The Korea Herald

Spielberg seeks ‘old-fashioned’ spectacle

Dec 26, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Steven Spielberg’s new film “War Horse” is almost deliberately old-fashioned, pitting noble beast against the horrors of war, with sweeping, emotional set pieces ― and dividing critics as Hollywood’s awards season looms.The movie, which got a Golden Globe nomination this month ahead of its Christmas Day release in the United States, is even made on good old celluloid in a snub to the digital revolution.“I think that movies like that don’t get made much any more, you know the
Director explores childhood betrayal

Dec 26, 2011

‘Lovable’ director Park Chul-soon traces his creative rootsThis is the eighth in a series on up-and-coming Korean filmmakers. ― Ed. For anyone who has seen Park Chul-soon’s feature debut “Lovable,” a moving portrait of a young girl with Savant syndrome, it wouldn’t be surprising to discover the director full of playfulness.The 28-year-old’s debut, which won the best screenplay prize at Persons with Disabilities Film Festival this year, is filled with childhood desires and imaginative adventures.
Bullock coaxed into return by ‘Extremely Loud’

Dec 25, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Sandra Bullock wasn’t looking to return to acting when Stephen Daldry called about “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.”Bullock’s last film, 2009’s “The Blind Side,” was the kind of career apogee of which most actresses dream, winning her a best actress Academy Award in what essentially amounted to a coronation of Bullock as America’s most beloved female movie star.But the accomplishment ― which would normally be followed by a wave of projects to capitalize on the momentum ― was s
Box Office

Dec 23, 2011

My Way (Korea)Opened Dec. 21Drama. Directed by Kang Je-gyu. It’s 1938 in Japanese-colonized Gyeongseong, what is now Seoul, and young Joon-sik (later played by Jang Dong-gun) works for a farm owned by a Japanese family. His dream is to participate in the Tokyo Olympics as a marathon runner. He soon learns that Tatsuo (later played by Joe Odagiri), the grandson of the farm owner, dreams of doing the same thing, making them rivals. As World War II breaks out, however, their lives and destinies are
Little-known Rooney Mara about to get famous

Dec 23, 2011

“Rooney who?” is not a question people will be asking much longer.On Tuesday at 7 p.m., David Fincher’s adaptation of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” ― the first installment in the U.S. version of Stieg Larsson’s mega-selling “Millennium Trilogy” ― opens in theaters. And there Rooney Mara will be, pale, pierced, and punked-out, hacking into encrypted databases, sleeping with Daniel Craig (and with a woman she picks up at a bar), taking vengeance on a sicko state-appointed guardian ... if you’v
Sarajevans moved by Angelina Jolie war film

Dec 23, 2011

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Hercegovina (AFP) ― Sarajevans among the first filmgoers to see Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut, a Bosnian wartime love story, came away deeply moved from a special screening in their city Thursday.“The movie is very realistic, moving and hard to watch for someone who was here during the war. I am very emotional,” Sabira Sokolovic told AFP.A story of love between a Muslim woman and a Serb man against the background of Bosnia’s 1992-95 inter-ethnic war, the movie sparked contr
Hollywood still struggling to focus 3-D technology

Dec 22, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Two years after breakthrough 3-D megahit “Avatar,” Hollywood is still struggling to decide how best to use the new technology, as filmgoers tire of the novelty and say no to annoying glasses.While 2011 ends with a couple of well-received 3-D movies ― including Steven Spielberg’s holiday smash “Tintin” and Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” ― filmmakers need to focus on what works in three dimensions and what doesn’t, say experts.Following a series of 3-D flops over the last 12 months,
Cannes fest head Jacob wins new term

Dec 22, 2011

PARIS (AFP) ― Gilles Jacob, the 81-year-old president of the Cannes film festival, has secured a new term at the helm of the international movie showcase, along with its director Thierry Fremaux.Jacob has received the world’s top filmmakers in the Riviera city for the past 30 years, first as Cannes festival director then from 2001 as president, with a mandate that was due to expire after its 65th edition on May 16-27, 2012.Meeting on Tuesday, however, the Cannes board of administrators voted to
Three films, three cities

Dec 22, 2011

Special project offers films shot in Bucheon, Pohang and GwangjuIt’s been to Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Chuncheon, Daegu, Incheon, Yeosu and Gangleung.English language network Arirang TV’s annual film project featuring Korean cities is back with its third edition, this time offering three movies shot in Bucheon, Pohang and Gwangju. The upcoming films are not about the cities (no road movies to the cities!) but rather use them only as their background. The three featured directors ― Kim In-sik, Lee San
Pets, songs and babies top 2011 YouTube videos

Dec 21, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) ― Online singing sensation Rebecca Black topped a 2011 most-viewed YouTube videos list Tuesday that included spoofs starring pets, talking babies and pop music star Michael Bolton.The collection of the year’s most popular YouTube snippets was based on an analysis of the more than one trillion video views logged at the Google-owned website.“That’s about 140 views for every person on the Earth,” YouTube trends manager Kevin Allocca said in a blog post. “More than twice as many
‘Unbowed’ portrays real-life ‘crossbow terror’ case

Dec 21, 2011

Director Chung Ji-young makes comeback with courtroom dramaA mathematics professor gets demoted a year after pointing out an error on the school’s entrance exam. He soon loses his job, as the university won’t renew his contract. Arguing he was fired unfairly, he sues the school administration and asks for reinstatement. When the court upholds the school’s decision, the professor decides to visit the court judge with a crossbow in his hand. Celebrated director Chung Ji-young, who is most well kno
Song Hye-kyo to star in Woo’s film

Dec 20, 2011

Popular actress Song Hye-kyo will star in celebrated Chinese director John Woo’s upcoming epic love story film “Love and Let Love,” according to her local agency.Song, who recently won the first film award of her acting career for her role as the grieving filmmaker in this year’s somber drama “A Reason to Live,” will star as a wealthy, driven woman in Shanghai who lives through the end of WWII and Chinese Civil War. Song will act in Mandarin for the film. Woo, whose best-known works include 2008
Berlin fest picks Hanks, Zhang movies for line-up

Dec 20, 2011

BERLIN (AFP) ― The Berlin film festival unveiled its first selections Monday including a 9/11 drama starring Tom Hanks and new pictures from China’s Zhang Yimou and Filipino art house star Brillante Mendoza.The 62nd annual event, running Feb. 9 to 19, will include the hotly awaited “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” by British director Stephen Daldry (“The Hours”).The movie is based on the 2005 best-selling novel by Jonathan Safran Foer in which a young boy searches New York City after the Se
Larsson’s partner chides ‘Dragon Tattoo’ marketing

Dec 20, 2011

STOCKHOLM (AP) ― The longtime partner of late Swedish crime writer Stieg Larsson says he wouldn’t have approved of merchandise being linked to this week’s release of a Hollywood adaptation of his bestselling novel, “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.’’Eva Gabrielsson said Monday that Larsson would have instead used the buzz around his work to call attention to violence and discrimination against women.“We would never have sold any rights for merchandising,’’ Gabrielsson said. “It has nothing to do
Penn, McDormand, Giamatti join Sundance cast list

Dec 20, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Films featuring Sean Penn, Frances McDormand, Paul Giamatti, Jesse Eisenberg, Tracy Morgan and Melissa Leo are among late additions to next month‘s Sundance Film Festival.Organizers for Robert Redford’s independent-film showcase said Monday they have added four titles to the previously announced lineup of more than 100 movies.The new films are: director Paolo Sorrentino‘s rock-star-on-a-road-trip tale ``This Must Be the Place,’‘ with Penn and McDormand; Philip Dorling and Ron