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When Fingersmith was published in 2002, it was lauded as a gripping historical thriller—rich in companionship, rebellion, and escape, yet firmly rooted in genre conventions. But when Park Chan-wook, a filmmaker renowned for making crime and mystery feel visceral, reimagined its Victorian-era tale within the charged backdrop of colonial-era Korea, The Handmaiden became something else entirely. More than just an adaptation, it’s a film that transcends comparison—a lush, intoxicating study of desire, power, and submission breaking past its limits.

Beyond its evocative exploration of colonialism’s grip on the human mind, The Handmaiden (Original title: Ah-ga-ssi) wields eroticism like few films dare—so sharp and unvarnished in its aestheticism that other artistic depictions of desire seem almost timid in comparison. But at its core, this is a smart, subversive tale of two women outgrowing the petty, calculated power plays of a patriarchal world. Through the lens of a...

The 2025 edition of Mubi Fest is almost here. IndieWire can announce the global dates of international experience Mubi Fest, starting with its return to Chicago April 26 to 27. This year, Mubi Fest expands to to 11 cities globally, concluding in Glasgow from November 28 to 30.

The U.S. branch will have a special screening of Alex Ross Perry’s “Pavements,” with Perry in-person for a Q&a. Amalia Ulman’s “Magic Farm” will also be among the previews at the Salt Shed and The Music Box Theatre. The full festival schedule will be announced soon.

Perry’s “Pavements” is a faux documentary about the real band of the same name. The film stars Joe Keery, Fred Hechinger, Nat Wolff, Jason Schwartzman, Logan Miller, Griffin Newman, Tim Heidecker, Michael Esper, Zoe Lister-Jones, and Kathryn Gallagher. “Pavements” will be released by Utopia May 2.

“Magic Farm” also stars Wolff, along with Chloë Sevigny, Simon Rex, Camila del Campo,...

In Hollywood there are roles that are forever assigned to the actor bringing them on the big screens. The same was true for actor Samuel L. Jackson, whose portrayal of Nick Fury in the MCU became one of the most iconic characters in modern cinema. But the actor’s take on the no-nonsense S.H.I.E.L.D. director was actually inspired by his long-time friend Bruce Willis.

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Iron Man 2 (2010) | Credits: Marvel Studios

The duo have collaborated together in many movies, and in an interview, L. Jackson credited Willis for an advice that changed his approach to playing Fury. Let’s dive deeper to understand what that advice was and how it changed the actor’s career trajectory.

The Hollywood secret that Bruce Willis shared with Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has been a part of a plethora of projects in Hollywood.

Exclusive: Lionsgate Television has optioned author and theater critic Alexis Soloski’s bestselling novel Here in the Dark for scripted series development.

Megan Abbott, the New York Times bestselling author, co-creator and showrunner of the hit series Dare Me, will serve as both EP and writer.

Two-time Fleishman Is in Trouble Emmy nominee Taffy Brodesser-Akner joins as EP, reteaming with that FX series producers Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly.

Here in the Dark, published by Flatiron Books, is a dark and stylish novel of psychological suspense about a young theater critic drawn into a dangerous game that blurs the lines between reality and performance.

Abbott herself is a New York Times bestselling author of tension-filled narratives, i.e. Beware the Woman, The Turnout, Give Me Your Hand and several other major titles. Her next novel, El Dorado Drive, will be released by Penguin Random House in June.

She co-created, executive...

Netflix giveth, and Netflix taketh away. For every film, there is a season - and those can creep up on you pretty quickly when it comes to streaming services.

Netflix is constantly adding new content to its servers, as you know. As I'm currently shelling out $38.55 every month, I feel that Netflix could afford to add a few thousand terabytes of storage just from my payment.

Yet here we are, losing great content just as fast as we get the new stuff. Listen, if it means getting a new Knives Out flick, I'll gladly give up The Ridiculous 6. But no, that abomination will likely be the last thing ever streamed by the robots and the lizard people when our sun becomes a red giant and utterly consumes the planet. But the good stuff, that's the stuff we lose. The clock is ticking on three of the best movies that may...

Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light was named best film at 18th Asian Film Awards on Sunday evening (March 16).

The Indian filmmaker attended the ceremony in Hong Kong and accepted the award from filmmaker, martial arts star and Afa jury president Sammo Hung.

Scroll down for full list of winners

It marked nearly 10 months since Kapadia became the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix at Cannes, where the film was the first Indian feature to play in Competition at the festival for 30 years.

“I’m so happy that we could end our journey here in Hong Kong,...

A household name after starring in Korean epics like Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War and Friend, Jang Dong-gun has been part of the explosive growth of the Korean film industry and has worked with a lengthy, star-studded list of talent over the last three decades.

