in korean folk traditions, “seire” is the period after birth when a newborn is vulnerable to supernatural dangers…it's this superstition and new fatherhood that collide in park kang's terrifying debut. Heralding the arrival of a fresh new voice in Korean genre cinema, Park Kang's “chilling indie horror debut” (Screen Anarchy), an Official Selection in the Fantasia New Flesh Competition, was nominated for Best Film and captured the New Currents Fipresci Prize at the Busan International Film Festival, and also received a nomination for a Golden Eye Best International Feature at the 2022 Zurich Film Festival.
“A first-time father experiences a bad case of the “baby blues” in Korean writer-director Park Kang's engrossingly steely feature-length
directorial debut…the film balances psychological probings and potentially supernatural elements in deliberately disorienting and accomplished fashion. “
— Neil Young, Screen Daily
“Superstition and fatherhood collide in Park Kang's crisply staged and chilling indie horror debut…Kang...
“A first-time father experiences a bad case of the “baby blues” in Korean writer-director Park Kang's engrossingly steely feature-length
directorial debut…the film balances psychological probings and potentially supernatural elements in deliberately disorienting and accomplished fashion. “
— Neil Young, Screen Daily
“Superstition and fatherhood collide in Park Kang's crisply staged and chilling indie horror debut…Kang...
- 5/23/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
My primal reaction when watching Goodnight Mommy was extreme unease and discomfort. Directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, the mysterious thriller left me feeling emotionally drained after its screening at Fantastic Fest in September 2014. My fellow writer Pierce Conran was in much better shape to write about it, which he did with his superb elegance. So it is with mixed emotions that I report on a remake that is coming out next month. On the plus side: Naomi Watts. She is excellent in just about everything she has done, and is a big bonus in a remake, such as The Ring or King Kong or Funny Games. In the original Goodnight Mommy, her character was the one who was placed in danger by...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 8/24/2022
- Screen Anarchy
I remember being filled with excitement as I sat in the Palais auditorium in Cannes back in 2017, awaiting the press screening of favourite filmmaker Bong Joon ho's new film, Okja. I was with my ScreenAnarchy colleague Pierce Conran, who was even more excited. And despite some technical difficulties at the start, we were not disappointed (you can read his review here). I think I would need to use two hands to count how many times I've watched it; and yet, I never tire of it. Suffice to say, the new Criterion release was made for a fan like me. There aren't many filmmakers who could make a film that is at once a comedy, an action film, a social drama, a political statement, and...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/19/2022
- Screen Anarchy
As if reality hasn't been sufficiently harrowing, especially over the past few months, Steel Rain 2: Summit proposes that the leaders of North Korea and South Korea meet with the leader of the United States to hammer out a proposal for peace on a nuclear submarine. What a surprise: things go wrong! The film is a sequel to a film based on a webtoon by director Yang Woo-suk (The Attorney), as explained by our own Pierce Conran in his Steel Rain review, published in December 2017, which was generally favorable, noting: "For the right viewer, Yang's latest pushes all the right buttons and even the rest of the audience should find at least a few elements to keep them in their seats." The new film...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/10/2020
- Screen Anarchy
Hirokazu Kore-eda is one of the best filmmakers working today. Full stop. So, the second we learn new information about a new project from the director, you better believe we’re going to get excited. And judging by the information about his upcoming film, tentatively titled “Broker,” we have every reason to expect another great feature from Kore-eda.
According to news from Pierce Conran on Twitter, Kore-eda is lining up his next film, “Broker,” which will find the Japanese filmmaker working with a Korean cast to tell a story about the baby box phenomenon in South Korea.
Continue reading ‘Broker’: Hirokazu Kore-eda Reportedly Working On A New Film Starring Song Kang-ho at The Playlist.
According to news from Pierce Conran on Twitter, Kore-eda is lining up his next film, “Broker,” which will find the Japanese filmmaker working with a Korean cast to tell a story about the baby box phenomenon in South Korea.
Continue reading ‘Broker’: Hirokazu Kore-eda Reportedly Working On A New Film Starring Song Kang-ho at The Playlist.
- 8/26/2020
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Zombie For Sale, a Korean living dead adventure, is currently available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video
An infectiously funny slice of modern Korean cinema where Train to Busan, The Quiet Family and Warm Bodies collide to create a memorable rom-zom-com from first time director Lee Min-jae.
