'Confidential Assignment' dethrones 'The King' at weekend box office

Hyun Bin and Yoo Hae-jin star in a scene from “Confidential Assignment.” (CJ Entertainment)A Korean comedy-action film about an inter-Korean secret police mission claimed the top spot at the box office over the weekend, dethroning a local political thriller, data showed on Tuesday."Confidential Assignment" topped the chart, amassing 1.9 million viewers in its second weekend of Jan. 27-29, according to the real-time based box office tally from the Korean Film Council."The King," which premiered o

Jan. 31, 2017

‘Beauty Inside’ remake to star Amelia Clarke

Han Hyo-joo (left) and Park Seo-joon star in “The Beauty Inside.” (Yong Film)The American remake of the 2015 Korean film “The Beauty Inside” will star Emilia Clarke, best known as the “Game of Thrones” dragon mother, as the female lead. Fox 2000 recently acquired the film rights to remake the Korean flick in a $2 million deal, beating out five competitors, including Universal, Sony and Lionsgate.The remake will be written by “The Fault in Our Stars” writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.

Jan. 30, 2017

Oscars change their tune with ‘La La Land,’ diverse nominees

History was made across Tuesday’s 89th annual Academy Awards nominations, where the retro musical “La La Land” reaped a record-tying 14 nominations and a wave of African-American films, led by the luminous coming-of-age portrait “Moonlight,” resoundingly toppled two straight years of “so white” Oscars. The twin forces -- Damien Chazelle’s candy-colored love letter to musicals and a broad group of diverse films that also included Denzel Washington’s fiery August Wilson adaptation “Fences” and the

Jan. 25, 2017

Polanski a ‘shocking’ pick for French awards ceremony host: minister

PARIS (AFP) – France’s minister for women’s rights said Friday she found it “surprising and shocking” that controversial Franco-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski was chosen to preside over France’s equivalent of the Oscars.The award-winning director of “Chinatown” and “Rosemary’s Baby” has been wanted in the US for almost four decades for the rape of a 13-year-old girl in Los Angeles. The decision to honor him at France’s annual Cesars ceremony has infuriated women’s groups, with many taking to so

Jan. 22, 2017

‘Before I Fall’ explores Groundhog Day themes for teens

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) – “Before I Fall” begins by telling the audience that you’re watching the last day of its heroine’s life. Yes, 17-year-old Samantha (Zoey Deutch) is about to die. You don’t know when, or where, or how it’ll happen, but after it does, she wakes up again in her bed, sweaty and disoriented, to find that she has to live that same day over again. And again. And again. It’s no wonder that the film, which debuts Saturday at the Sundance Film Festival in advance of its March 3 theat

Jan. 22, 2017

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The King(Korea)Opened Jan. 18Drama, thriller. Directed by Kim Sung-suProsecutor Park Tae-soo (Zo In-sung) thirsts for unlimited power and wealth in Korean society, and is willing to go to any lengths to obtain them. He meets Han Gang-sik (Jung Woo-sung), a ruthless politician who wields endless influence in the country through his wealth, numerous connections and schemes. The two revel in their power until one day, things come crashing down. Moana(US)Opened Jan. 12Animation, adventure. Directed

Jan. 20, 2017

Movie review: McAvoy shines in M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Split’

Through the ups and downs of his career, the name M. Night Shyamalan has always been synonymous with one thing: twist. While watching his films, it’s easy to spend more time wondering if he will or won’t, and how he’ll twist. It can take away the power of what’s actually on screen -- which is a shame when the filmmaking and performances are particularly exceptional. In the multiple-personality psycho-thriller “Split,” Anya Taylor-Joy and James McAvoy shine as predator and prey who understand eac

Jan. 20, 2017

[Eye Interview] Getting close-up view of Korean films

Darcy Paquet, an American film critic specializing in Korean films, says that directors here seem to have a more intimate relationship with their viewers.“Korean films are so widely watched by the local audience that there is a real dialogue that takes place,” he told The Korea Herald in an interview Tuesday at a cafe in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun district.  Film critic Darcy Pacquet poses for a photo in Gwanghwamun Square on Tuesday. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)“In most countries, Hollywood films

Jan. 20, 2017

[Herald Interview] Jung Woo-sung, from idol to gentleman to man of convictions

To most Korean moviegoers and fellow actors, Jung Woo-sung is best known for his role in Kim Sung-su’s 1997 gangster film “Beat.” He plays a teenager who drops out of high school -- something Jung also did in real life, due to his family’s poverty and his desire to pursue an acting career -- and is forced into the world of gangsters. Jung is often referred to as “the celebrity’s celebrity” here. Many actors who debuted in later years, including Hyun Bin and Park Hae-jin, confessed to having idol

Jan. 19, 2017

Sundance to ‘engage and provoke’ with focus on climate

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - The Sundance Film Festival opens in Utah Thursday, promising to set the agenda for independent cinema and starting the 2018 Oscars buzz a month before this year‘s statuettes are awarded.The annual gathering, founded in 1985 by iconic screen outlaw Robert Redford, turns the lens on 118 independent features, as Hollywood descends on the ski resort of Park City for the 33rd edition.“From the passion and chaos of creativity, independent filmmakers make decisions to harness that e

Jan. 17, 2017

Where have all the women gone?

Female-led films and storylines will likely be a rarity on the big screen in 2017. Korean cinema this year, similar to previous years, seems set to be rife with political thrillers that critique its players’ individual greed and ambition, while focusing on male characters. According to tentative schedules released by some of Korea’s major film distributors CJ Entertainment, Lotte Entertainment, Showbox and Next Entertainment World, the majority of films awaiting release in the upcoming months ar

Jan. 16, 2017

No digital Carrie Fisher planned for future Star Wars

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- The producers behind Star Wars said they will not digitally recreate the late Carrie Fisher’s likeness in future episodes of the film franchise.In July, “Star Wars: Episode VIII” wrapped up shooting with Fisher reprising her role as the character initially known as Princess Leia she first performed in the first installment of the franchise released in 1977. Fisher, who died last month days after suffering from cardiac arrest, had been expected to have a role in Episode IX, e

Jan. 16, 2017

[Herald Interview] Yoo Hae-jin still finds each film set ‘new’

The public perception of actor Yoo Hae-jin has changed over the years. In the early years of his career, he was regarded primarily as a comical sidekick before being recognized as a colorful supporting actor in Korean cinema. Last year, Yoo nabbed his first lead role after 24 years in show business. He starred in the action-comedy flick “Luck-Key” as an assassin-turned-struggling actor, and the film was a box office success here, selling over 6.5 million tickets and marking a breakthrough for Yo

Jan. 15, 2017