However, Jang tells Deadline that there are still many actors and directors that he has not had a chance to work with yet, although he hopes to collaborate with them in the near future. This list includes fellow actors and friends Hwang Jung-min and Lee Byung-hun, as well as directors like Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook and Kim Jee-woon.

Jang says that he is also on the search for an “ordinary” role, after playing a wide range of characters with extraordinary and extreme backgrounds.

“Over my past works, I have done a lot of roles that are not common, that you can’t see in real life usually,...

Emmy winner Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) is attached to star as George Smiley in Legacy Of Spies, a TV series project based on John le Carré’s series of novels featuring the career intelligence officer character.

The Ink Factory, which owns the rights to le Carré’s work, is producing and Fifth Season is distributing the drama, which has been shopped on both sides of the Atlantic, drawing interest from potential buyers, sources said.

The pitch comes with multiple scripts written by Ink Factory co-founder Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram. Silo creator Graham Yost is executive producing the potential series, based on le Carré’s series of novels featuring the character George Smiley, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honorable Schoolboy and several others, as well as some unpublished materials.

Macfadyen follows a long line of actors who have previously portrayed the character on-screen...

Widely considered to be not only one of the best crime and gangster movies of all time but one of the greatest pieces of American cinema ever made, Francis Ford Coppolla's adaptation of The Godfatherremains one of the most revered movies in the history of the medium. Nominated for ten Academy Awards and winning three, including one for Best Picture, the film tops many fans' lists as the best movie of all time.

With such a perfect movie in the crime and gangster film subgenre, it is hard for even the best contenders in the same category to measure up. But some gangster films are so good that they come close to being as good as The Godfather, reminding audiences why the tragic stories of organized crime and its affects on the world around it can be one of the most compelling subjects for a movie.

Killers of the Flower Moon...

Japanese actor Koji Yakusho, known for his critically acclaimed performances in films such as Perfect Days and Shall We Dance?, is to receive the lifetime achievement honour at the 18th Asian Film Awards.

The veteran performer will accept the award at the ceremony in Hong Kong on March 16. As part of a schedule of events associated with the awards, he will attend a screening of Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days on March 15. Yakusho’s role in the film, as a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo, won him the best actor award at Cannes in 2023 and the same honour at last year...

Asian science fiction has been dominated for many years by Japanese animation, which has provided countless masterpieces to the genre. But in the past 25 years or so, a new batch of live-action films have given the genre new momentum by providing more diversity in terms of format, national origins and thematic scope. While Japan is still making great science fiction that feels fresh and innovative, other countries, most notably South Korea and China, have begun taking the genre more seriously than in the past. Leading filmmakers now use sci-fi to tell great extrapolative stories about science and technology, the future(s) of human society, or more allegorically to deal with mental illness or the precariousness of the adult world.

Science fiction is a notoriously difficult genre to define, but the list below takes a look at films that try to break free of the traditional Japanese formats and subgenres – beyond...

Spoilers for "Daredevil: Born Again" follow.

The premiere of "Daredevil: Born Again" wastes no time at all, kicking off with an action scene that's out to remind you of the original "Daredevil" series.

Here's the set-up: Bullseye has attacked Josie's Bar and critically wounded Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson). Matt/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) arrives and attacks Bullseye, fighting him into the bar. Daredevil has strength and rage on his side, so Bullseye is left running. The one-take begins in the interior of Josie's, then follows Bullseye as he makes it up the building's stairwell, Daredevil close behind, before the fight concludes on the roof.

These extended one-take action scenes were a hallmark of the Netflix "Daredevil," which did a new one in each season while trying to one-up the previous scene. The first was in the second ever "Daredevil" episode, "Cut Man" (directed by Phil Abraham). Taking place in an apartment building hallway,...

The Asian Film Awards has unveiled Korean veteran actor Jang Dong-gun and Chinese actress Tang Wei as this year’s recipients of the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award, which will be presented during the awards ceremony in Hong Kong on March 16.

With more than 30 years in the film and television industry, Jang has starred in top Korean films like Friend, Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War, No Tears for the Dead and A Normal Family, among others. He has also acted alongside Hong Kong talent like Cecilia Cheung and Nicholas Tse in Chen Kaige’s pan-Asian production The Promise and reunited with Cheung in Dangerous Liaisons.

Tang played leading roles in Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave and Bi Gan’s Long Day’s Journey into Night. She also co-starred with Chris Hemsworth in Michael Mann’s Blackhat and worked on numerous Hong Kong productions and co-productions like The Golden Era, Office...

Set your notifications. Cancel Wednesday night trivia. If you’re old like me, actually get out your red pen and mark your calendar. Seven movies are leaving Netflix this month, and you’ll want to be sure to watch them before they say farewell.

One of them is an Oscar-winning Best Picture. Another, in the eyes of many, should have been. One is a sheer guilty pleasure.

