ACF 601: Reminder - free screening of "JSA" tonight

Korean Cultural Service's Korean Movie Night Epic Action series continues tonight with a free showing of:

JSA: JOINT SECURITY AREA
Directed by Park Chan-wook

South Korea, 2000, 110 minutes
Showtime: Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 @ 7:00 PM
All seating is first come, first served
Doors open at 6:30 PM

All films in the series are shown at Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops.

A special screening to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War, Park Chan-Wook's JSA: JOINT SECURITY AREA is one of the most moving Korean films ever made, and the hit that put Director Park (OLDBOY) on the map. Starring Song Kang-Ho (THE HOST), Lee Young-Ae (LADY VENGEANCE), Lee Byung-Hun (GI JOE; THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD) and Shin Ha-Kyun (SAVE THE GREEN PLANET, THIRST) it is the APOCALYPSE NOW of the Korean War, a shimmering, hyper-real epic that charts the spiritual fallout of international politics.

JSA uses the partition, the arbitrary line drawn through the middle of Korea and manned by international oversight, as a door into the psychological wreckage of the Korean War. It starts with a present-day incident on the border that leaves a group of North and South Korean soldiers alternately wounded or dead. The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) swoops in
to investigate, led by Korean-Swiss Major Sophie Jean (Lee Young-Ae) and the stark, technocratic investigation becomes the frame for a series of extended flashbacks that depict the events leading up to the shooting.

In every sense of the word, JSA is a tragedy, but at the same time, it's a testament to human nature. Not the cheap, sentimental Hallmark card version of human nature, but the human nature where, in the teeth of global politics, even in the face of extinction, like reaches out to like, and friendships are formed because we're humans, not ideologues. One of the most
popular Korean movies of all time, both at home and overseas, JSA is a movie that takes Korea¹s national tragedy of partition and manages to find within it something as fragile and precious as hope.

ACF 508: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance - free screening in New York tomorrow night!

SHIN Ha-Kyun (left) and BAE Doona (right)

Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance
Directed by Park Chan-Wook
South Korea, 2002, 129 min

Just this quick reminder:

Sympathy For Mr Vengeance, the first film in Director Park's "Vengeance Trilogy," is the next film to be shown in Korean Cultural Service's Korean Movie Night Series 2: The Remakes, which focuses on recent Korean films set to be remade by Hollywood.

It'll be shown tomorrow, Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 at Tribeca Cinema, 54 Varick Street on Canal, New York, NY. Admission is free and on a first-come, first-serve policy. Theater doors will open at 6:30 PM and showtimes will be at 7:00.

[Note: The other films in the trilogy are Oldboy (2003) and Lady Vengeance (2005).You can read a recent review of the 8-disc DVD box set release of the trilogy at HK and Cult Film News. But just because it's out on DVD doesn't give you Asian film fans in New York City an excuse not to turn out and see it --for free! -- at this screening. I'll be there. You should be there, too.]

ACF 501: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance - free screening in New York on March 23rd

Song Kang-Ho gets wet in Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance
Directed by Park Chan-Wook
South Korea, 2002, 129 min

Sympathy For Mr Vengeance was the first film in Director Park's "Vengeance Trilogy." It was followed by Oldboy (2003) and then Lady Vengeance (2005). It's a kick-ass movie with a fantastic cast, a definite must-see.

It's the next film to be shown in Korean Cultural Service's Korean Movie Night Series 2: The Remakes, which focuses on recent Korean films set to be -- surprise! -- remade by Hollywood.

And it'll be shown next Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 at Tribeca Cinema, 54 Varick Street on Canal, New York, NY. Admission is free and on a first-come, first-serve policy. Theater doors will open at 6:30 PM and showtimes will be at 7:00.

Remake rights were purchased by Warner Bros in January, 2010. The Hollywood version is being produced by the people who brought audiences GI Joe, Transformers, and Doom. Based on that info, the remake does not seem even remotely promising. But the original is not to be missed. So don't!

ACF 484: Korean Movie Night Series Two: The Remakes

Just got official word about the next Korean Movie Night film series. Sponsored by Korean Cultural Service (NY) and again free, the series will focus on three Korean movies slated to be remade by Hollywood. Whether or not the remakes will be even decent remains to be seen, but the Korean originals are fine, fine, and fine!

All films are scheduled to be shown at Tribeca Cinema, 54 Varick Street on Canal. KCS is continuing with the policy they adopted for the last film in the first series, namely free admission on a first-come, first-serve policy. Theater doors will open at 6:30 PM and showtimes will be at 7:00.

