And.... we’re back. While you will find most important trailers for Korean films posted on the main page and through the Twitch Video Player, what you can find here is a list of all the Korean films playing in theaters, along with those still in production. We can’t obviously be as comprehensive as Film Databases in Korea because of size limit. But basic casting info, trailers, posters, International Sales info will be found for just about everything that moves at 24 frames per second in the Land of the Morning Calm. You can check for small changes every day, but we’ll be back on the main page once per week with the biggest updates.
Major Updates - October 13
Box Office (Top 10/2008/All Time)
맨데이트 : 신이 주신 임무 (Mandate) - Teaser
소년 감독 (Boy Director) - Trailer
미인도 (Portrait of a Beauty) - Trailer +Poster
소년은 울지 않는다 (Once Upon a Time in Seoul) - Trailer+Poster
1724 기방난동사건 (Disturbance in Her Barroom) - Teaser+Poster
가벼운 잠 (A Light Sleep) - Trailer
하늘을 걷는 소년 (Da Capo) - Trailer
앤티크-서양 골동 양과자점 (Antique) - Teaser
소년 감독 (Boy Director) - Poster
이리 (Iri) - Poster
7 New Films Added
Continue Reading "[K-Film Databank] Updated 10/13"...
Not exactly film news, this, but…
The Japanese are no strangers to hiring movie talents for spicing up their videogames, but Studio Level 5 (of DragonQuest fame) have taken this to, haha, the next level.
For their new RPG “Ni No Kuni: The Another World” (no typo), the animated cut-scenes will be done by Studio Ghibli. That’s quite a catch as you will agree.
And it doesn’t stop there either, for Joe Hisaishi will compose the game’s soundtrack. In case you’re wondering “Joe Who?”, well, shame on you!
He is perhaps most famous for composing the soundtracks of all of Hayao Miyazaki’s movies for the past 25 years, but he also collaborated on several movies with Takeshi Kitano like “Brother”, “Dolls”, “Kikujiro”, “Hana-Bi” and “Sonatine”. And that’s only scratching the surface!
Last week the Tokyo Game Show started, so Studio Level 5 released a trailer for “Ni No Kuni”.
It is a Role-Playing Game (Studio Level 5’s forte) about a 13-year old boy who blames himself for his mother’s death. But one day he gets a chance to enter a parallel universe inhabited by alternate versions of people he knows in the “real” world, and working from this strange place he just might be able to save her…
Gripping stuff, and the animation sure does show its pedigree. My only worry is that the intended platform (which is the Nintendo DS) does not quite have the resolution or size to do all of this splendid artwork justice.
Our good friend Peter van der Lugt over at GhibliWorld.com has the trailer on his site, so please head over there for some Ghibli Goodness.
Oh my. I have a dream. Well, one of many. In this particular one I am hovering in the air. I’m not so much jazzed that I have achieved flight without the aid of thrusters or Buddhist meditation. What’s really got me going is that I am hovering above hundreds of Japanese school girls all splayed out on the ground. And they all seem very pleased to see me. Now, you know it is a dream! Hey-yo!
But it’s good to know that Japanese maverick director Takashi Miike and I share this mutual appreciation. So, I share my dream with you now. We have the second teaser for his upcoming Yatterman adaptation and indeed there is time enough in this one to see at least dozens of Japanese school girls lying on the ground in a lovely heap.
Thanks to NipponCinema for the heads up!
Continue Reading "Schoolgirls galore in second teaser for Takashi Miike’s ‘Yatterman’"...
It seems there is a boom in India’s animation industry. On top of Roadside Romeo and Sultan: The Warrior underway to theaters, another animated feature film to look out for is Arjun - The Warrior Prince. Based on an ancient mythological hero, the animation is produce in CG but has the look of 2D animation, reminiscent of Dreamwork’s The Prince of Egypt. This may have the potential to catapult India into the spotlight as a major contender in the world of animation. Heres a brief storyline:
The storyline begins with Arjun as a nine year old boy and follows him till he grows into the warrior that the world knows him as. It explores his life with his brothers in Hastinapur, his training and education and his ultimate discovery of the warrior within himself.
The release date is at the end of 2009. You’ll find the teaser after the jump.
Continue Reading "Teaser for Indian Animated film ARJUN - THE WARRIOR PRINCE"...
Just a few days ago we ran the trailer for Alexi Tan’s A Forbidden Love Story, the new short film from the director of Blood Brothers. We’re big fans of Tan around here and eagerly looking forward to see what he’s got coming next - he says that this short is a sort of trial run for the next feature - and so this holds obvious interest. And the film is scheduled to become available online for free in it’s entirety at 10PM Beijing time. Which is right now. So if all is well you can go watch it. And I suggest you do. If you need convincing you’ll find the trailer below the break in the Twitch Player.
Continue Reading "Alexi Tan’s xXx: A FORBIDDEN LOVE STORY Online Now!"...
[The Kiru ~ Kill trailer has now been added to the Twitch Player and is available below the break.]
