DURESORI: THE VOICE OF THE EAST plays for Free Tuesday at the Korean Cultural Services free films in Tribeca

The next free Korean Cultural Service film is Tribeca is Tuesday. The film is the last in the K-pop series. Here’s what their web site says:

DURESORI: THE VOICE OF THE EAST (2012, 108 min)
North American Premiere!

Based on a true story, Duresori: The Voice of the East is shot in documentary style and tells the story of high school seniors Seul-ki and Ah-reum. Like other teenagers, they’re stressing over upcoming college entrance exams – and even more so when they’re forced to join the school choir in order to fill a remaining requirement. There, their unorthodox instructor blends the principles of classic Western music and traditional Korean song. Though at first they are reluctant to learn, they soon find a love for this exciting blend of music… and are forced to band together when the school cancels their annual summer concert. Will their music survive?

The film will be shown in Korean with English subtitles.

The website is also saying that the film after that is a special screening of SECRETLY GREATLY (2013, 124 min), on September 10th, 2013.

See the K-pop documentary I AM Tuesday for free at the Tribeca Cinema

The Korean Cultural Service has a really amazing screening coming up on Tuesday the 13th as part of their "Free Movie Nights" series, they're going to be hosting a special screening of I AM, a fantastically fun documentary about the band SM Town, and their struggles and triumphs to set up a 2012 show at NYC's Madison Square Garden.

Korean Movie Night
August 13th, 2013
courtesy of the Korean Cultural Service
7:00PM
Tribeca Cinemas
(54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops)
Price: FREE All seating is first-come, first served.
Doors open at 6:30pm.


For additional information, trailers, and more, please like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/KoreanMovieNY and follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/KoreanMovieNY

AUGUST 13 – I AM. (2012)
The music documentary I Am. follows the chart-topping K-pop band SM TOWN as they prepare for a live performance at one of the world’s most prestigious venues: New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Shining light on what defines the performers and the intense effort that goes into their meticulously-staged concerts, this touching coming-of-age story is just as much about the growing pains and glory of the young artists as it is about their music. Featuring tons of incredible music and amazing K-pop cameos, this is the inside look into Korea’s popular music scene.

Best Laid plans yet again- and early Sunday nightcap

What is it they say about the best laid plans?

My plan of having a few weeks to get my real life in order kind of got blown away when I offered the chance to do some reviews for films playing at Fantasia. I jumped at the chance and I’ve been having a blast watching a whole bunch of films I never expected to be able to see. I’ve been averaging about 3 films a night- which as you can see has resulted in a flood of reviews. As of right now I have stuff programmed to the end of the festival on the 7th. I also have about 17 additional titles to try and cover. I have no idea how many I’m going to get to- but keep reading because more reviews will be coming. You may want to book mark the Fantasia tag so you can jump straight to our coverage. Additionally keep in mind that we banged out reviews of 25 films that played elsewhere so check the pre-festival post for a list of those films and a link to out reviews.
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Ultimate Christian Wrestling is still trying to get enough money to finish it and I’m looking to get a t-shirt. Please give what you can to their Kickstarter campaign. Details here.
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Tuesday at the KCS thay are running their next music film TURN IT UP TO ELEVEN 2: WILD DAYS details are here.
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Speaking of K-pop and music Lincoln Center is running their Sound +Vision series which has some really good music documentaries playing

Additional at the end of the week the Film Society is starting their David Bowie series. Its full of the films in which he starred in, which means it’s a treat with films like THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, ZIGGY STARDUST and MERRY CHRISTMAS MR LAWRENCE. They are also showing two new to the US films from the BBC, The first is an hour long adaption of Bertolt Brecht’s BAAL (Yes it’s an hour not two as the promo material says) in which Bowie proves just how good an actor he is. The second is CRACKED ACTOR a documentary shot during the Diamond Dogs tour in LA. It’s a time capsule to a time when Bowie was on the edge of imploding. Filled with great music it’s a must see for fans. I’ll have reviews of both midweek, until then get your tickets here.

And now as is usual some links to round out this post, most thanks to our crack researcher Randi:
Fold shirts in 2 seconds
Moebius  Tron Art
The Original Sky Captain short
Abandoned places
Tex Avery Model Sheets
Luminous Lint (photograph archive)
Mickey's Service Station
Dear Mr Watterson
Time Stretched Dr Who Theme
A Japanese Horror prank
Bully Can't Drive 55
An early David Lynch Interview
4 Minutes of Superman B Roll footage
The Unforgiven remake trailer

Tuesday PLAY starts the Korean Cultural Service's music film series in Tribeca.

