Director Kim Jee Woon 김지운 Kim Ji Woon

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Thanks to willenette for the highlight at EverythingLBH *fabulous sharing!*

Lots of NOMs for GBW at the upcoming AFA!

January 21, 2009

Cowboys and Indians chase after the AFAs

Written by Marcus Lim

OFFICIAL WEBSITE asianfilmawards.org

HONG KONG – Korean Western "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" leads the list of nominations for this year's Asian Film Awards.

Film, about a chase for treasure through the wilderness of Manchuria, collected 8 noms, including best feature film, best director and best cinematography, as well as a two way nod for Jung Woo-sung and Lee Byung-hun in the best supporting actor category.

Other best film contenders include Chen Kaige's "Forever Enthralled," Hayao Miyazaki's "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea," Riri Riza's "The Rainbow Troops, "Red Cliff" and "Tokyo Sonata."

The kudosfest also announced the creation of a best newcomer category to augment the existing acting awards.

The nominations were announced Wednesday by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS), organizers of the AFA.

In a nod to the award's pan-Asian ambitions, the nominations this year also included a significant Bollywood contingent. Comedian Akshay Kumar and actress Deepika Padukone both received nods for their respective turns in "Singh is Kinng" and "Chandni Chowk to China," while Hindi period epic "Jodhaa Akbar" came up for contention in the production design and composer categories.

Local Hong Kong films, however, were significantly shut out of the major creative categories. With the exception of favorite son John Woo ("Red Cliff") running for the best director prize, and Nick Cheung stalking the best supporting actor category for his performance in Emperor Motion Pictures' crime thriller "Beast Stalker," no other Hong Konger or Hong Kong film was nominated in the acting, directing or best film categories.

The jury that will select the eventual winners is given some star power with former Bond-girl and "Crouching Tiger" alumnus Michelle Yeoh presiding over the panel.

The 13-member jury includes Peggy Chiao, chair of Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards, as well as Kong Rithdee, Thailand correspondent for Variety.

The AFA will be held in Hong Kong, March 23.

NOMINATIONS FOR THE 3RD ASIAN FILM AWARDS

Best Film

Forever Enthralled (China)

The Good, The Bad, The Weird (South Korea)

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Japan)

The Rainbow Troops (Indonesia)

Red Cliff (China)

Tokyo Sonata (Japan/The Netherlands/Hong Kong)

Best Director

Feng Xiaogang, "If you are the one"

Kim Jee-woon, "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"

Koreeda Hirokazu, "Still Walking"

Brillante Mendoza, "Service"

Hayao Miyazaki/Frank Marshall, "Ponyo on the Cliff by the sea"

John Woo, "Red Cliff"

Best Actor

Ge You, "If you are the one"

Ha Jung-woo, "The Chaser"

Akshay Kumar, "Singh is Kinng"

Matsuyama Kenichi, "Detroit Metal City"

Motoki Masahiro, "Departures"

Song Kang-ho, "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"

Best Actress

Fukatsu Eri, "The Magic Hour"

Jiang Wenli, "And the Spring Comes"

Deepika Padukone, "Chandni Chowk to China"

Yoshinaga Sayuri, "Kabei – our Mother"

Zhou Wei, "Painted Skin"

Zhou Xun, "The Equation of Love and Death"

Best Newcomer

Matsuda Shota, "Boys Over Flowers: the Movie"

Sandrine Pinna, "Miao Miao"

So Ji-sub, "Rough Cut"

Xu Jian, "CJ7"

Jeeja Yanin, "Chocolate"

Yu Shaoqun, "Forever Enthralled"

Best Supporting Actor

Nick Cheung, "Beast Stalker"

Jung Woo-sung, "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"

Lee Byung-hun, "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"

Tsutsumi Shinichi, "Suspect X"

Wang Xueqi, "Forever Enthralled"

Best Supporting Actress

Aoi Yu, "Sex Is No Laughing Matter"

Jaclyn Jose, "Service"

Kiki Kirin, "Still Walking"

Kim Ji-yeong, "Forever the Moment"

Gina Pareno, "Service"

Best Screenwriter

Na Hong-jin, "The Chaser"

Li Qiang, "And the Spring Comes"

Tom Lin/Henry Tsai, "Winds of September"

Kurosawa Kiyoshi/Max Mannix/Tanaka Sachiko, "Tokyo Sonata"

Mitani Koki, "The Magic Hour"

Best Cinematographer

Ato Shoichi, "Paco and the Magical Book"

Cheng Siu-keung, "Sparrow"

Lee Mo-gae, "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"

Jola Dylewska, "Tulpan"

Wang Yu/Nelson Yu, "24 City"

Best Production Designer

Nitin Chandrakant Desai, "Jodhaa Akbar"

Kuwajima Towako, "Paco and the Magical Book"

Daniel Lee Yan-kong, "Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon"

Bill Lui, "Painted Skin"

Taneda Yohei, "The Magic Hour"

