The Korea Herald

Jolie, Pitt meet Obama in Oval Office

Jan 12, 2012

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― U.S. President Barack Obama took a break from the affairs of state to rub shoulders with Hollywood royalty Wednesday, meeting Angelina Jolie and her beau Brad Pitt at the White House.Jolie was in Washington for the launch of her new movie “In the Land of Blood and Honey” and the couple were seen through the paneled windows of the Oval Office by reporters and photographers.“President Obama spoke with Ms Jolie about her work to raise the profile of preventing mass atrocities and
Katy Perry, ‘Potter’ win big at People’s Choice Awards

Jan 12, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Katy Perry is in the popular clique now.The singer-actress won the most People’s Choice Awards at Wednesday’s 38th annual fan-favorite extravaganza. Perry, who was absent from the ceremony, was honored in five categories, including favorite female artist, tour headliner, song of the year for “E.T.’’ with Kanye West, music video for “Last Friday Night,’’ and TV guest star for “How I Met Your Mother.’’Perry told fans on Twitter earlier this week that she wouldn’t attend the show
Sun shines again for Allen after ‘Midnight in Paris’

Jan 12, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― The chimes may have tolled midnight in Paris, but in Hollywood, it’s the dawn of another career revival for Woody Allen after his biggest hit in decades and a new round of awards accolades.How much will the success of “Midnight in Paris’’ change the filmmaker’s career? Not one bit, says Allen.In nearly 45 years of alternating between toast of the town and yesterday’s news, Allen has barely deviated from a simple formula: make a movie a year on an economical budget and avoid th
Steven Spielberg shares storytelling secrets in Paris

Jan 11, 2012

PARIS (AFP) ― Steven Spielberg caught the filmmaking bug as a 12-year-old boy, and half a century on still goes “crazy” when he doesn’t have a story to tell, he admitted to fans packing a masterclass in Paris Monday night.Greeted with a standing ovation, the U.S. director ― whose works from “E.T.” to “Indiana Jones” are the focus of a retrospective at Paris’ Cinematheque film centre ― told the room in French, hand on his heart: “Je t’aime!”“I’m a storyteller,” the 65-year-old told the filmmaking
Film’s Mr. Serious turns to comedy

Jan 11, 2012

‘Dancing Queen’ star Hwang Jeong-min says he’s funny, laidback off-screenIt’s easy to mistake actor Hwang Jeong-min as serious.His past roles on the silver screen have a lot to do with it. His recent (and impressive) filmography includes the Blue Dragon Award-winning crime thriller “Unjust” and last year’s conspiracy flick “Moby Dick.” Yet sitting over his favorite chrysanthemum tea in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Hwang does not resemble the passionate city desk reporter in “Moby Dick” nor the corrupt
Jolie, Thornton to present new films at Berlin festival

Jan 10, 2012

BERLIN (AFP) ― Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut about the Bosnian war and a drama made by and starring her ex-husband Billy Bob Thornton will feature at the Berlin film festival next month, organisers said Monday.Jolie will present her harrowing drama “In the Land of Blood and Honey” out of competition after winning praise in Bosnia for its unflinching take on the brutal 1992-1995 conflict, filmed in local languages with a home-grown cast.It will screen on the opening weekend of the February 9
New award nods for French director, Allen, Scorsese

Jan 10, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ―French director Michel Hazanavicius won another nod for his silent movie “The Artist” Monday, joining Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese among nominees for Directors Guild of America (DGA) best film.“Social Network” director David Fincher earned his third DGA nomination ― seen as a key indicator for Oscars glory ― for “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” while Alexander Payne got his nod for “The Descendants.”Veteran U.S. filmmakers Allen and Scorsese ― both DGA Lifetime Achievemen
Chance for first look at art house movies

Jan 10, 2012

Eight highly-anticipated films get early showings in SeoulFor art house and indie movie fans, the year 2012 looks promising. Several award-winning films are being released this year, including the local non-fiction film “Planet of Snail,” which won the top prize at the world’s largest documentary film festival in the Netherlands, and Golden Globe nominated French romance “The Artist.”For those who would like to check out some of the most highly anticipated films to be released this year in advan
Clooney, Pitt kick off 2012 award season

Jan 9, 2012

PALM SPRINGS (AP) ― George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and other red-carpet veterans joined some Hollywood newcomers in the Southern California desert this weekend to kick off the two-month-long movie award season at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.“When you’re of age: drink,’’ Clooney noted to the newcomers at Saturday night’s gala awards ceremony. “That’s good advice to pretty much anybody.’’Among those relative newcomers were Clooney’s co-stars from the drama “The Descenda
Clooney, Pitt kick off 2012 award season

Jan 9, 2012

George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and other red-carpet veterans joined some Hollywood newcomers in the Southern California desert this weekend to kick off the two-month-long movie award season at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Actress Charlize Theron poses at the 2012 Palm Spr
Men of a certain age, aging on screen

Jan 8, 2012

With the success of “Mission: Impossible ― Ghost Protocol” comes the industry realization, or rather the industry press speculation, that Tom Cruise is back, baby, back as a bankable movie star.As someone not in the same profession as Cruise, and who is only a year older than he but who looks about 49 years older, I find this sort of sweet. (And it’s true, probably.) Movie stars today aren’t allowed the luxury of a few forgettable films, not when they cost what “Knight and Day” did. For the reco
Bumper year for box office as French flock to homegrown hits

Jan 8, 2012

PARIS (AFP) - An intrepid boy reporter, a black manservant and his paralysed aristocrat master, and French actors adrift in Hollywood helped make 2011 France‘s best box office year in nearly half a century.A whopping 215.6 million cinema tickets were sold last year in France -- whose population is 65 million -- with two homegrown comedies taking pole position ahead of Hollywood blockbusters, according to industry data.The buoyant figures in Europe’s top movie market -- also the continent‘s bigge
Box Office

Jan 6, 2012

Dancing Queen (Korea), Opening Jan. 19Comedy. Directed by Lee Suk-hoon. Housewife Jung-hwa (Uhm Jung-hwa) is married to low-earning lawyer Jung-min (Hwang Jung-min). One day, her daughter abruptly tells her she doesn’t want to live like Jung-hwa, as a housewife. Shocked by the comment, Jung-hwa decides to fulfill her long-lost dream to become a famous singer, trying out for a reality TV talent show. Meanwhile, her husband Jung-min becomes a candidate for Seoul mayor through a rare opportunity, n
eye like

Jan 6, 2012

Irish singer’s present for Korean fansDamien Rice “Live from the Union Chapel: Korea Tour Edition”(Warner Music Korea) Adding two bonus tracks, to the 2007 “Live from the Union Chapel” album, Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice agreed to release his very first tour edition for Korean fans ahead of his concert in Seoul. The album, most of which was recorded in 2003 during the tour for Rice’s debut album “O,” features his favorites ― “Delicate,” “The Blower’s Daughter,” a ferocious “Volcano,” “Ami
Inclusion Films teaches developmentally disabled adults all aspects of filmmaking

Jan 6, 2012

Greg Donoghue grew up around film sets. His father worked as a film publicist in Europe and his uncle is Pierre Spengler, a producer of the “Superman” movies.But the 30-year-old had never seriously considered a career in the movie industry until he got a chance to direct his own short film called “Sunshine Manor,” a love story about the relationship between a nursing home patient and her doctor.“It takes a lot of patience, and time is your worst enemy,” Donoghue said of his directorial debut. “I