Cannes opens with Anderson’s ‘Moonrise,’ camel

22 movies compete for the prestigious Palme d’Or during 12-day film festivalCANNES, France (AP) ― Wes Anderson opened the 65th Cannes Film Festival with his meticulously composed ode to young love, “Moonrise Kingdom,’’ while less mannered theatrics surrounded the annual French Riviera extravaganza. Anderson and his star-studded cast declared the festival officially begun at the opening ceremony Wednesday night shortly after striding down the absurdly glamorous Cannes red carpet, a seaside gauntl

May 17, 2012

‘Tokyo Waka: A City Poem’ wins grand prize at Green Film Fest

“Tokyo Waka: A City Poem” by John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson of the United States won the Best Feature Film Award of this year’s Green Film Festival in Seoul (GFFIS), including prize money of 10 million won ($8,668), organizers said Tuesday.Tokyo Waka was selected as the best feature film, as it broadly reflected social and cultural viewpoints while signifying the relationship between the environment and mankind rather than simply concentrating on environment, the competition’s jury said.“The

May 15, 2012

Iwai Shunji turns attention to tragedy of Fukushima

Director of ‘Love Letter’ criticizes Japanese media’s coverage of the nuclear disasterFor those used to seeing Iwai Shunji’s sentimental romantic films such as “Love Letter” and “Hana and Alice,” his latest film may come as a surprise.The film, titled “Friends after 3.11,” is a documentary with no fictional narrative. The anti-nuclear film deals with the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and Shunji’s own friends who were affected by the catastrophic event. “I’m a filmmaker but I’m also a human

May 14, 2012

Chinese actress comes out of closet

Chinese actress Lan Yen has announced on Friday that she is a lesbian, according to Chinese news reports.The 26-year-old Lan said that she “would not choose men in reality” during a press conference introducing her new movie. The bold announcement caught many by surprise.She also told the reporters that her “eternal idol” was late Leslie Cheung, a world-renown Chinese actor who was also known to be homosexual. Lan Yen is an emerging actress who recently gained fame by starring in the Hong Kong e

May 13, 2012

Box Office

Granny is in 1st Grade (Korea)Opening May 24Drama. Directed by Jin Gwang-gyo. Nan-ee, a 70-year-old illiterate woman, lives with her granddaughter in her rural hometown. She has just lost her son to a car accident and is still grieving. One day, Nan-ee finds out her late son had left her a letter while he was alive. Anxious to find out what’s in the letter, Nan-ee decides to learn how to read and write for the first time in her life. At first, she makes her 7-year-old granddaughter, Dong-ee, tea

May 11, 2012

Tim Burton lightens the tone of ‘Dark Shadows’

There’s one thing everyone will be able to agree on regarding Tim Burton’s cinematic reimagining of the old TV series “Dark Shadows”: This isn’t your mother’s gothic soap opera.The original, which ran from 1966 to 1971, smashed the daytime-TV mold by introducing cool supernatural storylines into the usual heat of love triangles and broken hearts. Long before staid afternoon dramas like “General Hospital,” in order to attract young viewers, juiced up their storylines with fantastical elements, an

May 11, 2012

Monroe beckons film galaxy to Cannes

Korean directors Im Sang-soo and Hong Sang-soo vye for the Palme d’Or awardPARIS (AFP) ― Druggy roadtrips, soul-searching drama and stylish gangland flicks go head to head on the French Riviera next week as a galaxy of stars and directors converge for the Cannes film festival.David Cronenberg, Ken Loach and Michael Haneke headline the pick of 22 international filmmakers vying for the Palme d’Or award at the 65th edition of the world’s top cinema showcase from May 16 to 27.Star-wise, the 2012 lin

May 10, 2012

Son Ye-jin’s ‘changed appearance’ shocks fans

A recently revealed photo of South Korean actress Son Ye-jin has fired up an online debate over whether her face has changed.In the photo, Son’s nose and eyes appear to be different from before, prompting some to speculate that the actress has undergone plastic surgery. One netizen expressed her discontent on Twitter, saying, “Why did you do it? What happened to that pretty face? You should have just aged naturally.”Another Twitter user said her face now resembled that of veteran actress No Hyun