Best Composer

Dalpalan/Jang Young-gyu, "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"

Hanno Yoshihiro/ Lim Giong, "24 City"

Hisaishi Joe, "Ponyo on the Cliff by the sea"

Henry Lai Wan-man, "Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon"

A.R. Rahman, "Jodhaa Akbar"

Best Editor

Chan Ki-hop, "Beast Stalker"

William Chang Suk-ping, "Miao Miao"

Darya Danilova, "Native Dancer"

Waluyo Ichwandiardono, "The Rainbow Troops"

Kim Sun-min, "The Chaser"

Best Visual Effects

Craig Hayes, "Red Cliff"

Kim Wook, "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"

Yanagawase Masahide, "Paco and the Magical Book"

Source: Variety Asia , thanks to willenette for the highlight

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January 22, 2009

S. Korean western nominated for best film at Hong Kong festival

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's spaghetti western "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" will be competing for the top prize at Hong Kong's upcoming Asian Film Awards (AFA), event organizers said Thursday.

Established in 2007 by the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the AFA spans the full range of genres by Asian filmmakers. The event kicks off on March 23, coinciding with the opening night of Hong Kong's main film festival.

"The Good, the Bad, the Weird," directed by Kim Jee-woon, has been well received by audiences in and out of the country, debuting at the Cannes Film Festival and drawing the largest number of viewers at home last year. The comic movie, inspired by Italian director Sergio Leone's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," depicts a battle between three men over a supposed treasure map in 1930s' Japanese-occupied Manchuria.

The movie has been nominated in eight categories, including best film and best director.

Kim's film will be competing against Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki's animation "Ponyo on the Cliff," Chinese director John Woo's historical epic "Red Cliff" and Chen Kaige's "Forever Enthralled," which depicts the life story of the late Chinese opera performer Mei Lanfang. The drama "Tokyo Sonata," which spans the globe from Tokyo and the Netherlands to Hong Kong, will also be competing, as will Indonesia's "The Rainbow Troops." Woo and Miyazaki are also competing against Kim for best director.

South Korean actor Song Kang-ho, who won best actor at the AFA 2007, has again been nominated in the category for his performance in "The Good, the Bad, the Weird." He will be competing against Ha Jung-woo ("My Dear Enemy"), another Korean actor, China's Ge You, Indonesia's Akshay Kumar, and Japan's Kenichi Matsuyama and Masahiro Motoki.

The winners will be announced at the ceremony in Hong Kong on March 23.

Credits: hayney@yna.co.kr via yonhapnews, poster from empas.com

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Source: heraldbiz.com

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January 23, 2009: News from Abroad

By APA Staff

The Good, the Bad, and the Weird gets a fistful of nominations

Korea's The Good, The Bad, and the Weird has received eight nominations for the Asian Film Awards -- the most of any film this year. The film, a Korean western, was directed by Kim Ji-Woon and stars prominent actors Jung Woo-Sung, Lee Byung-Hun, and Song Kang-Ho in the their respective title roles. Song Kang-Ho received a nomination for Best Actor while his two co-stars each received one for Best Supporting Actor. Other nominations include Best Film, Best Director (Kim Ji-Woon), Best Cinematographer (Lee Mo-Gae), Best Composer (Dalpalan/Jang Young-Kyu), and Best Visual Effects (Kim Wook). The awards will be presented on March 23 in Hong Kong. --Frederick Stiehl

Source: asiaarts.ucla.edu

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Our thanks to piano_lady (appreciate the images, Merci!), lilcrash and kdramafanusa at 45th Baeksang-soompi thread, original info from isplus.com

45th Baeksang 2009

The 45th Baeksang (Paeksang) Art Awards 2009 is being brought forward 2 months earlier than its usual April date, taking place on February 27th instead. The delightful Kimchi-western 'The Good, The Bad, The Weird' is definitely up for several nominations in major categories which includes the Best Movie, Best Director and Best Actor consideration of a confirmed & deserving recognition.. most hopefully.

Nom Nom Nom Fighting!

More at the Baeksang thread, obviously. ^^

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Looks like 'A Tale of Two Sisters' is inspiring something good..

February 2, 2009

Remake of Korean Movie at No. 2 in U.S.

"The Uninvited," a Hollywood remake of the Korean film "A Tale of Two Sisters" attracted the second largest audience in North America on the day of its release.

The film, which was released last Friday in 2,344 cinemas across the U.S., raked in US$4.3 million on the day, coming in second after "Taken," which took $9.5 million.

"A Tale of Two Sisters" was written and directed by Kim Jee-woon. In the remake directed by the Guard brothers, Charles and Thomas, Elizabeth Banks ("Spider 3") plays Rachel in the Lim Soo-jung role in the original. Arielle Kebbel ("American Pie Presents Band Camp") plays Alex, the Moon Geun-young part.

"The Uninvited" is released by Paramount Pictures.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

[Guest huangsy]

short film, Present, http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=273300

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February 3, 2009

Remake of Korean thriller scores better-than-expected run in U.S.