There’s cutting-edge satire, vitally important social commentary, and quite possibly the best film ever made in its particular sub-genre.

Seven movies to stream on Netflix before they leave in March

I will caution you about one thing: with a minor exception or two, these movies tend toward the violent, from the outright physical to the intensely emotional. There are some comic moments to be found and perhaps a tiny bit of offbeat romance, but these are generally high-octane, in-your-face adventures. However – and...

Korean screen icon Jang Dong-gun and acclaimed Chinese actor Tang Wei will be honored with the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award at the upcoming 18th Asian Film Awards.

Jang, a leading figure in the Korean Wave (“Hallyu”) with a career spanning three decades, said: “It is a tremendous honor to receive this award, and I sincerely thank the Asian Film Awards for this recognition. Having my three-decade acting career acknowledged is deeply meaningful and inspires me to keep going.”

The actor, who debuted in 1992 with “Son and Daughter” before skyrocketing to fame with “The Last Match,” reflected on Hong Kong cinema’s influence on his development. “I can’t talk about my growth without mentioning Hong Kong films. The first movie I ever watched in a theatre was Jackie Chan’s ‘Drunken Master,'” Jang said, calling the 1980s “a golden age that still resonates with me today.”

His filmography...

Few TV series come with such a prestigious pedigree as “The Sympathizer“. Adapted from a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel; co-produced by HBO and top-of-the-line independent film studio A24; co-created, co-produced, co-written and co-directed by Park Chan-wook; also helmed by top Brazilian film director Fernando Meirelles; and co-starring Hollywood mega-star Robert Downey Jr. in no less than five (!) different roles. In fact the miracle is that the show, a miniseries in seven episodes, is never weighed down by the sheer expectations sustaining it. On the contrary, it manages to offer a thrilling, fun and heartbreaking roller-coaster ride into the story of its refugee characters.

Click on the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix

As prestigious as it is, “The Sympathizer” is also a highly unlikely production. After all, none of the main filmmakers or producers involved hails from Vietnam or from the Vietnamese-American community at the heart of the show,...

The rise and triumph of South Korean director Bong Joon-ho is one of the best success stories in modern cinema. Hailing from a country that had little to no film industry, Bong Joon-ho crafted some of the most compelling and internationally accessible films from South Korea as well as ventures in Hollywood blockbusters, all of which have similarities in themes and style that conjoin them all into one of the most unique cinematic voices today. In anticipation for the director’s upcoming film ‘Mickey 17’ (2025), let’s take a look into the awarding journey of Bong Joon-ho. Things to do: Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here. Limited Time Offer – Free Subscription to The Hollywood Insider Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission statement here – Media has the responsibility to better our world – The Hollywood Insider fully focuses on substance and meaningful entertainment,...

It’s always wholesome to see legendary filmmakers step forward to compliment the work of another artist. Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 also happened to receive high praise, but it wasn’t for the director himself.

Robert Pattinson in Mickey 17 | Warner Bros.

Park Chan-wook, the visionary filmmaker behind Oldboy and Decision To Leave, was so enamored by one aspect of the movie that he called for an Oscar. So, what exactly made the film so special for Chan-wook? Let’s dive in!

Park Chan-wook wants Robert Pattinson to win an Oscar for Mickey 17 Robert Pattinson in Mickey 17 | Warner Bros.

When Park Chan-wook speaks, the film world listens. After all, he’s the creative mind behind some great movies and is also known to make bold statements. But his endorsement of Mickey 17 has taken things to a whole new level.

RelatedOne ‘Mickey 17’ Character’s Unpredictable Nature Was...

Working in the Korean film industry for more than 30 years, veteran actor Kwon Hae-hyo has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the scene and witnessed Korean cinema’s rise as a global cultural powerhouse.

Throughout those three decades, Kwon has also developed a formidable pairing with prolific filmmaker Hong Sang-soo, appearing in 12 of his films so far. Besides starring in Hong’s films, Kwon has acted in titles like Train to Busan sequel Peninsula, crime thriller Bogota: City of the Lost and legal drama Juror 8.

Arriving at the Berlinale for the world premiere of Hong’s latest film, What Does that Nature Say to You, Kwon tells Deadline that he is drawn to Hong’s distinct long-take, pensive style, which repeatedly offers a fresh and liberating challenge for him as an actor.

“With other films, you know from start to finish what it’s going to be, but with director Hong Sang-soo,...

One of the best modern action movies, and the movie that inspired Keanu Reeves’ acclaimed John Wick franchise, is due to leave Netflix soon. So, watch it while you can! Released in 2010, The Man from Nowhere hails from South Korea and follows a mysterious pawnshop owner who, when a child he grows close with is kidnapped, reveals himself to be an expert killer. While it may sound familiar, The Man from Nowhere is by far one of the best installments in the mysterious figure with a particular set of skills action subgenre.

