[HanCinema's Film News] New Korean Films Inbound...

K-Films Coming Soon:

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★★★★ " The Terror Live" (aka "90 Minutes of Terror"): A former T.V. anchorman gets an anonymous call from a bomb-blasting terrorist and has to get back in front of the camera to cover the story. (08/01)

★★★★★ "Snowpiercer": In a post-apocalyptic future mankind is forced to live on a constantly moving train that circles the Earth at great speeds. Within the train, social order is enforced through a harsh tyrannical system that is challenged by an organised revolution.(08/01)

Title: "The Terror Live" (aka "90 Minutes of Terror")

Genre: Action, Thriller

Length: 98min

Release Date: 2013/08/01

Director: Kim Byeong-woo ("WRITTEN")

Stars: Ha Jung-woo, Lee Kyung-young, Jeon Hye-jin-II

Logline: A former T.V. anchorman gets an anonymous call from a bomb-blasting terrorist and has to get back in front of the camera to cover the story.

August is going to be an exciting month, one that Korean cinemas will hope is dominated by this week's new releases. First up is that action thriller "The Terror Live" by director Kim Byeong-woo. The trailer looks compelling as we see the films hero Yeong-hwa (played by Ha Jung-woo who really has had an especially successful career these last three years) take centre to handle the wave of fear the sweeps over Korea's capital. It's going to be exciting to see how "The Terror Live", a perhaps rather internationally themed film, performs alongside the truly international production power of Bong Joon-ho's debut English language feature...

★★★★

Title: "Snowpiercer"

Genre: Action, Sci-fi, Drama

Length: 125min

Release Date: 2013/08/01

Director: Bong Joon-ho ("Mother", "The Host", "Memories of Murder")

Screenplay: Bong Joon-ho, Kelly Masterson

Original Story: Jacques Lob, Jean-Marc Rochette ("Le Transperceneige")

Cinematographer: Hong Kyung-pyo

Stars: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Ed Harris, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell

Logline: In a post-apocalyptic future mankind is forced to live on a constantly moving train that circles the Earth at great speeds. Within the train, social order is enforced through a tyrannical system that is challenged by an organised revolution.

Perhaps the most anticipated Korean film of year is Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer". This post-apocalyptic sci-fi rollercoaster boasts a talented international cast as well as numerous award-winning creative talents behind the scenes. The trailers and teasers have shown us some stunning visual effects to look forward to, and the film draws from an exciting dystopian graphic novel from France's Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette. This transnational production marks the third film to be released this year that showcases a Korean director taking the chair in a major international (English-speaking) production. In January Kim Jee-woon's "The Last Stand" failed to cause any worthy attention to itself, and Park Chan's "Stoker" was never really fit to be measured through its box office returns. "Snowpiercer" looks to hit this third attempt out the park; Korean film journalist Pierce Conran recently saw the film and praised Bong's effort here as "the most accomplished overseas work of any Korean filmmaker to date"- It's going to be an exhilarating 125 minutes!

★★★★★

The Upcoming Competition:

"Los ilusionautas" (2012), "Compliance" (2012), "Stolen" (2012), "The Place Beyond the Pines" (2012), "Igor & the Cranes' Journey" (2012), "The Smurfs 2" (2013). 

References:

Conran, P. 2013. "Review: Snowpiercer Fires On All Cylinders". Twitchfilm. (Available from: http://twitchfilm.com/2013/07/review-snowpiercer-fires-on-all-cylinders.html)