News

Dementia has played a significant part in South Korean cinema across genres, with works like “A Moment to Remember” using it in a romance drama setting and “Memoirs of a Murderer” using it as a plot device for a serial killer story, to give but two examples. Debutant director Lee Sang-hak too uses the illness in his first work, albeit this time for a uniquely treated thriller called “Mother’s Kingdom”, which premiered in competition at the Jeonju Film Festival earlier this year.

Mother’s Kingdom is released by Finecut

Joo Kyung-hee lives with her adult son Doh Ji-wook. Joo, a hairdresser is a well-known and liked person in the community whereas Ji-wook is an author of an appreciated self-help book called “Power of the Truth”. In their household, since Ji-wook was a little boy, Kyung-hee has set a number of rules that her son must follow, chief among which...

Leading Korean actor Son Ye-jin received a huge roar of applause as she greeted fans and rounded off the Thursday red-carpet ceremony at the opening of Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan). The star of “A Moment to Remember” and “April Snow,” Son is the subject of the festival’s retrospective section.

But even as the festival takes a well-deserved, if conventional, look back at Son’s 23-year career, the event’s larger focus this year is the direction that artificial intelligence (AI) is taking the film industry.

“The main issue of this year’s Bifan is Bifan+ AI. Generative AI can be used as an innovative and revolutionary tool to meet the world with one’s talent through minimal expenses. I believe that with the help of generative AI an era of equal competition will come, in which imagination, not the size of budget, is the most important factor,...

Son Ye-jin is called the “One and Only” for good reason. She became a star right with her debut and has been at the centre of public interest as an icon of melodrama ever since. She has moved between different genres, while avoiding stereotypes and fearlessly embarking on adventures to find her unique character and novelty. Successful both on cinema and TV, Son Ye-jin is one of the most iconic actresses of her generation. On the occasion of being the focus of the special spotlight at Bifan, here are ten of her best movies, in chronological order, although it is obvious, that her two best movies are “The Last Princess” and “The Truth Beneath”

1. Lover's Concerto (2002) by Lee Han

One day, Ji-hwan begins to receive letters from an unidentified person. The letters, containing black-and-white photos of happy children playing, remind Ji-hwan of his old two friends. Five years earlier, while...

Exclusive: Epic Pictures has set a North American release date for Korean action film A Man of Reason which it acquired from Acemaker Movieworks. The feature directorial debut of veteran actor Jung Woo-sung will have a limited theatrical release on July 5 before heading to VOD on July 9.

Jung also stars in A Man of Reason with supporting cast including Kim Nam-gil (The Fiery Priest), Park Sung-woong (The Killing Vote), Kim Jun-han (Hospital Playlist), Park You-na (Hotel del Luna) and Lee Elijah (The Good Detective).

The story follows a hitman who, after spending a decade in prison, learns he has a daughter and just wants a chance at a normal life. However, his former mob boss wants him back at any cost, sending merciless assassins after him. The movie first debuted at the Toronto Film Festival in 2022.

Said Epic Pictures CEO and owner Patrick Ewald, “We are beyond excited to bring...

South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) has unveiled the full line-up for its 28th edition, which is set to open with Rose Glass’s Love Lies Bleeding and close with Soi Cheang’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In.

The festival, running July 4 to 14, will screen 225 films from 49 countries, including 67 world premieres. Titles will also receive online screenings through local Ott platform wavve.

Love Lies Bleeding stars Kristen Stewart and marks the second feature of UK filmmaker Glass, whose Saint Maud won the Best Director Choice Feature award at Bifan in 2020. The film premiered at Sundance before playing Berlin earlier this year.

Actor In Focus

Recently, confirmed to star in Park Chan-wook’s new film “The Ax,” Korea’s Son Ye-jin is set as the subject of the Bucheon International Fantastic Festival (BiFan)’s annual actor focus. Previous honorees include Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Woo-sung, Kim Hye-soo, Seol Kyung-gu, and Choi Min-sik.

Son who was the star of breakout TV series “Crash Landing on You,” has wide-ranging credits that include “A Moment to Remember,” “The Art Of Seduction” in 2005; an eccentric woman married to two husbands in “My Wife Got Married” in 2008; and as a spirited pirate in “The Pirates” and the 2016 hit “The Last Princess.”

These have earned her more than 50 awards including the Prime Minister’s Commendation, three Grand Bell Awards, six Baeksang Arts Awards, five Blue Dragon Film Awards, and two Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. She was also named best actress at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival for her performance in 2005’s “April Snow.