Sadly, The Man from Nowhere is now due to leave Netflix later this week in Friday, February 20, so you don’t have long to bask in the bloody violence of this critically acclaimed quest for revenge. Written and directed by Lee Jeong-beom, the action thriller stars Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Hee-won, Kim Sung-oh, and Kim Tae-hoon, and...

Valentine’s Day might be about flowers, chocolates, and romance – but in horror, love often leads to obsession, betrayal, and bloody revenge. With slasher thrills, supernatural hauntings, or twisted tales of doomed romance, horror movies set around love and relationships add an extra layer of intensity. Interestingly, horror movies that use romance as a device go right back to the origins of horror cinema, intertwining desire with thrills and kills.

For those who prefer their Valentine’s Day with a side of terror, we’ve rounded up the best horror films to watch on February 14th. These movies prove that sometimes, love doesn’t just break your heart – it rips it out.

The Best Valentine’s Day Horror Movies 1. My Bloody Valentine (1981 & 2009)

Few films embody Valentine’s Day horror better than My Bloody Valentine. This cult classic slasher follows a mining town plagued by a masked killer seeking revenge on Valentine’s Day.

Exclusive: Production designer Donald Graham Burt has signed with Gersh for representation.

Burt is a two-time Academy Award and BAFTA winner for his work on Mank and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a pair of acclaimed films from David Fincher. The former drama, starring Gary Oldman, which also brought Burt the award for Best Production Design at the Critics Choice Awards, focused on screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and his turbulent journey in writing the screenplay for the iconic 1941 film Citizen Kane. The latter stars Brad Pitt as a man born with the physical appearance and ailments of an elderly person, who ages in reverse.

These projects mark just two of Burt’s collaboration with Fincher. Over the years, he’s also worked with the director on titles including Zodiac, Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and The Killer, as well as Netflix’s House of Cards.

Burt...

Son Ye Jin Aiming for Mask Girl Director’s Next Project (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Son Ye Jin, globally recognized for her role in Crash Landing on You, is now gearing up for her next big project. As per the latest update, she has been offered an exciting lead role in a new thriller drama that will be helmed by the director of Mask Girl. Jo Yu Ri, best known for her Squid Game 2 role is reportedly in talks for this drama as well.

According to Korean media outlet Xports News, Son Ye Jin has received an offer to star in Variety (literal title). The drama’s production company Cj Enm confirmed, “We did offer the role to Son Ye Jin, but as the project is still in its early stages, nothing has been finalized yet.” The production added that details about the broadcasting plans and casting are yet to be determined.

South Korea has a strong presence in the international landscape of entertainment, especially in music and cinema. The horror genre has been explored in South Korea since the early days of the country's cinema and evolved significantly throughout the decades, becoming a synonym of innovation and expertise in the genre. K-cinema is particularly associated with some of the best supernatural horror and zombie horror movies, yet Korean horror cinema has something for every taste.

Known for blending cultural themes into horror, the genre has been through different phases. Early Korean horror movies were often cautionary tales that reflected tendencies and fears within Korean society, perfectly exemplified by the 1960 psychological horror movie The Housemaid. Around the late 1990s and early 2000s, the genre experienced a renewal in South Korea. This shift propelled the making of more high-octane action horror, like 2006's The Host, and other subgenres that are still popular in Korean cinema today.

When it comes to romance, vampires take “forever” very seriously. And so do we. Maybe it’s the immortality, the brooding, or the way they make neck-biting look way more seductive than it should. Whatever the reason, vampire horror romances have been making audiences swoon for decades, blending love with death, passion with peril, and desire with destruction.

If you’re looking for a love story that comes with fangs, forbidden attraction, and a healthy dose of doomed obsession, these 10 vampire horror romances will sink their teeth into you.

Universal 10. Dracula (1931)

Before vampires were sexy, brooding antiheroes, Dracula set the gold standard for supernatural seduction. With hypnotic stares, impeccable fashion, and an unsettlingly smooth accent, Dracula (Bela Lugosi) effortlessly lures Mina (Helen Chandler) into his undead embrace, despite her engagement to another man.

This Universal classic is a must-watch for gothic horror fans. While it may not have the blood-drenched theatrics of modern adaptations,...

One of the year’s biggest televised events is already here: it’s Super Bowl time!

This weekend, Tubi will stream the Super Bowl, live and in 4K, for free. No cable login or credit card is required. Of course, Tubi’s expansive catalog filled with deep cuts means that there’s a lot more to explore beyond the big game. Any excuse to watch more horror is a valid one!

Whether you’re looking to explore the streaming platform beyond the Super Bowl or simply seeking hidden horror gems you may have missed, we’re here to help.

