Science and spirit, technology and transcendence may sometimes be at war, but in “Life of Pi” ― Ang Lee’s spectacular take on the popular Yann Martel novel ― they instead make for graceful dance partners.The story of a boy who finds his faith challenged after being stranded at sea with only wild animals for company is made stunningly real by the latest developments in computer graphics and 3-D cinematography.The result is that a book that many might have considered best kept on the printed page

Film Nov. 23, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Lindsay Lohan arrived an hour late to the red carpet to celebrate the premiere of “Liz & Dick” but basked in the media frenzy ― saying it felt good to have the focus on her work as an actress.“It feels great to be on a red carpet for working hard,” Lohan said.Lohan went for an old-Hollywood glamour look in a slinky ivory slip dress, her long hair wavy and parted on the side. Lohan plays screen icon Elizabeth Taylor in the made-for-TV film about her romance with Richard Burton

Film Nov. 23, 2012

Cinecube Premiere Festival, a Seoul-based movie event featuring arthouse films, unveiled its line-up for this year’s edition. A total of 16 films, including five Cannes-winning works, will be screened during the upcoming event starting on Nov. 29, according to its organizing committee.The festival, hosted by Cinecube, one of the best known arthouse theaters in Seoul, offers moviegoers a chance to enjoy the premiere of the critically acclaimed works due to show in local theaters in December or ea

Film Nov. 23, 2012

Dear LifeBy Alice Munro (Knopf)She is regularly paired with Chekhov. In 2004, Jonathan Franzen suggested she might be “the best fiction writer now working in North America.” In his introduction to the 2012 edition of “The Best American Short Stories,” Tom Perrotta states that she “looms over this year’s collection” as the “master” who has “expanded our sense of what stories can do.”All true, and all reinforced by the just-published “Dear Life,” Alice Munro’s 13th collection of short stories.But

Books Nov. 22, 2012

In the exhaustive and at times exhausting new biography “Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson,” journalist Randall Sullivan presents a radical new theory concerning one of the most heavily scrutinized public figures of the last half a century. Namely, that the man revered worldwide as the “King of Pop” could not possibly have been a child molester. The book posits that Jackson resisted sex for all his days and died in 2009 a 50-year-old virgin.To support that tough-t

Books Nov. 22, 2012

Seoul is developing into a charming destination for foreign visitors, from scenic Bukchon Hanok Village to vibrant Hongdae and Myeong-dong. For those who live in Seoul, however, spending time in the city can be a different experience. A lot of Seoul professionals spend nearly all of their time in offices and apartment complexes. Not many manage to take the time to visit Gyeongbok Palace or experience the joy of trying on hanbok in a hanok. It’s like how many New Yorkers never visit the Statue of

Books Nov. 22, 2012

Celebrated director Chung Ji-young is making a lot of political remarks with his films lately, after breaking the 13-year hiatus in January with the highly controversial, real-life based courtroom drama “Unbowed.”Last month, he returned with “National Security,” another socially conscious, politically themed drama inspired by the true story of late politician and democracy activist Kim Geun-tae. The film was premiered during this year’s BIFF, and Chung received much attention from the press by s

Film Nov. 22, 2012

Korean films are set to break the 100 million mark in attendance by Wednesday, according to the state-run Korean Film Council.As of Tuesday morning, some 99.8 million viewers had watched Korean films since the beginning of January. The milestone means Koreans saw at least two local films on average this year. Korean films enjoyed much success this year, at both the box office and film festivals. Two local films ― Choi Dong-hun’s star-studded heist film “The Thieves” and Choo Chang-min’s period d

Film Nov. 20, 2012

American contemporary dance troupe Parsons Dance is back in Seoul this week, this time to perform two pieces of their signature repertoire ― “Remember Me” and “Caught.”Founded in 1985, the New York-based troupe tours internationally in addition to its annual season in New York. They had a highly successful Seoul performance in May of last year.“Caught” features more than 100 leaps in six minutes by a solo dancer who is repeatedly captured in mid-motion by the strobe lights, to create an illusion

Performance Nov. 20, 2012

Four Cannes-winning films, including “Amour” and “Beyond the Hills,” are opening in theaters in Korea, about six months after the movies won their awards.Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke’s French-language film “Amour,” which won the highest prize at the Cannes Film Festival in May, is a heart-breaking story about the dying weeks in the relationship of an old French couple. The film, which has also been selected as the Austrian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards,

Film Nov. 20, 2012

Veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki is starring in a movie with Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman and English actor Clive Owen, according to Sovik Global Contents Investment Fund.Ahn is starring in a joint Korean-American production film “The Last Knights.” Popular actress Park Si-yeon, who recently starred in KBS’ TV drama series “The Innocent Man,” is also joining the cast. The script has been penned by Canadian screenwriter Michael Konyves, whose previous works include the Genie Award-nominated screenpla

Performance Nov. 19, 2012

The famous story of Nongae, the 16th-century “gisaeng,” or female entertainer, is still largely considered a patriotic tale, about a low-caste woman sacrificing her life to help her country in crisis.The gisaeng lived in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, during the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592-1598), and is said to have purposely seduced Japanese general Keyamura Rokusuke. She led him to a cliff, embraced him and jumped ― killing the general as well as herself.The National Dance Company of K

Performance Nov. 19, 2012

Even after all this time, author Stephenie Meyer, the Mormon mother of three who became an overnight literary sensation with the 2005 publication of her young-adult novel “Twilight,” can’t explain the phenomenon that surrounds the grand romance between vampire Edward Cullen and human teenager Bella Swan, characters played on-screen by Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.“I don’t know what makes people love it, I don’t know what makes people hate it,” said Meyer, seated comfortably in a suite of

Film Nov. 16, 2012

Among the more startling revelations in William J. Mann’s engrossing chronicle of Barbra Streisand’s ascent to superstardom emerges in one of the book’s photos. It’s a childhood picture showing Streisand, as its caption notes, “with friends outside their Brooklyn tenements.” It doesn’t say how old she is, but it doesn’t matter. She’s already carrying the face that millions would soon recognize as belonging to no one but her. And her expression, as she leans on a bicycle, is a mesmerizing blend o

Books Nov. 15, 2012