X-Men: Days of Future Past Review

Bryan Singer’s most recent contribution to the X-Men franchise, Days of Future Past, has just come out in cinemas, and what a wonderful return it is. Following his work on X-Men and X-Men 2, Singer took up the mantel from First Class director Matthew Vaughn, tying in the portrayal of the mutant’s past selves with the characters and events of the original trilogy….

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-…

Heroes Reborn: Will it work?

It was announced on February 22nd by American television company NBC that Heroes will return for 13 episodes in 2015. Heroes, created by Tim Kring, flew onto our screens in 2006 and told the story of a group of people who found themselves with powers after a solar eclipse and how this changes their lives….

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 8th London Korean Film Festival: Secretly, Greatly

Who doesn’t want to be a spy? A secret double life and all the perks that go along with the job, right? However, when it comes to Ryn-han’s (Kim Soo-hyun) character, being a spy doesn’t mean you have the glamorous life of James Bond. Instead, one lives the life of a brainless young man who…

Ilo Ilo Review

Set in Singapore, during the Great Asian Financial Crisis, Ilo Ilo, written and directed by Anthony Chen, tells the story of a relationship between a family of three: Teck (Tian Wen Chen), Hwee (Yann Yann Ye) and Jiale (Koh Jia Ler) and their Filipino maid, Teresa (striking and moving performance by Angeli Bayani) who has…

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…

The 57th BFI London Film Festival: Ida

Born in Poland, Pawel Pawlikoski (My Summer of Love, The Woman in the Fifth) has come back to his native country after years of voluntary emigration and has immediately presented us with an intimate black and white drama Ida, which takes place at the beginning of 1960s. Anna, also known as Ida (Agata Trzebuchowska’s film…

The 57th BFI London Film Festival: Bertolucci on Bertolucci

“Cinema is the mirror of the world” Bertolucci once said. And it sure is in the Italian director’s eyes. Born in 1940, son of the critically acclaimed poet Attilio Bertolucci, he entered adulthood in the 60s. In 1968, he was 27 years old and, according to him, that time was a great experience for him…