These ten hidden horror gems include everything from rare anthologies to schlocky ’80s fun to underrated cult classics and beyond. Don’t miss these 10 hidden horror gems on Tubi now.

Campfire Tales

This rare ’90s horror anthology feature was initially slated for theatrical release before getting sent straight to VHS in...

Gazer, the dark neo-noir thriller in the vein of Memento, has shifted into a new release date. With it comes a moody new poster.

Metrograph Pictures will now release the film in theaters on April 4, 2025. The film was initially set for February 21, 2025.

Gazer is directed by Ryan J. Sloan.

The neo-noir thriller follows “a young mother (co-writer Ariella Mastroianni) who, due to a unique condition that progressively affects her perception of time, is trying to save money for her daughter’s future before it’s too late. She takes a risky job from a mysterious woman with a dark past, which leads her to become entangled in a tense web of revenge, deceit, and murder.”

Ariella Mastroianni, Marcia Debonis, Renee Gagner, Jack Alberts, and Tommy Kang star.

Daniel Kurland wrote in his review for Bd, “In fact, the film feels like a very post-modern deconstruction of many of Alfred Hitchcock’s films,...

This article contains spoilers for Squid Game Season 2.

What started as a small but enigmatic role for veteran actor Lee Byung-hun in the first season of Squid Game as Front Man/In-ho has bloomed into a pivotal and much larger part in the sequel.

Removing the mask of his Front Man persona, Lee’s character soon enters the ruthless, winner-takes-all games as Player 001, allying himself alongside former game-winner Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae).

“After it was decided that I would be in Season 2, Director Hwang [Dong-hyuk] paid a visit to where I was filming a different project,” Lee tells Deadline. “I asked him, ‘Do you have any idea how Season 2 is going to go?’ At that time, Director Hwang didn’t have a concrete idea. I had a vague idea that it would probably be about In-ho’s past, but when I read the completed script later, I was quite shocked...

Park Chan-wook, the Award-winning Korean filmmaker behind The Vengeance Trilogy, Thirst, and Stoker, has just wrapped principal photography on his latest feature, No Other Choice, Variety reports today.

The film began filming in August 2024 and is slated for release sometime later this year.

No Other Choice is an adaptation of Donald E. Westlake’s mystery thriller The Ax and follows “a middle-aged man named Man-soo who embarks on a determined job hunt after being unexpectedly terminated from his position at a paper company.”

The novel’s synopsis gives a fuller picture: “Burke Devore is a middle-aged manager at a paper company when the cost-cutting ax falls, and he is laid off. Eighteen months later and still unemployed, he puts a new spin on his job search — with agonizing care, Devore finds the seven men in the surrounding area who could take the job that rightfully should be his, and systematically kills them.

The first-looking image of Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice has been revealed. Park is an award-winning South Korean director behind classic films, such as the original version of Oldboy. Since Oldboy was released in 2003, he has helmed other award-winning movies and TV shows, including The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave, and The Sympathizer. He wrote, directed, and produced his upcoming film No Other Choice. The film is a comedy crime thriller about a man who decides to take extreme measures when grappling with his unemployment situation.

Per Deadline, the first look image of No Other Choice shows stars Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin standing in a yard together, appearing to be dancing. In addition, the No Other Choice update revealed that filming is complete for the film. No release date has been confirmed at this time. Check out the image below:

What This Means For No Other Choice No Other Choice...

Passion Project

Award-winning Korean helmer Park Chan-wook has completed principal photography on his latest feature “No Other Choice,” distributor Cj Enm revealed Tuesday, alongside a first look for the project. The film, which began filming in August 2024, is slated for release later this year. The project marks Park’s first film directorial effort since his critically acclaimed “Decision to Leave” (2022), which earned him Best Director honors at Cannes.

Adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s mystery novel “The Ax,” the story follows a middle-aged man named Man-soo who embarks on a determined job hunt after being unexpectedly terminated from his position at a paper company. “Squid Game” star Lee Byung-hun takes on the lead role of Man-soo, while “Crash Landing on You” lead Son Ye-jin portrays his resilient wife A-ra. The stellar ensemble cast includes Lee Sung-min (“Handsome Guys”), Yeom Hye-ran (“The Glory”), Cha Seung-won (“Believer 2”), Yoo Yeon-seok (“Hospital Playlist...

Veteran Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook has wrapped production on No Other Choice, which stars Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game) and Son Ye-jin (Crash Landing on You).

The five-month shoot kicked off in August 2024, with Moho Film attached as the production company and Cj Enm as distributor. Above is a first-look image released by Cj.

Based on the 1997 novel “The Ax” by Donald Westlake, the film follows Man Soo (played by Lee), a man who is suddenly fired from a paper company. He is determined to find a new job and deals with those standing in his way.