Die Bad
Directed by Ryu Seung-Wan
South Korea, 2000, 98 min
NY Premiere

This was the first film from director Ryu, whose subsequent work includes City of Violence. Die Bad is an amazing action movie that was shot on the sly for $55,000!!! Marc Foster (Quantum of Solace, Monster's Ball) came onboard in 2008 to do the Hollywood remake.

Ryu's original will be shown Tuesday, March 9th, 2010.

SHIN Ha-Kyun (left), SONG Kang-Ho (center), BAE Doona (right)
© Tartan Films 2005

Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance
Directed by Park Chan-Wook
South Korea, 2002, 129 min

This was the first film in Director Park's "Vengeance Trilogy." It was followed by Oldboy (2003) and then Lady Vengeance (2005). A kick-ass movie with a fantastic cast.

Remake rights were purchased by Warner Bros in January, 2010. The Hollywood version is being produced by the people who brought audiences GI Joe, Transformers, and Doom. (Yikes! Can you guess why I'm not the least bit hopeful about this remake.)

Catch the real deal from Park on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010.

EUN Seo-Woo in Phone
© Tartan Films 2005

Phone
Directed by Ahn Byung-Ki
South Korea, 2002, 109 min

Director Ahn will be remaking his own horror film for the production company behind the Twilight movies.

His original will screen Tuesday, April 6th, 2010.

I'll be posting reminders close to each screening and hope to have at least some reviews up as well.

ACF 355: THIRST opens today in three cities

Kim Ok-vin left and behind Song Kang-ho

Just a quick reminder that THIRST opens today, Friday, July 31st, 2009 in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. See the link below for the subsequent theater times and locations in other cities.

THIRST is another fantastic film from Korean director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) and should not be missed. It just may be the best vampire film ever made, at least that's what I've been thinking ever since I saw it at a pre-release screening. (For my earlier full review, click here.)

THIRST OPENING DAY SCHEDULE:
New York
Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema (143 East Houston Street, near 2nd Avenue)

Los Angeles
Laemmle’s Sunset 5 (8000 Sunset Boulevard, at Crescent Heights)

San Francisco
Landmark’s Bridge Theatre (3010 Geary Boulevard, near Blake Street)

Additional theater times and locations for THIRST.

New THIRST clip: Shoes.

The THIRST official site is www.thirstmovie.com.

For a podcast interview of Director Park by The Korea Society, click here.

THIRST is a Focus Features release.

ACF 351: THIRST to open in NY, LA & SF on August 31, 2009 with more cities to follow

Plan to do three things with regard to Park Chan-wook's THIRST:

1. See it
2. Savor it
3. Spread the word

I got to see it a few nights ago at a pre-release screening in New York, and really cannot say enough good things about the film. It's the story of Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho) a priest who volunteers for a medical experiment seeking a cure for a virus. The only survivor out of 500 volunteers, his efforts do not lead to a cure, but instead turn him into a vampire. He finds himself irresistibly drawn to sensual pleasures, particularly those offered by the delectable flesh of Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin) the wife of one of his childhood friends. And, of course, he has a powerful thirst for human blood.

Entertaining, with wonderful comic moments, it's not at all pandering or low-brow. Thoughtful and intelligent, neither is it pretentious. Thirst is quite simply a perfect synthesis, simultaneously both a genre and an art-house film, but one that transcends the faults that often mar both.

There are no traditional vampire teeth and no transformations into bats to be found here. On the other hand there are, in addition to the great comic relief moments I've already alluded to, scenes of magnificent sensuality as well as others that are truly terrifying. And the special effects are perfect, somewhat low-key so they're really effective.

Kim Ok-vin (left) & Shin Ha-kyun (right)

Both leads actors are outstanding, but Ms. Kim is particularly impressive, probably because her role calls for greater range and transformation than . The supporting cast also is stellar. Kim Hae-sook plays Madame Ra, Tae-ju's mother-in law, who has a tendency to overindulge in alcohol. Shin Ha-kyun is Kang-woo, her son and Tae-ju's poor excuse for a husband. Oh Dai-soo (who starred in Park's Oldboy) is a member of the mahjong group that includes the other characters.

Director Park Chan-wook

Park Chan-wook has done it again: Thirst is nothing less than a transcendant masterwork. I predict that this film will be very successful in the U.S. and that it'll find a broader audience than one might normally expect. It most definitely deserves both. (It wasn't for nothing that the film won the Jury Prize award at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival.)