When the illegal human experiments of Korea’s biggest Pharmaceutical company go wrong, one of their ”undead” test subjects escapes and ends up in a shabby gas station owned by the Park family a band of misfits spanning three generations who hustle passers-by to make ends meet. When the Park family uncover their undead visitor, he bites the head of their household, who instead of transforming into an undead ghoul becomes revitalised and full of life! The family then hatch a plan to exploit this unexpected fountain of youth, allowing locals to pay to be bitten too, until things go wrong
With a cabbage-munching...
An infectiously funny slice of modern Korean cinema where Train to Busan, The Quiet Family and Warm Bodies collide to create a memorable rom-zom-com from first time director Lee Min-jae.
When the illegal human experiments of Korea’s biggest Pharmaceutical company go wrong, one of their ”undead” test subjects escapes and ends up in a shabby gas station owned by the Park family a band of misfits spanning three generations who hustle passers-by to make ends meet. When the Park family uncover their undead visitor, he bites the head of their household, who instead of transforming into an undead ghoul becomes revitalised and full of life! The family then hatch a plan to exploit this unexpected fountain of youth, allowing locals to pay to be bitten too, until things go wrong
With a cabbage-munching...
- 7/28/2020
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Stars: Se-ah Jang, Jae-yeong Jeong, Ga-ram Jung, Nam-gil Ki, Soo-kyung Lee, Ji-won Uhm | Directed by Lee Min-jae
Also known as “The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale”, Zombie For Sale, released through Arrow Video a couple of weeks ago, is a zombie horror comedy with elements of romance tossed in for good measure. If you’re thinking, however, “oh no, not another zom-rom-com” then think again, because this isn’t a run of the mill romance with zombies. It has plenty of original and unique things going on to make it very different from anything else you would have seen in the genre, and it makes for an absolute joy of a film.
I was unsure what to expect when I went into this one, but in the end I found myself thoroughly besotted with it. It’s hilarious, cute, charming and looks delightful too. The cast throw themselves, feet-first, into...
Also known as “The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale”, Zombie For Sale, released through Arrow Video a couple of weeks ago, is a zombie horror comedy with elements of romance tossed in for good measure. If you’re thinking, however, “oh no, not another zom-rom-com” then think again, because this isn’t a run of the mill romance with zombies. It has plenty of original and unique things going on to make it very different from anything else you would have seen in the genre, and it makes for an absolute joy of a film.
I was unsure what to expect when I went into this one, but in the end I found myself thoroughly besotted with it. It’s hilarious, cute, charming and looks delightful too. The cast throw themselves, feet-first, into...
- 7/28/2020
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
The Arrow Video Channel has unleashed its July additions as of today, and leading the pack is the terrifying terrapin himself, the mighty Gamera! That's right, the Blu-ray collection may have been pushed to the middle of August, but all twelve films are now streaming for fans to preview before getting their hands on the massive set in a few weeks! That's not all, though! Also appearing today is the hilarious Korean horror comedy Zombie for Sale, which arrives on Blu-ray next week with a new essay from yours truly and a video essay from Screen Anarchy brother, Pierce Conran! When the illegal human experiments of Korea's biggest pharmaceutical company go wrong, one of their "undead" test subjects escapes and ends up in a shabby...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/1/2020
- Screen Anarchy
“Zombie for Sale“
Synopsis:
An infectiously funny slice of modern Korean cinema where Train to Busan, The Quiet Family and Warm Bodies collide to create a memorable rom-zom-com from first time director Lee Min-jae.
When the illegal human experiments of Korea’s biggest Pharmaceutical company go wrong, one of their “undead” test subjects escapes and ends up in a shabby gas station owned by the Park family – a band of misfits spanning three generations who hustle passers-by to make ends meet. When the Park family uncover their undead visitor, he bites the head of their household, who instead of transforming into an undead ghoul becomes revitalised and full of life! The family then hatch a plan to exploit this unexpected fountain of youth, allowing locals to pay to be bitten too, until things go wrong…
With a cabbage-munching zombie who prefers ketchup over blood, and a dysfunctional family that gives...
Synopsis:
An infectiously funny slice of modern Korean cinema where Train to Busan, The Quiet Family and Warm Bodies collide to create a memorable rom-zom-com from first time director Lee Min-jae.
When the illegal human experiments of Korea’s biggest Pharmaceutical company go wrong, one of their “undead” test subjects escapes and ends up in a shabby gas station owned by the Park family – a band of misfits spanning three generations who hustle passers-by to make ends meet. When the Park family uncover their undead visitor, he bites the head of their household, who instead of transforming into an undead ghoul becomes revitalised and full of life! The family then hatch a plan to exploit this unexpected fountain of youth, allowing locals to pay to be bitten too, until things go wrong…
With a cabbage-munching zombie who prefers ketchup over blood, and a dysfunctional family that gives...
