[Herald Review] 'Tune In for Love' a mediocre film with familiar tune, but has heart

We’ve seen this before, literally. Ever since “Architecture 101” stole the hearts of many who spent their youth in the 1990s, romance dramas riding on wistful ’90s nostalgia have popped up every few years.“Tune In for Love,” directed by Jung Ji-woo, is nothing special and has glaring flaws in its somewhat clunky storytelling. Despite its familiarity -- if you are a child of the ’90s -- it does send you back to the good ol’ days, which is always a w

Aug. 22, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw(US)Opened Aug.14Action, Adventure Directed by David Leitch Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and lawless outcast Shaw (Jason Statham) first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever, these two sworn enemies

Aug. 22, 2019

Megan Fox says she felt gravity of the story in ‘Battle of Jangsari’

On Sept. 14, 1950, a day before the Battle of Incheon, 772 student soldiers landed on Jangsa-ri, North Gyeongsang Province, risking their lives and contributing to what eventually became the turning point of the Korean War.The story of middle and high school students who fought in the historic battle will be told in the upcoming film “Battle of Jangsari,” directed by Kwak Kyung-taek and Kim Tae-hoon and starring Kim Myung-min, Choi Min-ho and Hollywood actor Megan Fox.“I could

Aug. 21, 2019

Marvel's involvement in 'Spider-Man' movies may be in doubt

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- With great success comes great re-negotiation. In the wake of the announcement that "Spider-Man: Far From Home'' is now the highest-grossing film ever in Sony Pictures' history, reports surfaced that Marvel Studios may be stepping away from the cross-studio partnership.  The Hollywood trade Deadline reported Tuesday that there was a disagreement over the profit-sharing structure. According to a person close to the deal who was unauthorized to speak publicly, negotia

Aug. 21, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘47 Meters Down: Uncaged’ an absurd, silly shark movie, but kinda fun

Let’s face it: “47 Meters Down: Uncaged,” an unlikely sequel to the 2017 low-budget summer sleeper “47 Meters Down,” was never going to be a top-notch production with quality acting and thought-provoking moments. Bluntly put, it’s a silly shark movie. But not every film has to shoot for masterpiece status. Through the corny dialogue, extremely over-the-top moments, laughable plot holes and cheesy set-up, this is one dumb and absurd film that does not try to be

Aug. 20, 2019

Actors Bae Jong-ok, Jung Jae-young to present film award at Busan

The annual Busan International Film Festival is gearing up for its October opening, as it named actors Bae Jong-ok, Jung Jae-young as presenters for this year’s “Actor & Actress of the Year” award.Organizers for this year’s BIFF made the announcement Monday, ahead of the festival that will be held Oct. 3-12 this year. The award will be announced at the closing ceremony on Oct. 12, and will receive 5 million won ($4,130) in prize money. The award was created to shine l

Aug. 19, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw(US)Opened Aug.14Action, Adventure Directed by David Leitch Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and lawless outcast Shaw (Jason Statham) first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever, these two sworn enemies

Aug. 16, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Jesters: The Game Changers’ yield disappointing results, despite intriguing setup

In the 2006 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, defending champion Josh Smith put down tape well-beyond the free-throw line to indicate that he would jump from there. Had he succeeded in doing so, the leap would have been an unimaginable feat. His jump, however, was well inside the tape, to the dismay and confusion of the frenzied crowd. To me, the disappointment brought by director Kim Ju-ho’s “Jesters: The Game Changers” was like Smith’s weird bluff. The period piece had pumped up e

Aug. 15, 2019

Mouthy ‘nightlife expert’ sniffs out drug scandal ‘By Quantum Physics’

“By Quantum Physics: A Nightlife Venture,” a story about an enormous drug scandal at a nightclub that involves big names, was not actually inspired by the “Burning Sun” drug scandal.“The first draft was written in 2016, and we learned of the (Burning Sun) incident while we were editing the film,” said director Lee Sung-tae, on his upcoming crime movie. “I actually thought I should change that part (about doing drugs in clubs) after one of our young staff

Aug. 13, 2019

Song Kang-ho honored with Excellence Award from Swiss film fest

South Korean actor Song Kang-ho has been awarded the Excellence Award at this year's Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland, the organizers said Tuesday.Song became the first Asian actor to earn the Swiss film fest's special award that goes to actors or actresses whose work and talent have contributed to enriching the cinema industry.Internationally acclaimed silver-screen stars like Susan Sarandon, John Malkovich, Edward Norton, Bill Pullman and Ethan Hawke are among the past laurea

Aug. 13, 2019

Wesley Snipes to visit Korea for action film festival

The ’90s action film icon Wesley Snipes will visit South Korea on Aug. 26 to attend the opening ceremony for the Chungbuk International Martial Arts and Action Film Festival, according to the organizers.Snipes will be accompanied by stunt coordinator and fight choreographer Chuck Jeffreys, with whom he has worked previously. The two will attend a press conference in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Aug. 29, and will attend the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. the same day. The actor will als

