Box Office

Wadjda (Saudi Arabia, Germany)Opening June 19Drama. Directed by Haifaa Al MansourWadjda (Waad Mohammed) is a brave and adventurous 10-year-old girl living in Saudi Arabia. She wants to buy a green bicycle to race against her friend Abdullah (Abdullrahman Algohani), but her mother won’t let her, fearing a backlash from a conservative society that sees bicycles as dangerous to girls’ virtue. So Wadjda decides to raise the funds by herself. She enters a Koran recitation competition at her school fo

June 13, 2014

Lovely visuals, smart writing in ‘Dragon’

You thought it was tricky to train a dragon? It’s even trickier to take a much-admired animated film and make a sequel that feels satisfying and worthwhile. And it’s harder still to balance the competing needs of stretching the story in new directions but retaining the guiding spirit of the original enough to make fans happy. It’s nice to be able to report that “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” written and directed by Dean DeBlois, does all that tricky stuff pretty darned well. And you’ll be happily

June 12, 2014

[Herald Interview] Creating a world of imagination

Creatures and characters from “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” come to life at an exhibition in Seoul. Some 300 other mythical creatures also have been on display at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza since last week, fascinating fans of fantasy films and novels.What draws attention aside from the diverse imaginary characters is the profile of the creative director behind these creations, Richard Taylor, CEO of Weta Workshops. The New Zealand-based special effects company has provided physical

June 11, 2014

[Herald Review] Between life and death lies ‘Gyeongju’

Gyeongju, an ancient city in the southeastern part of South Korea, is renowned as a popular destination for school field trips. Schoolchildren cluster around the remains from the Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57 to A.D. 935) and pose for pictures in front of royal tombs or pagodas that date back 1,500 years.The city, known for its authentic landscape, partway between the ancient and the modern, will have a more dynamic and aesthetic taste when Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu’s new movie “Gyeongju” comes

June 10, 2014

[Herald Review] Gender identity quest, noir or comedy

Many new film releases have drawn audiences to the theater, especially during the long weekend thanks to the local elections and Memorial Day. Of those, two come into focus as they explore a theme that has not yet been examined thoroughly in Korean films: the coming out narrative.Themes like homosexuality and transgender have kept a low profile in Korea, a society with strong Confucian traditions that regard the subjects as absolute social taboo. But recently, the topic of homosexuality has beco

June 8, 2014

‘Godzilla’ director in Japan feels like ‘surrogate mother’

TOKYO (AFP) ― As excitement builds in Japan for a Hollywood reboot of “Godzilla,” the new film’s director said on Thursday he felt like a “surrogate mother” who was returning a baby to its home. Hollywood giant Warner Bros put the fate of the classic behemoth ― originally a Japanese film ― in the hands of Briton Gareth Edwards, who made independent sci-fi flick “Monsters” in 2010. Godzilla’s latest incarnation has been appearing on screens in the United States and 60 other countries and territor

June 8, 2014

Hendrix’ ex-girlfriend says new movie ‘made up’

Sydney (AFP) ― An ex-girlfriend of guitar legend Jimi Hendrix has lashed out at a new biopic about his life, claiming some of it was “completely made up.”Kathy Etchingham, Hendrix’s girlfriend from 1966-69, said she was not consulted about the movie directed by John Ridley, who won an Oscar in March for writing the “12 Years a Slave” screenplay. Although yet to see the film, she is particularly incensed about a scene that depicts their relationship as so turbulent that he beats her up.  Director

June 5, 2014

When music meets film

Music has been an indispensable element of movies from the very beginning. In the era of silent film, it played an important role of adding emotions and vitality to scenes as well as masking background static. Now, it is beyond such mere seasoning. It supplements, enhances and expands upon the meaning of a film’s narrative. KT&G Sangsang Madang is highlighting the combination of film and music with its annual music film festival, which will begin Friday.The festival, in its seventh year, will op

