Aashish Gadhvi speaks on behalf of three LKL reviewers: Kim Ji-woon’s latest is a disappointment. Hype can be a film’s best friend or its worst enemy. In the case of some films it has worked (The Blair Witch Project) and in the case of others it has backfired spectacularly (Star Wars Prequels), but the fact … [Read More]
Director: Kim Jee-woon (page 2)
London Korean Film Festival 2010
The London Korean Film Festival returns at its regular early November slot. With the Barbican cinemas out of action this year’s festival is a bit of a logistical nightmare, with screenings at the ICA, Odeon West End and the Apollo, but there’s more than enough film interest to compensate. One of the highlights of the … [Read More]
LKL’s top 10 K-films of the noughties
Mark Russell led the way with his fascinating list of films of the decade – in which the biggest shock was that there was no Park Chan-wook. GI Korea also has a list, which redresses the balance somewhat. So here is mine. Over the years I’ve been reasonably diligent in giving marks out of 10 … [Read More]
A Scoop of Korea at Thames Festival 2009
As Chuseok approaches, it’s time once again for the Thames Festival: 12-13 September. This will be the third year that there has been a significant Korean presence. The amazing Dulsori led the way three years ago; last year the high-profile item was Jump. This year we get the musical essence of contemporary Korea, Sorea: a … [Read More]
Uninvited and unwanted? Hollywood’s Two Sisters remake
The latest remake to come out of Hollywood, The Uninvited, opens in the UK this week. There’s a school of thought which says that once you’ve seen the original you won’t want to bother with the remake. There’s another which says any remake is good if it makes you want to watch the original. But … [Read More]
Nom Nom Nom gets DVD release
Kim Ji-woon’s western is finally getting a Region 3 release. A first press limited edition hits the websites on March 11, with not only the international cut (at 129 minutes) but the Korean theatrical cut as well – which comes in at 6 minutes longer. One of the differences between the versions is the greater … [Read More]
Good Bad Weird on general release
We saw it at the festivals last year, now it’s on mainstream release. Astoundingly, the normally hostile Wendy Ide in The Times gives it 4 out of 5, while Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian gives it a more measured 3 out of 5. LKL probably would split the difference, as does Tom Huddleston in Time … [Read More]
LKL 2008 Quiz of the year – the answers
The answers to the teasers posed just before the New Year. 1 Stressful times What does the current credit crunch and the most recent DPRK nuclear test have in common? a) the media blame them on an incompetent government who should have seen it coming and somehow prevented it b) they would both cause a … [Read More]
The Good, The Bad, The Weird (좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈, 2008) review: exhilarating action and genre-blending fun
The Good, The Bad, The Weird revels in kinetic set-pieces, black humour and playful genre parody, delivering relentless momentum and crowd-pleasing thrills. OK, the plot isn’t multi-layered, there’s no real “good will triumph over evil” but if that’s what you’re looking for you’re missing the point. [Read More]
Please leave your comments on the Korean Film Festival
It’s over for this year. From my own perspective, it’s been a great festival. I didn’t manage to get to all of the screenings, but I got to the ones I really wanted to. We had two top-notch films from Korea cinema’s golden age (The Housemaid and Obaltan / Aimless Bullet), a retrospective of one … [Read More]
Good, bad or weird? A look at Kim Jee-woon’s classic western
Now the festival is over, perhaps it’s time to set down some thoughts on the lead film, Kim Ji-woon’s Manchurian western. This was one of the most hotly anticipated films in recent years, on a par with Lady Vengeance and Secret Sunshine. Kim Ji-woon has built up an enviable track record with his past films. … [Read More]
Kim Ji-woon in London: bigger, faster
Following a screening of The Good, the Bad and the Weird, director Kim Ji-woon discussed influences, genre experimentation and working with stars in a lively Q&A chaired by Tony Rayns. Entertaining and informative, the session offered valuable insight into Kim’s creative process and Korean cinema’s growing UK audience. [Read More]
Stars launch Korean Film Festival
In what must be the biggest-budget launch of the KCC’s third London Korean Film Festival, director Kim Ji-woon and actor Lee Byung-hun were brought to London to introduce the flagship film of the festival, The Good the Bad and the Weird. Tony Rayns, the UK’s most established Korean film expert, was also there to celebrate. … [Read More]
The London Korean Film Festival 2008
The programme for the 2008 London Korean Film Festival has been announced. A great line-up with something for everyone. From the latest releases, there’s the biggest film of 2008 (The Good, the Bad and the Weird), plus one or two I’d forgotten about, but which with a bit of thought are obvious choices: last year’s … [Read More]
The big, the small, and the predictable: K-film at the 52nd BFI London Film Festival
Is it a reflection on the current state of the Korean film industry that the films to be shown at the 52nd BFI London Film Festival don’t really surprise me? In previous years the organisers have managed to select films which are out of the ordinary, maybe one or two that I hadn’t heard of. … [Read More]
Tale of Two Sisters screens at the KCC
This week’s screening at the KCC is Kim Ji-woon’s (김지운) stylish suspense / horror flick Tale of Two Sisters (2003). (7 August, 7pm) Kim’s filmography is varied and of a high quality. He started with comedy – the macabre Quiet Family (1998) and the hugely fun Foul King (2000), and now seems to be in … [Read More]