- 4/26/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Just when we thought it was safe to stay inside and avoid the coming zombie apocalypse, here comes Netflix with All of Us Are Dead, a new adaptation of Korean webtoon series Now At Our School. Per Deadline, the series credits will include writer Chun Sung-il and directors Lee Jq and Kim Nam-su, the latter of whom produced period film Rampant (2018). Our own Pierce Conran reviewed that action-horror hybrid and was not a huge fan, writing in part: "The frenetic but listlessly shot set pieces only serve to cement the films' problems but even then this could almost have gotten away with it as mildly diverting fare had it ended after its first climax, which presents a natural ending point, rather than resetting the...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 4/13/2020
- Screen Anarchy
South Korea's own Parasite won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best International Feature Film, Best Director (Bong Joon Ho), and Best Writing, Original Screenplay. See an official list of all the award winners and nominees. Read our own Pierce Conran's insightful review of Parasite, which places the film in context within director Bong's career. Enjoy watching Parasite in select Us theaters. Or, watch it at home on Blu-ray, DVD, on Digital, or On Demand....
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 2/10/2020
- Screen Anarchy
Giddens Ko's excellent horror comedy Mon Mon Mon Monsters will be coming to DVD and Bluray in the U.S. by way of Rlje Films and Shudder. You can get your copy on February 4th. Our own Pierce Conran reviewed Ko's film in Korea back in 2017. Mon Mon Mon Monsters is a wacky and frequently entertaining high school horror-comedy that has just the right balance of novel and familiar elements. At the helm, Ko presents himself once more as an ace stylist as he taps a fantastically deep well of imagination. Here is the press release. Rlje Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, has picked up select rights to Mon Mon Mon Monsters from Shudder, AMC Networks’ streaming service for...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/3/2020
- Screen Anarchy
Zombies make their presence known in a new trailer for Kingdom, a Korean-language series that is heading for its global premiere on Netflix on January 25. The English-language title may be generic, but I like what is being teased. Per Netflix's synopsis, "in a kingdom defeated by corruption and famine, a mysterious rumor of the king's death spreads, as does a strange plague that renders the infected immune to death and hungry for flesh. The crown prince, fallen victim to a conspiracy, sets out on a journey to unveil the evil scheme and save his people." As pointed out by our own Pierce Conran, Kingdom bears many similarities with Rampant [released late last year] but boasts a stronger pedigree, including Tunnel star and director tag...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/2/2019
- Screen Anarchy
Looks like Yeon Sang-ho is reportedly writing a sequel to Train to Busan called Peninsula (working title)! Details are slim for the moment but production is expected to get underway in the first half of next year. This news comes to us via producer Pierce Conran over on Twitter who wrote: “Yeon Sang-ho is reportedly writing […]
The post Train To Busan Sequel On It’s Way?! appeared first on Dread Central.
The post Train To Busan Sequel On It’s Way?! appeared first on Dread Central.
- 8/13/2018
- by Mike Sprague
- DreadCentral.com
Although I've steered away from found-footage films for several years, my curiosity about Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum was stirred by Pierce Conran's recent review of the film. He wrote, in part: "It is the first Korean film to properly blend found footage with modern media trends. To boot, it has enormously effective scares in spades and has already caused millions to jump out of their seats in Korean multiplexes." Now we've got a trailer, albeit in the original Korean with Spanish subtitles, but still! The film is retitled slightly -- Gonjiam: Psiquiátrico Maldito -- for its forthcoming theatrical release in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru later this year. Read Pierce's full review here, watch the trailer below, and then decide if you really need English-language subtitles...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 5/7/2018
- Screen Anarchy
“A Brooding Horror…Tense and Frightening” ~ James Mudge, Easternkicks.Com “… chilling … the best Korean horror film in several years …” ~ Pierce Conran, Screen Anarchy “The Mimic marks a return to the classic North Asian horror style of horror popularized by the likes of Ring, Ju-On: The Grudge and Dark Water.” ~ Grant …
The post The Mimic Arrives on Digital & Blu-ray June 12 appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net. Copyrights 2008-2018 - Horrornews.net...
The post The Mimic Arrives on Digital & Blu-ray June 12 appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net. Copyrights 2008-2018 - Horrornews.net...
- 5/5/2018
- by Horrornews.net
- Horror News
New arrival has been based in Seoul since 2012 and founded 2Mr Films with Lee Sang-woo.
Xyz Films has expanded its international ranks with new South Korea executive Pierce Conran, who is in Hong Kong attending Filmart with the company this week.
