[Box Office] Latest movie releases

Joy　(U.S.)　Opened March 10　Comedy-drama. Directed by David O. Russell　Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence) is a divorced mother of two and clerk for an airline company. Her mother spends all day in bed watching TV while Joy runs the household. One day, Joy decides to pursue her inventing ambitions to become a successful entrepreneur. “Joy” follows her tumultuous journey.　London Has Fallen　(U.S.)　Opened March 10　Action-thriller. Directed by Babak Najafi　Top agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is contem

March 11, 2016

Sequel to ‘My Sassy Girl’ to premiere in China

A sequel to Korean hit film “My Sassy Girl” will be released in Korea and China with a Chinese heroine, local film distributor said on Tuesday. 　Dubbed “My New Sassy Girl,” the rom-com will launch in China on April 22 and in Korea on May 5, according to Korean film distributor Little Big Pictures.　　　The new film stars Korean rom-com star Cha Tae-hyun, who also starred in the original film 15 years ago, and Victoria of K-pop girl group f(x). Directing is Cho Geun-sik. The original “My Sassy Girl”

March 8, 2016

Hugh Jackman returns to Seoul with new sports drama, ‘Eddie the Eagle’

An inspiring, tear-jerking and passionate tale of one man’s unrelenting determination to represent Britain in the 1988 Winter Olympics, actors Hugh Jackman and Kingsman star Taron Egerton have combined forces to present the autobiographical sports drama, “Eddie the Eagle.” 　The film is based on the true events of Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, a British skier who became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping in 1988. The production stars Egerton as the heroine Edwards

March 7, 2016

[Herald Interview] E Ji-ah debuts on big screen as special ops agent

Actress E Ji-ah has been at the center of many bizarre theories -- people have speculated she could be a secret agent, a vampire or even an alien because of the mysterious aura that seems to follow her.　She is famous in the Korean entertainment world, but has seldom really opened up to the public. 　For all her fame, she has a surprisingly short filmography. What is known about her is that she has proven her athletic chops on TV, speaks English fluently and has a degree in graphic design from an

March 7, 2016

[Herald Review] 'Joy,' exceptional story of woman in extraordinarily difficult situation

With a famous ensemble that shows great acting in an elegant nonlinear story about a woman up against all odds to achieve her version of the American dream, director David O. Russell proves once again his prowess in visual storytelling in “Joy.”The movie “Joy” is based on the real-life story of Joy Mangano, a divorced entrepreneur and inventor who created the “Miracle Mop” in the 1990s.A scene from “Joy,” starring Jennifer Lawrence (20th Century Fox)Starring Jennifer Lawrence, the Academy Award-

March 6, 2016

Weekend Box Office Guide: March 5-6

Heading to the theaters this weekend? The Korea Herald offers a guide to the top movies playing in theaters.Room (Canada, Ireland)　Drama. Directed by Lenny AbrahamsonOpened March 3　Based on an eponymous novel by Emma Donoghue, “Room” follows Joy (new Academy Award winner Brie Larson) and her son Jack who are liberated after spending years locked in a small room by an abusive captor. Mother and son try to adjust themselves to their newfound freedom and experiences in a strange, outside world.　　Tw

March 4, 2016

Busan, Lotte launch fund for sustainable movie ecosystem

Busan Metropolitan City and Lotte Entertainment will launch on Thursday a fund investing in “all aspects of the film business” to further develop a sustainable movie ecosystem in the southeastern port city, according to Busan City on Wednesday.　Lotte injected 10 billion won ($8 million) into the “Busan-Lotte Creative Film Fund,” with Busan, Busan Bank and Timewise Investment providing 6 billion won, 4 billion won and 1 billion won, respectively. 　Timewise will be the fund’s asset manager, while

March 2, 2016

[Hallyu power] Bae Doo-na breaks through borders

In the Netflix sci-fi series “Sense 8,” actress Bae Doo-na plays Sun Bak, vice president of a Seoul-based firm by day and an underground kickboxer by night. Bak is one of the toughest characters Bae has played in her prolific 17-year acting career. This is also the most widely watched series she has been in. “I heard season one ranked as the most popular show in every region from North and South Americas to Europe. I was thrilled to learn that,” said Bae, who was speaking to The Korea Herald whi

March 1, 2016

[Herald Interview] Film about long-lost twins’ reunion comes to their native Korea

The film “Twinsters,” which made its world premiere at the SXSW festival in 2015, is a documentary about two twins who were separated soon after birth in Busan and adopted by families in the U.S. and France. After 25 years unaware of each other’s existence, they find each other through social media. The story of the vivacious twins Samantha Futerman and Anais Bordier is interspersed with quick cuts, cute graphics, happy music and pastel colors. The twins’ online and offline conversions also appe

March 1, 2016

DiCaprio takes home his first Oscar

In an underdog win for a movie about an underdog profession, the newspaper drama “Spotlight” took best picture at the 88th Academy Awards on Sunday, where remarks on lack of diversity in Hollywood dominated proceedings.Tom McCarthy‘s film about the Boston Globe’s investigative reporting on sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests won over the favored frontier epic “The Revenant.” The well-crafted procedural, led by a strong ensemble cast, had lagged in the lead-up to the Oscars, losing ground to t

Feb. 29, 2016

Lee Byung-hun, Sumi Jo attend Academy Awards

Actor Lee Byung-hun and soprano Sumi Jo attended the 88th Academy Awards, with Lee becoming the first Korean actor to present an award at the Oscars.　Lee, a widely recognized star in Korea, has appeared in a number of Hollywood movies, including the “G.I. Joe” series, “RED 2” and “Terminator Genisys.” 　Standing next to Lee at the award presentation for the category of foreign language films was Colombian actress Sofia Vergara, best known for her role in the sitcom “Modern Family.” Lee Byung-hun

Feb. 29, 2016

Oscars three-peat for Mexican cinematographer Lubezki

Mexico's Emmanuel Lubezki on Sunday made history with his third consecutive Oscar for cinematography, for his dramatic work in tough conditions on survival epic "The Revenant."Without his keen eye, his mastery of natural light and his ability to produce gorgeous long takes, Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu may not have been able to realize his vision for the film, a tale of revenge shot mainly in Canada's wilderness. Emmanuel Lubezki (AP)"To my parents, my friends and to all the cine

Feb. 29, 2016