Showing posts with label pierce conran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pierce conran. Show all posts

Sunday, April 21, 2013

UDINE 2013: The Berlin File (베를린, 2013)


Part of MKC's coverage of the 15th Udine Far East Film Festival.

From North By Northwest (1959) all the way to Tinker Sailor Soldier Spy (2011), spy thrillers have long captured the imagination of filmgoers. Over time they have become more elaborate and their appeal has led to a number of blockbuster franchises. James Bond recently celebrated his most successful outing with the chart-topping Skyfall while both the Mission Impossible and Bourne series have also stirred up some serious business.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Korean Box Office: Cruise Knocks Out Fists of Legend (04/12-04/14, 2013)


It was a close battle for first place this weekend but it one of the most world's reliable box office properties won out in the end. Admissions stayed flat with both last week and last year at 1.55 million. Despite two Hollywood blockbusters in the top 4, the local market still dominated with 55% of all sales.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

An Early Korean Youth Film: Early Rain (초우, Chou) 1966


The aftermath of World War II brought about a quick change in social values, which reevaluated the needs and lifestyles of youths around the world. In the US, James Dean and Elvis Presley captured the imagination of millions of young Americans in search of a new identity. A similar thing happened in Japan with the rapid modernization of a strict society that had recently undergone a shameful loss in the Pacific Theatre. Social roles were changing and up and coming directors such as Suzuki Seijun and Oshima Nagisa were taping into a youth culture of revolt that began to brew in the late 1950s.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Korean Box Office: Running Man Quick Off the Mark (04/05-04/07, 2013)


Business remained on par with last year in the slow spring season as theaters sold just over 1.6 million tickets. With only one significant foreign film making an impact at the Korean box office, the local market share stood at 60%, half of which came from the frame's big new release.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Lack of Focus Hinders An Ethics Lesson (분노의 윤리학, Boonnoeui yoonrihak) 2013


Ensemble casts and high concept scripts seems to be all the rage these days in Korean cinema and An Ethics Lesson, billed as an erotic thriller, is the latest addition to this trend. But as wonderful as Korea's multi-genre concoctions have been in the past, these days, in an effort to push the enveloped ever further, there has arisen a disturbing trend of films which, through the application of an all but the kitchen sink approach, have become whitewashed and bland.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Korean Box Office: G.I. Joe 2 Wipes Out the Competition (03/29-03/31, 2013)

G.I. Joe 2 Wipes out the Competition


Spring is in the air following a long winter and as a result Korea's multiplexes saw a dip in admissions. Hollywood took back the top spot during the weakest frame in quite some time as only 1.64 million tickets were sold. Moreover, due to the new foreign number 1, only 42% of admissions were occupied by local releases. Following a huge winter for the Korean film industry the outlook for local productions is a bit weaker for the coming months as people will enjoy the great weather before the sweltering summer will force them back into the theaters.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Lee Man-hee's The Road to Sampo (삼포 가는길, Samo Ganeungil) 1975


Korea is not known for road movies and given that the country is smaller than many US states, this hardly comes as a surprise. Nevertheless, some of its most celebrated films take place on the road. Displaced characters have trudged along Korea's weather-beaten paths in search of a home in many a Korean film. Examples include Im Kwon-taek's Sopyeonje (1993), a mournful paean to the Pansori tradition (a style of sung folk narrative featuring a vocalist and a percussionist), and Lee Man-hee's ebullient swan song, The Road to Sampo (1975).

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

14th Jeonju Film Fest Reveals Lineup!


The Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will be returning for its 14th edition next month when it gets underway on April 25th with its opening film Foxfire, the new film from Laurent Canet, who was behind the 2008 Palme d’Or winner The Class and will also serve as the president of this year’s international jury. JIFF will come to a close on May 3 with a screening of Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda, the first Saudi Arabian film to be directed by a woman.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Korean Box Office: Strong Start for Very Ordinary Couple (03/22-03/24, 2013)

Strong Start for Very Ordinary Couple


March is generally not a busy period for movies and South Korea is no exception. After a rocket-fueled start which saw records fall as local films dominated (Miracle in Cell No.7, The Berlin File, New World, etc.) and almost completely shut out Hollywood, things have settled down considerably as the industry lies in wait for what is likely to be a gargantuan summer season. That said, at 1.69 million admissions, business was up slightly and the market share occupied by domestic films was still very strong at 67%. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Fribourg 2013: Your Time Is Up (누구나 제 명에 죽고 싶다, Nuguna Je Myeonge Juggosipda) 2012


Playing at the 27th Fribourg International Film Festival (March 16-23, 2013)

I discussed the Korean Academy of Film Arts, or more precisely their graduation feature projects, for my recent piece on When Winter Screams, a film I enjoyed with some reservations. Now it’s time to take a look at the other major 2012 KAFA production. Your Time Is Up has had a more successful festival run so far, largely because it was programmed alongside Lee Don-ku’s excellent Fatal during last October’s Busan International Film Festival in the New Currents section. Due to the exposure afforded by that selection, this KAFA project has found itself competing with Jang Kun-jae’s Sleepless Night and about a dozen other films during this month’s Fribourg International Film Festival.