Son Ye-jin's versatility shines in The Negotiation, where she delivers a nuanced portrayal of a crisis negotiator grappling with trauma. As Shim Hye-won in Summer Scent, Son showcases emotional depth, adding authenticity to a unique story of love and loss. In The Last Princess, Son portrays Princess Deok-hye with dignity, capturing the princess's struggle for identity and resilience in a foreign land.

While Son Ye-jin may be widely recognized for her role in the iconic Korean drama Crash Landing On You, she has also starred in several other movies and TV shows that deserve equal recognition as some of the best of her career. From heart-wrenching melodramas that showcase her emotional range to thought-provoking pieces that highlight her ability to tackle complex characters, Son has consistently delivered performances that captivate audiences. Her versatility as an actress is evident in the wide range of genres she has explored, including romance,...

Romantic Korean movies garner a worldwide reputation due to their tear-jerking, bold storytelling, aesthetics, and exceptional cinematography. Few genres possess the transformative power to evoke profound feelings as effortlessly as romantic Korean movies.

These tales of love and heartbreak seamlessly shake the root of human emotions, leaving an indelible mark on the viewer’s soul. The performances within these films stand as poignant testaments to the unparalleled skill of Korean actors in capturing the complexities of love, loss, and the bittersweet melancholy symphony.

Let’s run on the cinematic journey and look for tear-jerking performances that represent emotional symphonies performed gracefully and precisely. Which scenes moved our feet and filled our hearts with melancholy?

Christmas in August

Christmas in August is a poignant masterpiece of Korean cinema that stands as a testament to the genre’s ability to evoke emotions with their audience. Directed by Hur Jin-ho, this 1998 film remains a touchstone in romantic dramas.

Korean Romantic Remake Is 28 Years Better Late Than Never

Leading Korean star Jung Woo-sung (“A Moment to Remember”) will star opposite Shin Hyun-been (“Hospital Playlist”) in “Tell Me That You Love Me,” an original series for Genie TV. The show is a remake of the hit Japanese series of the same name that first aired at Tokyo Broadcasting Systems linear channel in Japan some 28 years ago in 1995.

The new show will upload to Genie’s own streaming service on Nov. 27 and the same day in Japan on Disney+. It will also play on Korean cable channel Ena.

The original series featuring Etsushi Toyokawa and Takako Tokiwa, was written by Kitagawa Eriko and told a slow-burning tale of romance developing between an aspiring young actress and an up-and-coming painter who lost his sense of hearing. Each episode topped the ratings of the previous one, making the show a smash it and a (pre-social media) social phenomenon.

Romantic movies are not everyone’s cup of tea, surely not mine. However, Korean Cinema has presented few ground-breaking works that, for the originality of the script or for the great onscreen chemistry between the protagonists or for a magic ensemble of elements, managed to crossover the target audience circles and become everyone’s cup of hot chocolate. “My Sassy Lady”, “A Moment to Remember”, “Castaway on The Moon” are only few of those champions and “Il Mare” is a leading star of the group. The film – which also led to an abysmal US remake with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock – has generated a proper following, with fans belonging to very different demographic pools from the one the film was originally intended for.

It’s Christmas time and Eun-joo (Jun Ji-hyun) is moving out of a beautiful house on stilts overlooking the sea, called Il Mare that...

Exclusive: Mark Amin’s U.S. based Sobini Films (Good Kill), Japanese producer Motoko Kimura (L.D.K), and Lifeng Wang’s (Skiptrace) Yintai Investment are teaming up to launch the Acj Film Fund.

Acj is a joint venture to develop and finance wide-release theatrical films that will appeal to the American, Chinese, and Japanese markets. The $3M development fund is focused on contemporary action, suspense, science fiction, and commercial romance, with a strong emphasis placed on acquiring completed scripts. Acj will also develop select projects based on IP and original concepts. The three partners plan to co-finance the films that Acj develops.

Amin most recently produced and directed Civil War drama Emperor, starring Dayo Okeniyi, Kat Graham, Bruce Dern, James Cromwell and Mykelti Williamson. The film will be released through Briarcliff Entertainment later this year. He also produced the Universal release Jt Leroy starring Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern,...

What is love? If you cannot find the answer in these 40 Asian movies, handpicked by the Amp group one by one, then there is definitely something wrong with you. Without further ado, here are 40 great Asian romantic films, released from 2000 onward, with a focus on diversity on country of origin, director, and style, in alphabetical order.