I'm buried with NYAFF and Japan Cuts but I want to take a couple of seconds to say that the next series of Korean Cultural Service FREE films, all having to do with music, begins Tuesday with PLAY. Here's what the website says:

Mate was an indie band from Korea who happened upon fame in 2009, when Irish musician Glenn Hansard (of Swell Season and the hit musical “Once”) spotted them busking in the lobby of one of his concerts. This was the beginning of a dramatic debut, which would see bandmembers Jung Joon-Il, Yim Hun-Il, and Lee Hyun-jae rocketed to fame. Play chronicles these events, with the band appearing as themselves – and staying very truthful to their inspiring story.

As always doors at 630 and movies at 7

Tuesday ARCHITECTURE 101 is playing for free at the Tribeca Cinemas

 Its that time again- Tuesday is the next film at the Korean Cultural Service's FREE screenings at the Tribeca Cinemas.  The film this week is Architecture 101 which has had some great word of mouth. How good? Basically when I saw it scheduled I got upset that I have something that night. .

Here's what the Korean Cultural Service website says about the film:

From our "Laughter and Love at the Box Office!" series:


Architect Seung-Min (Uhm Tae-Woong) receives a visit from a woman who wants his assistance in building a new home. The only catch is that she’s his old first love, and life had taken them both in very different directions. Now thrust back into a series of memories he’d long since tried to forget, Seung-Min is torn between the love of his past and the reality of his present. A heartbreaking but beautiful story of the lessons we learn as we grow, Architecture 101 was one of 2012’s biggest hits – with bold, beautiful cause.

Tribeca Cinemas:
54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops

FREE ADMISSION

All seating is first come, first served. Doors open at 6:30PM.

SUNNY is the next free movie at the Tribeca Cinemas

The free movie Tuesday at Korean Cultural Service free screening in Tribeca is Sunny. Part of the --- series the film is infinitely lighter than many of the recent films. I have the film as an import DVD and if I can dig it out I’m going to put up a review before the screening Tuesday.

Here’s what the Korean Cultural Service says about the film

From our "Laughter and Love at the Box Office!" series:

Girl power! In this award-winning hit, a group of schoolgirls form a timeless friendship, bonding over their willingness to do whatever it takes to help each other out.

A country girl, relocating to Seoul, becomes a part of the clique… but when an irreversible tragedy strikes, the group finds themselves forced to go their separate ways. Twenty-five years later, when two of the girls happen to meet by chance at a hospital, they decide its time to get their friends back together and make their lives “sunny” again! An irrepressible feel-good comedy, Sunny was tied with the historical action blockbuster War of the Arrows as the biggest Korean film of 2011!

Tribeca Cinemas:

54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops

FREE ADMISSION

All seating is first come, first served. Doors open at 6:30PM.

Tuesday at the Korean Cultural Service: Miracle in Cell No 7

Tuesday you can see MIRACLE IN CELL No.7 which is currently burning up the box office in Korea. Where the Koreans are paying their hard earned cash you can go for free. Its the first of their Laughter and Love at the Box Office series so look for a lighter film than they've had the last few weeks.

As always the movie is at 7 with doors at 630
For full details go here.

The Client (2011)

The film begins with a man arriving home to his apartment complex which is overrun with the police. He gets out of his car and nonchalantly walks into the house with a bouquet of flowers and some packages. Walking through the halls past the swarming officers he gets to his door only to find all the activity in his apartment. Walking into the bedroom he sees the bed covered in blood and the police collecting evidence. As he stares at the scene several officers come up behind him and arrest him for murder.

At that point I was hooked and in it for the long haul…

More a court room procedural than a straight forward mystery, this is a more or less straight forward tale where the suspect’s defense team tries to determine whether or not their client did it (there is no body and all evidence is circumstantial) and to give him an adequate defense, something the authorities don’t want to happen. A couple of things I’ve read on the film indicate that the film plays out is in its way close to the way that cases can and do play out in Korea, which for me, someone with a day job in the legal field was pretty cool.

I need to state at the start that there are no grand revelations or twists. We don’t suddenly get some grand information in the final fifteen minutes that’s completely out of left field, anything that happens is a natural progression of the story. I say this because I kept waiting for some big Hollywood gotcha moment that never came. Think something along the line of Law and Order but from the defense. It is splashy like the big budget movie, it just plays, reasonably fair with the audience.

I really like this film. Starting the film late one night I thought that I was simply going to put it on and then drift in and out of it. Instead I stopped everything I was doing and stared at the screen. I also got really annoyed when I just got into the perfect position and the first VCD ended which meant I had to get up and to switch the discs.

