Jo Nam-ho (조남호)

'Delivering Love' ("Beyong All Magic") Doesn't Come Through

2008/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Cinema allows artistry to soar high and far, allowing reality to mix freely with products of far-fetched imagination. However, there exists a marked difference between being surreal and just plain baffling. While visually pleasing, "Delivering Love" ("Beyong All Magic"), the directorial debut of Jo Nam-ho, is, unfortunately, the latter. The movie thoroughly disappoints, particularly since it stars some of South Korea's biggest actresses like Shim Hye-jin and Kim Soo-mi.

Unfolding in a rural village with scenic fruit plantations and quaint traditional houses, the film is a visual delight. A painter character does wonders to an old truck and other mundane spaces. But the film fails to keep the narrative on track and viewers will ultimately find themselves lost. If not, then you will be most likely be distracted by the intolerably cliched and corny script, which breaks the flow of the drama by inspiring giggles at all the wrong moments.

Nam-hui (Sh...| More

Korean movies leap into box-office fray

2008/05/29 | Source | Permalink |

In late April, Iron Man arrived in the Korean cinema, smashing the box office into very profitable pieces. In mid-May, Prince Caspian took the baton and kept up the pressure on Korean competitors. Last weekend, whip-wielding Indy joined the Hollywood-only party, roped in plenty of movie tickets sales.

The bombardment of Hollywood films dragged down the share of Korean films to a record low. But the bleak development was widely predicted since only a couple of new Korean releases were made. June might be slightly different, as eight Korean movies are set for release.

"Girl Scout", directed by Kim Sang-man, will hit theaters on June 5, featuring well-known actors such as Kim Seon-ah, Nah Moon-hee, Lee Kyeong-sil. The film will test whether the audiences still have an appetite for a chase-the-money drama with fewer funny moments than publicized.

Waiting in line for the June 12 release are four Korean films: "Life is Cool", "Beyond All Magic", "Spare" and "Like Father, Like Son". ...| More