Conran joins James Marsh (Hong Kong), Simon de Bruyn (Australia/New Zealand) and Todd Brown and Mike Sherman (Toronto) on the company’s international roster.
Based in Seoul since 2012, he edits the Korean Film Council’s English website, founded the site Modern Korean Cinema, and writes for Screen Anarchy and Time Out Seoul.
In 2014, he founded 2Mr Films with Lee Sang-woo,...
Xyz Films has expanded its international ranks with new South Korea executive Pierce Conran, who is in Hong Kong attending Filmart with the company this week.
Conran joins James Marsh (Hong Kong), Simon de Bruyn (Australia/New Zealand) and Todd Brown and Mike Sherman (Toronto) on the company’s international roster.
Based in Seoul since 2012, he edits the Korean Film Council’s English website, founded the site Modern Korean Cinema, and writes for Screen Anarchy and Time Out Seoul.
In 2014, he founded 2Mr Films with Lee Sang-woo,...
- 3/21/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
This weekend saw the arrival of Zack Snyder's and Joss Whedon's Justice League, and while Pierce Conran mentioned in his review that the film is overstuffed, he also noted that it "...manages to stand its ground as reasonable popcorn entertainment." It's a suitably star-studded affair, and among them is veteran actor Jeremy Irons. He plays Bruce Wayne's butler-slash-gadget-mechanic Alfred, and this week Jeremy is our Favorite Face. When Jeremy Irons was the subject of our weekly quiz, I wrote that he "... is known to have an eclectic career, popping up with brilliant performances and barmy scenery-chewing alike, switching between impressively introvert and hilariously extrovert at will." All true. So what is your favorite performance by him, and was he impressively introvert or hilariously extrovert?...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 11/20/2017
- Screen Anarchy
As you might expect from its title, The Villainess revolves around a female assassin. Our own Pierce Conran notes in his review that it excels in its action scenes, and that may be all you need to know. But if you'd like to know more, read Pierce's review and/or the interview with director Jung Byung-Gil that Diva Velez shared with us, or watch the clip below. Or watch the clip twice and then call me in the morning; I've watched it a few times now and I'm exhausted just watching it! The Villainess opens in select U.S. theaters tomorrow (Friday, August 25)....
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 8/24/2017
- Screen Anarchy
In a crowded field of summer blockbusters and event films, Christopher Nolan's war evacuation epic Dunkirk has done pretty damn well for itself, netting more than 340 million Usd in worldwide box-office in just over three weeks. Our Pierce Conran is impressed as well, and in his review he says "... there's no stronger argument for seeing a film on the biggest possible screen this summer." Spectacle or not, it always helps to have a stellar cast around, and Nolan sure got a good pick for this one, with the likes of Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy. Splendid actors all. Which brings me to Tom Hardy. When we featured him in the quiz back in 2013, that particular article turned into the most-read...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 8/14/2017
- Screen Anarchy
After debuting at the Cannes Film Festival last month, Korean action movie The Villainess is preparing for theatrical release in Asia -- and the trailer looks spectacular. If you'd like the particulars, may I point you to our own Pierce Conran's review, which concluded: The Villainess is a welcome antidote to the increasingly familiar and polished thrillers that Korea has become so adept at churning out, although one marred by a baffling storyline. Its deliberately overwrought melodrama offers a certain charm yet it surely could have benefited from a more streamlined revenge narrative à la John Wick, which would have left it all the time in the world to focus on blood, guts and careening vehicles. That may all be true -- I agree with...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/16/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Bong Joon Ho's Okja will, apparently, "make you jump for joy and burst into tears," at least according to the latest trailer for the movie. That quote is from some publication called ... [squints eyes, watches trailer again] ... ScreenAnarchy. Oh, Ok, I've heard you can trust them. I'll stop being disingenuous now and acknowledge that, while I myself have not seen the movie in question, our own Pierce Conran has and wrote the definite review on it. He also reports that he has seen it three times now, all in theaters, and in South Korea, so my jealousy knows no bounds. For the rest of us, Okja will debut on Netflix on June 28. In the meantime, we have that new trailer, as well...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/16/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Last month, Hong Kong filmmaker Fruit Chan served as the head of the Creators Factory jury at the 9th Okinawa International Movie Festival on the picturesque Japanese island. Chan had recently unveiled a new restoration of his groundbreaking 1997 indie Made in Hong Kong in his home town, and is now deep in post-production on the red-blooded action flick Invincible Dragon, staring Max Zhang (Ip Man 3, Spl 2) and former Ufc champion Anderson Silva. ScreenAnarchy was in attendance at Okinawa, where South Korean correspondent Pierce Conran and I sat down with Chan for a wide-ranging conversation about his career, his thoughts on the festival and the struggles of working in both the commercial and independent space. Fruit Chan: Everybody in the industry tells...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 5/31/2017
- Screen Anarchy
I don't think we've ever featured a title more fit to be given a group-review than Rupert Sanders' live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. A huge-scale re-imagining of several beloved source materials, the film is literally surrounded by expectations and controversy. The fact that it stars Scarlett Johansson has in itself already been a source of much (dis)content. Its box office so far is disappointing, culprits are sought, fingers pointed, and opinions differ. So what did we make of it, here at Screen Anarchy? Our Pierce Conran did the official review, and his take was actually a very positive one which you can read here. Others among us were decidedly less friendly towards it. Divisiveness in opinion is awesome, so once again we...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 4/6/2017