1. 2046

“2046” loses the simplicity and the chasteness of “In the Mood for Love” for a more chaotic and a bit lustful endeavor with greater ambition. This is a film that affects each person differently, what one takes away from this film will depends on themselves. (Jithin Mohan)

2. 3-Iron

Kim Ki-duk’s direction and the editing are magnificent, as he accomplishes very much with all of his choices. Even when the main characters never say a word to each other, the story catches us by concrete scenes flowing clearly. The calm but...

“A Moment to Remember” is undoubtedly something that should be remembered. John H. Lee gave us with this film one of the best romantic stories translated to the big screen. A tremendously emotional movie as well directed as it is performed, with a fabulous script co-written by the director himself and by Yeong-ha Kim. The story gets the viewer excited to what is being narrated, until reaching a final act where it is impossible to back away the tears.

“A Moment to Remember” is screening at Florence Korea Film Fest

Su-Jin (Son Ye-jin) is a young woman who has had a bad adventure with a married man and just left him. Spending time, she meets a salaried worker from her father, Chol-Su (Jung Woo-sung), with whom she will start a beautiful love story. Everything is beautiful, until something unexpected will put their lives and their relationship to the test

From the first moment,...

The 17th edition of the Florence Korea Film Fest is opening its doors to the public. The festival dedicate to the South-Korean cinematography will be held from March 21st to to the 28th at Cinema La Compagnia in Firenze, Italy.

As explained by the Festival organisers: “The aim of the Florence Korea Film Fest, is to promote the seductive Korean cultural universe through the magnifying glass of the big screen, art exhibitions and conferences”.

Unique in its kind throughout Italy, the Festival, offers premieres and contemporary classics, documentaries, short films, and extensive retrospectives of the leading directors of Korean cinema, often with the participation of the authors themselves.

The 17th edition of the Festival will present 45 titles, between shorts and feature films, most of them in Italian and European premieres.

Jung Woo Sung, one of most beloved performers in his country (and also in Japan) will be honored by a...

Not to be confused with the thriller “The Witness” which released earlier this year starring the excellent Lee Sung-min, director Lee Han’s newest film takes a more dramatic approach to the story of a witness to a crime.

Synopsis

Soon-ho is a poor lawyer who takes on the case to defend a suspect in a murder case. While working on the case, Soon-Ho meets Ji-woo, who is the only witness in the murder case and she has autism.

After the lukewarm response to tentpole blockbuster “Illang: The Wolf Brigade”, Jung Woo-sung is back as Soon-ho. This will be his first drama since 2016’s “Remember You”. Fresh from the trials of hell in both the “Along With the Gods” films as well as a critically-appreciated turn in indie hit “Youngju”, Kim Hyang-gi joins Jung Woo-sung as Ji-woo, which might be her most artistically challenging role to date. This is the...

Beloved British actor Sir John Hurt passed away at the age of 77 after battling pancreatic cancer. The two-time Oscar nominee had over 200 acting credits to his name, including “Alien,” “V for Vendetta,” “The Elephant Man,” the “Harry Potter” franchise, and most recently Pablo Larraín’s “Jackie.”

Following the announcement of his death on Friday, his Hollywood peers and friends paid tribute to him on social media, sending their condolences and remembering the great times they’ve had together, as well as his incredible filmography.

Read More: John Hurt, ‘Alien’ and ‘The Elephant Man’ Star, Dies At 77

Mel Brooks, who worked with Hurt on “The Elephant Man” and “Spaceballs,” tweeted that he was “a truly magnificent talent” and that “he will sorely be missed.”

It was terribly sad today to learn of John Hurt's passing. He was a truly magnificent talent.

— Mel Brooks (@MelBrooks) January 28, 2017

No one could have played The Elephant Man more memorably.

Two exciting, action-packed Martial Arts movie debut on DVD this week from Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company: Reign Of Assassins and The Lost Bladesman.

“‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ relocate to ancient China in the dazzling martial-arts epic “Reign Of Assassins”

–The Hollywood Reporter

Reign Of Assassins is an epic Mma Battle Produced by John Woo & Directed by Su Chao-Pin and Starring Michelle Yeoh. It arrives on DVD, Digital HD & On Demand November 1

Michelle Yeoh (Babylon A.D., Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend), Jung Woo-Sung (The Good, The Bad, The Weird; A Moment to Remember, The Warrior) and Xueqi Wang (Iron Man 3, Bodyguards and Assassins, Warriors of Heaven and Earth) star in Reign of Assassins, the exciting martial arts thriller produced by the legendary John Woo (Mission Impossible: II, Face/Off, The Killer), arriving on Digital HD & On Demand and on DVD from...

