Latest news with #TheHost
Broadcast Pro
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Korean Film Festival returns to UAE for ninth edition
This year's event is centered around the theme of music, highlighting how sound and storytelling combine to create powerful cinematic experiences. The Korean Film Festival is back for its ninth edition, with screenings set to take place at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai. This year's festival places a spotlight on music, exploring how sound and storytelling come together to create emotionally powerful cinematic experiences. Alongside the curated selection of Korean films, audiences will also enjoy two special K-Movie OST (Original Soundtrack) live concerts, featuring reimagined music from some of South Korea's most iconic films. The festival's opening film is Bong Joon-ho's Parasite, the Oscar-winning Best Picture that follows a poor family as they cunningly embed themselves into the lives of a wealthy household. Other highlights include C'est Si Bon, a romantic drama set in the 1960s Seoul music scene; Secret: Untold Melody, a psychological thriller directed by Seo You-min; My Beautiful Girl, Mari, a coming-of-age animated fantasy; and Jaurim, The Wonderland, a documentary celebrating the legacy of South Korean rock band Jaurim, with a special Q&A session with the director in Abu Dhabi. Audiences will also see Dog Days, an ensemble film about human-dog relationships in Seoul, and A Tale of Two Sisters, a psychological horror steeped in Korean folklore. The festival will close with The Host, Bong Joon-ho's monster movie classic about a mutated creature that terrorizes Seoul. As part of the festival's emphasis on cultural exchange and regional collaboration, a special screening of six Arab Film Studio titles will take place on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. This segment, presented in partnership with the Creative Media Authority, includes Sound of Memories by Gargi Chakrabarti, The First Note by Laith AlRamahi, and I See a Woman by Laura Saab. Adding a unique musical dimension to the event, the Choi Yeowan Group will headline two OST concerts in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Known for blending traditional Korean vocal styles with contemporary sounds, the ensemble will perform new interpretations of film music from classics like Parasite, My Sassy Girl, 200 Pounds Beauty and The Host. Lee Yong-hee, director of the Korean Cultural Centre in the UAE, expressed pride in the festival's continued evolution, noting its expanded programming and deeper engagement with local audiences. 'This year, we are proud to expand that engagement even further, by introducing a special Arab film showcase and hosting live K-Movie OST concerts for the first time. These additions reflect our commitment to deeper cultural exchange and creating shared experiences through film and music,' he said.
![[팟캐스트] (667) 봉준호, 6년 만의 신작도 여전히 인간 이야기 중심](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F03%2F04%2Fnews-p.v1.20250225.97f7c50c56054992a25561fe415e1d32_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[팟캐스트] (667) 봉준호, 6년 만의 신작도 여전히 인간 이야기 중심](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
[팟캐스트] (667) 봉준호, 6년 만의 신작도 여전히 인간 이야기 중심
Bong Joon-ho still keen on human stories 진행자: 홍유, Elise Youn 기사 요약: 봉준호 감독은 6년 만에 선보인 신작 "미키17 (Mickey 17)"에 대해, SF 장르를 통해 인간 본성을 탐구하며 현대 사회의 노동 착취 문제를 다룬다고 밝혔다. [1] "I've never been freeloading," Bong Joon-ho quips with a mischievous glint. The Oscar-winning director is speaking to reporters at a hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday, discussing his first film in six years. freeload: 빈둥거리다, 공짜로 얻어먹다 quip: 재치있게 말하다. mischievous: 장난기 있는 [2]The film "Mickey 17" stars Robert Pattinson in a dual role as expendable clones on a distant ice planet. It's Bong's fourth venture into science fiction, following "The Host" (2006), "Snowpiercer" (2013) and "Okja" (2017). But as with those earlier works, the director's interest lies more in human nature than technological speculation. expendable: 소모용의, 소모품인 human nature: 인간 본성 speculation: 추측 [3] For Bong, science fiction has been a lens through which to examine contemporary reality. His previous genre works — whether exploring environmental disaster in "The Host" or class warfare in "Snowpiercer" — used fantastical premises to illuminate present-day concerns. Mickey 17 continues this tradition, with its story of a disposable worker serving as a mirror for modern-day labor exploitation. premise: 전제 exploitation: 착취 [4] "Rather than focusing on the sci-fi elements, I was most strongly drawn to the concept of human printing itself," Bong says. "I wanted to explore Mickey as a person — this poor, kindhearted but pathetic young man, and how he might survive such extreme circumstances. Instead of grand philosophical worldbuilding, I wanted to look into Mickey's mind, his emotional state."
