The Alien saga is among the most engaging and well-remembered films of horror genre, largely because every feature, at least until recently, has been in the hands of various directors. There were several hits and misses, but it was the work of Ridley Scott that began the career of the entire film series. How did Alien: Covenant,…
Category: General
A Hundred Streets Review
In 1777, an English writer Samuel Johnson wrote: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” And surely he was right. The UK’s capital has always been full of life as well as diverse in every aspect of its existence. Jim O’Hanlon set his debut feature – A Hundred Streets – against London’s…
The 21st Busan International Film Festival: The Age of Shadows
Kim Jee-woon is a natural-born filmmaker who, with his alluring script-writing, has never been afraid to tackle a new film genre. With eight feature films and six shorts under his belt, he has already gone down in film history as one of the most influential Korean directors. Kim Jee-woon had no formal training in filmmaking; he…
If I Could Tell You (Short Film) Review
According to WHO, infertility is a global public heath issue and affects a significant proportion of people. However, the innovation of IVF has brought hope to those who struggle to conceive; some are lucky, while some are sadly forced to give up as the treatment doesn’t work. To those affected, infertility might be seen as…
The 10th London Korean Film Festival: In Conversation with Jang Kun- jae
South Korean filmmaker Jang Kun- jae is one of the emerging filmmakers in Korea, who is known for his naturalistic films such as Eighteen (2010), Sleepless Night (2013) and A Midsummer Fantasia (2015). Kun- jae is a handy man when it comes to filmmaking; he edits, produces and directs his own films. His debut feature Eighteen…
The 10th London Korean Film Festival: The Royal Tailor
Lee Won- seok debuted in 2013 with the vivacious romantic comedy How To Use Guys With Secret Tips. It became an unexpected hit among critics as well as the viewers. Nevertheless, it did not do well in the box office mainly because it was up against three biggest production of the 2013; The Berlin File…
The 59th BFI London Film Festival: 11 Minutes
After a 5 year hiatus, Jerzy Skolimowski has finally released his new film entitled 11 Minutes. The apocalyptic thriller has already received positive reviews at this year’s Venice International Film Festival, where it was nominated to Golden Lion in the main competition section. It was also screened in the Masters section of the 2015 Toronto…
The 59th BFI London Film Festival: He Named Me Malala
He Named Me Malala is a documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim, an American filmmaker whose films, An Inconvenient Truth, It Might Get Loud and Waiting for ‘Superman’, have been in the top 100 highest-grossing documentaries since 2009. Guggenheim’s film tells the story of Malala Yousafazai, a young Pakistani girl who advocates for girls’ education and human rights….
London’s Festival of Korean Music: In Conversation with No Brain
Exceedingly open-minded, outspoken and humerous, who else could it be but No Brain, a Korean punk rock band founded in 1996. Often called “the godfathers of the Korean punk scene”, No Brain is comprised of Woo-yong (Bass), Hyun-seong (Drums), Min-jun (Guitar) and Sung-woo (Vocals). Whenever I see their shows, there is always a thrilling atmosphere in the…
In Conversation with Ryu Seong-hie
Ryu Seong-hie is a Korean Film Production Designer whose creativity and passion for film has no limits. She made a name for herself in 2001, when she gave a helping hand on Song Il-gon’s film Flower Island. The film was later presented with 7 awards, including CinemAvvenire’s award for Best First Film at the Venice Film…
In Conversation with Yoon Seok- ho
Yoon Seok-ho is a South Korean television director, whose status was solidified with the success of the TV dramas Autumn in My Heart in 2000 and Winter Sonata in 2002, which are both considered pioneers in Korean melodramatic series, launching the fever that is commonly referred to as the Korean Wave. For years Yoon Seok-…
The 8th London Korean Film Festival: Hope (Wish)
How much love, understanding and commitment is needed for parents to overcome a horrendous incident that happens to their child? Can the family stick together against all odds? Hope (Wish), directed by Lee Joon-ik, is set in a rural South Korean town and focuses on the story of the 8 year old girl, So-won (Lee…
The 57th BFI London Film Festival: Lebanon Emotion
This year’s London Film Festival spoiled the audience with a great amount of Asian films including a few from South Korea. Apart from subtle drama Nobody’s Daughter Haewon by Hong Sang-soo and the comedy of manners Our Sunhi by the same filmmaker, it’s time to mention Lebanon Emotion by Jung Young-heon, a first-time director, whose…
The 57th BFI London Film Festival: Nobody’s Daughter Haewon
Nobody’s Daughter Haewon written and directed by South Korean Hong Sang-Soo, tells the story of the enigmatic, eye-catching film student and aspiring actress Haewon ( superb performance by Jung Eun- Chae), who easily attracts men and makes fellow female colleagues jealous. The narrative is told in a diary format and chronicles a few days in Haewon’s life. Haewon’s…