- Screen Anarchy
This weekend saw the worldwide roll-out of Rupert Sanders' live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, and it got mixed reviews (ours by Pierce Conran was quite positive). Most critics agree though, that despite the white-washing controversy surrounding the casting of Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi (whoops, spoiler apparently...), she is actually quite good in the role. It should not really have been a surprise, as she has managed a wide variety of roles in her career and, so far, has never had a serious misstep with them yet. Hell, we even made a quiz about her, a few years back. So tell us: what's your favorite performance by Scarlett Johansson? Was it a drama, was it a glamorous part, or was she an...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 4/3/2017
- Screen Anarchy
We are very pleased to debut the official poster for Under the Shadow, which is freaking me out just looking at it. Written and directed by Babak Anvari, the movie burst out of the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year on a wave of positive reviews. It's set in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, revolving around a mother and her daughter who must deal with ceaseless bombings as well as a mysterious presence in the building. The film has been making the festival rounds wordwide, and our own Pierce Conran shared his impressions from a screening at BiFan in Korea last month: With its perspicacious use of framing, tension and, of course, loud noises, [Under the Shadow] is equally concerned with presenting...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 8/9/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Magnolia Pictures & Amazon Studios have unveiled the official Us trailer for Park Chan-wook's latest film, The Handmaiden, a sensual crime thriller in Korea. The story is actually based on Sarah Waters' novel, titled Fingersmith, which is set in Victorian Era Britain, however Park Chan-wook decided to tell his version in Korea instead. Kim Min-hee stars as Lady Hideko, Ha Jung-woo as the conman who calls himself the Count, and Kim Tae-ri stars as the maid Sookee. It's a twisted tale of sex and crime, about a Korean maid hired to work for a Japanese heiress, but seduces her and ends up causing all kinds of trouble. There's so much more going on in this, and as expected from Park Chan-wook, it gets wicked in the second half. Enjoy. Here's the new Us trailer (+ poster) for Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden, in high def from Apple: For a...
- 7/29/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
This week sees Independence Day: Resurgence appear all over the world, and as fun as it sounds to see an Independence Day film in a 3D Imax, reports haven't exactly been favorable. Check Pierce Conran's review for example, which is... ouch. Still, it has Jeff Goldblum in it, so parts of it are bound to be worth seeing at least! There is always a peculiar pleasure in seeing him used right, and the shade of it remains whenever he is used wrong. Somehow his presence and line delivery make even the most dreadful films (and unfortunately he has a few...) bearable. So once again I'm going to use twelve pictures of one of my favourite thespians to make a quiz. Click through the images, and...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/24/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Director Kim Seong-hun (whose 2014 film A Hard Day has become part of the great pantheon of Korean crime thrillers) is back this year with a disaster film, Tunnel, and a new poster and the first teaser have been released. One of our Korean film expert Pierce Conran's most anticipated titles of the year, Tunnel features an all-star cast of heavyweight actors, certainly known to Korean cinephiles audiences: Bae Doo-na (Cloud Atlas, A Girl At My Door), Ha Jung-woo (The Yellow Sea, The Handmaiden), and Oh Dal-su (Veteran, Assassination). A man is on his way home to his family, when the badly-constructed tunnel he is driving through collapses, leaving him trapped. With draining battery power and a rescue effort that might end before it locates...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/9/2016
- Screen Anarchy
In a small town in Italy, a very special film festival is preparing to unfold under the sign of the tiger. The 18th edition of the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, will open on Friday, April 22 with the international premiere of Park Hoon-jung's The Tiger. Our own Pierce Conran had some issues with the film, but his review concluded: "There's no denying The Tiger is a singular, epic work with much to admire." The festival will also be featuring the animated debut of Johnnie To. It's "30 seconds of pure auteur beauty," also known as the festival trailer. To will also be present in behalf of gangster movie Trivisa, which he produced. On the closing night of the festival, Sammo Hung will...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 4/13/2016
- Screen Anarchy
"Reuniting almost exactly a year after filming the critically-acclaimed Right Now, Wrong Then, director Hong Sang-soo is currently shooting his new film with stars Kim Min-hee and Jung Jae-young," reports Pierce Conran for KoBiz. Also in today's roundup, we have the latest on Claire Denis's English-language science fiction debut, High Life, with Robert Pattinson, Patricia Arquette and Mia Goth and co-written with Zadie Smith and Nick Laird. Jonás Cuarón, who co-wrote Gravity and wrote and directed Desierto, has been tasked with bringing [Zorro back] to life. Martin Provost begins shooting La Sage Femme with Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet, Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are teaming up for a musical comedy—and much more. » - David Hudson...