Gulf Today
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
In ‘Mickey 17,' Bong recycles Pattinson and his old ideas
Of course Bong Joon Ho is an environmentalist. He recycles his own ideas. 'Mickey 17,' a sloppy but enjoyable sci-fi comedy set in the year 2054, mashes together the monsterphobia of 'The Host,' the animal-rights activism of 'Okja,' the environmental doomsaying of 'Snowpiercer' and the social inequality of 'Parasite,' that last one the Oscar winner that handed Bong the blank check to make a combo platter of his greatest hits. It's the equivalent of the lunch tray that Mickey 17 (Robert Pattinson) gobbles up in his outer-space cafeteria: squares of the same nutritious gunk. But I'm not complaining. Some filmmakers deliver sermons; Bong serves entertainment. The 17th Mickey is a flesh photocopy of Mickey Barnes, a good-for-nothing dope desperate to flee Earth after his macaron business flops and its main investor threatens him with a chainsaw. Earth isn't worth sticking around for, anyway. 'Seems like the whole of this planet was running away from something,' Mickey says, gazing up at a long line of wannabe migrants jostling to earn a spot on an escape ship headed to the ice planet Niflheim. As frigid as it is, Niflheim doesn't seem any worse than the pounding dust storms at home. The trouble is, Mickey doesn't have any skills. He's underqualified to fly planes or lead science experiments or even dish the gunk. Mickey is a moron. A sweet moron, but a moron nonetheless, which is evident as soon as Pattinson starts squeaking banalities in a nasal gasp that sounds as though he's never gotten enough oxygen to his brain. In Edward Ashton's original 2022 novel 'Mickey 7,' the character is an academic, a punch line that's even more bleak. So Mickey signs up to be the ship's 'expendable,' a canary-meets-crash-test-dummy who continually sacrifices his life in service of the fledgling colony. Someone has to sample the radiation in the atmosphere and the toxins in the air. Someone has to die to develop vaccines. He's a human-on-demand 3D-reprint, made from scraps of garbage. Fittingly, Pattinson hunches his shoulders and curls his upper lip: an obedient lab rat. The premise isn't 'Groundhog Day.' Mickey 17 remembers the pain of all prior Mickeys, from the original through No. 16. Among the indignities a newly vulnerable Mickey suffers, each one spurts out of a stuttering printer and flops to the floor, forsaken. With every copy, he's treated less like a person. One of the smart tweaks Bong has made to Ashton's book is devolving the character from an Everyman into a passive stooge. He's hurting all over but can't think straight about what is to blame. In the opening scene, Mickey is trapped at the bottom of a chasm having plummeted not to his doom but to everyone else's inconvenience. Cold and scared, he stares up at his supposed best friend, Timo (Steven Yeun), hoping for rescue. Timo sizes up his injuries with the impassivity of an insurance adjuster and abandons him to freeze. 'Have a nice death,' Timo says offhandedly. Mickey shivers. 'Yeah, no ... we're cool.' The highfalutin parallel is to 'Candide,' the classic 18th century novel about a naif who endures the horrors of civilization: chaos, selfishness, disease and destruction. The problems of 1759 are the same ones of 2054, with too many years in between. Bong's probably read Voltaire. But his film plays to a poppier crowd. Mickey's bowl haircut is straight out of 'Dumb and Dumber.' His obtuse optimism makes him the intergalactic Forrest Gump. Inconceivably, women love him. Mickey has an out-of-his-league girlfriend, Nasha (Naomi Ackie), who, when 17 takes too long to get back to her bedroom, proves a bit too eager for a replacement. The 18th Mickey, also played by Pattinson, is a more standard-issue hero who magically has a brain behind his eyes. Pattinson has incredible physical control over both 17's slack-jawed, knock-kneed cartoon and his identical opposite. (Nasha calls them 'mild and habanero.') As Pattinson toggles between the two, you can't help but think back to how the former 'Twilight' heartthrob shape-shifted himself out of playing romantic leads. You can practically imagine Pattinson experimenting with his own face in front of a mirror, figuring out which tilt of the jaw transforms him from handsome (blah) to Neanderthal (hooray).