June 4, 2014

Hollywood hosts China’s Huading Film Awards

HOLLYWOOD (AFP) ― China’s Huading Film Award ceremony was held for the first time in the United States on Sunday, with Hollywood celebrities like Halle Berry and Orlando Bloom receiving honors. While the Chinese awards are little known in the United States, western film celebrities understand the importance of the burgeoning Chinese market and many were present at the event.The bilingual show, hosted by Chinese TV personality Olivia Xu and Chinese-American actress Lucy Liu, was held in the city’

June 3, 2014

Box office

High Heel (Korea)Opening June 4Noir, action. Directed by Jang JinYoon Ji-wook (Cha Seung-won) is a homicide detective whose macho looks match his undisputed ability to nab violent criminals. He is revered as a legend in the police force and at the same time feared among the mafia for his brutality in cracking down on crime. But deep inside, his identity is quite different. Ji-wook has desired to become a woman ever since his teenage days. He tries to suppress the inner desire -- in vain. He fina

May 30, 2014

‘Fed Up’ finds tragedy, scandal, comedy in U.S. obesity epidemic

Joe, a 180-kilogram Latino boy from Houston, weeps in fear and frustration. He’s not alone. Maggie, a 96-kilogram 12-year-old from Oklahoma, joins him. Wesley, an overweight 13-year-old in Houston, is desperate.But Brandon, 15, a 98-kilogram South Carolinian headed toward diabetes, morbid obesity and being a member of “the first American generation to not live as long as their parents,” is documenting his struggle on videolife, reading up on his diet and the causes of his problem, determined to

May 30, 2014

Eyelike: IU returns with Korean classics

Old classics never get oldIU“A Flower Bookmark” (LOEN Entertainment)In her new covers album “A Flower Bookmark,” IU leads listeners down memory lane through calm and acoustic reinterpretations of hits from the 80s and 90s.For every track, IU keeps a careful balance between preserving the song’s original sentiments and altering the original with her own color and arrangements. Age does not seem to preclude the 21-year-old singer from reviving old classics released even before she was born.The lea

May 30, 2014

International women’s film festival opens in Seoul

The 16th International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul opened on Thursday at Megabox Theater in Sinchon with the overarching theme of “the visions of 99 percent for another world.” Organizers adopted the motto to highlight the importance of women’s diverse views in interpreting the multiple layers of life around the world. “The theme focuses on the lives of 99 percent of the world’s population (as opposed to the privileged 1 percent),” said festival director Lee Hye-kyung at a press conference he

May 30, 2014

Brad Pitt attacked at ‘Maleficent’ premiere

Actors Angelina Jolie (left) and Brad Pitt attend the world premiere of Disney’s “Maleficent” at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, California, Wednesday. (AFP-Yonhap)LOS ANGELES (AP) ― A man was led away in handcuffs after attacking Brad Pitt on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the movie “Maleficent.” Pitt was apparently unhurt and soon resumed signing autographs. Witnesses saw the man from the fan area jump over a barrier to the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on

May 29, 2014

Rediscovering ‘Love with an Alien’ on KOFA’s 40th Anniversary

The Korean Film Archive celebrated its 40th anniversary with a film festival that began last Thursday with the screening of a joint Hong Kong and Korean film, “Love with an Alien” (1958).It was the first-ever film jointly produced by Korea and Hong Kong, and also the oldest surviving color film archived in Korea. When the film was first rediscovered, the sound was lost and the picture was severely damaged. KOFA restored the picture and recreated the sound with live music and performances, creati

May 26, 2014

Turkish film ‘Winter Sleep’ wins top honor at Cannes

CANNES, France (AP) ― The richly ruminative Chekhovian drama “Winter Sleep” was awarded the Palme d’Or on Saturday, bestowing the Cannes Film Festival’s top honor on an intimate, wintery epic set on Turkey’s Anatolian steppe. Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan accepted the award, handed out by Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman at the French Riviera festival. In his speech, Ceylan alluded to anti-government protests in Istanbul that began a year ago and have raged following a recent mining disaster that

May 25, 2014