After opening in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, it will go into wider release in many other cities. Check your local listings, or use the link to the film's official website provided below to find out when and where it'll be playing near you.

DO NOT MISS THIS FILM!!!!!

OPENING DAY SCHEDULE: Friday, July 31st, 2009

New York

Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema (143 East Houston Street, near 2^nd Avenue)

Los Angeles

Laemmle’s Sunset 5 (8000 Sunset Boulevard, at Crescent Heights)

San Francisco

Landmark’s Bridge Theatre (3010 Geary Boulevard, near Blake Street)

THIRST Official Site

THIRST Clip: “VAMPIRES ARE CUTER THAN I THOUGHT”

THIRST Clip: “I’M NOT CATHOLIC”

THIRST Stills

THIRST Production Notes

THIRST Facebook Page

Thirst is A Focus Features Release

ACF332: Focus Features Announces Opening Day Schedule for "Thirst"

More news about the upcoming theatrical release of Thirst / Bakjwi:

Focus Features has officially announced the opening day schedule for the highly anticipated vampire thriller, Thirst, directed by award-winning auteur, Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance). Thirst will open in NY, LA, and San Francisco on July 31st. See below for further theater details.

OPENING DAY SCHEDULE: Friday, July 31st, 2009
New York

Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema (143 East Houston Street, near 2nd Avenue)

Los Angeles
Laemmle’s Sunset 5 (8000 Sunset Boulevard, at Crescent Heights)

San Francisco
Landmark’s Bridge Theatre (3010 Geary Boulevard, near Blake Street)

Synopsis:
A priest becomes a vampire…another man’s wife is coveted…a deadly seduction triggers murder. Already a boxoffice smash in Korea, Thirst was honored with the Prix du Jury [Jury Prize] at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival.

Continuing his explorations of human existence in extreme circumstances, director Park spins a tale that he conceived and then developed over several years with co-screenwriter Chung Seo-kyung.

Sang-hyun (played by top Korean star Song Kang-ho, of The Host) is a priest who cherishes life; so much so, that he selflessly volunteers for a secret vaccine development project meant to eradicate a deadly virus. But the virus takes the priest, and a blood transfusion is urgently ordered up for him. The blood he receives is infected, so Sang-hyun lives – but now exists as a vampire.

Struggling with his newfound carnal desire for blood, Sang-hyun’s faith is further strained when a childhood friend’s wife, Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), comes to him asking for his help in escaping her life. Sang-hyun soon plunges into a world of sensual pleasures, finding himself on intimate terms with the Seven Deadly Sins.

The THIRST official site is http://www.thirstmovie.com/.

THIRST Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thirst/116919515201?ref=ts

Focus Twitter Page:
http://twitter.com/focusmovies

RED BAND TRAILER:
http://movies.ign.com/dor/objects/14349986/thirst/videos/thirst_trl_1_051709.html

ACF 328: Thirst

Recently Focus Features put out some info about their highly anticipated release THIRST, directed by award-winning auteur, Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance). Recently awarded the Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival, THIRST is slated to be released in select theaters July 31^st. I'm really looking forward to seeing this film, hopefully at a pre-release press screening so can review it in advance of the theatrical release. In the meanwhile, here's what the Focus folk have to say:

A priest becomes a vampire…another man’s wife is coveted…a deadly seduction triggers murder. Thirst is the new film from director Park Chan-wook (Old Boy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance). Already a boxoffice smash in Korea, Thirst was honored with the Prix du Jury [Jury Prize] at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival.

Continuing his explorations of human existence in extreme circumstances, the director spins a tale that he conceived and then developed over several years with co-screenwriter Chung Seo-kyung.

Sang-hyun (played by top Korean star Song Kang-ho, of The Host) is a priest who cherishes life; so much so, that he selflessly volunteers for a secret vaccine development project meant to eradicate a deadly virus. But the virus takes the priest, and a blood transfusion is urgently ordered up for him. The blood he receives is infected, so Sang-hyun lives – but now exists as a vampire. Struggling with his newfound carnal desire for blood, Sang-hyun’s faith is further strained when a childhood friend’s wife, Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), comes to him asking for his help in escaping her life. Sang-hyun soon plunges into a world of sensual pleasures, finding himself on intimate terms with the Seven Deadly Sins.

The THIRST official site is http://www.thirstmovie.com/.

For more information and assets, become a fan of the THIRST Facebook Page here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thirst/116919515201?ref=ts

And follow the Focus Twitter Page here:

http://twitter.com/focusmovies