Park Hee-soon (Moving), Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North), Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory), Cha Seung-won (Uprising) and Yoo Yeon-seok (Hospital Playlist) are also part of the cast for No Other Choice.

Park first talked about his plans to adapt Westlake’s novel during the Busan International Film Festival in 2009.

Park won Best Director at...

It’s shaping up to be a major year for South Korean cinema as Hong Sang-soo and Bong Joon Ho get ready for Berlinale premieres of their latest work and later this year we’ll see the premiere of Park Chan-wook’s next feature No Other Choice. With filming kicking off last August and now having just wrapped on January 15 after five months of filming, the first images have now arrived for one of our most-anticipated films of 2025.

Adapting Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005, the black comedy thriller follows a man laid off from the paper company he worked at for 25 years. Some time later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Adapted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyung-mi, Don McKellar (The Sympathizer), and Lee Ja-hye (Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden), the cast includes Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin,...

With Bong Joon-ho, Na Hong-jin, Pak Chan-wook, Takashi Miike, Park Hoon-jung having new movies in 2025, the year is already shaping up to be a great one, perhaps even signaling some sort of come-back for Korean cinema. At the same time, the directorial debut of Shu Qi, the return of Bi Gan and Edwin, and a number of rather interesting anime movies have us all excited here in Amp. Without further ado, here is a countdown of 35 films that are easily described as much anticipated, in random order.

1. All Before You by Annemarie Jacir (Palestine)

Yusuf spends his days moving between his farming village, Al Basma, and his work in the city of Jerusalem, enthusiastically working to find his place in the changing, modern world. Young and restless, he’s more interested in getting away from the confines of village life than becoming involved in its problems. Yusuf’s story is...

Throughout the 1980s in South Korea, several changes in governmental policy led to a cinematic renaissance for the country during the late 1990s and 2000s. These changes included the easing of censorship guidelines, the allowance of film-making to be done independently, and an increase in the distribution of international imports. This led to a movement known as "New Korean Cinema" that gave South Korean movies international recognition.

During that period, South Korean directors like Park Chan-wook, Kim Jee-woon, and Parasite's Bong Joon-ho helped shape the "New Korean Cinema” movement through genre-bending thrillers that combined mainstream appeal with art-house sensibilities. That trend continued in the decades that followed as well, with critics and fans around the world widely considering many of these thrillers to be some of the greatest entries into the medium of film.

Updated on January 17, 2025, by Christopher Raley: For many cinema fans, Parasite was their first look into New Korean Cinema,...

David Lynch will forever be known as a film auteur, though the consummate artist never restricted himself to a single medium. Painting, radio and even coffee production all fell within his repertoire — but Lynch’s final work as a director was “Twin Peaks: The Return.” Per the title, the 17-part Showtime series marked a homecoming of sorts for Lynch, who had circled back to the small screen after a quarter-century-long hiatus. With the ABC drama “Twin Peaks,” Lynch and his co-creator Mark Frost had already disrupted television for good. With “The Return,” Lynch cemented serial, episodic storytelling as a cornerstone of his legacy.

It’s now routine for a marquee director to dip their toe into television — so much so that it’s hard to recapture the impact of someone like Lynch following “Blue Velvet” up with a primetime soap. Before it was normal for Park Chan-Wook, Alfonso Cuarón or...

Stars: Miriam Yeung Chin-Wah, Bai Ling, Lee Byung-hun, Kyōko Hasegawa | Directed by Fruit Chan, Park Chan-wook, Takashi Miike

In 2002, the horror anthology film Three was released, consisting of three horror tales from East Asian countries. The film received accolades and a sequel, which was released two-years-later in the form of Three… Extremes. The anthology follow-up collected three more horror tales from different directors, and was successful enough in the United States that its predecessor received a stateside release. Strangely enough, Three was repackaged to Western audiences as a sequel entitled Three… Extremes II.

Opening up this anthology is Dumplings, the Hong Kong entry from director Fruit Chan. Arriving at a house is Mrs. Li (Miriam Yeung Chin-Wah), a formerly well-known actress who wishes to get dumplings sold by Mei (Bai Ling). They are considered the most expensive for a good reason, as the dumplings miraculously make the eater look younger.

Berlinale alumni in Park Chan-wook, Justine Triet and the Eat The Night tandem of Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel have been selected to present their latest works in the Berlinale Shorts 2025 – To Be in This World. As we await Park Chan-wook’s next feature film (currently in production) No Other Choice, he re-teamed with Park Chan-kyong for Paranmanjang (aka Night Fishing). It’s coined as a fairy tale about death and reincarnation, transmigration and the sounds of music. From Palme d’Or winning director for Anatomy of a Fall, we find Triet re-teaming with actress Laetitia Dosch (2013’s Age of Panic) for Vilaine fille mauvais garçon (Two Ships).…...