Friday, March 15, 2013

When Winter Screams (설인, Seolin) 2012


I’ve made no secret of my admiration for Korea’s wonderful film schools, which are responsible for some of the best professionals working in the industry today. One such institution is the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), a government-sponsored school affiliated with the Korean Film Council that sports such illustrious alumni as MKC favorite Bong Joon-ho. A few years ago, KAFA began to make full-blown feature length films as graduation projects (with the support of industry giant CJ Entertainment) and the results have been formidable. 2010 featured the one-two punch of Bleak Night and End of Animal while 2011’s crop included Choked and Mirage.

Monday, March 11, 2013

KBO: New World Holds Firm During Slow Weekend (03/08-03/10, 2013)

New World Holds Firm During Slow Weekend


Title Release Date Market Share Weekend Total Screens
1 New World 13/02/21 30.90% 508,893 3,369,650 555
2 Miracle in Cell No.7 13/01/23 16.70% 291,884 12,177,983 433
3 Psychometry 13/03/07 14.80% 242,319 297,330 429
4 Oz: The Great and Powerful (us) 13/03/07 13.60% 208,962 228,696 425
5 Jack the Giant Slayer (us) 13/02/28 8.60% 147,478 885,989 364
6 Zero Dark Thirty (us) 13/03/07 3.50% 61,171 72,222 258
7 The Berlin File 13/01/30 3.40% 56,401 7,100,309 287
8 12 Chinese Zodiac Heads (cn) 13/02/27 2.40% 41,665 296,010 187
9 Stoker (us) 13/02/28 2.40% 38,430 343,752 204
10 b (In) 13/02/21 0.90% 17,266 302,550 168

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

BIFF 2012: Perfect Number (용의자X, Yong-eui-ja-X) 2012


Part of MKC's coverage of the 17th Busan International Film Festival.

I originally saw Bang Eun-jin’s sophomore film Perfect Number at the Busan International Film Festival last October. I am a big fan of the Japanese book (‘The Devotion of Suspect X’ by Keigo Hegashino) that it was based on and as I felt that the story would be a great fit for Korean cinema my expectations were very high. Too high it seems as I found myself a little disappointed by a film delivering something I wasn’t expecting.

A reclusive math teacher is smitten with his next-door neighbor who lives with her niece. One day her ex-husband comes to visit and a violent altercation ends with his lifeless corpse hitting the ground. The teacher has heard what transpired and knocks on their door. Quiet, composed and intelligent, he offers to help his distressed neighbors.

Monday, March 4, 2013

KBO: New World Repeats up Top, Stoker Unconvincing (03/1-03/03, 2013)

New World Repeats up Top, Stoker Unconvincing


Title Release Date Market Share Weekend Total Screens
1 New World 13/02/21 29.40% 849,376 2,530,048 604
2 Miracle in Cell No.7 13/01/23 25.10% 777,968 11,704,634 577
3 Jack the Giant Slayer (us) 13/02/28 19.40% 545,550 659,854 507
4 The Berlin File 13/01/30 6.40% 189,296 6,997,749 362
5 Stoker (us) 13/02/28 5.80% 165,408 240,639 329
6 12 Chinese Zodiac Heads (cn) 13/02/27 5.20% 162,566 217,242 300
7 Delhi Safair (In) 13/02/21 2.50% 83,606 280,563 263
8 The Giant King (us/th) 13/02/21 1.00% 33,808 149,067 180
9 Sky Force 3D (us, hk) 13/02/28 0.90% 30,991 43,496 183
10 An Ethics Lesson 13/02/21 0.60% 18,065 215,985 147

Monday, February 25, 2013

KBO: Close Race as New World Beats Miracle (02/22-02/24, 2013)

Close Race as New World Beats Miracle


Title Release Date Market Share Weekend Total Screens
1 New World 13/02/21 35.50% 860,754 1,038,890 671
2 Miracle in Cell No.7 13/01/23 33.10% 855,942 10,386,785 667
3 The Berlin File 13/01/30 12.00% 303,727 6,608,013 440
4 An Ethics Lesson 13/02/21 4.30% 104,494 145,437 302
5 Delhi Safari (In) 13/02/21 3.30% 90,837 110,358 289
6 How to Use Guys With Secret Tips 13/02/14 2.10% 56,007 454,704 223
7 The Giant King (us/th) 13/02/21 1.80% 52,646 66,897 228
8 A Good Day to Die Hard (us) 13/02/06 1.60% 40,442 1,422,089 169
9 The Last Stand (us) 13/02/21 1.40% 34,220 44,280 296
10 Marco Makaco (de) 13/02/14 0.80% 22,656 159,640 131

