Two joint production films to be released in Vietnam this year

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Alfonso Cuaron was awarded the top film honor from the Directors Guild of America for “Gravity” on Saturday night, giving the lost-in-space saga an edge on the journey to the Academy Awards. In the recent bustle of Hollywood honors, “Gravity,” David O. Russell’s con caper “American Hustle” and Steve McQueen’s historical epic “12 Years a Slave” had been competing in the tightest three-way Oscar race in years. But Cuaron’s film now has the upper hand for the best-picture and dir

Belgium’s interdisciplinary performance ‘Kiss & Cry’ gets Korean premiere

Bong Joon-ho’s dystopian sci-fi thriller “Snowpiercer” has been officially invited to this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, according to the film’s producer CJ Entertainment.The film, which is also Bong’s English language debut, will get special gala screenings at the festival’s “Forum” sidebar from Feb. 7 to 8. The International Forum of New Cinema of Berlinale, “Forum” in short, is dedicated to featuring experimental works as well as historically significant films. Kim Tae-yong’s “La

 My Place (Korea)Opening Jan. 30Filmmaker Park Moon-chil offers a personal account of his sister’s unexpected pregnancy and what followed in his latest documentary “My Place.” Park’s sister, Peace, became pregnant in 2006, and decided to have the child alone. She had never been married and had broken up with the baby’s father. Park weaves his sister’s story with his family’s unique history of migration, from Korea to Toronto and back again to Korea. English subtitles will be provided for all scr

“Gimme Shelter” is a simplistic, faintly emotional account of a pregnant teen’s desperate search for help, support and compassion with the huge decision she faces. It’s simplistic because the script discounts debate over that decision and glosses over the messy details of the path she chooses. But it’s emotional because we, and plainly some of the characters, know those messy details, even if other characters do not.Agnes (Vanessa Hudgens) is 16 and poor, the daughter of a drug addict (Rosario D

Crowd funded movie ‘Another Promise’ set for February theater release

Director Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi thriller “Snowpiercer” on Wednesday claimed the best film and the best director awards given by local movie reporters for 2013.The English-language debut by Bong was the top winner at the fifth “Film of the Year Awards” ceremony held at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, beating out the latest box-office sensation, “The Attorney,” and director Lee Jun-ik’s drama “Hope.” Bong also received the best director award for “Snowpiercer.”The Korea Film Reporters Association,

Filmmaker Park Moon-chil shares his unusual family history in latest documentary ‘My Place’

“Frozen,” a 3-D animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, topped the Korean box office chart this weekend, beating the local megahit court drama “The Attorney.”“The Attorney,” inspired by the early years of the late President Roh Moo-hyun, had remained No. 1 on the local chart for four consecutive weeks until Jan. 16. Last weekend, it became the ninth Korean movie and 10th overall to draw more than 10 million spectators in Korea.Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s f

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― “Ride Along” arrived in first place at the weekend box office. The Universal buddy cop comedy featuring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube debuted with $41.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The strong opening for “Ride Along” marks the biggest debut for a film released during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend and puts it on track to top the $40.1 million record set by the 2008 monster movie “Cloverfield” for the biggest opening of January. “It certainly appear

Inspired by late liberal leader, ‘The Attorney’ draws over 10m viewers