"The Uninvited," a Hollywood remake of the Korean thriller "A Tale of Two Sisters" scaled up to third spot at the U.S. box office last weekend with $10.3 million.

Although the film did not get entirely positive reviews from the American media, the weekend figures represent the best box-office performance for a remake of a Korean movie in the North America market.

"A Tale of Two Sisters," directed by Kim Jee-woon, chronicles a troubled teen and her potentially evil stepmother. The film propelled Lim Soo-jung and Moon Geun-young into instant stardom when it was released in 2003.

The remake, directed by British filmmakers the Guard brothers, stars Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel and Elizabeth Banks.

Twenty five Korean movies have so far sold their remake rights to Hollywood studios, but only four, including "The Uninvited," have actually become formal releases.

Source: insight@heraldm.com

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/dat...00902030098.asp

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February 6, 2009

Jung Woo-sung and Kim A-jung join Kim Jee-woon

Director KIM Jee-woon has cast star actors JUNG Woo-sung and KIM A-jung for his short film Seonmool (English translation: present). JUNG and KIM will play a couple who encounter misfortune when they are to celebrate JUNG’s character’s birthday.

The ten minute short melodrama has a budget of KRW 50 million, and starts filming on 3 February in a hotel and restaurant in Gangnam, southern Seoul.

KIM is the director of last year’s blockbuster The Good, the Bad, and the Weird. He gained fame with his earlier films The Quiet Family and A Tale of Two Sisters.

JUNG worked with KIM on The Good, the Bad, and the Weird. He also starred in Musa: The Warrior and A Moment to Remember.

Seonmool is KIM’s comeback after three years. KIM is the star of 200 Pounds Beauty.

Credits: Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC), image from empas.com

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Our thanks to ylin/roger-bhjwlove.com for the highlight, clip from Luckytosee

[On Style] Project J 놈놈놈編 Jung Woo Sung

February 5, 2009

Jung Woo-sung's daily life aired on TV

A documentary about actor Jung Woo-sung was shown on On Style. On Style is a cable television channel. "Jung Woo-sung's Project J" aired on Jan. 23 and 30. The documentary showed Jung's daily life. It also shows how Jung works *behind the screen. Jung debuted as an actor. But now he does many different activities. He is a producer and a business man. Last year he launched a cosmetic brand. Fans will also see how Jung spends his spare time.

Interviews with Jung's friends were also aired. Through the interview, people got to know more about Jung -more of Jung as a "person" not as a "celebrity." His close friends include actors Park Joong-hoon and Lee Byung-hun. Photographer Jo Sun-hee is also close with Jung.

By Yeom Min-a (mina@heraldm.com) via koreaherald.co.kr

^ Recent gathering of Dir. KJW and his NomNomNom

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March 13, 2009

Kim Ji Woon - Irony with Style

Written by James Mudge

The continuing popularity of Korean Cinema around the world has seen a number of directors thrust into the international limelight, notably the likes of Park Chan Wook and Bong Joon Ho. However, perhaps the most successful of these newly crowned industry leaders has been their countryman Kim Ji Woon, one of the few Korean, or indeed Asian filmmakers to have consistently seen his work enjoy box office success not only at home but also abroad with his on target blend of eccentric originality and commercial acumen. A writer-director who has rapidly become known for his visual craftsmanship and storytelling skills, Kim has won over the critics as well as audiences, having become a regular at international film festivals and having claimed a number of prestigious awards. Even more impressively, he has done this by switching between a wide variety of genres, never being afraid to try his hand at something new and proving himself equally comfortable with comedy, horror, or action. His chameleon-like ability to innovate and breathe fresh life into tired forms was exemplified by his latest work,The Good, the Bad, the Weird, the first ever "kimchi western".

Although Kim has found success with different types of films, the director himself prefers to think that he works with themes rather than rigid genre conventions and definitions. As such, despite their disparate premises, his works can all be tied together, chiefly by the helmer's fondness for finding a certain sense of irony in any given situation or character, whether it be comic, tragic, or deeply humanistic. A lack of communication between people is a subject which often drives his films, at times between different groups or generations, and at times with his protagonists simply being unable to know or understand themselves. Another key characteristic of Kim's films is his keen eye for detail and immaculate sense of presentation. In addition to writing and directing, Kim has also been involved in the set design and production of his films, as well as the choice of music. This level of control and perfectionism, coupled with his obvious knowledge of and love for the rich history of the medium and its many masters, has resulted in a wonderfully cinematic style.

From the Stage to the Screen

Born May 27, 1964 in Seoul, Kim Ji Woon actually started his career on the stage. Although he entered Seoul Institute of the Arts, he soon left to begin work in the theatre, initially as an actor and then as a stage director. These beginnings clearly had an influence on his later film work, as he retained a meticulous approach to all aspects of his productions, apparently still using storyboards to plan shooting schedules.