Monday, February 18, 2013

KBO: Miracle Stays Flat for 4th Straight Weekend (02/15-02/17, 2013)

Miracle Stays Flat for 4th Straight Weekend


Title Release Date Market Share Weekend Total Screens
1 Miracle in Cell No.7 13/01/23 41.20% 1,129,726 8,867,424 721
2 The Berlin File 13/01/30 24.10% 644,456 5,980,252 579
3 A Good Day to Die Hard (us) 13/02/06 7.80% 210,178 1,297,703 329
4 How to Use Guys With Secret Tips 13/02/14 7.40% 200,891 266,891 367
5 Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (us) 13/02/14 5.70% 138,407 177,571 297
6 Marco Makaco (de) 13/02/14 2.90% 88,766 96,848 276
7 South Bound 13/02/06 3.00% 84,070 772,586 240
8 The Snow Queen (ru) 13/02/07 1.90% 58,181 245,463 229
9 Silver Linings Playbook (uk) 13/02/14 1.90% 48,935 70,731 223
10 Pororo: the Racing Adventure 13/01/23 1.10% 30,952 867,20102

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Dirty Blood (나쁜 피, Nah-beun pi) 2012


As a society Korea has been slow to change despite its economic growth. At times it can seem like a gigantic, perpetually simmering pot of discontent that seems dangerously close to boiling over. One aspect of Korean society that is often brushed under the carpet is repressed sexuality and while it isn’t something you will encounter much in TV dramas, music and the news, the Korean film industry, of late, has been vocal in its depiction of the widespread abuse that rages through the country. Truth be told, it is often used opportunistically and many of the works in question tread a very fine line.

Dirty Blood is one such film that exists in dangerous territory. While other 2012 features that examined sex crimes in an aggressive fashion, such as Don’t Cry Mommy and Azooma, did so in a relatively black and white fashion. Director Kang Hyo-jin opts to operate in a grey area, much like Lee Don-ku did with his incendiary debut Fatal, also last year.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The Ultimate Revenge Narrative: 26 Years (26년, 26-nyeon) 2012


Just like anyone else, I come from a country (Ireland) with historical scars that refuse to completely fade away. The sad fact is that these days my connection with my home is tenuous at best. Nevertheless, as we approach the centenary following the Easter Rising of 1916, this terrible event that saw a group a passionate Irishman stand up to their English oppressors, only to be brutally suppressed, is still an indelible part of who I am.

My grandmother (who recently died aged 100) was only four when it happened. It should be ancient history for me: a bygone event that took place in a country I didn't spend much of my youth in and that I don’t easily identify with. Yet somehow, I feel a sense of solidarity with those young men (and a few women) who stood up to an unvanquishable foe in the name of what they felt was right.

KBO: Miracle, Berlin Dominate Lunar New Year Frame (02/08-02/10, 2013)

Miracle, Berlin Dominate Lunar New Year Frame


Title Release Date Market Share Weekend Total Screens
1 Miracle in Cell No. 7 13/01/23 37.10% 1,308,317 6,281,296 802
2 The Berlin File 13/01/30 33.50% 1,153,414 4,181,031 784
3 A Good Day to Die Hard (us) 13/02/06 14.30% 479,370 625,388 458
4 South Bound 13/02/06 8.30% 292,274 402,602 420
5 The Snow Queen (ru) 13/02/07 1.90% 73,355 84,889 311
6 Pororo: the Racing Adventure 13/01/23 1.70% 59,252 756,564 287
7 Monsters Inc. (us) 1/12/20 1.20% 31,377 34,863 173
8 Les Miserables (uk/us) 12/12/19 0.50% 18,153 5,835,054 51
9 Man on the Edge 13/01/09 0.40% 13,499 3,884,380 64
10 Life of Pie (us) 13/01/01 0.20% 4,728 1,568,566 10

Thursday, February 7, 2013

KCN: Box Office Glory and New Glimpse at Snowpiercer (02/01-02/07, 2012)


2013 couldn't be getting off to a better start for the Korean film industry. It didn't take for local films to swiftly reassert their dominance as The Tower carried through from its December opening while gangster shaman comedy Man on the Edge surprised with a strong performance, However, the fireworks were really set off at the end of the month when prison drama Miracle in Cell No. 7 and spy thriller The Berlin File lit the charts on fire. The month's final weekend was particularly strong as the top two films drew over a million spectators a piece, check out MKC's full report here. February is looking like it will be exceptionally strong as a result of the latter two not to mention a slew of big new releases which are also expected to perform well.

Speaking of blockbusters, the first official poster for Bong Joon-ho's long-awaited Snowpiercer was revealed yesterday. The sci-fi extravaganza is a film I'm particularly excited about.