Telegraph
11-03-2025
- Telegraph
Savour Spain's gastronomic island
Tenerife might not be the first Spanish destination that springs to mind for food and drink, but to locals and those in the know, the island has had an incredible and innovative food scene for centuries. A new generation of chefs has also brought a fresh look to classic Canarian cuisine, using produce from the bountiful island and the bracing Atlantic Ocean that surrounds it, and Tenerife now has 10 Michelin stars across eight restaurants. Wine is also big business on the island, and you'll spot vineyards as much as you will banana plantations as you travel the diverse Tinerfeño landscape. 'Farewell, my hearts: I will to my honest knight Falstaff, and drink Canary with him,' says The Host in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor. He's referring to Canary sack, a sweet wine that was produced in La Orotava valley in the north of Tenerife back in the 1500s. The bard himself was a big fan and supposedly had a barrel of Canary wine written into his contract. Wine has been produced in Tenerife for centuries, since the Spanish brought vines to the island in the 15th century. Taste the volcano These days the wines are less fortified, and Tenerife's volcanic terroir paired with native grape varieties means that bottles are much prized around the globe. In La Orotava, you'll spot grape vines growing in the cordón trenzado method, where they're braided in long horizontal rows to make the most of the sunshine. Bodegas Suertes del Marqués has been the driving force behind the modern Canarian wine scene, putting it once again on the international stage. Most wineries offer visits and tastings, but try Bodegas Tajinaste for wines made from the native listán negro grapes that often produce flavours of sour cherry, raspberries and black pepper. On the opposite side of the mountain near Arafo, you'll find one of the island's highest vineyards, Bodegas Ferrera at more than 1,000m above sea level, whose naturally sweet marmajuelo white wine with notes of melon and grapefruit shouldn't be missed. For a true taste of the island's viticultural prowess, make a pilgrimage to La Casa del Vino in the idyllic town of El Sauzal, where some of the island's best wines can be paired with stunning views of the Atlantic. It's because of wine that Tenerife can possibly claim the idea of the first pop-up restaurants. Known as guachinches, these rustic canteens have been cropping up for decades at the end of the wine harvest each September. Vineyards create cheap and cheerful eating spots in their barns, garages and sheds and serve simple Canarian cuisine, such as grilled meat, fried cheese, and papas arrugadas (salty baby potatoes served with either red pepper or coriander mojo sauces) along with their own wines. There are restrictions on how long these makeshift restaurants can be open, but if you're around the north of the island in autumn you'll often spot handmade signs on the side of the road pointing out a nearby guachinche. Mar y montaña – sea and mountains Good-quality produce has always been a staple of Tinerfeño gastronomy, and you'll find weekly agricultural markets across the island. Head to the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife on a weekend and you'll find the covered municipal market known as La Recova. Here there are stalls selling fabulous Canarian cheeses, often made from goat's milk, as well as fresh fruit, wines, honey rum, meat and seafood. Venture downstairs to the fish and seafood section and watch as the merchants carefully select, prepare and serve a plethora of shellfish to hungry patrons – often swilled down with a local sparkling wine. At nearby La Hierbita restaurant you can feast on local dishes such as garbanzada (chickpea stew), cherne (wreckfish, which tastes a bit like cod), and carne fiesta (herby, spiced pork) along with a comprehensive list of local wines. You'll find versions of these dishes and ingredients served up in many of the Michelin-starred restaurants on the island. At Haydée – soon to be reopening