This is a solid little thriller. It’s a gripping tale that keeps you watching simply because you have to find out how it all comes out. As I said at the top I was hooked from the outset and really wanted to see where it was all going.

Is it perfect, no. I found that there is a point where some of the momentum wanes. Its not that there is anything wrong, its more the story has moved to a certain point and things have to play out before it picks up steam. Also in reflection I think a couple of things don’t make 100% sense. (I can’t tell you what since it will give too much away). I could be wrong since some of the bits are the result of changing perception- what I know at the end changes things at the start.

Minor reservations aside, this is a super film. It’s the sort of thing that grabs you and holds you to the very end.

Definitely worth searching out

Tuesday at the Free Korean Movie Night: The Neighbor Zombie (2009)

Who doesn't love zombies, those cuddly, huggable, rotting creatures of the living dead? (Answer: nobody.) If you're a fan of those shockingly scary shambling sensations, don't miss the US premiere of 2009's The Neighbor Zombie! It's Tuesday, April 30th's free offering for Korean Movie Night:

Here comes the first Korean zombie movie! Why should Americans have all the fun when it comes to zombie outbreaks? In this tongue-in-cheek 2009 thriller, Seoul is overrun with the walking dead—and the government says it’s time to wipe them out! A six-part comedy/horror anthology from four cutting-edge indie directors, The Neighbor Zombie follows an unbelievable zombie outbreak as it spreads throughout Korea, examining the numerous people it affects in bizarre, wild ways. With an amazing $18,000 budget, it embodies the pinnacle of what a talented group of filmmakers can accomplish if they put their delicious, juicy brains together!

The Neighbor Zombie makes its US premiere at 7 PM, Tuesday, April 30th at the Tribeca Cinemas (at 54 Varick Street on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops).

Admission is free, and all seating is first-come, first served. Doors open at 6:30 PM.

Run dead, don't walk dead, to see The Neighbor Zombie!

Tuesday at the Free Korean Movie Night: Invasion of the Alien Bikini (2011)

I think we can all agree, whatever movies we may have seen, that there is no more awesome title for a film than 2011's Invasion of the Alien Bikini (Eillieon bikini). It's Tuesday, April 16's free offering for Korean Movie Night:

Young Gun (Hong Young-Geun) is a virgin vigilante, determined to do the right thing as he wanders through the city streets at night. A self-proclaimed protector of the people (who occasionally picks up a wayward scrap of trash), he risks his life for the good of his oblivious metropolis. One night, after saving a lovely young woman and bringing her back to his apartment, Young Gun’s chastity becomes threatened: it turns out the lovely young woman is not of this Earth, and her one and only mission on this planet is to procreate and save her species!

A riotous mix of comedy and science fiction, this raunchy romp from director Oh Young-Doo was shot with an unbelievable budget of $4,500—employing the assistance of family, friends, and anyone he could find to help bring his hilarious vision to life!

Join us for the New York premiere of this critically acclaimed indie gem, but leave the kids at home—this one’s a bit racy!

Invasion of the Alien Bikini premieres at 7 PM, Tuesday, April 16th at the Tribeca Cinemas (at 54 Varick Street on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops).

Admission is free, and all seating is first-come, first served. Doors open at 6:30 PM.

Don't miss this one: the Citizen Kane of alien bikini films.

BLOODY FIGHT IN IRON ROCK VALLEY is the next free movie at the Korean Cultural Service Free Screening

One of the best films of 2012 is playing for Free Tuesday night in Tribeca. Yes Bloody Fight in Iron Rock Valley is playing as part of the Korean Cultural Service free series and it’s an absolute must see. Easily one of the best westerns of the last 25 years (yes I know the film is set in modern day Korea) this is a film that you’ll want to schlep down to Tribeca to see.

How good is it?

Mondocurry and myself  posted pieces on it which can be found here(mondo)  and here (me). Anyone we know who has seen the film has been blown away by it.

Mondocurry also interviewed the director.

Go see this film.