- 2/9/2016
- Keyframe
"Reuniting almost exactly a year after filming the critically-acclaimed Right Now, Wrong Then, director Hong Sang-soo is currently shooting his new film with stars Kim Min-hee and Jung Jae-young," reports Pierce Conran for KoBiz. Also in today's roundup, we have the latest on Claire Denis's English-language science fiction debut, High Life, with Robert Pattinson, Patricia Arquette and Mia Goth and co-written with Zadie Smith and Nick Laird. Jonás Cuarón, who co-wrote Gravity and wrote and directed Desierto, has been tasked with bringing [Zorro back] to life. Martin Provost begins shooting La Sage Femme with Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet, Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are teaming up for a musical comedy—and much more. » - David Hudson...
- 2/9/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
Wanna win a Korean period thriller on Blu-ray? Well, TwitchFilm has teamed up with our pals at Well Go USA to give you the opportunity to win one of three copies of Choi Dong-Hoon's Assassination on Blu-ray just for sending an e-mail!I haven't seen the film yet, but our man in Korea, Pierce Conran, has, and he was generally positive about Assassination:Assassination is frequently compelling and packed with standout moments, including the sight of a heavily moustachioed Oh Dal-su chomping down on a cigar as he lets loose with a tommy gun in 1930s Shanghai. A brief appearance by a French Inspector Melville is also a nice nod to Choi's influences, and one can certainly detect a hint of Alain Delon in the film's central...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 12/2/2015
- Screen Anarchy
This week, the grand finale of The Hunger Games trilo-whoops-quadrilogy arrives in cinemas, with the adventures of reluctant heroine Katniss Everdeen coming to a close. Pierce Conran saw the ending and quite liked it, as he stated in his review. Katniss' target is the evil President Snow, as played by the force of nature known as... Donald Sutherland! The towering Canadian has been in films for over five decades now, and shows no signs of slowing down at eighty years of age. His gaze and his voice are often put to tremendous use, sometimes conveying heartfelt warmth, sometimes the most untrustworthy oiliness. He often shows nonchalance, and even that he manages to turn at will into a tool for portraying sympathy, carelessness, complacency, laziness, arrogance...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 11/20/2015
- Screen Anarchy
After 10 days of sunshine, rioja and fantastic films, Karyn Kusama's slow-burn psychological thriller The Invitation picked up the award for Best Feature at Sitges 2015 this past weekend, an honour I can heartily endorse. The Final Girls, directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, won two awards, for Best Screenplay and the Special Jury Award. Best Actress went to Pili Grogne for Brand New Testament, and Best Actor to Joel Edgerton for The Gift.TwitchFilm's own Pierce Conran served on the jury for the Focus Asia and Animat sections, which gave prizes to Veteran by Ryoo Seung-Wan and Miss Hokusai by Kelichi Hara.Other notable winners include I Am A Hero, which won the both the Audience Award and Best Special Effects; Turbo Kid, which was granted the Carnet...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/19/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Well Tiff is all wrapped up for another year and what a festival it was. We'll have a few more reviews rolling out over the coming days but already we've outdone ourselves. Here's a comprehensive list of everything written up followed by our thoughts on top picks below. What did you see and love? Tell us below. Features Preview: Galas & Special Presentations Preview: Midnight Madness & Vanguard Preview: Tiff Docs & Contemporary World Cinema Preview: Masters, Discovery, Platform & More The Witch Interview by Kurt Halfyard Reviews Anomalisa by Kurt Halfyard Bang Gang by Kurt Halfyard Baskin by Ryland Aldrich Beasts of No Nation by Kurt Halfyard Black Mass by Jason Gorber Black by Chase Whale Collective Invention by Pierce Conran Demolition by Jason...