in the Gran Tacande Hotel – chef Victor Suárez puts a unique twist on classic Canarian with plates such as oysters with banana kimchi, and rabbit tartlet with salmorejo (a traditional marinade of oregano, bay, garlic and more). Elsewhere, husband-and-wife team Andrea and Fernanda use their Italian and Chilean roots to create their signature tasting menus at Nub at Bahía del Duque resort. With dishes such as corn crème brûlée, with aged onion and herb ceviche, it's little wonder that the Michelin inspectors are consistently impressed. Tenerife beyond the beach With multiple airlines flying direct to Tenerife from the UK every day, it's time to find out more, plan your travel and book your trip with the Tenerife Tourism Corporation
Los Angeles Times
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
In 'Mickey 17,' Bong Joon Ho recycles Robert Pattinson and his old ideas
Of course, Bong Joon Ho is an environmentalist. He recycles his own ideas. 'Mickey 17,' a sloppy but enjoyable sci-fi comedy set in the year 2054, mashes together the monsterphobia of 'The Host,' the animal-rights activism of 'Okja,' the environmental doomsaying of 'Snowpiercer,' and the social inequality of 'Parasite,' that last one the Oscar winner that handed Bong the blank check to make a combo platter of his greatest hits. It's the equivalent of the lunch tray that Mickey 17 (Robert Pattinson) gobbles up in his outer-space cafeteria: squares of the same nutritious gunk. But I'm not complaining. Some filmmakers deliver sermons; Bong serves entertainment. The 17th Mickey is a flesh photocopy of Mickey Barnes, a good-for-nothing dope desperate to flee Earth after his macaron business flops and its main investor threatens him with a chain saw. Earth isn't worth sticking around for, anyway. 'Seems like the whole of this planet was running away from something,' Mickey says, gazing up at a long line of wannabe migrants jostling to earn a spot on an escape ship headed to the ice planet Niflheim. As frigid as it is, Niflheim doesn't seem any worse than the pounding dust storms at home. The trouble is, Mickey doesn't have any skills. He's underqualified to fly planes or lead science experiments or even dish the gunk. Mickey is a moron. A sweet moron, but a moron nonetheless, which is evident as soon as Pattinson starts squeaking banalities in a nasal gasp that sounds as though he's never gotten enough oxygen to his brain. In Edward Ashton's original 2022 novel 'Mickey 7,' the character is an academic, a punchline that's even more bleak. So Mickey signs up to be the ship's 'expendable,' a canary-meets-crash-test-dummy who continually sacrifices his life in service of the fledgling colony. Someone has to sample the radiation in the atmosphere and the toxins in the air. Someone has to die to develop vaccines. He's a human-on-demand 3D-reprint, made from scraps of garbage. Fittingly, Pattinson hunches his shoulders and curls his upper lip: an obedient lab rat. The premise isn't 'Groundhog Day.' Mickey 17 remembers the pain of all prior Mickeys, from the original through 16. Among the indignities a newly vulnerable Mickey suffers, each one spurts out of a stuttering printer and flops to the floor, forsaken. With every copy, he's treated less like a person. One of the smart tweaks Bong has made to Ashton's book is devolving the character from an everyman into a passive stooge. He's hurting all over but can't think straight about what is to blame. In the opening scene, Mickey is trapped at the bottom of a chasm having plummeted not to his doom, but to everyone else's inconvenience. Cold and scared, he stares up at his supposed best friend Timo (Steven Yeun), hoping for rescue. Timo sizes up his injuries with the impassivity of an insurance adjuster and abandons him to freeze. 'Have a nice death,' Timo says offhandedly. Mickey shivers. 