The London Korean Film Festival (Lkff) 2016 celebrates it’s 11th year of bringing the best of Korean cinema to the UK. The festival will be in London from November 3 to 17 followed by a tour of UK cinemas.

Lkff will head out to Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and Belfast. Fans can expect an excellent line up of films highlighting the best of South Korean cinema.

The Truth Beneath

For this year’s Opening Gala the festival is pleased to unveil the European Premiere of director Lee Kyoung-mi’s powerful thriller The Truth Beneath. Actress Son Ye-jin (The Pirates, A Moment to Remember) gives her finest performance to date in the role of Yeon-hong, wife of politician Jong-chan (Kim Ju-hyuk – Yourself and Yours) who’s about to embark on the biggest campaign of his career. Joined by their daughter, Min-jin, the trio appears to be a picture-perfect family until their world...

Josh Hartnett continues to book gigs post-Penny Dreadful. The actor is in advanced negotiations to star in The Last Draw of Jack of Hearts, an indie espionage thriller from writer-director Guy Moshe. If the deal makes, Hartnett would start filming on the pic in Italy in March, after he wraps A Moment to Remember. He would play Jack, the former top dog of an elite mercenary outfit, who is shot in the back and left for dead during a covert operation in Africa. He returns to…...

Director Lee Jae-Han (A Moment to Remember) brings Operation Chromite that MacArthur characterized as a 5,000-to-1 gamble — one of the most successful amphibious operations in military history — to the big screen.

Inspired by actual events during the Korean War, a story of heroic Korean troopers who, commanded by General MacArthur (played by Liam Neeson), carry out the code-named Operation Chromite and contribute to turn the tide of the Korean War and liberate South Korea from the North Korean invaders.

Star of Assassination and New World, Lee Jung-Jae features as a South Korean navy lieutenant and Lee Beom-Soo (The Divine Move) as an elite Soviet-trained North Korean officer.

Operation Chromite is set for a wide release this July through Korea’s leading distributor Cj E&M.

Check out the first teaser trailer below!

Directed by Lee Jae-Han of A Moment to Remember (2004), Korean war action film Operation Chromite rounds out its cast with Hollywood star Liam Neeson, who plays the role of U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur.

Set during the 1950s Korean War, the plot concentrates on heroic Korean troopers who, commanded by General MacArthur, carry out a covert mission X-ray that leads the code-named Operation Chromite, and contribute to wrest control of the Korean War and liberate South Korea from the North Korean invaders.

The film also features Korean-Japanese Mma fighter Choo Sung-Hoon as a North Korean soldier, Korean heart-throb Lee Jung-Jae (Assassination, 2015 and New World, 2013) as a South Korean navy lieutenant and Lee Beom-Soo (The Divine Move, 2014) as an elite Soviet-trained North Korean officer.

Lee Jung-Jae and Lee Beom-Soo previously worked together on Oh! Brothers (2003) and City of the Rising Sun (1999).

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film has notched...

Plot

Seok-Won (Jung Woo-Sung) lost 10 years of his memory after a car accident. He now has trouble identifying his family, friends or even himself. For some reason, he is afraid to know about his past. An afternoon visit to the hospital, leads him to sit directly in front of a woman in tears. The woman is Jin-Young (Kim Ha-Neul). Eventually, Seok-Won falls in love with Jin-Young. As the couple prepare for their future, Seok-Won’s past slowly begins to emerge. (AsianWiki)

Director : Lee Yoon-jung

Cast : Jung Woo-sung, Kim Ha-nel

The plot kinda sounds like ‘A Moment to Remember‘ but in reversed ….

Trailer

Movie Discussion (English Subs)...

Back in 2011, a 3D remake of The Killer was announced, and at the time A Moment To Remember's John H. Lee was set to direct it with Jung Woo-Sung (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) in the lead role, with original director John Woo serving as a producer. Obviously that version didn't happen, but during a recent conversation with Screen Daily at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Woo said it will... Read More...

South Korean sales agent Mirovision has launched sales on Korea-China co-production The Third Way Of Love, directed by Korean filmmaker John H. Lee (A Moment To Remember).

Korea’s Sm Contents Investment is financing the film and it is being produced by China’s Hs Media Investment Co., Ltd. and Pegasus Media.

The tragic love triangle story stars Song Seung-heon as the heir to a huge corporation and Crystal Liu as a woman who has just gotten through a painful divorce.

“We’re concentrating on this and our other Korea-China co-production My New Sassy Girl,” says Mirovision CEO Jason Chae.