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/23/2015
- Screen Anarchy
The 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival kicks off this Thursday and Team Twitch will be descending on South Korean suburbia once again to revel in Asia's largest celebration of global genre filmmaking. Pierce Conran, Chris O'Keeffe and I have been feverishly trawling through this year's epic line-up, and have singled out a few recommendations for those readers also hitting the glamorous streets of Bucheon between 16th and 26th July. Click through the gallery below to find our top picks from what we have already seen of this year's selections....
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 7/13/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Paul Feig's comedy Spy is out in cinemas, and getting lots of acclaim, also, perhaps surprisingly, from critics. Our Pierce Conran even said it may stake an early claim to being the summer's best comedy. And while it is of course mostly Melissa McCarthy's vehicle, the film works so well because she has some great supporting actors to bounce off of, sometimes literally, and among those is Jason Statham. Jason Statham does a great self-parody in Spy, and that is saying something. We were quipping over here at TwitchFilm HQ that we could make this the hardest quiz ever, just by showing Jason frowning with a gun, shorn almost bald, stubbled, and looking exactly the same as in nearly all his films. We decided not...
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/6/2015
- Screen Anarchy
The Cannes 2015 film festival is all wrapped up and while we'll have a few more reviews trickling in, here is a list of everything we've seen and written up so far. See below for our thoughts on the top (and bottom) picks of the festival that was. Reviews Amy Review by Ryland Aldrich Carol Review by Ben Croll Coin Locker Girl Review by Pierce Conran Dheepan Review by Jason Gorber Green Room Review by Ryland Aldrich Inside Out Review by Jason Gorber Irrational Man Review by Jason Gorber Krisha Review by Ben Croll Lobster Review by Jason Gorber Love Review by Jason Gorber Macbeth Review by Jason Gorber Mad Max: Fury Road Review by Jason Gorber Madonna Review by Pierce Conran Mediterranea Review by...
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 5/30/2015
- Screen Anarchy
From Raphael Deutsch at the Film Stage, we learn that the first film Oh Seung-uk has directed since his 2000 debut, Kilimanjaro, The Shameless, "follows a dirty homicide detective Jung (Kim Nam-Gil) who is ordered to find and cripple a mob enforcer Park (Park Sung-Woong) who murdered a fellow organized crime member. In order to find him he uses Park’s mistress Kim Hye-Kung (Jeon Do-yeon) to lure him out of hiding." It's "an investigative thriller, a moody noir, a brooding romance, a dark drama and an arthouse film all rolled into one," writes Pierce Conran at Twitch. We've got more reviews and the trailer. » - David Hudson...
- 5/18/2015
- Fandor: Keyframe
From Raphael Deutsch at the Film Stage, we learn that the first film Oh Seung-uk has directed since his 2000 debut, Kilimanjaro, The Shameless, "follows a dirty homicide detective Jung (Kim Nam-Gil) who is ordered to find and cripple a mob enforcer Park (Park Sung-Woong) who murdered a fellow organized crime member. In order to find him he uses Park’s mistress Kim Hye-Kung (Jeon Do-yeon) to lure him out of hiding." It's "an investigative thriller, a moody noir, a brooding romance, a dark drama and an arthouse film all rolled into one," writes Pierce Conran at Twitch. We've got more reviews and the trailer. » - David Hudson...
- 5/18/2015
- Keyframe
All good things must come to an end. And even though, at eleven days long, the 31st Imagine Film Festival Amsterdam was longer than ever, this weekend it still ended. Last Friday saw the awards ceremony, where Liza, the Fox-Fairy won the Silver Méliès Award. All festivals which are part of the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation (the Effff for short) give away a Silver Méliès, out of which, once a year, the Golden Méliès is chosen, meaning Liza, the Fox-Fairy is now officially nominated for gold. Aside from that, the Imagine Film Festival Amsterdam has its own independent prize as well: the Black Tulip Award, which went to Partho Sen-Gupta's Mumbai-based child abduction drama Sunrise. In his review, Pierce Conran called the ink-black...
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 4/22/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Two films by Bong Joon-ho are slated for adaptation. Snowpiercer will become an "erotic parody," reports Pierce Conran at Twitch, and Memories of Murder is headed for Korean television. Stephen Chow and Tsui Hark are in talks to collaborate on a sequel to the $215 million Chinese movie Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons. Woody Allen’s next film, featuring Joaquin Phoenix, Parker Posey, Emma Stone and Jamie Blackley, has a title: Irrational Man. Shooting begins on Whit Stillman's adaptation of Jane Austen's Lady Susan next month. And we've got more news of projects in the works. » - David Hudson...
