Pierre Morel's new film 'Taken' is simply one of the most retro and amusing action flicks to come out within the last ten years! The film behaves as if all the political correction madness never even occurred within this century as Liam Neeson's retired spy Bryan single-mindledly works his way through the entire ethnic population (as well as the corrupt officials) of Paris.

However this is not a bad thing. Scripted by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Karmen, Taken manages to use its' B movie attitude to its' advantage, crafting a film of adventure, excitement and amusement.

One of the most entertaining things about Taken is how it handles its' action scenes. Although we are all aware that Neeson never was and never will be the action hero of Hollywood, through clever sound and picture editing, the film manages to convey a real sense of how really dangerous this man is. Like watching Lee Marvin in Point Blank or reading Robert Parker novel, Taken is imbued with a dirty, downright adrenaline inducing atmosphere - by the time Leeson's character Bryan starts taking down the bad guys, you are cheering him all the way without sparing a single thought about ethics or any other moral qualm.

Taken is a film that definitely needs to be seen at the cinema - it's frentic, kinetic and madcap brand of action deserves the big screen - the only snag being that the UK version of the film is slightly trimmed and our sources tell us that some scenes are admittedly more brutal in the versions seen in other countries.

However this should not be a put-off to any - I guarantee you that you will not find another action film as brilliant as Taken this year.

London Korean Film Festival 2008
Thursday 6 to Wednesday 12 November

An unmissable selection of the best of Korean Cinema both past and present, the London Korean Film Festival, returns to the Barbican this November from Thursday 6 to Wednesday 12.
 
Highlights this year include a special preview of Cannes 2008 hit The Good, the Bad and the Weird and an a exclusive ScreenTalk with director Kim Ji-woon; a timely retrospective of the work of acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine, Peppermint Candy, Oasis, Green Fish); rare screenings of breathtaking classics from the Korean Film Archive; UK premieres of brand new Korean feature films and a day of Korean Animation for all ages.
 
The London Korean Film Festival is presented in partnership with the Korean Cultural Centre and the Korea Culture and Content Agency (KOCCA).
 
Thursday 6 November
7.00pm - OPENING GALA SPECIAL PREVIEW: The Good, The Bad, The Weird (Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom) (15) (S. Korea 2008 Dir. Kim Ji-woon 120min) introduced by special guest Kim Ji-woon
Kim Ji-woon's wildly spectacular Kimchi Western is a mind blowing mash-up of influences, fusing Sergio Leone with Kurosawa, via Korea's own brand of frantic shoot 'em up action and frenetic comedy. Peppered with eye-popping set pieces and phenomenal stunts, the plot tracks three very different outlaws on the hunt for a lost treasure map in 1930's Japanese controlled Manchuria. Starring Jeong Woo-seong, Lee Byeong-heon and Song Kang-ho as the titular anti-heroes, this genre-bending extravaganza was two years in the making but well worth the wait. Korean, Mandarin, and Japanese with English Subtitles.

Friday 7 November
7.00pm - SPECIAL EVENT: The Good, The Bad, The Weird (Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom) (15) (S. Korea 2008 Dir. Kim Ji-woon 120min) plus Barbican ScreenTalk with director Kim Jee-woon interviewed by Tony Rayns
A special screening of Kim Jee-woon's new film The Good, The Bad, The Weird will be followed by a live interview with the renowned director of A Bittersweet Life (2005) and A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) discussing his work with critic and film expert Tony Rayns.
 

CONTEMPORARY KOREAN CINEMA
Saturday 9 November
8.45pm - Forever The Moment (Uri saengae choego-ui sungan) (S. Korea 2008 Dir. Yim Soonrye 124min) UK PREMIERE
Based on the true story of Korea's 2004 women's Olympic hand-ball team and their moment in the spotlight in Athens, Forever...'s focus is as much on the private affairs of the players as their on court antics, exploring the bittersweet relationship between personal and professional lives, as the women struggle to maintain their families whilst upholding their country's Olympic dreams. Sensitively handled, beautifully realised and ultimately very moving, this is a sports movie quite unlike any other.