Directed by Cho Keun-shik, the sequel to pan-Asian hit My Sassy Girl is currently in post-production and waiting to pass the censorship board in China. It’s aiming for a spring 2016 release.

Mirovision has in production the latest animation from Ahn Jae-hun and Han Hye-jin Han, the directing duo who were in Busan and the Annecy International...

Taken star Liam Neeson is set to play Us Army General Douglas MacArthur in John H. Lee’s upcoming Korean War film about the Incheon Landing Operation.

Operation Chromite will centre on eight Korean war heroes who carry out a covert operation preceding the Incheon landing which changed the tide of the Korean War, allowing South Korean and Un allied forces to retake the capital of Seoul from the invading North Korean army.

Taewon Entertainment head Jeong Tae-won told Yonhap news agency it plans to start production in late September with a budget of $12.7m (KW15bn). Neeson will travel to Korea for the shoot.

Lee is known for directing the hit tearjerker A Moment to Remember (2004) and 71 - Into the Fire (2010), a film about South Korean student soldiers during the same war, which Taewon Entertainment also produced.

The Seoul-based company has also produced films such as Return Of The Mafia, Three Kingdoms – Resurrection...

A Moment to Remember (2004) and 71: Into the Fire (2010) director John H. Lee is set to helm Korean War pic Operation Chromite and the first cast member to join the project is none other than Liam Neeson, who will play General MacArthur.The film, which has been greenlit with a 15 billion won ($12.73 million) budget, will focus on the Battle of Incheon, a turning point in the war. On September 15th, 1950, Un forces launched a surprise attack, landing in Incheon and driving out the North Korean forces.Taewon Entertainment, which has produced modern Korean classics such as Lee Myung-se's Nowhere to Hide (1999), confirmed the casting earlier today and revealed that the film would go into production later this year with a planned...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Korean actress Son Ye-jin as been cast in Huayi Brothers’ Bad Guys Always Die (working title), which will be executive produced by Korean filmmaker Kang Je Gyu and China’s Feng Xiaogang.

Son will star opposite Taiwanese actor Chen Bolin in the story of a young Chinese man and his friends who visit Korea’s Jeju Island and get into trouble after meeting a mysterious Korean woman.

Produced by China’s New Power Film and backed by Huayi Brothers, the black comedy will be directed by long-time Feng Xiaogang collaborator Sun Hao. Shooting will take place entirely in Korea.

The film marks the latest in a string of recent China-Korea co-ventures – Huayi Brothers previously co-produced family adventure Mr Go with Korea’s Showbox. Korea’s Cj E&M is currently enjoying a huge hit with the Chinese-language remake of Korean comedy Miss Granny.

Kang Je Gyu’s credits include Korean blockbuster Taegukgi and more recently My Way (2011), while...

The full line-up for Tokyo International Film Festival (Tiff) will include 30 world premieres, including five in the main 15-title competition section judged by a jury headed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), organizers announced Tuesday. Films from France, Belgium, Japan, China, Russia and the U.S. will be among those competing for the $50,000 Sakura Grand Prix and other awards, with Gunn joined on the jury by four more directors, Korean John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember), Australian Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde), Singaporean John Khoo (Tatsumi) and Japanese Hiroshi Shinagawa, alongside U.K. casting

read more...

— There's plenty to like about The Sessions: iron lung sex, John Hawkes, William H. Macy, "a reminder that we must be kind to one another." Director Ben Lewin is already set on his next project, as reported by the Playlist. He'll be remaking the 2004 South Korean film A Moment to Remember about a couple struggling through the effects of Alzheimer's disease. The movie was actually based on Japanese television drama Pure Soul, and last we heard about the remake was 2008 when Erin Brockovich writer Susannah Grant was attached to the project. THR doesn't indicate if that's still the case, but Lewin did tackle his own screenplay for The Sessions, so things may have changed. The biggest news, however, is that rom-com darling Katherine Heigl has...

Read More...

Surprise, surprise, Katherine Heigl is set to star in another romantic drama titled A Moment To Remember, which comes from director Ben Lewin (The Sessions). And here’s an interesting description of the whole thing – the movie will be based on a Korean film inspired by a Japanese TV show! What the hell…? Here’s an explanation from THR: the project is based on a Japanese TV series called Pure Soul broadcast on Yomiuri TV. In 2004, it was turned into a successful Korean film produced by Cj Entertainment and Sidus Fnh Corporation. What a relief! Anyway, Katherine Heigl comes on board to play a fasion...

