, they maintained a good friendship until October 2013 when Tang visited Korea for a commercial shoot. From then on, they grew as a couple.Tang Wei and Kim Tae-yongThe couple will have their wedding this fall, only inviting friends and family.“Through movie, we go