Kim made the leap to the silver screen with his 1998 debut feature The Quiet Family. The film was actually based upon his second ever script, which had won him top prize in a local screenwriting competition. The film was a dark farce which follows the odd fortunes of the Kang family, who attempt to escape from the pressures of modern urban living by buying an isolated rural inn. After a long period without any guests, a mysterious stranger turns up and takes room for the night, then promptly commits suicide. Terrified of attracting bad publicity, the older members of the family decide to bury the corpse in the woods rather than report it. Unfortunately this sets in motion a chain of events and a rapidly increasing number of cadavers for them to deal with as they desperately try to keep their hotel running.

Kim brought a charming innocence to the morbid subject matter that recalls Capra's classic Arsenic and Old Lace. His script was slyly amusing and avoided the kind of gruesome slapstick that might have been expected, taking a cynical delight in the ironic manner in which pretty much everything imaginable goes wrong despite the family's best efforts - a theme which he would return to in his later works. Kim took a controlled approach to his direction, working in plenty of skillful camera work, including some wonderful long shots and complex crane work. The film received a boost from his imaginative choice of music, which included songs from a number of American bands, including The Stray Cats, Love and Rockets and even The Partridge Family, whose "I Think I Love You" plays during a suitably inappropriate moment.

The film proved successful, in part thanks to its amazing cast, which included Song Kang Ho (who went on to become one of Korea's most popular actors, starring in The Host, and Kim's The Foul King and The Good, the Bad, the Weird), Choi Min Sik (who played the title role in Park Chan Wook's Old Boy and starred in a number of other Korean blockbusters such as Shiri) and Jung Jae Young. Its popularity saw it enjoy a fruitful run at international festivals, with Kim winning awards and nominations at Stiges and Fantasporto. The appeal of the film was underlined a few years later in 2001, when Japanese auteur Takashi Miike remade it as The Happiness of the Katakuris, though arguably to lesser effect.

Wrestling with Comedy

With The Foul King in 2001, Kim stuck with comedy, though of a very different kind. Again with Song Kang Ho in the lead, the film revolves around a meek bank clerk called Dae Ho who decides to train as a wrestler to escape from the pressures of his work and to find a way of overcoming his bullying boss. He takes on the mantle and mask of a legendary wrestler famed for his cheating ways, and as his skills slowly improve, he gradually reclaims his life, becoming a public sensation in the process.

Despite its premise, The Foul King is not a spoof, and contains surprisingly little in the way of slapstick. Whilst certainly a comedy, and a funny one at that, the film has many layers of depth, with Dae Ho's journey providing an exploration of the intensely competitive and aggressive modern Korea, where "only the strong survive" is an oft-repeated mantra. As such, the film is part underdog character drama and part superhero tale, as his wrestling career develops into a second life and he tries to keep his identity hidden. The irony of a shy, bumbling bank teller hiding behind the mask of a ferocious brawler drives the film, and Kim plays upon this for maximum effect, never taking the easy route, and ensuring that Dae Ho remains a believable and intensely sympathetic figure.

His exploits certainly struck a chord with local audiences, as the film was a massive box office hit, racking up more than two million ticket sales and giving Kim his first real blockbuster. The film also enjoyed a successful tour of festivals around the world, winning Kim Best Director at Milan and the Audience Award at Udine, underlining the universal appeal of its message.

In 2001 Kim took another shot at comedy with the short film Coming Out, returning to the horror-tinged laughs of The Quiet Family with the tale of a man whose sister asks him to videotape her confession, only to find out that she is in fact a vampire. This unexpected "coming out" makes for amusing viewing, anchored by effective character development and the obvious fun Kim has playing with the conventions of the form.

Tragic Ghosts

This can be seen as a precursor to Kim's first proper foray into the horror genre, which came in 2002 with Memories, his contribution to the anthology piece Three, an ambitious pan-Asian omnibus that also featured the work of directors Nimibutr Nonzee and Peter Chan. For the first time Kim eschewed humor, with a minimalist piece that begins with a husband (played by Jung Bo Suk) being tortured by disturbing visions of his missing wife (Kim Hye Su). The focus shifts to the wife as she wakes up in the middle of a deserted road with no memory of how she got there. Picking herself up she heads home, using clues in her belongings and hazy memories to guide her. The closer she gets to the apartment, the worse her husband's nightmares become.

Memories is easily the most effective segment of Three, with Kim stripping the horror experience down to its bare essentials for a genuinely creepy experience. With an eerie atmosphere that recalls the classic Carnival of Souls, and a number of well-judged scares peppered throughout its short running time, it keeps the viewer gripped through to its predictable, though nicely handled twist ending. Kim makes the short a highly visual affair, with almost no dialogue, shifting between different shooting styles and mediums to maintain an air of unease.