As we mentioned repeatedly in our erotic movie lists, when it comes to the cinematic depiction of sex, the majority of Asian countries choose to show their most conservative face. Japan and Taiwan, however, have been the exceptions, to a point at least, and Golden Horse winner for “Abang Adik” Wu Kang-ren‘s vehicle “The Chronicles of Libidoists” highlights the fact about the latter quite eloquently. Directed by Yang Ya-che of “The Bold, the Corrupt and the Beautiful”, the movie was given an R rating in Taiwan, courted significantly controversy for its prolific nudity and explicit sex scenes, but still managed to become a box office hit in its country, boasting $110.6 million domestically.

Check also this article 10 Asian Erotic Movies of 2024 Worth Watching

The story revolves around four people, who are connected through a private forum run by Dan Sheng Ba (nickname that means alpha single man in Mandarin...

Illustrations by Stephanie Lane Gage.As the year draws to a close, we’d like to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of our contributors. Here are some of their finest essays, interviews, festival coverage, and more from this year. We’re looking forward to much more in the new one. As always, thank you for reading.ESSAYSIllustration by Zoé Mahamès Peters.The current cinema:Sasha Frere-Jones on Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Eiko Ishibashi’s GIFTPhilippa Snow on Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor ThingsAdam Nayman on Pascal Plante’s Red RoomsCassie da Costa on RaMell Ross’s Nickel BoysAmanda Chen on Trương Minh Quý’s Việt and NamSanoja Bhaumik on Felipe Gálvez Haberle’s The SettlersNathalie Olah on Andrea Arnold’s BirdRobert Rubsam on Alice Rohrwacher’s La chimeraGrace Byron on Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV GlowZach Schonfeld on M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap and Michael Showalter’s The Idea of YouSam...

South Korean cinema is best known for its grotesque, no-holds-barred, onscreen violence that can easily find some space in the list of the most unsettling movies. The biggest name in Korean cinema continues to be Park Chan-wook. His work not only gained international acclaim but also set the stage for a new wave of filmmakers who specialize in genre films that captivate audiences at both domestic and prominent international festivals, contributing to the rich tapestry of best Korean movies.

Bong Joon-ho and Kim Jee-Woon, contemporaries of the influential Park Chan-wook, have contributed significantly to the rise of Korean cult cinema, a movement that Park spearheaded. Together, these filmmakers have propelled South Korean cinema to international acclaim. Meanwhile, directors like Lee Chang-dong, Kim Ki-Duk, Hong Sang-soo, and Im Kwon-Taek have earned recognition for their artistry in film festivals, creating a unique space for themselves. Balancing mainstream appeal and artistic depth, South Korean cinema has evolved,...

Frigid take: Nicole Kidman is one of the most gifted and flat-out watchable movie stars working today. Now in the 41st year of her film acting career, she has been nominated for five Oscars (with a Best Actress win for "The Hours"), and a staggering 15 Screen Actors Awards (with one win in 2017 for "Big Little Lies"). She feels perfectly at home in any genre, and, at 57 years old, is more prolific than ever thanks to her gleeful embrace of television films and miniseries. Kidman loves to work as much as we love watching her work!

For evidence of her versatility, you can zoom in on pretty much any four-year chunk of her career and be wowed. Take 1995 - 1999 for instance: she went from Caped Crusader love interest in "Batman Forever" to Femme Fatale weather woman in "To Die For" to doomed seeker in the costume drama "The Portrait of a Lady...

Metrograph Pictures has released a new trailer for Gazer, a dark neo-noir thriller with shades of Memento as it centers around a mother afflicted with a condition that causes blackouts and distortions in time.

Gazer releases in theaters on February 21, 2025. The film is directed by Ryan J. Sloan.

The neo-noir thriller follows “a young mother (co-writer Ariella Mastroianni) who, due to a unique condition that progressively affects her perception of time, is trying to save money for her daughter’s future before it’s too late. She takes a risky job from a mysterious woman with a dark past, which leads her to become entangled in a tense web of revenge, deceit, and murder.”

Ariella Mastroianni, Marcia Debonis, Renee Gagner, Jack Alberts, and Tommy Kang star.

Daniel Kurland wrote in his review for Bd, “In fact, the film feels like a very post-modern deconstruction of many of Alfred Hitchcock’s films,...

In Uprising, directed by Kim Sang-man and co-written by Park Chan-wook, we explore a narrative that challenges standard storytelling conventions. This film, which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival and is now available on Netflix, is more than just a historical drama; it also reflects current cultural issues.

Set in the late 16th century Joseon Dynasty during the Imjin War, the film delves into the complex relationship between Cheon-yeong, a servant, and Jong-ryeo, a lord. Their childhood friendship serves as a lens through which to examine themes of loyalty and class struggle, echoing current discussions of privilege and power dynamics.