May 10, 2012

JK Film sues director over copyright

CEO-director Yoon Je-kyoon and filmmaker Lee Myeong-se battle over 10 billion won filmProduction company JK Film on Monday filed a copyright lawsuit against director Lee Myeong-se, who dropped out of a big budget movie project last month.The lawsuit is aimed at regaining the copyright of the 10 billion won ($8.8 million) movie, titled “Mister K,” from Lee, who “illegally and secretly registered” himself as its copyright holder in April, according to the production house. The legal battle was spa

May 8, 2012

Will Smith gets ‘jiggy wit it’ in Seoul

Top Hollywood stars in town for world premiere of ‘Men in Black 3’As one of Hollywood’s top actors, it comes as no surprise that Will Smith can instantly turn a crowd of stern reporters into laughing fans during a press conference in Seoul on Monday.Once voted Hollywood’s most powerful actor, Smith is once again stepping into the comical and familiar shoes of Agent J in his upcoming sequel “Men In Black 3.”Before the conference even started at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Smith’s unmistakable shouts

May 7, 2012

Will Smith, Ewan McGregor in Seoul

Hollywood celebrities Will Smith and Ewan McGregor visited Korea on Monday -- one to promote his new film the other for a department store event.Will Smith poses at a press conference in Seoul, Monday, on the upcoming film, “Men In Black 3.” (Yonhap News)Smith, who arrived in Incheon with his wife and a daughter, had a press conference in Seoul to promote the upcoming move “Men In Black 3.”Will Sm

May 7, 2012

'Avengers' smashes record: $200.3 million debut

Hulk, smash.That's what Captain America tells the Incredible Hulk to do in “The Avengers,” and that's what the Marvel Comics superhero mash-up did at the box office, smashing the domestic revenue record with a $200.3 million debut.It's by far the biggest opening ever, shooting past the previous record of $169.2 million for the debut of last year's “Harry Potter” finale.“The Avengers” added $151.5

May 7, 2012

Box Office

Taste of Money (Korea), Opening May 17Drama. Directed by Im Sang-soo. Ruthless chaebol woman Geum-ok (Yoon Yeo-jeong) lives with her aloof husband, daughter, and ambitious secretary Young-jak (Kim Kang-woo). Guem-ok strictly believes money is the solution for everything, and doesn’t feel guilty when she commits immoral and corrupt deeds with her business. Young-jak does all the dirty work for her, while she keeps her name clean. Meanwhile, Nami (Kim Hyo-jin), Geum-ok’s only daughter who despises

May 4, 2012

Thriving, adopted twin boys go Hollywood

For years, Kindred and Meredith Howard talked about adopting a toddler.There was never a real deadline to accomplish their goal but “one day,” they told themselves. Then in the winter of 2010, years after their own three children entered the world, their conversation seemed to intensify. Even then, the only thing they knew for sure was, well, no diapers.“Been there, done that three times,” is how the couple put it.But by the end of that year, after an email from an adoption agency and much resea

May 4, 2012

Jung Ji-woo talks on his new film, new muse

 ‘Happy End’ director returns with sensual drama ‘Eungyo’Director Jung Ji-woo’s latest film “Eungyo” once again shows his keen eye for actresses.Sure, leading actor Park Hae-il proved to be a real trouper, enduring eight hours of makeup and stop-and-go filming every day for his character, a man in his 70s. But since the film’s release last week, all eyes have been on young actress Kim Go-eun, who plays a reckless 17-year-old who captures an old poet’s heart. It’s hard to think of an actress whos

May 2, 2012

Behind the glamour: S.M. stars retrace their beginnings

S.M. idol-documentary ‘I AM’ opening  in theaters in MayEver wondered what it takes to be BoA or a member of Girls’ Generation?Expect to spend at least seven to eight years training before making your debut. Forget hanging out with your friends ― you go straight to singing lessons right after school. And if you are not from Seoul, where the vocal and dance training take place, you may have to live away from your family, even if you are only a fifth grader. Korea’s major K-pop and talent agency S

May 1, 2012