Oldboy put South Korean cinema on the map, and now Park Chan-wook is returning to the story once again as Lionsgate is teaming up with the filmmaker to develop an English-language TV adaptation of Park’s iconic film. He will produce the new series version along with his producing partner, Syd Lim. “Lionsgate Television shares my […]
Oldboy at 20: The Story Behind Park Chan-wook’s Classic Crime Thriller
Hasitha Fernando revisits Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy as it turns 20… Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy was a film that seared its indelible images into modern-day pop culture whilst functioning as a major turning point in South Korean cinema. It gained widespread attention in the US and almost won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in […]
Asian Shock Horror Movies You Have To See
EJ Moreno on six shocking movies from Asia… Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite was an entry point into a different side of cinema for a whole generation of film lovers. Not only for South Korean cinema but the world of shocking Asian movies. Yet, it’s probably one of the more tame entries out there, especially when […]
Ten Essential Korean Cinema Gems
Tom Jolliffe offers up some essential Korean cinema gems… While Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite garnered global attention on its way to becoming the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture back in 2020, Korean cinema has been crafting trend setting, ahead of the curve cinema for years and always comfortable to […]
20 Years Back: The Films of 2003
It’s time to take a journey twenty years back in time to look at the cinematic landscape of 2003… Another year passes and another anniversary comes around. 2003 was 20 years ago. 20 years!!! Take a stiff drink people and come along with me to revisit a cinematic year that was stuffed with so so […]
If Film & TV Is A Game… Is Korea Winning?
Tom Jolliffe looks at the booming worldwide popularity of Korean film and TV. With the Western studios so preoccupied with IP, are we getting more engaging films and shows from Korea? German cinema in the 30’s. American noir in the 40’s. Japanese cinema in the 50’s. Nordic cinema from the 50’s and 60’s. British cinema […]
10 Essential Revenge Films
Tom Jolliffe offers up ten essential revenge films… A dish best served cold. The humble revenge film. It’s a long tried and tested formula which still proves immensely popular. There have been innumerable films but that overriding quest for vengeance is always there. Picking 10 essential films in such a wide and all encompassing genre […]
8 Essential Live-Action Anime Movie Adaptations
Marvelous Videos presents the best live-action anime adaptations…. Behind video games, anime is one of those mediums that has rarely translated well to a live action format. What you can accomplish in a series with a distinct artistic direction tends to outweigh the constraints imposed by the real world. We’ve seen this happen with such […]
Blu-ray Review – Oldboy Limited Edition (2003)
Oldboy, 2003. Directed by Park Chan-wook. Starring Choi Min-sik, Yu Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, and Kim Byeong-ok. SYNOPSIS: Arrow Video unleashes Park Chan-wook’s influential revenge thriller Oldboy in an extensive Limited Edition 4-disc Blu-ray set with a couple of special extras. Although some of their recent standalone releases have been pushing the loyalty of collectors thanks […]
The Problem With East Asian Action Cinema Today
Tom Jolliffe takes a look at recent trends in East Asian Action Cinema… I’ve seen a lot of action films in my time. From all over the world. From the biggest blockbusters, to the straight to VHS specials that used to regularly populate your nearest video store. Whether it was the latest mega budget Schwarzenegger […]