Kim made his horror feature debut the following year with A Tale of Two Sisters, an adaptation of a Joseon-era folk tale called Janghwa Hongryeon. The plot is updated to a contemporary setting, as two young sisters called Su Mi (Lim Soo Jung, who won the Best New Actress prize at the Blue Dragon Awards for her amazing performance) and Su Yeon (Moon Geun Young) return to their rural home after spending time in a psychiatric hospital. Their odd stepmother is clearly uncomfortable with their presence, switching between forced kindness and acts of cruelty. With their father seemingly unwilling to do anything, things gradually deteriorate, not least due to the fact that the house seems to be haunted by a ghost.

Although released during the height of the modern Asian ghost boom inspired by the likes of Ringu and The Eye, the film takes a different, far more psychologically grounded and ambiguous approach. Indeed, its horrors are far more complex than in the vast majority of its peers, with Kim keeping the viewer guessing as to whether or not the supernatural events are real, or merely hallucinations, and if so, from which character's perspective they are being seen. With a melancholy mood throughout, the film is in essence a tragedy, made clear by the devastating ironic twist ending, exploring themes of self-delusion and guilt. At the same time, Kim wisely never ignores the basic need for a horror film to be frightening, and he keeps the scares coming thick and fast, with some memorable scenes involving a bedroom ghost and a mysterious bloody sack. However, it is the film's visual design and sets that perhaps stick in the memory the most, with the house being a stunning creation, meticulously brought to creepy life through its creaking wooden floors, off-color wallpaper, and endless number of shadowy nooks and crannies.

A Tale of Two Sisters was a huge hit at the Korean box office, pulling in more than three million viewers. After a wave of critical approval and success at international festivals, winning Kim yet more prizes at the likes of Fant-Asia, Stiges and Fantasporto, the film received a big screen release in most international markets - a rare achievement for a Korean production. Being hailed by many as the very best of the modern Asian ghost films, it was unsurprisingly picked up for a Hollywood remake by Dreamworks, which recently opened in cinemas as The Uninvited a rather confusing choice, sharing its title with another Korean horror starring popular actress Jeon Ji Hyun, which has itself been chosen for a Western remake.

La Dolce Vita

2005 saw another apparent change of pace for Kim with his neo-noir thriller A Bittersweet Life, which followed a gangster who runs into trouble with his boss after falling for his woman. Again, this simplistic sounding premise sets the scene for drama which, though admirably streamlined and free from needless subplots, runs deep with heartfelt feeling. Taking its title and cue from La Dolce Vita, Fellini's 1960 classic, the film was influenced by the works of French auteur Jean-Pierre Melville, with Kim drawing upon his use of cynical, detached protagonists and minimalist narratives. Indeed, as with his previous works, the film features many long, silent stretches, with meaning and motive being imparted visually or through the body language of the cast. For the lead, Kim chose acclaimed actor Lee Byung Hun, who turned in an excellent performance, managing to convey complex emotions and inner turmoil through glances and subtle movements. As a result, the film is a moving affair, catching viewers off-guard with its sadness and sense of loss.

Thematically, although many lazy critics were quick to compare it with Park Chan Wook's Old Boy, mainly due to its scenes of stylized bloody violence, the film actually has much in common with A Tale of Two Sisters, again featuring a confused protagonist who suffers as a result of a lack of self-knowledge and acceptance. This ironic conflict drives the film, and gives it a unique feel, with Kim refusing to throw viewers the kind of easy answers and neat character developments that they may be more used to in commercial cinema. Indeed, Lee Byung Hun's sentimental thug is something of a mythic figure, cutting through the ranks of his enemies in a manner not unlike that of Clint Eastwood in a Sergio Leone western - interestingly foreshadowing Kim's next outing. Visually, the film is gorgeous, with superb use of low-key colors and light that give it a classical feel. Unlike so many of his peers, Kim's direction is restrained and free from flashy techniques, though at the same time supremely accomplished.

The film was another critical and commercial hit for Kim, further cementing his status as one of the best and indeed most bankable directors in modern Korean Cinema. Winning well-deserved awards for its acting, the film saw a worldwide release and was invited to the Cannes Film Festival, where it screened out of competition to great praise.

Kimchi Western

Unsurprisingly, Kim's latest film saw him delving into yet another genre with the 2008 release The Good, the Bad, the Weird. As can be gleamed from the title, the film pays tribute to the iconic western The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly by Sergio Leone, a director he had long admired and whose works he had frequently referenced. Of course, with this being a Korean production, the film was labeled a "kimchi western" rather than a "spaghetti western" - underlining not only its nationality but also the sense of dynamism and spice that Kim injected into the proceedings. With a cast that boasted three of the industry's biggest names, the film represented somewhat of a change of pace for the director, being far more upbeat and action packed than his last few rather melancholic outings.

Shifting the action to the badlands of Manchuria in the 1930s, where many Koreans fled to escape the cruel Japanese occupation of their homeland, the film opens as eccentric bandit Dae Goo (Song Kang Ho) robs a train, snatching a treasure map from under the nose of rival outlaw Chang Yi (Lee Byung Hun). Dae Goo falls foul of bounty hunter Do Won (Jung Woo Sung), though the two decide to head off to find the treasure together, pursued not only by the psychotic Chang Yi but also by the Japanese army and hordes of other rival bandits.