Tuesday 11 November
6.30pm - Milky Way Liberation Front (S. Korea 2007 Dir. Yoon Seong-ho 101min)
Troubled director Yeong-Jae - played to Woody Allen-esque perfection by star Lim Ji-gyu - is trying to get his first film off the ground, whilst negotiating complicated matters of the heart and dealing with myriad comic setbacks, both real and fantastical. This breakthrough indy delight from first time director Yoon joins a new generation of industry introspective film, descended from US satires The Player and Living in Oblivion but with oodles more heart.
 
Tuesday 11 Nov
8.45pm - Seven Days (Se-beun De-i-jeu) (S. Korea 2007 Dir. Won Shin-yeon 125min)
Top lawyer Ji-yeon has just seven days to free a prisoner convicted of a brutal murder, or her young daughter will die. Desperately searching for her kidnapped child amongst Seoul's dark alleys and dilapidated tenements, Ji-yeon finds herself caught in a deadly conspiracy that stretches from Korea's savage underworld all the way to City Hall. Starring 'Lost' favourite Kim Yun-jin, Won's sophisticated thriller keeps the adrenaline pumping from start to finish.
 
Wednesday 12 November
6.00pm - May 18 (Hwaryeohan hyuga) (15*) (S. Korea 2007 Dir Kim Ji-hun 120 min) UK PREMIERE
Based on the horrific events surrounding the 1980 Gwangju massacre, where soldiers operating under the orders of then President Chun Doo-hwan slaughtered students and civilians in their search for 'rebel' factions, May 18 was an instant hit in South Korea. An all-star cast includes veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki and Lee Jun-ki (The King and The Clown).

Wednesday 12 November
8.30pm - Public Enemy Returns (15) (S. Korea 2008 Dir. Kang Woo-seok 125 min) UK PREMIERE
This third instalment in Kang Woo-seok's internationally successful series has become one of the biggest hits in Korea this year. Expect plenty of Woo's trademark wham-bam action as screen legend Sol Kyeong-gu returns as cop Kang Chul-joong, this time taking on high-level corruption in the form of a super-successful business man. Will Kang get his man this time?
 

KOREAN ANIMATION DAY! - Saturday 9 November
A special focus on the best of Korean animation for both children and adults.

Family Film Club 10.30am - Workshop / 11.00am - The Pumpkin Family & Friends (U) (S. Korea 2007/08 total running time 60 min)
Especially for young animation enthusiasts, this collection of Korean creations won't disappoint. Meet the whacky Pumpkin Family and their ghostly ancestors, join cute Chiro chicken and his friends on their mini-adventures and see Korean superstar penguin Pororo in action!
+
Themed workshop from 10.30am (free to FFC ticket holders) and Photo Zone, where attendees can pose with a Korean Animation character! Recommended 2-8 years

12:30pm - Korea KO (12) (S. Korea 2007/8 total running time 72 min)
A bravura triple-bill of knock-out Korean animation. A stunning and stylish trio for older animation fans, including a magical tale inspired by a real life environmental catastrophe in Korea and the fantastical story of an invincible sword wielding martial-arts master, who learns the true meaning of friendship when he is re-incarnated as a drinks dispenser. Featuring Wanted, Love is Protein and A Coffee Vending Machine and it's Sword.

2.15pm - Aachi & Ssipak (15*) (S. Korea 2006 Dir. Joe Bum-Jin 90 min)
Described as "Akira meets Tarantino", Joe Bum-Jin's frankly bizarre film wins the award for craziest plot hands down. In Shit City, where all energy is generated by its resident's sewage, the government rewards each bowel emission with a JuicyBar. Unfortunately, these potent treats are so addictive that the cracked-out citizens will do just about anything to get their next fix...  Hilarious, edgy and deliberately off-colour, this is animated anarchy at its best.
 
 
FROM THE KOREAN FILM ARCHIVE - Monday 10 November
Two of Korea's film archive gems, rarely seen in the UK.
 
6.30pm - The Housemaid (15*) (S. Korea 1960 Dir. Kim Ki-young 90 min)
Seen as one of the greatest Korean films ever made and directed by one of Korea's finest directors, this is the poignant story of a family broken apart when the father sleeps with the housemaid. Imbued with endless depth and meaning, this is a must see for all those interested in Korean cinema.
 