- 2/2/2015
- Fandor: Keyframe
Two films by Bong Joon-ho are slated for adaptation. Snowpiercer will become an "erotic parody," reports Pierce Conran at Twitch, and Memories of Murder is headed for Korean television. Stephen Chow and Tsui Hark are in talks to collaborate on a sequel to the $215 million Chinese movie Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons. Woody Allen’s next film, featuring Joaquin Phoenix, Parker Posey, Emma Stone and Jamie Blackley, has a title: Irrational Man. Shooting begins on Whit Stillman's adaptation of Jane Austen's Lady Susan next month. And we've got more news of projects in the works. » - David Hudson...
- 2/2/2015
- Keyframe
The 19th Busan International Film Festival is primed to begin, highlighting the best in new Asian cinema and Korean indie. The festival, although somewhat Asia-centric also provides a very impressive array of world cinema; from festival favourites that have garnered respectable buzz throughout the year to worldwide premières.The gallery below lists just some of the exciting films playing across the different programming streams; World Cinema, Flash Forward and more.Stay tuned to Twitch for updated Busan content from myself and Pierce Conran....
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/2/2014
- Screen Anarchy
The Toronto Film Fest is all said and done for 2014 and again the Twitch team pumped out the reviews. You can find all our reviews here for your perusal and check out our top picks and misses in the gallery below. Previews Galas & Special Presentations Midnight Madness & Vanguard Tiff Docs & Contemporary World Cinema Discovery, Masters, and more Reviews '71 Review by Todd Brown Alive Review by Pierce Conran Big Game Review by Jason Gorber Cake Review by Ryland Aldrich Cart Review by Pierce Conran Charlie's Country Review by Jason Gorber Clouds of Sils Maria Review by Kurt Halfyard Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films Review by James Marsh Hector and the Search for Happiness Review by Kurt Halfyard...
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/19/2014
- Screen Anarchy
"Incessantly grim and pushing the three-hour mark, indie helmer Jung-bum Park's Alive (Sanda) is about as challenging a sophomore work as anyone could have dreamt up," begins Pierce Conran at Twitch. "And this from a man who debuted with the ferociously bleak The Journals of Musan (Musanigli), a tale of a socially awkward North Korean defector unable to fit into his new surroundings, and whose sole companion, a stray dog, meets a untimely end, leaving his helpless master to fend for himself." We're collecting more reviews as they come in from Locarno and Toronto. » - David Hudson...
- 9/12/2014
- Keyframe
"Incessantly grim and pushing the three-hour mark, indie helmer Jung-bum Park's Alive (Sanda) is about as challenging a sophomore work as anyone could have dreamt up," begins Pierce Conran at Twitch. "And this from a man who debuted with the ferociously bleak The Journals of Musan (Musanigli), a tale of a socially awkward North Korean defector unable to fit into his new surroundings, and whose sole companion, a stray dog, meets a untimely end, leaving his helpless master to fend for himself." We're collecting more reviews as they come in from Locarno and Toronto. » - David Hudson...
- 9/12/2014
- Fandor: Keyframe
The 19th Busan International Film Festival hits South Korea early next month, and it brings with it a sharper focus and a dynamic program that still remains faithful to the diverse offerings from niche Asian regions.The gallery below lists the prominent Window on Asia stream's key films that I am particularly eager to see, there is a little spillage from Venice and Toronto, but these quality titles remain exciting nevertheless.Window on Asian Cinema is just one stream in this mammoth festival. It contains a smorgasbord of mainstream and independent, brand new and recent films from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Philippines, Iraq, Iran, Taiwan, Nepal, Malaysia, Myanmar and more.Stay tuned to Twitch for more in-focus previews from myself and Pierce Conran....
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/4/2014
- Screen Anarchy
The 19th Busan International Film Festival hits South Korea early next month, and it brings with it a sharper focus and a dynamic program that still remains faithful to the diverse offerings from niche Asian regions.The festival opens 2nd October with Taiwanese war drama Paradise in Service and closes on the 13th with Hong Kong crime comedy Gangster Pay Day. Actress Moon So-ri and actor Ken Watanabe will be overseeing opening proceedings while Anthony Wong and Charlene Choi close things out in style.Other gala title include master Im Kwon-taek's 102nd feature Revivre (read Pierce Conran's review of the film here) and Ann Hui's tragic period drama The Golden Era.Over ten days, three hundred titles from seventy nine countries will permeate South Korea's second largest city. The festival focuses on...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/4/2014
- Screen Anarchy
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