A scene from “The Interview” (AP)NEW YORK (AP) ― Sony Pictures’ “The Interview” has made more than $31 million from its online and on-demand release, according to the studio.Sony announced digital figures Tuesday for the film spanning its first 11 days of release since debuting Dec. 24. Sony had previously said the film made $15 million in its first four days online, so demand for the Seth Rogen comedy has slightly declined as Sony has added more platforms. While $31 million constitutes the most

Jan. 7, 2015

A Korean drama film that delves into the repercussions of the Korean War and the generation that fought through the period has taken the local box office by storm, amid political controversy surrounding the era. “Ode to My Father,” directed by Yoon Je-kyoon (“Haeundae”), topped the local box office for the third consecutive week, garnering over 8 million viewers, according to the official box office tracker, Korea Film Council. It is on pace to become the first film this year to reach the 10 mil

Jan. 6, 2015

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Violence was everywhere for director J.C. Chandor. From the scripts he was getting to the very entryway of his daughter’s elementary school, it seemed he couldn’t escape guns and gratuitous gore. His latest feature, “A Most Violent Year,” might sound like just another gun-happy action pic, but the slow-burning drama was actually born out of a staunch reluctance to continue presenting violence as entertainment. And it might never have happened if Chandor hadn’t needed a job. “N

Jan. 5, 2015

Last year may be remembered as an eventful year for the South Korean silver screen as a number of films rewrote box office history. The periodic action flick “Roaring Currents” drew 17.6 million viewers becoming the most-watched film of all time, while three other films joined the coveted 10 million viewer’s club, including “The Attorney,” “Frozen,” and “Interstellar.”This year is also marked with a stellar lineup of new films from local heavyweight directors to Hollywood blockbusters ― some sta

Jan. 4, 2015

You’ve likely seen the images, even if you have no idea who painted them: Those waifs with the huge, saucer-like eyes, appearing in oil paintings, posters, postcards, refrigerator magnets.Actually, for years, nobody actually knew who painted them. That’s because Walter Keane, a showboating sociopath, claimed credit, when it was his wife, Margaret, who actually was the sole artist, closeted away in a home studio filled with turpentine fumes. It was an epic story of art fraud that ended with a dra

Jan. 2, 2015

Casa Amor: Exclusive for Ladies (Korea)Opening Jan. 8Comedy. Directed by Jung Bum-shikBaik Bo-hee (Jo Yeo-jeong) is a beautiful and successful career woman at a large toy company. That is, until she makes an irrevocable mistake that leads to her dismissal. To rub further salt into the wounds, Bo-hee’s husband Koo Gang-sung (Kim Tae-woo) leaves her. One day, she becomes friends with her neighbor Nan-hee (Clara) who owns a sex shop, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Bo-hee, with her superb mark

Jan. 2, 2015

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Sony appears to have a win-win with “The Interview.” Not only did the studio score a moral victory by releasing the film in the face of hacker threats, the movie made at least $15 million from more than 2 million digital rentals and purchases in its first four days. On Friday, it seemed unlikely we’d ever know if the simultaneous ― or “day and date” ― strategy paid off. Now, it’s tempting to suggest this may be the start of a brave new world of distribution. Add in the $2.8 mi

Dec. 31, 2014

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Audiences had their pick of genres during the Christmas weekend, but despite a host of fresh arrivals, splashy holiday fare like “Unbroken” and “Into the Woods” proved no match for “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.” “The Interview,” meanwhile, wowed with $15 million from its over 2 million online rentals and purchases. The final installment in Peter Jackson’s trilogy marched to the top spot once again with an estimated $41.4 million take across the weekend ($54.5 inc

Dec. 29, 2014

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― “The Interview” was never supposed to be a paradigm shifting film. But unusual doesn’t even begin to describe the series of events that transpired over the past few weeks, culminating in the truly unprecedented move by a major studio to release a film in theaters and on digital platforms simultaneously. Sony is in uncharted waters now with the film which earned $1.04 million from 331 locations on Thursday, according to studio estimates, in addition to the untold VOD grosses. “

Dec. 28, 2014

Huzzah! Our right to see James Franco blast Katy Perry with Kim Jong-un has been successfully defended. With Sony Pictures Entertainment’s releasing of “The Interview” in limited theaters on Christmas, here follows an updated review of the film: “The Interview” will go down as the satire that provoked an authoritarian dictatorship, roiled Sony Pictures in a massive hacking attack and prompted new questions of cyberwarfare, corporate self-censorship and comedic audacity. The movie is already assu

Dec. 26, 2014

Criminal Designer (Korea)Opened Dec. 24Crime, Action. Directed by Kim Hong-sunJi-hyeok (Kim Woo-bin), a skilled cracksman, teams up with hacker Jong-bae (Lee Hyun-woo) and engineer Gu-in (Ko Chang-seok) to rob jewelry stores for a living. One day they are hired by mob boss Jo (Kim Yeong-cheol) to steal 150 billion won ($135.75 million) hidden at Incheon Customs. If they don’t complete the mission in 40 minutes, their life is at stake. The Tailors (Korea)Opening Dec. 24Drama. Directed by Lee Won-

Dec. 26, 2014

A homegrown documentary film about an elderly couple has surpassed the 3 million mark in attendance, setting a new record for a local documentary, an official box-office tracker said.“My Love, Don’t Cross That River” had attracted 3,039,536 moviegoers as of Thursday, breaking the previous record of 2.92 million viewers held by “Old Partner” (2009), according to the Korean Film Council.Released on Nov. 27, the film by director Ji Mo-young became the first local indie film to draw 100,000 viewers

Dec. 26, 2014

As the row over “The Interview,” a U.S. film making fun of North Korea, took a dramatic turn with Sony Pictures’ surprise release of the flick on Christmas Day, South Koreans are growing more curious about what the fuss is all about. Although many South Koreans have been keenly following the controversy, they are blocked from actually viewing it, because Sony decided on a U.S.-only release. Some may be tempted to circumvent this restriction through illegal downloads, as the movie appeared on the

Dec. 26, 2014