The Korea Herald

Honorary BIFF chief awaits his film debut

Nov 23, 2011

Kim Dong-ho shares founding of BIFFHe is soft-spoken, extremely polite and remembers your name only after a quick phone call.Meet Kim Dong-ho, the founding director of Busan International Film Festival and one of the pioneer figures in the Korean film industry.On a bright Monday afternoon, Kim, who now serves as the festival’s honorary chief, sits in the cafe located in the Plaza Hotel, central Seoul. Dressed in a suit and his hair tidily gelled down, the 74-year-old greets all with a warm hands
Enthused by 3-D, Scorsese sees film in a new dimension

Nov 22, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Thelma Schoonmaker, Martin Scorsese’s longtime editor, warmly greets a reporter outside their Manhattan offices ahead of a screening of Scorsese’s new 3-D fairy tale, “Hugo.”Around the corner is Schoonmaker’s editing bay, where she and Scorsese keep Turner Classic Movies running silently on a nearby screen while they work. Inside is a screening room where Scorsese often runs old films, familiar classics and newfound gems. At one time, they gathered with Elia Kazan every Saturday
Top directors miss out on Oscar doc prospects

Nov 21, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Acclaimed documentaries from Werner Herzog, Errol Morris, Morgan Spurlock and Steve James have missed out on a shot at the Academy Awards.Herzog’s “Into the Abyss,” Morris’ “Tabloid,” Spurlock’s “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” and James’ “The Interrupters” did not make the short list of 15 documentaries eligible for the feature-length prize at the Feb. 26 Oscars.Among the films that made the list, released Friday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are: Joe Berl
Animation is the future: Yeun Sang-ho

Nov 21, 2011

Director talks about making “The King of Pigs”This is the third of a series on up-and-coming Korean filmmakers. -- Ed.It is a bright Wednesday morning in Seoul, and a man wearing a pair of thick-framed glasses walks into the quiet cafe near Hongdae. In spite of his toned-down manner and geek-like vibe, director Yeun Sang-ho cannot hide the twinkle of excitement in his eyes.It is just a day before the official release of Yeun’s multiple award-winning feature animation debut, “The King of Pigs.” H
Hemingway continues anti-suicide effort with role

Nov 20, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Mariel Hemingway says her greatest mission in life is to survive a family with a suicidal history.For the past decade, the actress has been busy promoting suicide awareness and speaking on how lifestyle choices can affect mental well-being. She’ll do just about anything to prevent a suicide. That’s why her appearance in the cult film sensation “Archie’s Final Project” ― formerly known as “My Suicide” ― comes as no surprise.“There’s been at least seven suicides in my family, so ob
Natalie Wood detectives face conflicting accounts

Nov 20, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Natalie Wood's drowning death nearly 30 years ago came after a night of dinner, drinking and arguments but the question remains _ was it anything more than a tragic accident?In a Nov. 25, 1959 file photo, Natalie Wood and her husband Robert Wagner are made up for their roles
Box Office

Nov 18, 2011

SIU (Korea)Opening Nov. 24Crime. Directed by Hwang Byeong-gook. When his colleague is brutally murdered by an unknown assailant, detective Seomg-beom (Eom Tae-woong), with the support of the Police Agency, sets up a special investigation bureau to chase down the suspect. He gets Ho-ryong (Joo Won) a former FBI member, as his partner in the team. After a series of investigations, the duo pegs working police officer Park Gyeong-sik (Kim Jeong-tae) as the suspect on the basis of several circumstanc
Demi Moore to divorce Ashton Kutcher

Nov 18, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Demi Moore is ending her marriage to fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, she told The Associated Press on Thursday.(Ashton Kutcher and his wife Demi Moore, AP)Moore, 49, and Kutcher, 33, were wed in September 2005, but the couple's relationship became tabloid fodder in recent months as r
Sharon Stone announces 2 new roles

Nov 17, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Sharon Stone is taking on two very different roles: One in a Linda Lovelace biopic, and another online to welcome returning troops.The 53-year-old actress says she will play Lovelace’s mother in “Lovelace.” But before filming starts, the “Basic Instinct” star has another mission: She’s taking her first steps into the world of social media with a Facebook page that welcomes returning military personnel home from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.Stone says her page will serve as a c
Two different gay films to arrive on K-film scene

Nov 17, 2011

‘Life is Peachy’ and ‘REC’ bring different approaches, styleAfter this year’s success of “Miracle of Jongno Street,” the nation’s first gay-themed documentary, Korea’s film scene sees the arrival of two very different queer films. One is the feature debut of So Joon-moon, one of the four gay men featured in director Lee Hyuk-sang’s documentary released in June. In the non-fiction film, So appeared as a struggling film director who often gets discouraged by social scrutiny of his sexual orientati
Streep shows ‘Iron Lady’ style at film poster launch

Nov 15, 2011

LONDON (AFP) ― Meryl Streep showed her credentials for the role as former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher when the launch of the poster for her new biopic “The Iron Lady” went awry in London on Monday.The Oscar-winning actress was supposed to pull on a length of rope to unveil the poster on a mobile billboard atop a truck opposite the Houses of Parliament ― but she broke the rope clean off. Streep, however, in Thatcher-like style was unperturbed. With the help of director Phyllida Lloyd
Pitt muses on acting, growing older

Nov 15, 2011

Hollywood star Brad Pitt won’t quit acting at 50, enjoys getting older and will always focus on telling stories that are “significant to our times.” So said the actor during his first visit to Korea on a promotional tour for baseball drama “Moneyball,” Tuesday.“I do not have the exact deadline on my
Best is yet to come: Yang Hyo-joo

Nov 14, 2011

After winning Silver Bear in Berlin, young director struggles to once again prove herselfThis is the second of a series of articles on up-and-coming Korean filmmakers. ― Ed.Just about 30 minutes before the interview, director Yang Hyo-joo sends an SMS.“There is a wall on the second floor of the cafe,” it says. “I’m hiding right behind it.”Stepping into the busy cafe in Hannam-dong, southern Seoul, there indeed is a gray wall. The 25-year-old is totally drawn into her own thoughts behind the wall
‘Immortals’ reigns in U.S. with $32 million in opening weekend

Nov 14, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― The gods of ancient Greece have extended their rule to the U.S. weekend box office with a No. 1 debut for the action tale “Immortals.” The story of Greek hero Theseus took in $32 million in the U.S., while Adam Sandler’s comedy “Jack and Jill’’ opened at No. 2 with $26 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.The new movies bumped the animated hit “Puss in Boots” to the No. 3 spot after two weekends at the top. “Puss in Boots” earned $25.5 million, raising its domestic to
Oscars Academy honors Vanessa Redgrave in London

Nov 14, 2011

LONDON (AP) ― Vanessa Redgrave was hailed at a Hollywood film academy tribute Sunday, praised as an actress and an activist by A-list friends including Ralph Fiennes, Meryl Streep and James Earl Jones.More than 30 years after she shocked the Oscars ceremony with a fiercely political acceptance speech, Redgrave was the subject of an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences retrospective ― its first to an actor in Europe.“I love this woman. My wife understands,” said Jones, who is currently sta