8.30pm - The Aimless Bullet (Obalton) (15) (S. Korea 1960 Dir. Yoo Hyun-mok 110 min)
Influenced by Visconti and Kazan, Yoo's timeless classic encompasses his cinematic manifesto, dealing with issues of poverty, injustice and apathy, through protagonist Sol Chul Ho (Kim Jin-kyu), struggling to support his pregnant wife, two children, lonely sister and mentally unstable mother.


RETROSPECTIVE: LEE CHANG-DONG
Born on April 1 1954 in Daegu, South Korea, Lee spent much of early life writing and directing plays and became well known in literature circles following his critically acclaimed first novel Chonri in 1983. In the early 90s he turned to the film industry, co-writing scripts for Park Kwang-su on two of his most remarkable films, To The Starry Island (1993) and A Single Spark (1995), then launched on to the directors' circuit with Green Fish in 1997. In 2003 Lee served President Roh as the Minister of Culture and Tourism and then, after a short-break, returned to filmmaking with Cannes hit Secret Sunshine.

Saturday 8 November
3.00pm - Peppermint Candy (18) (S. Korea 1999 Dir. Lee Chang-dong 129 min) -
Lee reflects on South Korea's turbulent political history, through the eyes of man who has just committed suicide and a reversed narrative that allows the viewer to determine what drove the man to take his own life. Crowned by a pitch-perfect performance from star Sol Kyung-gu, Lee's third film is recognised as a masterpiece by critics and academics alike, and is a landmark film in contemporary Korean cinema.

Saturday 8 November
6.00pm - Oasis (18) (S. Korea 2002 Dir. Lee Chang-dong 132min)
Combining fantasy with stark realism, Lee's magnificent film is both beautiful and tragic as it explores the thorny issue of how people with disabilities are marginalised. Stars Sol Kyung-gu and Moon So-ri give their finest performances as the mentally ill ex-con Jong-do (Sol) who falls for a young women suffering from cerebral palsy (Moon), would-be lovers who are sidelined by society.

Sunday 9 November
5.00pm - Green Fish (15) (S. Korea 1997 Dir. Lee Chang Dong 114min)
When Mak-dong returns to his hometown of Ilsan after two and a half years of military service, he finds that it has been transformed into a satellite town. Struggling to adjust and desperate to find work, he unwittingly becomes trapped in a dangerous war between rival underworld gangs. In his directorial debut, Lee wastes no time in challenging the conventions of genre verisimilitude - Whilst GreenFish could play like a dark gangster film, Lee instead pursues the traits of realism that often characterise Korean cinema.
 
Sunday 9 November
7.15pm - Secret Sunshine (Milyang) (15) (S. Korea 2007 Dir. Lee Chang-dong 142 min) + introduction by Tony Rayns
A Cannes best actress gong went to star Jeon Do-yeon for her magnificent performance as Sin-ae, a recently widowed woman attempting to start a new life in Milyang (Secret Sunshine) with her young son. Tackling human suffering head on, Lee's refusal to conform to traditional cinematic pleasures ensures his most recent film is both thought-provoking and admirable. Song Kang-ho co-stars. Film critic and Korean Cinema expert Tony Rayns will introduce this special screening of Lee Chang-dong's latest film, giving us a significant insight into the life and work of the great modern director.

The 16^th Raindance Film Festival's programme is today announced by festival patron Ken Loach, with the full line-up which includes 75 features and over 100 shorts alongside a host of live events, exclusive Q&As and masterclasses. The Raindance Film Festival will take place from 1-12 October 2008 in London's West End with some of the film industry's most exciting filmmakers sitting on this year's jury including Oscar-winning Peter Capaldi (Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life), Beastie Boys' filmmaker Adam Yauch (Awesome I F***ing Shot That), Rebecca O'Brien (The Wind that Shakes the Barley) and Nicolas Roeg (Walkabout, Don't Look Now, Puffball).

