Documentary ‘The Last Tundra’ shows culture’s respect for nature

They follow the stars and the moon when they travel, melt gigantic pieces of ice for drinking water, and use natural moss for baby diapers and dish washing ― all in minus-50 degree weather.SBS documentary “The Last Tundra ― Movie Edition” offers a very rare glimpse into the life of the Nenets, the last reindeer herding nomads living in Siberian tundra. Through a yearly migration of more than a tho

Feb. 13, 2011

Liz Taylor treated for congestive heart failure

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Elizabeth Taylor remained in a Los Angeles hospital on Saturday for treatment of congestive heart failure. Oscar-winning actress Elizabeth Taylor remained in a Los Angeles hospital on Saturday for treatment of congestive heart failure. (AP)The Oscar-winning actress' condition was unchanged, her spokeswoman Sally Morrison said early Saturday afternoon. She did not know how long T

Feb. 13, 2011

Box office

Late Autumn (Korea)Opening Feb. 17Drama. Directed by Kim Tae-yong. Prisoner Anna (Tang Wei), a Chinese-American woman who murdered her husband seven years ago, is released from jail for three days to attend her mother’s funeral in Seattle. In the bus heading to Seattle, Anna runs into Hoon (Hyun Bin), a Korean gigolo. Spending the next 72 hours together, the two begin to develop genuine feelings f

Feb. 11, 2011

Elton John takes surprising turn with ‘Gnomeo & Juliet’

The image of Elton John in bejeweled stacked shoes, garish glasses and colorful costumes will forever be a part of the 1970s. But these days, he presents a very different image ― both professionally and personally.“As I grow older, I’m much more content in my own skin,” says John, who is dressed in black and wearing a pair of John Lennon-style sunglasses. The 63-year-old music icon is doing interv

Feb. 11, 2011

‘The Roommate’ and more movie odd couples

Dirty dishes in the sink, wet towels on the bathroom floor, soiled clothes strewn around the apartment and loud music playing at all hours of the day and night. Or maybe obsessive neatness, enforced quiet hours, spying on your comings and goings, and bizarre food habits.Lousy roommate? Check.We’ve all been there. Stuck in a college dorm room with a computer-selected jerk who smokes copious amounts

Feb. 11, 2011

Story of ‘Late Autumn’ beyond words

We human beings heavily rely on words. To communicate and interact, to defend and protect, and to love and care. Yet director Kim Tae-yong’s newly released film, “Late Autumn,” tells a love story of two strangers who do not use a lot of words to share their innermost feelings.Co-starring Korean actor Hyun Bin and Chinese actress Tang Wei, “Late Autumn” is a remake of Korean director Lee Man-hee’s

Feb. 10, 2011

Filmmaker Yang heads to Berlinale with dreams for future

Sassy and streetwise, this 25-year-old knows what she wants in a film.Film student and director Yang Hyo-joo, whose short film “Broken Night” has been officially invited to Berlin International Film Festival’s (Berlinale) competition section this year, could not hide her obvious talent and artistic nature.“Broken Night” is the third film Yang has ever made. And it was initially a graduation projec

Feb. 7, 2011

Hot property: built for an Oscar winner

Actor, singer and tween idol Carlos Pena Jr., 21, has bought a Mediterranean-style home in the San Fernando Valley for close to its $1.5 million asking price.The 560-square-meter villa is set back from the road on a gated lot. The paver-stone courtyard is punctuated by a fountain, and the custom front door, with leaded and beveled glass and side lights, opens to a two-story foyer with limestone fl

Jan. 31, 2011

So you want to be a filmmaker?

Bill Pryor is living proof that a career in film (as it used to be called) can flourish far away from the coasts.For almost 50 years, Pryor, 68, has specialized in “industrials,” promotional and training films made for corporate clients. The Texas native was studying journalism at the University of Oklahoma when he began to dabble in film.He worked for a few years in St. Louis before joining Kansa

Jan. 28, 2011

Box office

Confessions (Japan) Opening Feb. 17Thriller. Directed by Tetsuya Nakashima. Middle school teacher Yoko (Takako Matsu), whose 4-year-old daughter has recently died, tells her class that she believes two of her own students murdered her beloved girl. Though the police have closed the case without pressing charges, Yoko announces that she will punish the two students herself. Yoko’s revenge then begi

Jan. 28, 2011

Tired eyes of festival gatekeepers watch for next great film

It sounded like a dream job: plop down on a couch, throw some popcorn in the microwave and spend your days watching movies.That’s what Christine Davila thought, anyway. The 32-year-old Los Angeles resident had spent years toiling as an assistant to a number of Hollywood producers before she finally got a shot at her ideal gig ― working as a programming associate for the Sundance Film Festival, the

Jan. 28, 2011

Indie films test faith at Sundance

PARK CITY, Utah ― It takes a lot of faith to make an independent film. This year, independent films are showing a lot of faith.Among the roughly 120 features playing at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, a surprisingly large number use faith ― and specifically Christianity ― as either a critical narrative fulcrum or a key expositional backdrop. And the dramas do not always take a neutral stance.K

Jan. 27, 2011

Director Yoon thriving in dream job

Debut film ‘Heartbeat’ draws more than 1 millionFilm director Yoon Jae-geun has done a lot in the last 10 years. He studied art, made TV commercials for ramen and department stores, traveled across Europe, learned how to make films overseas, wrote movie scripts, and never gave up on becoming what he is today.“I watched ‘Star Wars’ when I was in fifth grade,” the 44-year-old director told The Korea

Jan. 25, 2011

Gong Li says all cultures connected

Actress attributes her international success to global outlookWhile showing obvious pride for her ethnic heritage, internationally acclaimed Chinese-born actress Gong Li says acting is not a “local” job.“I think an actress should go anywhere in the world to perform,” Gong told reporters Monday at The Shilla Seoul, ahead of the Korean premiere of her Hollywood mystery thriller, “Shanghai.” “I think

Jan. 24, 2011

Director Shim aims at U.S. box office

Hollywood may be the goliath of the movie industry, but Korean film director Shim Hyung-rae is not afraid to knock on its door.“I believe that Hollywood absolutely bought the idea of the main character in the recently released movie, ‘The Last Godfather.’” Despite critics’ skepticism over his entrance into Hollywood after a string of poorly received movies such as “Yong-gari” and “D-war,” Shim is

Jan. 23, 2011

Stitched from romantic comedies: ‘No Strings Attached’

Ivan Reitman ― whose directing career (“Ghostbusters”) is so long in the tooth that he actually has a son, Jason, directing Oscar-worthy comedies ― has his best outing in decades with “No Strings Attached,” an amusing flip of the “friends with benefits” sex-leads-to-love romantic comedy formula.It’s a movie benefiting from another sparkling, sexy and emotionally available performance by Natalie Po

Jan. 21, 2011