A Dutch romance film about a man and his beautiful wife fighting breast cancer is hitting local theaters later this month.The film, titled “Stricken,” is an adaptation of celebrated Dutch author Ray Kluun’s novel of the same title. The writer wrote the 2003 novel based on his personal experience ― his wife Judith died of breast cancer in 2000, at the age of 36. The movie follows the life of its protagonist, Stijn, who seems to have it all. He is an accomplished advertising executive who lives wi

June 20, 2013

Famed Korean director Kim Ki-duk and teacher-turned-filmmaker Shin Su-won are struggling against the state’s film-rating system after being given restricted ratings for their latest works. Earlier this week, filmmakers asked the Korea Media Rating Board to lift the ban on the screening of director Kim’s upcoming film which deals with incest. They also asked the agency’s director, Park Sunny, to resign from her position.The filmmakers’ public call came after Kim’s film, titled “Moebius,” received

June 19, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) ― Following crowdfunding campaigns from “Veronica Mars’’ and Zach Braff, James Franco is seeking to raise $500,000 to bankroll a trilogy of movies.Franco on Monday night started a campaign on IndieGogo, a crowd-funding site that allows people to keep the money they raise even if the project doesn’t come to fruition. Franco isn’t trying to direct the films; he is raising money so that a collection of young filmmakers can adapt his 2011 short story collection, “Palo Alto.’’Franco ple

June 19, 2013

A growing number of Korean films are borrowing storylines from webtoons -- and “Killer Toon” is bringing the simple webtoon-based movie genre to a new level. The film, directed by Kim Yong-geun, takes a webtoon itself as the key motif. In the movie, Jiyoon, a horror webtoon artist played by Lee Si-young, submits her manuscript to an editor, barely meeting the deadline. What‘s scary is that Jiyoon’s episodes involve the editor‘s private. Then, a murder takes place. Detective Kicheol, played by Eo

June 19, 2013

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― In the span of American pop music, few performers have gone as unrecognized as the backup vocalists who harmonize and contextualize the songs of many a heralded lead musician. With “20 Feet From Stardom,’’ some of the most notable finally get their due, but more than a tribute, the film is a recognition of the talent and sacrifice that many of these vocalists have invested in often challenging careers.With a documentary career that’s richly profiled the likes of Muddy Waters,

June 16, 2013

White House DownOpening on June 27Action. Drama. Directed by Roland EmmerichCapitol policeman John Cale (Channing Tatum) has just been denied by the Secret Service a job protecting President James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx). Although he was rejected, he takes his young daughter on a tour of the White House to avoid disappointing her. Then the place gets attacked by a heavily armed paramilitary group and Cale faces a situation where he needs to save the president, his daughter and the nation at the same

June 14, 2013

When most filmmakers in Los Angeles feel frustrated by the movie business, they pick up a pen to write out their anxiety ― or pick up the phone and call their therapist.Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij took a different approach.Upset by a series of Hollywood rejections four years ago, the then-aspiring actress and would-be director decided to spend the summer train-hopping with a group of idealistic drifters they’d never met. For nearly two months, they criss-crossed America, encountering strange

June 14, 2013

A film directed by Korea’s art house favorite Jeon Soo-il has been invited to the upcoming Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, according to the film’s local production house.The film, titled “El Condor Pasa,” tells the story of a Catholic priest (played by Cho Jae-hyun) who gets involved with a rape and murder case of a teen who used to attend his church. The priest, whose last name is Park, feels extremely bad for the young victim and gradually forms a special bond with her grieving older

June 14, 2013

Zhang Ziyi arrived in Korea Friday, kicking off her visit to participate in the Chinese Film Festival in Seoul.The actress arrived through Incheon International Airport on Friday afternoon. Zhang is to participate in the opening ceremony of 2013 Chinese Film Festival on Sunday. Chinese actor Tony Leung and acclaimed Chinese director Wong Kar Wai will also take part in the festival.Zhang and Leung are starring in Wong’s martial arts film “The Grandmasters,” which has been selected as the opener o

June 14, 2013

Love certainly is a universal theme in cinema, but Emirati filmmaker Jamal Salim found it a little challenging to make a romance film in his country.“In my country, an unrelated man and woman may not be alone together,” the director said in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on June 5. “Imagine how hard it would be to make a romance movie without a single scene where a man and a woman are together alone.”Salim, who is also a writer, visited Seoul earlier this month to attend the opening

June 13, 2013

“The Bling Ring”Given that the film currently ruling the box office is about Americans encouraged by their government to indulge their homicidal urges one night a year ― we’re talking about “The Purge’’ ― it’s tempting to hail the clueless young burglars in “The Bling Ring’’ as veritable humanitarians. After all, they’re not out to kill or even hurt anyone. All they want is your designer shoes, your cute tops, your Rolex watches, your cash. And if you’re not a hot young celebrity they’ll leave

June 13, 2013

A growing number of Hollywood stars make trips to South Korea to promote their films or boost the image of global brands. In 2013 alone, a dozen well-known celebrities flew to the country, and here‘s a list of the top figures. 1. Fanning sisters (Jan. 5)Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning were the first Hollywood celebrities to visit Seoul this year. The sisters reportedly came to Seoul to promote local jewelry brand J. Estina, which is also promoted by figure skater Kim Yu-na. Other than their prom

June 13, 2013

Korean film distributor CJ E&M has announced the release date for director Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming thriller, “Snowpiercer.”Bong’s English-language debut, starring Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton and Chris Evans, will hit local theaters on Aug. 1 and open later in North America, France, Japan and Russia, CJ E&M officials said in a statement on Wednesday.The sci-fi film is based on the French graphic novel “Le Transperceneige” by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette. Set mostly on a train in a post-apoc

June 12, 2013

Hollywood movie star Brad Pitt landed in Gimpo Airport in Seoul on Tuesday morning to promote his latest movie “World War Z” together with his son Pax.The 49-year-old actor is planning to meet South Korean fans at Cheonggye Plaza located in the center of Seoul during a red carpet event scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.“World War Z” is a blockbuster zombie thriller based on a novel about a former United Nations employee saving the Earth from a zombie pandemic. The movie hits local theaters in Ko

June 11, 2013

World-renowned director Kim Ki-duk has asked Korea’s movie rating’s agency to reconsider its decision to give a highly restricted rating to his latest film. Kim’s new film “Moebius” got a “restricted screening” rating from the Korea Media Rating Board on June 1. Given that Korea does not have a single theater dedicated to screening films with a restricted rating, the agency’s decision means audiences cannot watch Kim’s new film in his home country. The board’s decision was prompted by the film’s

June 11, 2013

Hollywood actor Brad Pitt is scheduled to attend Tuesday’s Seoul premiere of his latest film “World War Z,” according to the movie’s local distributor Lotte Entertainment.Pitt, whose last visit to Korea was in 2011 upon the local release of his baseball flick “Moneyball,” is to attend a red carpet event on Tuesday evening at Cheonggye Plaza in central Seoul. It is not certain if his partner, actress Angelina Jolie, who accompanied Pitt during the European promotional tour of the film last week,

June 10, 2013

World War ZOpening June 20Drama. Thriller. Sci-fi. Action. Horror. Directed by Marc Forster.In this apocalyptic horror film based on the million-selling novel of the same title published in 2007 by Max Brooks, former United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) travels the world in an attempt to find a way to stop the zombie pandemic that is defeating the armies, collapsing governments, and threatening to decimate the human race.Man of SteelOpening June 13Sci-fi. Action. Adventure. Directed by

June 7, 2013