Although it is fairly obvious which of the three main characters are the titular good, bad, and weird, all three are fascinating figures with their own backstory and motivations. As such, the plot is gripping, with Kim adding a surprising amount of emotional depth and ironic character reversals that give more meaning to the spectacle and violence. The film is certainly exciting, being filled with shootouts and thrilling chase scenes, and Kim keeps things moving along at a fast pace. His stylish direction makes the most of the epic desert vistas, as well as giving the action an exhilarating sense of danger, and the film makes for supremely entertaining viewing, marking perhaps his most commercially accessible outing to date. It certainly proved popular with domestic audiences, emerging as the biggest box office hit of the year, and again enjoyed similar success overseas, premiering at Cannes and being released on big screens around the world.

Few directors from anywhere in the world can boast such consistency, and having proved himself equally capable in every genre, Kim now stands at the very top of his profession, loved by audiences and critics alike. It is uncertain what form his next project will take, though whether it be comedy, drama, action, horror, or indeed anything else, viewers can be assured of being entertained by his trademark meticulous visual style and slyly ironic take on humanity.

Credits: YumCha! yesasia

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Not too sure.. sort of..

GBW Visual Book (Gift with the movie DVD?) with Dir. KJW's signature

Copied from GBW-cafe.daum [X] [X] [X]

Please click to enlarge captures ^^

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March 22, 2009

Korean Western top contender at Asian Film Awards

The Associated Press

HONG KONG: A South Korean Western is the top contender at the third Asian Film Awards — a rare gathering of movie talent from China to Bollywood that will feature Oliver Stone and William Hurt as presenters.

Kim Jee-won's "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" is up for eight awards in 13 categories, including best film and best director for Kim. Song Kang-ho, who won best actor at the 2007 awards, was nominated again, and co-stars Jung Woo-sung and Lee Byung-hun are contending for best supporting actor.

Kim and Jung are scheduled to attend Monday's event, along with best director nominee John Woo, Japan's Masahiro Motoki, star of the Oscar best foreign film winner "Departures," and Chinese actresses Zhou Xun and Zhao Wei, both nominated as best actress.

Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra will receive The Nielsen Box Office Award presented by trade publication The Hollywood Reporter.

"Platoon" director Stone will present the best director prize. It wasn't immediately clear which awards that Hurt and "The Last Emperor" star Joan Chen will give away. The winners were chosen by a panel of 13 judges chaired by former Bond girl Michelle Yeoh, who will also be on hand Monday.

Also competing for best picture are Chen Kaige's Peking Opera biopic "Forever Enthralled," famed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's "Ponyo on the Cliff," Woo's Chinese historical epic "Red Cliff," the Japan-Netherlands-Hong Kong family drama "Tokyo Sonata" and Indonesia's "The Rainbow Troops."

Woo and Miyazaki were also nominated for best director. The other nominees are China's Feng Xiaogang for the romance "If You Are the One," Japan's Hirokazu Koreeda for "Still Walking" and Brillante Mendoza for the Philippine movie "Service."

In the best actor category, Song is competing against China's Ge You, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, South Korea's Ha Jung-woo and Japanese actors Motoki and Kenichi Matsuyama ("Detroit Metal City"). Kumar was nominated for "Singh is Kinng," a comedy about an Indian villager who travels to Australia to persuade a fellow villager-turned-gangster to return. Ha was named for the action thriller "The Chaser," about a serial killer on the run.

Zhao and Zhou are competing in the best actress category against compatriot Jiang Wenli, Japan's Eri Fukatsu and Sayuri Yoshinaga and India's Deepika Padukone. Zhao starred in the ghost thriller "Painted Skin," Zhou played a taxi driver searching for her missing boyfriend in "The Equation of Love and Death" and Padukone appeared in "Chandni Chowk to China," about an Indian cook who travels to China.

Source: International Herald Tribune

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Can't seem to find a full version online (if I'm not mistaken, it's apparently 26 minutes long), but here are teasers and a BTS vid for KJW's short film "Present" (선물) starring Jung WooSung and Kim AhJoong.

http://www.chcgv.com/movie/special_view.asp?idx=24

Teaser: http://img.chcgv.com/images/movie/special/20090313/f_vod.wmv [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMluQdLuhoI|Streaming|Streaming|Streaming]

http://www.wkorea.com/wfeature/interview/i...&ins_no=285

http://www.wkorea.com/wstyle/fashionflash/fashionflash.asp

Teaser: http://www.wkorea.com/inmagazine/images/09...320_gift_01.flv [Streaming]

BTS/Interview: http://www.wkorea.com/inmagazine/images/09...320_gift_02.flv [Streaming]