 

Book-ending the fortnight long Festival, the UK premiere of breakout new writer-director Clark Gregg and maverick author Chuck Palahniuk's (Flight Club) CHOKE, starring Sam Rockwell (Jesse James, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind), Anjelica Huston (The Darjeeling Limited, The Royal Tenenbaums) and Kelly MacDonald (No Country for Old Men, Trainspotting), opens the event on Wednesday 1^st October, and the Closing Gala on Sunday 12^th October brings the festival to an end with the World premiere of Mark Tonderai's directorial debut HUSH, starring William Ash, Christine Bottomley and Guy Burnet.

 

Anjelica Huston is expected to guest appear for the Opening Night Gala as well as screen goddess Faye Dunaway for her new film FLICK, directed by David Howard and with expected appearances from co-stars Michelle Ryan (Bionic Woman), Liz Smith (The Royle Family) and Mark Benton (Murphy's Law).

 

80's superstar Corey Feldman (Stand By Me, The Goonies) will feature at the festival promoting his new film THE BIRTHDAY, and will participate in a special retrospective event. Cult director Jeremy Podeswa (Six Feet Under, Queer as Folk) will also be in attendance with his new film FUGITIVE PIECES.

 

Raindance has a strong reputation for it's interest of music in film and in the past has featured jurors such as Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Marky Ramone and Mick Jones (The Clash) and has previously programmed films such as: Billy Childish Is Dead, The Devil & Daniel Johnston, Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, Neil Young: Heart of Gold and documentaries on The Ramones, Lambchop and Johnny Thunders. This year is no different with films dedicated to Patti Smith, The Beatles, The Arctic Monkeys and a documentary by Beastie Boys' hip-hop legend Adam Yauch.

For the full Festival programme please go to www.raindance.co.uk

 

The Raindance Film Festival runs from Wednesday 1^st October to Sunday 12^th October 2008.

You can also watch the festival trailer here!

This year, in an unprecedented move, Fantastic Fest are streaming 10 of their movies online : 5 features and 5 shorts are available to watch anywhere in the world from 14th September onwards - for more details visit www.fantasticfest.com.

One of the films featured in the online line up is writer Eric Shapiro's film debut 'Rule Of Three'. Focusing on three sets of interwening events in a seedy hotel room, 'Rule Of Three' is one of the refreshing independent features that I've seen this year. Featuring a cast of largely unknowns, the film focuses on a father's obsession with finding out the answer to the disappaerance of his daughter and then proceeds to tell what occurred in the hotel room where she was last seen intercut with the room's previous occupants.

'Rule Of Three' is a sharp shock to the system: a well - written film with realistic characters and dialogue which goes a long way to hide its' miniscule budget. By focusing on the characters and their relationships to each other, Shapiro avoids the pitfalls that many independent film makers fall into: he also directs the film with a steady eye, avoiding any fancy camerawork and focusing on nothing but the action.

This first film shows great promise on Shapiro's part and anyone with even a remote interest in independent cinema must make the time to watch it.

The new from Jon Avnet - Righteous Kill - brings together two of the screens giants: Al Pacino and Robert De Niro - unfortunately to not much avail. Saddled with a pedestrian script that seems more obssesed with creating a twist than investigating the relatiosnhip between its' main characters , Righteous Kill never goes further than a straight-to-dvd thriller. On top of it, the plotline is also imbued with a strangely misogynistic tone - the pne female character in the film is built up as some sort of 'weirdo' and treated with great contempt!
The stars are wasted during hammy buddy-buddy scenes and the only veteran actor who manages to come out of this average mess with his head high is Brian Dennehy who plays the lieatunant of the district the two cops work in.
Perhaps Righteous Kill is something to kill time with during a dry period but right now, just as the release train is gearing up towards Festival season here in London, it can go no further than being a waste of anyone's time.

Tonight saw the UK premiere of 'Righteous Kill' and your obedient movie reviewer Evrim Ersoy is just back from the Premiere Party. Expect a full review on the film tomorrow - in the meantime enjoy the ticket given out for the Premiere and the knowledge that the most fascinating person at the party was Toby Jones. (Plus Al Pacino was tiny and this staff member got really close to him during the walk up the red carpet!)

Details of the programme for The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival were announced today.