1.) Ellen Page plans to make Miss Stevens her directorial debut and has Anna Farris attached to star as a teacher who chaperones a group of high schoolers to a state drama competition. Julia Hart, who also wrote the upcoming Hailee Steinfeld/Olivia Wilde Civil War drama The Keeping Room, is penning the script. Variety 2.) Melissa McCarthy will co-direct the New Line comedy Tammy with her husband Ben Falcone (Air Marshall Jon from Bridesmaids). The couple also co-wrote and will produce the pic. McCarthy was already attached to star in the pic when original director Beth McCarthy-Miller backed out of the job. The studio reached out to Rob Reiner, but the two parties couldn't reach a deal, so they turned to their star because they'd hate to miss their window to work with such a hot commodity. The film follows a woman who hits the road with her hard-drinking grandmother after...

As Katherine Heigl becomes less and less relevant in the film industry with each passing year, the perpetually rom-com actress looks finally ready to ditch that scene for a more cerebral fare, one that might finally start the tide turning in her favour.

The Hollywood Reporter says Heigl has smartly pitched herself to the romantic drama A Moment To Remember, Ben Lewin’s next project, the director who led Helen Hunt to a Best Supporting Actress nod in the highly-regarded The Sessions. No doubt with Awards recognition of her own on her mind, Heigl will play a fashion designer (no seriously, it’s not one of those movies again) who is stricken with a rare disease that is eroding her memory, forcing her husband to try and give her one last memory of the love they have shared.

The film would be a remake of a 2004 South Korean film of...

Though “The Sessions” didn’t turn out to be the awards contender many predicted -- Helen Hunt’s nod for Best Supporting Actress notwithstanding -- when it premiered last year at Sundance, it still impressed a hell of a lot of people and now its director has already set-up his follow-up film. THR is reporting that “The Sessions” helmer, Ben Lewin will remake the 2004 South Korean film “A Moment To Remember,” itself based on the Japanese TV series “Pure Soul.” Described as a romantic drama, Lewin has nabbed none other than rom-com-queen Katherine Heigl to star as the “fashion designer who is stricken with a disease that wipes away her memory, forcing her husband to desperately try to give her one last memory of their love.” So yeah, get a box hankies ready. Now, while the combination of Heigl and this kind of treacly premise turns us off, we’re...

When The Vow came out last year it was a big surprise hit, not only beating Safe House, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and Star Wars Episode I 3D in its opening weekend, but maintaining its popularity over a 14 week run and managing to make a total of $125 million domestically. Hollywood logic dictates that these kinds of numbers mean people just love romantic movies about memory loss - hence we get news about this new project. The Hollywood Reporter has learned that The Sessions director Ben Lewin is now setting up his follow-up to his Oscar nominated Sundance hit, and is doing so by teaming up with Katherine Heigl for the new film A Moment To Remember. Based on a Japanese series called Pure Soul, the new movie will have the One For The Money star playing a fashion designer "who is stricken with a disease that wipes away her memory,...

Katherine Heigl has been cast in A Moment to Remember.

The Knocked Up actress will take the lead role in The Sessions director Ben Lewin's romantic drama, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film centres around a fashion designer who develops a disease that begins to damage her memory.

He husband struggles to capture the last pieces of their love before it is all gone.

The movie is based on Korean television series Pure Soul, which was itself adapted into a film in 2004.

Heigl was most recently seen in One for the Money, and will next appear alongside Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams and Ben Barnes in The Big Wedding.

A Moment to Remember will begin shooting in the spring.

A Moment to Remember

Katherine Heigl has scored the lead role in "A Moment to Remember" from "The Sessions" director Ben Lewin. The story is an adaptation of the Korean television series, "Pure Soul."

Heigl plays a fasion designer who begins to suffer from a disease that damages her memory. Her husband is left to try and capture a perfect, lasting moment of their love. Shooting begins this Spring. [Source: THR]

Need for Speed

Dakota Johnson ("Ben And Kate," "21 Jump Street") has joined the cast of the film adaptation of the Scott Waugh-directed EA video game "Need for Speed" at DreamWorks.

Aaron Paul plays a man who races at impossible speeds from New York to La to get revenge on the guy who killed his best friend. Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Michael Keaton, Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, Ramon Rodriguez, Rami Malek and Harrison Gilbertson also star. [Source: Deadline]

The McCarthys

Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver ("Animal Kingdom,...