As always doors at 630, movie at 7

Tuesday at the free Korean Cultural Service screening in Tribeca: YOUNG GUNS IN THE TIME

Tuesday is the start of the next series of films from the Korean Cultural Service :Micro budgeted films. This looks to be a killer series. The next film is Bloody Fight in Iron Rock Valley which several of us at Unseen put on our best of the year lists. First up is YOUNG GUNGS IN THE TIME. I have not seen the film and I'm hoping to get to Tribeca for the screening. The Korean Cultural Service describes the film as follows:

Director Oh Young-Doo and producer Kaizo Hayashi (president of the jury at Japan’s Yubari Fantastic Film Festival 2011) team up for this intense, dramatic adventure! Young Gun (Hong Young-Geun) is a petty detective drawn to a mysterious woman with a startling personal request. After turning her down, he follows the starlet out of his office, only to see her killed in a violent car accident. Traumatized, he’s soon even more shocked to see the same woman appear before him, begging him to find a way back in time so that he might save her life. Young Gun has only three days to complete his task… but first, he’s going to need to find a time machine!

Financed for an amazing low budget of $45,000, more than half of Young Gun in the Time’s funds came from the cash prize from Director Oh winning the Grand Prix at the Yubari Fantastic Film Festival in 2011!


Tribeca Cinemas:
54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops

FREE ADMISSION
All seating is first-come, first served.
Doors open at 6:30PM.

Tuesday at the Tribeca Cinemas: The Window plus short films

From the director of King of Pigs comes the short feature The Window, this weeks offering from the Korean Cultural Service.  Its a rare screening of the film so if you want to see something most people, especially outside of Korean have never seen get down to the Tribeca Cinemas Tuesday. If all goes well I'll be there myself.

If you want more details this is what the Korean Cultural Service website has to say about the film:

From the director of The King of Pigs comes The Window, Yuen Sang-ho’s rarely-seen first short feature. Private Jung is proud to be a member of a leading military division; but after Private Hong joins, everyone starts to get disrupted. Jung tries to train Hong, who is indifferent to everything, but he only ends up causing even more trouble. After an altercation, troubles become even more intense, leading to a shocking, powerful conclusion.
This special short feature, which is rarely screened outside of Korea, will be accompanied by additional short films. The evening’s program will have a two-hour running time.

Tribeca Cinemas are located at 54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops

FREE ADMISSION

All seating is first-come, first served.

Doors open at 6:30PM.

The House is the free film Tuesday night at Tribeca Cinemas

I’m annoyed, I’m going to miss the movie Tuesday at the Tribeca Cinemas . the film, The House is about forest spirits helping people out. It’s been compared favorably to the work of Studio Ghibli. Personally I don’t care about that, what I do care about is the clips and images I’ve seen make the film look like a great deal of fun. In all honesty if I wasn’t going to take a bath on Mumford and Sons tickets I’d go see the movie…Actually what I may do is go see some of the film then hop the subway to the Barclays Center… but that has yet to be decided.

Can you tell I really want to see the film?

Anyway the Korean Cultural Service describes the film as follows.

The House, which echoes of the wildly surreal worlds seen in Spirited Away, focuses on Ga-young, a young woman who moves to an old town where she meets Zipsin, the spirit of a house that is soon to be demolished. Whisked away on an enchanted adventure, Ga-young and Zipsin seek out a new spirit who may be able to help them – and together, they hatch a scheme to save the house from those who don’t believe in its magic.


As always doors at 630 and the film is at 7

King of Pigs plays for Free Tuesday night in Tribeca

Just a quick reminder that Tuesday night is the first of the Korean Cultural Services free screenings for 2013 – King of Pigs. This is a great gut punch of a film that played at the New York Asian Film Festival last year. Mondocurry loved the film and spoke with the director. His review can be found here.

Actually do yourself a favor and go see every film in this series of animated films because unlike any other of the films that the Korean Cultural Service runs these are unlikely to get US releases simply because no one, and I do mean no one, cares about Korean animation. I have no idea why since based on what I’ve seen they are doing much more interesting things with the medium than say the Japanese. Seriously I have the dates penciled in and if I can make the next 3 screenings I will.

As always the doors are at 630 and the movies are at 7

Details on the series and the screenings can be found here

The first series of free films from the Korean Cultural Service for 2013 is animation

The Korean Cultural Service has announced the first series of free films for 2013 and it’s a good one- it’s four Korean animated films.

In all seriousness put this on your schedule and make an effort to go because odds are if you don’t see the films here, you won’t see the films at all, ever, unless you go to Korea. Why? Because no one runs or even thinks about Korean animation, which is a damn shame because they are doing some of the most amazing things with the medium.

The series opens with the gut punch film King of Pigs which Mondocurry covered extensively when the film played at the New York Asian Film Festival with a review and an interview with the director. It’s a great but crushing film and it runs January 15th.

We’ll have more details on each film closer to each screening, but for now go to the Korean Cultural Service website and get the details on the films and make plans to attend the screenings.

