‘Neighbors’ brings unusual murder drama

Kang Full’s Web-based comic book series made into filmCountless films in the past have featured a serial killer, but Kim Hwi’s latest thriller based on Kang Full’s 2008 webcomic takes a refreshingly different approach.For the sake of suspense and excitement, many noir-thrillers do not reveal the identity of the killer until the very end. But in “Neighbors,” it is clear who the criminal is right from the beginning. He in fact kills his own neighbors ― including a middle-school girl ― living in hi

Aug. 29, 2012

DiCaprio plans animal-poach film: report

LOS ANGELES (UPI) ― Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy and Tobey Maguire are working to produce an animal-trafficking film like the U.S. crime drama “Traffic,” a trade daily reported.The unnamed Warner Bros. Pictures film would look at animal trafficking from a number of perspectives, similar to 2000’s “Traffic,” directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Stephen Gaghan, The Hollywood Reporter said.“Traffic,” adapted from the British TV series “Traffik,” explores the illegal-drug trade from the pers

Aug. 29, 2012

Korean movies dominate box office

Market share of homegrown movies rises to nearly 80 percent over the weekendKorea’s homegrown films are doing better than ever at the box office, with its market share rising to nearly 80 percent in the past weekend.The top four movies at the box office from Aug. 26 to 27 were local films, according to the Korean Film Council. The films are director Kim Hwi’s thriller “Neighbors”; Kim Joo-ho’s period comedy “The Grand Heist”; Choi Dong-Hun’s star-studded blockbuster “The Thieves”; and Kim Dong-w

Aug. 27, 2012

‘Essential’ film copyright protection turns 100

CULPEPER, Virginia (AP) ― In the crisp 4-degree Celsius air of a converted bunker in rural Virginia lies the U.S.’s greatest collection of early film.Stacked in metal tins on shelves in 124 concrete vaults that stretch almost 2.5-meters high, movies that wowed audiences decades ago are meticulously stored so that one day, they may play again.The vaults at the Library of Congress’ Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Virginia, represent decades of work by copyright officials

Aug. 26, 2012

Rain visits cast meet for ‘R2B’

Singer-actor Rain, or Jung Ji-hoon, made a surprise visit to the cast meeting of his film “R2B: Return to Base.” Rain visited Wangsimni CGV, Seoul, during a meeting with the audience on Aug. 22. Rain was unable to watch or join the promotion of his own film due to the movie’s delayed release as well as his military service. However, the 30-year-old visited the theater during his break from the military, watched his film in the back and was greeted by fans when one of the cast, Kim Sung-soo, let

Aug. 26, 2012

Women directors take front row at Venice film festival

Korea’s Kim Ki-duk returns with ‘Pieta’ROME (AFP) ― Hollywood veterans will brush shoulders with up and coming starlets and auteurs in Venice starting on Wednesday for the film festival in which women directors are set to take center stage.Robert Redford will fly in for the first time to the world’s oldest movie festival, where Terrence Malick’s “To The Wonder” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” will be among the 18 films vying for the Golden Lion prize.Women directed a total of 21 of the 5

Aug. 26, 2012

Box Office

Carnage (France, Germany, Spain and Poland)Opened Aug. 16Comedy. Directed by Roman Polanski. Two pairs of middle-class parents meet to discuss why one couple’s child broke the front teeth of the other couple’s son. Though both parties try to remain “civilized” and “well-mannered” in the beginning of the meeting, they end up becoming childish and even attacking each other while drunk. Starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly, the film is an adaptation of celebrated

Aug. 24, 2012

Dax drives and Kristen happily rides shotgun in ‘Hit and Run’

Boy, it sure looks like Dax Shepard is doing all his own crazy, gonzo stunt-driving in “Hit and Run,” the car-chase comedy he wrote and co-directed.“All me, 100 percent,” he says.You know how you can tell? Look in the eyes of his co-star and off-camera fiancee, Kristen Bell. Yeah, she’s in the car with him in those scenes. And no, she wasn’t scared.“Dax has always been in to off-roading, so I’ve logged many hours with him in the car doing crazy tricks,” Bell says. “I know how capable he is behin

Aug. 24, 2012

‘The Thieves’ outperforms ‘Haeundae’ to become fourth best-selling movie at home

The Korean heist film “The Thieves” became the fourth best-selling Korean film of all time, beating “Haeundae,” a disaster drama that opened three years ago, according to the latest official box office tally.“The Thieves,” featuring 10 Korean and Chinese thieves teaming up to steal a valuable diamond necklace at a Macao casino, had attracted about 11.5 million viewers as of Wednesday, the data from the Korean Film Council showed.The movie passed the 11.4 million audience record for “Haeundae,” p

Aug. 24, 2012

Han Ye-seul to make comeback with movie “The Dog”

Korean actress Han Ye-seul is poised for a comeback after one year absence with a role in a new blockbuster movie, Korean online news company Mydaily reported, citing an official from her agency.“Han is considering appearance on the new movie ‘The Dog’,” the official from Bel actors Entertainment reportedly said. The movie, which is expected to crank in around October, is a story about a dog infected by an alien. According to sources within the filming industry, she has “virtually” decided to sh