• Kristen Stewart and Elizabeth Banks have signed on to star in the upcoming film The Big Shoe. Directed by Steven Shainberg (Secretary), the film is about a brilliant shoe designer (Jim Sturgess) whose mother (Susan Sarandon) wants him to get into the lucrative knock-off business. When he tries to go off on his own, she hires a “muse” (Stewart) and a therapist (Banks) to try to convince him to do her bidding. [THR]

• Anna Faris is set to star in Ellen Page’s directorial debut Miss Stevens about a depressed teacher forced to chaperone a group of high school students on...

Katherine Heigl will star in the romantic drama A Moment to Remember, a feature remake of a Korean movie that will be director Ben Lewin’s follow-up to his acclaimed drama The Sessions. Scott Pictures will produce and finance with Sobini Films; Film 360 is also producing. Scott Pictures, which is prepping Lynne Ramsay's Jane Got a Gun starring Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender, will be selling the film in Berlin. The story centers on a fashion designer is stricken with a disease that wipes away her memory, forcing her husband to desperately try to give her one last memory of

read more...

Katherine Heigl has signed on to play the leading role in A Moment to Remember , a new project from The Sessions director Ben Lewin. The Hollywood Reporter brings word of the project, which is based on a Korean television series, "Pure Soul," which itself was made into a Korean film in 2004. A Moment to Remember follows a fasion designer (Heigl) who begins to suffer from a disease that damages her memory. Her husband is left to try and capture a perfect, lasting moment of their love. Heigl most recently starred in One for the Money and can be seen this spring in The Big Wedding opposite Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams and Ben Barnes. A Moment to Remember will begin shooting this spring with Mark...

Directed by Kim Ji-hoon

Produced by Lee Sang-jik

Written by Kim Sang-don

Starring Sul Kyung-gu, Son Ye-jin, Kim Sang-kyung

Distributed by Cj Entertainment

Running Time 121 mins

Website www.thetowermovie2013.com, www.Cj-Entertainment.com

Cj Entertainment has announced the North American release of The Tower on 11 January, 2013.

The Tower is a Korean disaster action film about a fire that breaks out in a luxury skyscraper in central Seoul on Christmas Eve, which was inspired by the 1974 Hollywood film ‘The Towering Inferno’, and the film’s director Kim Ji-hoon, his personal experience seeing the 63 Building in Seoul for the first time as a middle school student and imagining how it would feel to be trapped inside.

The film is already gathered intense interest in Korea where it opened as the holiday blockbuster offering last Christmas.

It features a star-studded ensemble cast including Sul Kyung-gu (No Mercy, Tidal Wave), Son Ye-jin (A Moment to Remember,...

Financing is now locked and loaded for the English-language remake of John Woo's The Killer, to be directed by John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember). Sarah Yan Li will co-star; casting for the lead roles is still up in the air. The story is set in Los Angeles, so naturally shooting will begin in Toronto later this year. Bruno Wu's Seven Stars Film Studios will provide the financing. The project, long in development, will be produced by Woo and Terence Chang. Josh Campbell wrote the script. When this latest remake project was first announced in February 2011, it was to be shot in 3D and Jung Woo-Sung was to star in the Chow Yun-Fat role. There's no mention of either in the new...

Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars Film Studios is coming aboard to finance the planned English-language remake of John Woo’s 1989 film The Killer. John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember) will direct the script by Josh Campbell (One Square Mile), which relocates the story of a contract killer, who falls in love with the only living witness to his latest job, to Los Angeles. Sarah Yan Li, repped by CAA and a rising star in China, will co-star in the thriller. Lion Rock Production’s Woo and Terence Chang will produce alongside Lion Rock’s Lori Tilkin, who will executive produce the

read more...

The Fringe is a place where non-horror genre films can get some play on Shock. These films might be sci-fi, fantasy or action - and certainly contain some horror elements - but will likely be light on scares, or, straight-up "horror." Still, they might be of interest to you.

While a remake to John Woo's The Killer has been rumored for some time now, nothing has come to fruition. Today, however, it looks like that redo is one step closer to reality.

Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars Film Studios has agreed to finance John Woo and Terence Chang’s Lion Rock Productions The Killer, the English language retelling of the film.

John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember) is still attached to direct the script by Josh Campbell (One Square Mile). Sarah Yan Li will co-star in the thriller.

Read more...

Remember back in 1991 when terrorists seized control of an elite boarding school, and a group of trouble-making boys - led by head Goonie Sean Astin - took it upon themselves to fight back. Louis Gossett Jr. played Dean Edward Parker and boyhood wonder Toy Soldiers was born - well I loved it anyway. Now imagine Toy Soldiers set in Korea, where the guns are bigger and the warfare is based on fact. I might be selling 71: Into The Fire a little short on this one, comparing it to a fantastical schoolboy adventure, but John H. Lee’s spectacular war epic touches on similar themes of heroism, defiance against all odds and plucky determination. During the devastating Korean War, 71 South Korean soldiers stood guard at a middle school and defended an important strategic point from hundreds of North Korean soldiers - most of them students, not yet soldiers. Director John H. Lee...