Stills/Screencaps:

http://cafe.daum.net/goodbadweird/92pG/890

http://cafe.daum.net/goodbadweird/92pG/898

http://cafe.daum.net/goodbadweird/92pG/899

http://cafe.daum.net/goodbadweird/92pG/902

http://cafe.daum.net/goodbadweird/92pG/905

http://cafe.daum.net/goodbadweird/92pG/908

http://cafe.daum.net/goodbadweird/92oC/1599

http://blog.naver.com/bluesea0304/50044301084

http://blog.naver.com/sktnrigh/20064309685

http://blog.naver.com/buddhkun2/70044865931

http://blog.naver.com/corrine18/120066227145

http://blog.naver.com/w_purify/40064028883

http://blog.naver.com/hee5407511/100063228082

http://blog.naver.com/krayzie99/70043370385

http://blog.naver.com/krayzie99/70043370123

http://blog.naver.com/krayzie99/70043369709

http://blog.naver.com/krayzie99/70043369402

[rubie]

Thanks melusine-ssi for Dir. Kim's short movie 'Present'.. really appreciate the sharing. 26 minutes total is much better than the 10-min update earlier on. :blush:

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Monday, April 6, 2009

Movie Review: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

For a couple of years now I've been pining to see a South Korean film titled "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" by famous Korean director Ji-woon Kim. After keeping an eye on the local art house theater it became obvious the film was never going to see even a limited release in the states. So I took matters into my own hands and "obtained" a copy of the flick this last weekend.

I'm a big fan of Sergio Leone's western films so the idea of a Korean remake of "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" was instantly appealing. Leone was strongly influenced by Japanese master Akira Kurosawa, to the extent that Kurosawa actually sued Leone over "A Few Dollars More" because it was so clearly a remake of Kurosawa's samurai film "Yojimbo."

So we have Japanese cinema influencing an Italian director mixing that influence with Hollywood westerns and having that product being remade by a hot Korean director. How could you not want to see that?

Before I go any further- this is a great movie. You know the movie that "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull" tried to be? A rollicking, action flick with kickass scenes that left your mouth gaping open at how cool they were? That's this movie instead.

The bare bones of the original are here. Instead of hidden confederate gold we have an unspecified treasure, the map to which every character in the movie is after. There are also secret personal scores, opposing armies (Japanese vs. Chinese Independence) and the famous three-way showdown at the climax.

There's also a hodgepodge of elements of other spaghetti westerns, martial arts flicks, Mad Max movies, the aforementioned Indiana Jones films and director Kim even riffs off his own films in a couple of scenes.

Woo-sung Jung plays the Clint Eastwood "Blondie" roll from the original film. He's a bounty hunter and a total badass with his Winchester repeating rifle.

Byung-hun Lee plays the Lee Van Cleef roll of The Bad. He oozes charismatic evil. There is simply nothing that breathes and moves that he won't kill just for the hell of it.

As I understand it Kang-ho Song who plays The Weird in this movie is a comedic actor and it shows. He has several laugh out loud scenes, usually when someone is trying to kill him.

Just a quick note on a couple of incredible action scenes in this movie. The first is the opening train robbery scene. This thing is staged perfectly with the camera literally everywhere. This is the scene you'll hear most people talking about when they discuss this movie.

The scene that had me personally cheering was a chase/ action sequence at the end of the film involving at least two armies, several different groups of bandits and anyone else they they could think to throw into the mix that was as good, if not better, than anything CGI addicted Hollywood has produced in the last twenty years. Most remarkably it was done without the use of computers and through traditional stunt work. I wouldn't doubt for a second if stuntmen and horses were seriously hurt during the filming of this sequence.

I do have a few minor quibbles. There really isn't much story here other than the quest for the map. What story they do have is occasionally convoluted. But in the end the rest of the film is just so darned good it doesn't matter.

I give this film the Wormer seal of approval.

Credits to Dean Wormer via atomicromance.blogspot.com

[rubie]

April 10, 2009

[movie REVIEW] Remake of Korean horror scarier

Malevolence rather than melancholy is the order of business in the Guard Brother's remake of Kim Ji-Woon's haunting horror opus, "A Tale of Two Sisters."

The American remake is a remorseless Senecan tragedy that sacrifices the air of bittersweet sadness of Kim's original.

"The Uninvited" is not so much a remake of the 2003 Korean film as a loosely based version. While the twist from the original remains, the American version comes with an added surprise - a surprise terrifying enough to send chills down your spine. The film is more plot-driven than its Korean predecessor and makes effective use of a subplot which involves an unsolved murder mystery the two sisters begin to unravel. It is also more bombastic than the atmospheric original.

The Guard Brothers make good use of a MacGuffin in the halfway mark of the film to set up that bonus twist. Reactions from fanboys of the original will undoubtedly be negative. Why? Probably because it just isn't the original, and because of the filmmakers' decision to jettison the moody nuance of the original for a more labyrinthine, malicious story.