Tuesday the FREE Korean Cultural Service film is the excellent CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST

Tuesday at 7PM the Korean Cultural Service will be showing the excellent CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST. I reviewed the film two years go where I called it very good. (Warning the review has spoilers) I've seen it since then and my opinion has increased, I've also replaced my VCD copy with a DVD.

The plot of the film follows the relationship between a young woman and a camera store owner who is ill. Its a very off beat love story at least by American standards in that neither one ever says what they feel. That doesn't mean the film isn't moving, it is, with a fade out that affects me more each time I see it.

Unlikely ever to be remade in the US (thank god) this is a super little film that really is worth the time and effort to go see. Honestly If I hadn't recently watched the film again I would be heading there myself.

If you've never seen the film, go see it, you will be moved.

As always doors at 630 and movie at 7.

Tuesday at the FREE Korean Cultural Serivce says MERRY CHRISTMAS, NORTH

The next FREEE film at the Korean Cultural Service series in Tribeca has a full title of Ryang-kang-do: Merry Christmas, North!

I have next to no information on this film (the Cultural Service hasn't updated their website with details) but Korean Film Biz has the following description:

In Ryangkang-do, a rural area in North Korea, Jong-Soo's dream is to go to Pyongyang, where the Great General KIM lives. To go to Pyongyang, he has to collect and donate as many coppers as he can for the Great General to beat his other friends. But, he's rejected en route to Pyongyang and wanders the woods in grief. Weeping under a tree, he finds a balloon, hanging over his head. Within are Christmas gifts and a toy robot from Seoul, South Korea. The toy robot makes Jong-Soo popular, who was once an outcast. Town kids bring Jong-Soo foods and other necessities in order to see and touch the robot. While the robot becomes a way to collect gasoline for his younger brother to visit a hospital in Pyongyang, there happens to be some childen who want to take the robot from Jong-Soo.

Their full report on the film can be found here.

I'm going to try and get out and see the film on Tuesday. A full report will follow if I do make it.

As always Tribeca Cinemas is located at 54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street.
FREE ADMISSION
All seating is first-come, first served. Doors open at 6:30pm. The movie is at 7

Tuesday it's All for Love at the Free Korean Film Night

Next Tuesday is the next free film at the Tribeca Cinemas in the Korean Cultural Services (thankfully) never ending series. The Film is All for Love and it's the first in the It's Christmas in Korea series.

I'm not going to lie and tell you've I've seen the film. I haven't between Hurricane Sandy and the snow Wednesday I haven't had a chance. I believe I have a copy of the film in my collection, but I haven't had a chance to check (I have about 2500 Asian titles and since I buy them faster than I watch them I do forget what I have). If I can find my copy or see the film I'll post a report.

Here's what the website says about the film:

ALL FOR LOVE (2005)

In this unofficial remake of the 2003 American holiday hit Love Actually, the week leading up to Christmas serves as a saccharine backdrop for several couples who have fallen in love, are about to fall in love, or are just now discovering that love simply wasn’t all they’d thought it would be. Charming and sweet, but with a decidedly contemplative note, All for Love hits on everything we’ve ever loved about the holidays – and each other, interweaving a series of stories into one heartwarming and thoughtful film that will stick with you forever.

The film will be shown in Korean with English subtitles.

The next film screening will be MERRY CHRISTMAS, NORTH! (2010, 95min) on Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

Tribeca Cinemas:
(54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street)
FREE ADMISSION
All seating is first-come, first served.
Doors open at 6:30pm.

Memento Mori (1999) is screening in a special Halloween showing of the Free Korean Movie Night series

This is a special Halloween screening of Memento Mori a  Korean horror classic. The film is actually one in a series of horror films that began with Whispering Corridors and continued on with Wishing Stairs, Voice and A Blood Pledge. The film is considered to be the best of the bunch, and one of the best K-horror films period,  The series all are set in an all girls school, and all are unrelated.

The plot of the film unfolds in non-linear fashion. It tells the tale of two girls who are romantically involved. However one of the girls can't handle the pressure and is driven to suicide. After that weird things begin to happen and it rapidly becomes clear that more was going on than first thought.

You'll forgive me for not going into a deeper discussion of the film but it's been years since I last saw the film. I do remember liking it, but I also remember it getting mixed in the other films in the series which I watched in a marathon session. I liked the film and it's related films enough that they still resonate with me even when many other films have faded from my brain, for that reason alone I recommend attending the films six nights hence if you're not going to go trick or treating yourself.

As always doors at 630 and film at 7 at the Tribeca Cinemas just off Cnal Street