Back in 2007 it was announced that a remake of John Woo's classic Hong Kong action flick The Killer was in development [1]. We hadn't heard much about it since then, but alas, it would appear that the project is finally moving forward and currently in pre-production, looking for financing. Deadline New York [2] recently came across a sales announcement for the project, and not only does it reveal some casting details, but it also confirms that John Woo will be producing and that the movie will be released in 3D: Producer John Woo said: "While all my films are special to me, The Killer is truly one of my favorites. We are thrilled to reinvent it as an English-language film and know it’s in capable hands by the incredible visual style and tender emotion John H. Lee brings to all his films." John Fremes, President of Worldwide Distribution at Essential Entertainment...

Warner Bros and CBS Films are teaming up to bring Stephen King's The Stand to the big screen. The Hollywood Reporter reports the studios will meet with writers and directors in the coming weeks in hopes of finding the right match for taking on one of the best-selling books of all time. The post-apocalyptic tale was previously adapted into a toned-down six-hour mini-series by ABC in 1994 and no doubt the upcoming attempt by Universal to bring King's The Dark Tower to the big and small screen had something to do with this decision. Any suggestions for who the helmer should be? John Carpenter comeback vehicle, perhaps?

Variety broke the news that Tyler Perry (aka Madea) will take over the role of detective Alex Cross in the next adaptation based on the series of James Patterson novels with Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious, xXx) set to direct. This...

It was nigh on three years ago that we first reported John Woo was planning to remake his classic Hk 80s hard core action movie…The Killer…in the U.S and after the initial buzz died down, so did news on the reboot. Now according to variety the project is back on track, and yes you could have guessed, it will be in 3D. John H. Lee ('A Moment to Remember') will be directing, Jung Woo-Sung ('Reign of Assassins') plays the lead, and Mr Woo will produce. The fact that Woo is still overseeing the project goes a fair way to allay fears that this will end up another soulless, by the numbers, Hollywood CGI re-hash. And another plus is Jung in the lead. A great actor, with tons of experience in making action movies. The 3D nonsense to one side, but this could well be very good.

It was nigh on three years ago that we first reported John Woo was planning to remake his classic Hk 80s hard core action movie…The Killer…in the U.S and after the initial buzz died down, so did news on the reboot. Now according to variety the project is back on track, and yes you could have guessed, it will be in 3D. John H. Lee ('A Moment to Remember') will be directing, Jung Woo-Sung ('Reign of Assassins') plays the lead, and Mr Woo will produce. The fact that Woo is still overseeing the project goes a fair way to allay fears that this will end up another soulless, by the numbers, Hollywood CGI re-hash. And another plus is Jung in the lead. A great actor, with tons of experience in making action movies. The 3D nonsense to one side, but this could well be very good.

Essential Entertainment has announced that it has teamed with Lion Rock Productions to remake John Woo's 1989 action film "The Killer," which stars Chow Yun Fat. It's already in pre-production and the plan is to make it in English and in 3D. John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember, Saying Good-bye, Oneday) will direct from a script by Josh Campbell, and Jung Woo-Sung (Reign of Assassins) will star. Woo (Face/Off, Mission: Impossible II), meanwhile, will produce. "While all my films are special to me, 'The Killer' is truly one of my favorites," said Woo. "We are thrilled to reinvent it as an English-language film and know it's in capable hands by the incredible visual style and tender emotion John H. Lee brings to all his films." Plot: Set in present day, an elite Asian assassin risks everything to protect a beautiful singer that he unintentionally blinded, but...

The Killer is not only one of the best movies to come out of Hong Kong, but it’s also massively influential: action films from Desperado to The Matrix have paid homage to John Woo’s balletic style, and the epic gun battles (including the excellent final standoff) have gone down in action movie history as some of the best ever captured on film.

It’s with a heavy heart that I bring you the news of the day: The Killer is being remade for American audiences – and to add insult to injury, it’ll appear in glorious 3D. One of the unfortunate truths of the movie business is that the general public – for whatever reason (laziness, apathy, illiteracy, etc.) – will very rarely tolerate a film with subtitles. So movie studios, always tasked with creating new projects, eschew any new ideas and go for easy remakes of successful foreign films.