But just because a film is remade doesn't mean it should be an exact copy. Half the fun of watching remakes is to see how different they are from their original incarnation. The foundation of the plot is intact in "The Uninvited." At the start we're introduced to troubled teen Anna, played by 20-year-old Aussie Emily Browning, as she prepares to be released from a psychiatric institution.

After witnessing the death of her terminally ill mother and being saved from a previous suicide attempt, Anna knows the road to recovery will be a treacherous one. But standing in the way of her recovery is the presence of Rachel, her mother's nursemaid who has since become her father's fiancee. At this point, if you think you've figured out the added twist, you're wrong. Digressions aside, the nursemaid here is played by a thoroughly creepy Elizabeth Banks.

Already bound by their resentment of Rachel - Anna and older sister, Alex (played by Arielle Kebbel) - come to suspect their stepmother of foul play when Anna is visited by the ghost of their dead mother. This is where the MacGuffin is employed, moving the story into territory typical of countless horror films such as the obligatory scenes involving the two sisters performing a background search of their stepmother. Except, instead of microfiche researching old newspaper articles like older films once did, they use the internet. As Anna and Alex prepare to reveal who Rachel really is, a more terrifying truth emerges, threatening to destroy the family forever.

Although the film doesn't tread any new ground, "The Uninvited" benefits from strong performances by up-and-coming actors. The result is a briskly paced tale of vengeance that will leave viewers guessing until the chilling final twist.

By Song Woong-ki (kws@heraldm.com) via koreaherald.co.kr

[rubie]

Thanks to the highlight at LBH712 fan-blog / lovelbh.com

April 14, 2009

The 11th edition of Far East Film Festival will be held from Friday, April 24th to Saturday, May 2nd, 2009.

SOUTH KOREA

The Accidental Gangster, YEO Kyun-dong, 2008, period-action-comedy-romance, International Festival Premiere

Crush And Blush, LEE Kyoung-mi, 2008, black screwball comedy, Italian Premiere

A Frozen Flower, YOO Ha,2008, erotic-drama, Italian Premiere

The Good, The Bad, The Weird, KIM Jee-woon, 2008, eastern-western, Italian Premiere

Hello Schoolgirl, RYU Jang-ha, 2008, youth drama, International Festival Premiere

Life Is Cool, Equan CHOE, 2008, rotoscope-drama, International Festival Premiere

My Dear Enemy, LEE Yoon-ki, 2008, drama, Italian Premiere

Rough Cut, JANG Hoon, 2008, gangster-movie, European Premiere

Scandal Makers, KANG Hyoung-chul, 2008, comedy, European Premiere

Source: www.fareastfilm.com

SOUTH KOREA / Feff 2009 - Guest Stars

KANG Hyoung-chul, director, Scandal Makers

KIM Jee-woon, director, The Good, The Bad, The Weird

LEE An-na, producer, Scandal Makers

SUH Youngjoo, producer, My Dear Enemy

Source & downloadable info: http://www.fareastfilm.com/easyne2/Archivi...F/0002/2151.pdf

[rubie]

February 26, 2009

A Remake of Ji-woon Kim’s A Bittersweet Life in the Works

A Bittersweet Life (Remake) Movie, Asian Movie News — By Nix on February 26, 2009

Capture from GBW-cafe.daum

Ji-woon Kim’s “A Bittersweet Life” is one of those Korean gangster movies (Korea makes about a billion of these a year, give or take a couple of million) that really convinced me the Koreans were still making great movies that didn’t involve cute girls dying of unexplained medical maladies. Now it appears as if Hollywood is set to remake the film with the approval of CJ Entertainment, the movie’s original backers.

In the South Korean original, Byung-hun Lee (soon to be seen in Hollywood flicks “I Come with the Rain” and “G.I. Joe”) plays a suave gangster who is marked for death by his own crew. He’s buried alive, but somehow survives and comes back to exact some bloody revenge on his old boss. Much bloodletting ensue.

The film co-starred Min-a Shin, Yeong-cheol Kim, and Jeong-min Hwang, and was written and directed by Ji-woon Kim (”A Tale of Two Sisters”, as well as the recent “The Good, The Bad, and the Weird”).

News of the remake comes via an THR article talking about the movement by Korean film companies are making into the international market. No word on who will be doing the remake of “A Bittersweet Life”, or potential storylines and stars.

Source: beyondhollywood.com / hollywoodreporter.com

[rubie]

Thanks to the highlight, link & capture by ylin at EverythingLBH thread ^^

Dir. Kim Ji Woon attended the VIP premiere for "The Wrestler" (starring Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei) on 5 March with Song Kang Ho and Lee Byung Hun

Source: thewrestler

Clip to download (14+ MB), just add .flv to the filename

http://www.4shared.com/file/101066450/b5bc4902/bottom.html

[rubie]

Dir. Kim Ji Woon at the VIP Premiere for THIRST on April 24

Source: east-01.com / spnimage.edaily.co.kr