Okay, for those who haven’t been paying attention, here’s the score: Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii is currently overseeing a four part anthology film titled simply Kill. In it four directors, including Oshii himself and Kenta Fuksasku, present the climactic final battle scenes to films which do not actually exist. So, you know, you get all of the violence without any of the tedious plot or character development. The film is about to have its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival and if you can find the trailer below the break in the Twitch Player.
Continue Reading "First Trailer Arrives For Mamoru Oshii-Supervised Anthology Film KIRU ~ KILL!"...
The PR campaign for upcoming Russian action comedy Invincible - or Man of the East, as is the official English title for sales purposes - has now produced a total of four teasers and video clips and I am absolutely, 100% sold on this one. Solid 80’s style action, sterling production values, an engaging lead, and the ability to balance the action with comedy without sacrificing either - truly a rare combination - makes this one look like an absolute winner. I absolutely adored the first “Internet Trailer” that appeared a few days ago and it has just been joined by a second, similarly labelled bit of work - and, really, what distinguishes an “Internet Trailer” from a regular one? - and I am every bit as fond of this one. Yes, please.
You’ll find all four trailers below the break in the Twitch Player.
Continue Reading "Yet Another Stellar Trailer For Russian Action-Comedy INVINCIBLE (MAN OF THE EAST)"...
Yes, I freely confess that I initially took a look at the trailer for this one because according to my very limited understanding of Spanish the title translates roughly to The Naked Years, which means that if my mother is reading this right now then she is very disappointed in me. Sorry, mom. And, yes, that poster makes it look like a very bad Euro knock off of Sex In The City, a franchise that I won’t touch with a ten foot pole despite the lady-friend’s ongoing obsession with it. But there’s a lot more to this one than that.
Directed by the duo of Dunia Ayaso and Félix Sabroso the film charts the changing film industry in Spain during the late 1970’s, specifically tracking the rise of the sexploitation film and the women who starred in them. If you want to be even more specific, it looks as though the plot here revolves largely around the nunsploitation phenomenon. And, honestly, this looks like an exceptionally well done treatment of the material, well shot, well cast and treating these films as a reflection of the societal changes at the time rather than a chance to simply spread some skin on the screen. Here’s the synopsis from sales outfit Coach 14:
Madrid, 1975. Three actresses in their thirties start making films after some roles in Cabaret and commercials. Lina, Sandra and Eva have different backgrounds but all three are attractive women who work exclusively in films ?S-rated?, a phenomenon that occurred in Spain during the transition to democracy, between the years 1976 and 1983, in a country arousing to freedom, but still with a lot of repression and underdevelopment. These women flagged the modernization of a country, but were surrounded by men who somehow used them in exchange for a fleeting success.
Check the trailer out in the Twitch Player below the break.
Continue Reading "First Trailer For LOS ANOS DESNUDOS (RATED R)"...
On the heels of last week’s posting of the Spanish trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s Che: El Argentino - the first part of his two part bio-pic on the life of revolutionary icon Che Guevara - a brand new international trailer has arrived for the film. Not only is this one helpful because it includes bits of the English dialogue - the Spanish version plays out, surprisingly enough, only in Spanish - but comparing the two trailers also makes for an interesting object lesson in marketing. For the Spanish market the film is simply presented as the film. For the international market, however? Hey, look! It’s Sean Penn presented Benicio Del Toro with the best actor award in Cannes! Ah, well ... such as life and if it helps get people out to the theater then why not ...
The Spanish trailer still seems to be available only at the website linked below but we’ve got the International version in the Twitch Player below the break.
Continue Reading "The International Trailer For Soderbergh’s CHE: EL ARGENTINO Comes With Added Prestige!"...
[Updated with higher quality trailer.]
In the last week a teaser trailer for upcoming Hong Kong action film The Beast Stalker starring Nicholas Tse and Nick Cheung has emerged. Hong Kong is in desperate need of a leading action man and Nicholas Tse is certainly doing what he can to fill that role. Once under the title of Witness it has undergone a name change and is due to hit theaters on November 11th.
Little girl Yee was killed by Fei (Nicholas Tse), a brave cop, when he was fighting with the bandits. Yee’s twin sister Ling was taken hostage by the same group of criminals. Her mother (Zhang Jingchu) decided to save her daughter on her own.
We have the teaser trailer after the break, which includes what appears to be the new signature shot in Hong Kong action films, the broadside hit. And look for the fall from the moving vehicle. That’s gonna leave a mark!
Be sure to visit the forums over at KFCC for set photos.
Continue Reading "Nicholas Tse is ‘The Beast Stalker’"...
The international trailer for Transporter 3 has arrived online via Allocine.fr. In the third installment of the Transporter series, Jason Staham is back to reprise the role of Frank Martin, the high risk delivery driver and the new baddie he must contend with is played by Robert Knepper of Prison Break fame. Taking over the director chair is Olivier Megaton while Corey Yuen returns as the Martial Arts choreographer. This sure as hell ain’t going to win audience over with character depth or compelling storyline but for those just looking for a mindless thrill ride, then look no further. Here’s the official synopsis:
Frank Martin has been pressured into transporting Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up in Odessa on the Black Sea. Along the way, with the help of Inspector Tarconi, Frank has to contend with the people who strong armed him to take the job, agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and the general non-cooperation of his passenger. Despite Valentina’s cynical disposition and his resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one life-threatening situation after another.