Aug. 11, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Exit(Korea)Opened July 31Action, ComedyDirected by Lee Sang-geunYong-nam (Jo Jung-suk) is a young man struggling in the job market with no real marketable skills. At his mother’s 70th birthday party, he runs into Ui-ju (Im Yoon-ah), an old crush from his college rock-climbing club. Then, a terrorist attack in a nearby building forces Yong-nam to act so he can get the family to safety.The Battle: Roar to Victory(Korea)Opened Aug. 7Action, Drama, HistoryDirected by Won Sin-yeonIn Manchuria,

Aug. 8, 2019

‘Tazza: One Eyed Jack’ to cap off gambling trilogy with poker

The “Tazza” trilogy, a movie adaptation of the popular gambling comic book series of the same name, will conclude next month with the opening of its third film, “Tazza: One Eyed Jack.”Director Kwon Oh-Kwang and the cast took part in a press conference to promote the film in Seoul on Thursday. Unlike the first two films, which dabbled in the Asian card game hwatu, the third is about poker. The “one-eyed jack” in the title can refer either to the jack of spades

Aug. 8, 2019

Comedic talents team up for ‘Cheer Up, Mr. Lee’

Cha seung-won is a rather peculiar presence in the Korean cinema scene. Standing 188-centimeters tall without a hair out of place, his model-turned-actor looks like a slick James Bond villain, but he has left a lasting mark as a funnyman in early to late 2000s.The actor will appear in his first comedy film since 2007 as an overgrown man-child in the upcoming “Cheer Up, Mr. Lee.” He plays the protagonist Cheol-su, who comes face-to-face with a daughter he never knew existed.“I&r

Aug. 7, 2019

Angelina Jolie’s eldest son to study at Yonsei University

Actress Angelina Jolie’s eldest son Maddox will study at Yonsei University’s Underwood International College starting fall this year.Maddox is slated to begin his first semester as a life science and biotechnology major early next month at the school’s international campus in Songdo, Incheon. According to several local news outlets, the 18-year-old chose to attend a South Korean college because of his interest in K-pop and Korean culture. In November, the Hollywood actress

Aug. 6, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Ghost Walk’ delves into life through eyes of a specter

What does it mean for someone to live? To lead a life that is beyond mere survival, to bring meaning to a moment of fleeting existence on Earth?Yu Eun-jeong explores the existential question in her first feature film, the cleverly-directed and poignant “Ghost Walk,” through the eyes of someone who is no longer among the living.The film follows Hye-jeong (Han Hae-in), a factory worker whose provincial life is devoid of any fun, challenges, or emotional stimulation, shutting herself do

Aug. 4, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Exit(Korea)Opened July 31Action, ComedyDirected by Lee Sang-geunYong-nam (Jo Jung-suk) is a young loser struggling in the job market with no real marketable skills. At his mother’s 70th birthday party, he runs into Ui-ju (Im Yoon-ah), an old crush from his college rock-climbing club. Then, a terrorist attack in a nearby building forces Yong-nam to act so he can get the family to safety.Divine Fury(Korea) Opened July 31Mystery, Action, FantasyDirected by Jason KimPark Yong-hu (Park Seo-joon

Aug. 1, 2019

[Herald Review] Good intentions, poor execution make ‘The Battle: Roar to Victory’ painful to watch

Every once in a while we get what I like to call “face-palm movies”: Films with great intentions and worthy causes that are made so poorly that I end up feeling guilty for hating them. “The Battle: Roar to Victory,” a film about one of the most glorious moments in Korea’s history of fighting for independence from Japan, is one that should have sparked nationalistic pride and a sense of victory, but instead is bogged down by a number of questionable directing choices

July 30, 2019

‘Bad Guys’ reunite once again, this time on the big screen

“Unleash the mad dogs again” is the go-to phrase pushed by promoters for “Bad Guys: The movie,” as OCN’s popular picaresque crime drama “Bad Guys” is slated to be remade as a film set for a September release.Directed by Son Yong-ho, the upcoming film features many of the original cast reprising their characters, from the muscle-bound simpleton of a gangster Park Woong-cheol to Oh Gu-tak, a police official with a reputation for being relentless and ruthle

July 30, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The King’s Letters(Korea)Opened July 24Drama, HistoryDirected by Jo Cheon-hyeonDuring the last eight years of Sejong the Great’s rule, the power to read or write was still monopolized by noblemen, as Korea did not have its own writing system, making it difficult for commoners to become literate. Sejong (Song Kang-ho) meets with Buddhist monk Sinmi (Park Hae-il) to create a writing system for the people. Lion King(US)Opened July 17Animation, Adventure, Drama　Directed by Jon Favre

July 26, 2019