Aug. 22, 2012

[Newsmaker] Director Choi Dong-hun steals show with ‘The Thieves’

Director Choi Dong-hun’s star-studded film “The Thieves” has been a sensation since its opening in local theaters last month. Now, Choi’s biggest commercial hit ― the sixth domestic film to top 10 million viewers in Korean movie history at 10,095,387 viewers in 22 days ― is going overseas, slated to open in theaters in Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia next month. It will also be released in Singapore and Malaysia later this year.The film, featuring top stars including Kim Hye-soo, Jun Ji-hyun,

Aug. 21, 2012

Cronenberg determined to keep challenging audience

ORLANDO, Florida ― At 69, Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg has had his share of movie making ups and downs. His 40 years in film are a perfect illustration of the roller-coaster career.He was the young prince of shock and horror with “The Brood,” “Scanners,” “Videodrome” ― films that by the late 1980s had led him to “The Fly” and “Dead Ringers.”There followed a fallow decade, when he made everything from “Naked Lunch” to “Spider,” interesting films which didn’t find an audience.Then, “A Histo

Aug. 21, 2012

Eastwood and Spielberg classics to screen in Busan

Hollywood classics fans can look forward to getting their fill of early works by Clinton Eastwood and Steven Spielberg in Busan starting this week.“Eastwood & Spielberg Early Work Screening,” a two-week event at Cinmathque Busan from Aug. 23 to Sept. 6, will feature a total of 16 pieces by the two Hollywood greats.Including his debut piece, “Play Misty For Me” (1971), the audience may enjoy early Eastwood films such as “High Plains Drifter” (1973), “The Outlaw Josey Wales” (1976) and “The Eiger

Aug. 20, 2012

‘Top Gun’ director dies after jumping off bridge

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Tony Scott, director of such Hollywood blockbusters as “Top Gun,’’ “Days of Thunder’’ and “Beverly Hills Cop II,’’ died after jumping from a Los Angeles County bridge, authorities said.The 68-year-old Scott’s death Sunday was being investigated as a suicide, Los Angeles County Coroner’s Lt. Joe Bale said.Several people called emergency services around 12:35 p.m. to report that someone had jumped from the Vincent Thomas Bridge spanning San Pedro and Terminal Island in Los Angel

Aug. 20, 2012

Director Kim to make talk show appearances

Movie director Kim Ki-duk will appear on three different variety shows after a prolonged absence from the public eye.Kim, who has directed 18 films, will appear on KBS talk show “Do Dream,” SBS variety show “Strong Heart,” and tvN talk show “Baek Ji-yeon’s People Inside” sometime this week or the following week. The dates have not been finalized by the broadcasters.Kim appeared in front of the public for the first time in four years on July 20 to promote his new movie “Pieta.” NEW, a content dis

Aug. 20, 2012

Box Office

Total Recall (U.S.)Opened Aug. 15Action. Adventure. Directed by Len Wiseman. Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), an ordinary factory worker suffers from violent nightmares every night. One day, he visits “ReKall,” a company that can implant an artificial memories and make fantasies into reality. A Rekall employee, McClane (John Cho), convinces Douglas to implant the memories of a secret agent. During a compatibility test in the process of “memory-implanting,” an accident occurs and McClane accuses hi

Aug. 17, 2012

Garner brings motherhood, small-town sensibilities to her acting

Jennifer Garner is a mom three times over as of last February, when her son Samuel was born, joining sisters Violet (6) and Seraphina (3). But she’s still most at home playing women who don’t have a clue about motherhood.“NOBODY is prepared for this,” she says with a laugh. “And sometimes, the harder you try, the more you mess up. There’s nothing that will humble you more. I am constantly feeling that I’ve screwed something up, or will screw something up. You learn as you go along.”Learning to b

Aug. 17, 2012

Actor Kim Bum back in Hark Tsui’s new film

Kim Bum, an actor and model best known for his role in “Boys Over Flowers,” has been cast in the main role of the film “Detective Dee: The Prequel,” directed by Hark Tsui famous for his “Once Upon A Time In China (Wong Fei-hung)” series. The entertainment agency representing Kim said Thursday that Kim has been selected as the main character in Hark Tsui’s new movie along with Chinese actors Fung Shiufung and Lin Gengxin(Kenny), Hong Kong actress Angela Baby and Taiwanese actor Mark Chao.“I thoug

Aug. 17, 2012

‘The Thieves’ breaks 10 million mark

“The Thieves” became the sixth Korean movie to reach 10 million viewers, achieving the feat in just 22 days. According to the Korean Film Council, “The Thieves” brought in 10,095,387 viewers in total as of Wednesday. Released on July 25, the movie is now showing on 552 screens. Director Kang woo-suk’s “Silmido” (2003) was the first Korean film to draw 10 million viewers, followed by “TaeGukGi: Brotherhood Of War,” “The King and the Clown,” “The Host,” and “Haeundae.” “The Host” (2006), directed

Aug. 16, 2012