The US release date is on November 26th. You’ll find the original teaser and the new trailer below the break in the Twitch Player.
Continue Reading "International Trailer for TRANSPORTER 3"...
David S. Goyer is one of the most prolific genre writers out there and once in a while he dabbles in directing. His directing efforts have not been as successful as his writing gigs, Blade 3 was pretty much hated by the fans even though I don’t think it’s that bad and The Invisible was just that to most people out there. But I just watched the trailer for his new film The Unborn, starring Gary Oldman and I have to say this thing looks fucked up, in a good way. Doesn’t start out very promising though, pretty much run of the mill asianesque ghost story but the second half of the trailer kicks all sorts of freaky ass. Hopefully the finished film packs as much punch as the later part of this trailer does.
An interview with Goyer and the trailer have been posted over at MTV.com so head on over and take a gander.
Not too long ago, we reported the launched of the official site for Wilson Yip’s martial arts biopic Ip Man with a teaser and a gallery of stills lurking within. The teaser was actually more of a behind a scenes video which hardy contain any footage of the film, leaving us hungry to see more. Lo and behold, a trailer has been added to the site and holy cow, Donnie Yen really cut loose. Just look at his rapid Wing Chun straight punches go! To say I’m very excited to see this film is a gross understatement.
The theatrical release date in Hong Kong is December 18th. Hurry over and catch this bad boy trailer after the jump!
Continue Reading "Donnie Yen Throws Barrage of Punches! Kick ass Trailer for IP MAN!"...
[Bumping this up to the top of the page because a) it’s awesome, and b) after trying something like six different encodes I finally got one that will work in the Twitch Video Player loaded up below the break.]
We have been following the development of Colombian action-noir Saluda Al Diablo De Mi Partir - or Greetings to the Devil for some time now. It is the sophomore film from the team behind festival horror hit Al Final Del Espectro - currently being remade with Nicole Kidman in the lead - and that team of writer Carlos Esteban and director Juan Felipe Orozco are proving to be two of the hottest young players on the international genre film scene. The first teaser for this looked absolutely stellar, then they passed on some similarly impressive stills, and Esteban has just alerted us to the brand new second teaser which is absolutely magnificent. Beautifully shot and constructed with a cast that looks perfectly suited to the material, this looks to be truly exceptional stuff.
You’ll find both teasers in the Twitch Video Player below the break. Go. Look. Marvel..
Continue Reading "One Minute Of Perfection In The Second Teaser For Colombian Noir GREETINGS TO THE DEVIL"...
Somewhere, King Jeongjo must be grinning at all this, with one of those “I told you” looks on his face.
Unfairly neglected by historians for decades, merely considered a by-product of Yeongjo’s relationship with his father Prince Sado, and the chimera of “fair and balanced” politics the Tangpyeong policy brought, Jeongjo has become Korean culture’s new darling, particularly when it comes to novels (Kim Tak-Hwan’s historical crime bestsellers being the best example), dramas, and now even films. Jeongjo’s reign gave us last year’s masterpiece 한성별곡-正 (Conspiracy in the Court), the badass political sageuk 8일 (Eight Days), and now even the wonderful 바람의 화원 (Painter of the Wind). This last one is of particular note, because it highlights another one of Korean entertainment’s new obsessions: painting. Or better, Kim Hong-Do and Shin Yoon-Bok, two of Joseon’s great painters. Not only we have Painter of the Wind, but Hwang Jung-Min will star in 샤라쿠 (Sharaku), based on a (honestly? Insane) conjecture by a few Korean historians that Kim Hong-Do, when he went to Japan, might have in fact “disguised” himself as the godfather of Japanese woodblock printing, Sharaku Tōshūsai. Then there’s this one, Jeon Yoon-Soo’s 미인도 (Portrait of a Beauty).
The story is essentially the same as Painter of the Wind: Shin Yoon-Bok (Kim Min-Sun) is a a woman disguising herself as a man to enter the Dohwaseo (Royal Bureau of Painting), where she meets the great painter Kim Hong-Do, and chaos ensues (love, scheming, politics… all the ingredients of a sageuk). Details are likely to be a little different, and of course this will be a lot more “mature” (perhaps in more than one sense) than the drama. And, most importantly, the trailer is a beauty. Kim Min-Sun is a strangely underrated actress, who’s just getting better and better, and this might finally be her chance to enjoy some stardom. Can’t say I enjoyed any of director Jeon’s films - particularly the mess he made with Heo Young-Man’s manhwa in 식객 (Le Grand Chef), not to mention putrid pap like 파랑주의보 (My Girl & I). But this has different vibes already. Release is set for early November, and you can find the trailer below the break.
Continue Reading "Sex, Lies and Brushes in 미인도 (Portrait of a Beauty)"...