The nonlinear narrative style reflects the era’s chaos, encouraging viewers to recreate emotional journeys through flashbacks. This complexity resonates with the storytelling approaches of directors such as Noah Baumbach, who enhance the dramatic stakes of the film. Ju Sung-lim’s cinematography captures Korea’s haunting beauty, while a...

Korean filmmaker Kwak Kyung-taek has responded to calls to boycott his latest feature Firefighters, sparked by recent political unrest in the country.

The film has come under fire from an angry public as the director’s brother is Kwak Gyu-taek, a member of South Korea’s People Power Party (Ppp), who failed to attend the parliamentary vote to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.

In a statement, director Kwak said: “Recently, my younger brother, representative Kwak Gyu-taek of the People Power Party, did not participate in the impeachment vote in accordance with the party’s stance, which has led some people to criticise the film Firefighters.

Spike Lee’s plan to remake the 1963 Japanese classic, High and Low, with Denzel Washington and Ice Spice has sparked major concern among fans. The filmmaker recently acknowledged the profound influence of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa on his career while discussing his upcoming project, Highest 2 Lowest.

Spike Lee | Credit: José Cruz/ABr/Cca 3.0 br/Wikimedia Commons

However, the announcement of the new movie has been met with a lukewarm response from fans, many of whom fear that Lee might mishandle the remake, citing his disappointing 2013 adaptation of the South Korean film Oldboy.

Spike Lee Discussed His Upcoming Film With Denzel Washington

During his recent appearance at the Red Sea Film Festival, filmmaker Spike Lee opened up about his upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest, a project inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller High and Low.

High and Low | Credit: Toho Company

Lee, who has described the Japanese filmmaker as a key inspiration for him,...

Hajime Isayama's "Attack on Titan" is one of the most popular anime/manga ever; its cultural impact is like a rumbling heard across the entire world. Well, almost the entire world.

In 2015, "Attack On Titan" was banned in China by the Chinese Ministry of Culture, along with other violent manga such as "Death Note" and "Claymore." The ministry was banning series that "include scenes of violence, pornography, terrorism, and crimes against public morality." "Attack on Titan" absolutely fits that bill.

The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where most of humanity has been devoured by giants called Titans — resembling naked, ravenous, dead-eyed 20-foot-tall humans. "Attack on Titan" follows a young boy named Eren Yeager as he learns to fight the Titans with his friends. It's a violent series where no character is safe; Titans are disemboweled and humans are devoured in at least every other chapter.

"Attack on Titan...

With an enormous Young-hee doll towering ominously above them, the creator and stars of Squid Game met the press in South Korea on Monday to publicly discuss the second season of Netflix’s most-watched show for the first time. Fans and influencers who had flocked to Seoul from across the globe for the occasion could be heard chatting excitedly about how unnerving it was to be in the presence of the deadly Squid Game figurine, as well as the legions of pink-suited guards who were stationed throughout the event inside the city’s futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza. But it wasn’t long before Squid Game‘s director-creator Hwang Dong-hyuk reminded everyone that a far graver backdrop was looming over the show’s wildly anticipated rollout in its home country — a spiraling political crisis sparked by South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law less than a week ago.

Over 2,500 film industry figures in South Korea have signed their names to a petition calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol after his misbegotten declaration of martial law on Tuesday.

Many of the country’s biggest names in film and K-drama — including Parasite director and multi-Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho, acclaimed auteur Park Chan-wook and A-list actors like Gang Dong-won (Peninsula), Son Ye Jin (Crash Landing on You) and Park Eun-bin (Extraordinary Attorney Woo) — signed their names to the document, as did 77 local film industry organizations, such as the Directors Guild of Korea and the Producers Guild of Korea.

Altogether, 2,518 Korean film professionals put their names down in support of the petition, which was open for 30 hours from Thursday to Friday, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily. Other high-profile names on the list were Kim Go-eun, Jun Ji-hyun and Cha Seung-won.

Korea’s entertainment business is hardly alone in...

Mubi, which recently planted a flag in the U.S. with the wide release of Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance,” has welcomed Zhang Xin to its board of directors, as part of a new chapter for the rapidly expanding company which will also see Zhang’s New York-based film production and financing group Closer Media become an investor in Mubi.

A billionaire entrepreneur, Zhang co-founded Closer Media and previously co-founded Soho China, a construction giant in Beijing and Shanghai known for its iconic projects designed by leading architects from around the world. She left the company in 2022 and partnered with William Horberg, a veteran producer whose credits include “The Queen’s Gambit” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” to break into the media world.

A patron of the arts, Zhang also serves as a Trustee of MoMA, and is a member of both the Harvard Global Advisory Council and Asia Business Council.