'Yeah, no … we're cool.' The highfalutin parallel is to 'Candide,' the classic 18th century novel about a naif who endures the horrors of civilization: chaos, selfishness, disease and destruction. The problems of 1759 are the same ones of 2054, with too many years in between. Bong's probably read Voltaire. But his film plays to a poppier crowd. Mickey's bowl hair cut is straight out of 'Dumb and Dumber.' His obtuse optimism makes him the intergalactic Forrest Gump. Inconceivably, women love him. Mickey has an out-of-his-league girlfriend, Nasha (Naomi Ackie), who, when 17 takes too long to get back to her bedroom, proves a bit too eager for a replacement. The 18th Mickey, also played by Pattinson, is a more standard-issue hero who magically has a brain behind his eyes. Pattinson has incredible physical control over both 17's slack-jawed, knock-kneed cartoon and his identical opposite. (Nasha calls them 'mild and habanero.') As Pattinson toggles between the two, you can't help but think back to how the former 'Twilight' heartthrob shape-shifted himself out of playing romantic leads. You can practically imagine Pattinson experimenting with his own face in front of a mirror, figuring out which tilt of the jaw transforms him from handsome (blah) to Neanderthal (hooray). Most people on the ship are varying degrees of toadies to the ship's overlords, a vainglorious politician named Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo) and his savvier wife, Ylfa (Toni Collette), who course-corrects her husband when he blurts the wrong thing. Mandatory celibacy does not go over well, a joke that springs from the novel's note that the colonists had no intellectually stimulating hobbies. ('Mostly, we banged,' Ashton writes.) The sex shtick is paired with a boisterous piano score that feels like it thundered in from a western — it doesn't work at all. But I did like spotting the details in the futuristic costume design that puts buttons and pockets in bizarre places. Marshall is a pseudo-religious hypocrite who rails against his enemies, both foreign — Niflheim's native inhabitants, an armadillo-esque species dubbed the 'creepers' — and domestic, multiples like Mickey whom he calls 'Satan's work.' Bong has given the leader TV aspirations; the makeup team has given him orange tanner. You know the drill even before you see his fans in the colony wearing red ball caps and saluting with one arm. Here is where I should note that the film wrapped shooting in 2022. Bong must have gambled that the gag would be kitschy, if still overdone. Voltaire would have warned that history repeats and repeats and repeats. Ruffalo has always struck me as a genuinely decent man. Lately, he's been investing that goodwill in playing fiends, like his Oscar-nominated turn as the lech in 'Poor Things.' He slides into these carapaces as though they're a rubber Godzilla suit and goes on the rampage. As for Ylfa, a newly concocted character, she exists just to squeeze a talent of Collette's caliber and comedic chops into the plot. Her Ylfa is a glamorous foodie — herself a photocopy of Tilda Swinton's meat-loving tycoon in 'Okja.' Rhapsodizing about condiments to a ship of starving workers, Ylfa may as well bleat, 'Let them eat ketchup!' The last stretch of the movie drags on as it shifts away from Mickey's storyline, Bong changing gears to his favorite topic: uprisings. The sense that Bong has made this movie before leads him to take lazy shortcuts. One subplot involves a second 'Okja' spin-off, a roly-poly baby-mammal thing who we're meant to find adorable simply because it's there. Sure, it's small, whatever. The creature design is similar to a microscopic tardigrade, which gives it enough biological credibility to balance out that it also has the same unfolding tentacle mouths as every other alien of the last 15 years. More interesting is that the beasts appear to be bonded en masse — their society shares an empathy that humankind lacks. Not one creeper seems to doubt that the others have a soul. We cannot say the same with a straight face, without or without tentacle mouths. As semi-inessential as 'Mickey 17' feels in Bong's canon, I'm at peace that he keeps asking how to give everyone's life value. He'll keep repeating the question until we come up with an answer.
