Category: Film

Ever felt like a misfit teen? Go to ‘Camp’

Jae-Ha Kim

At Camp Ovation, sports is a four-letter word. A gym teacher is as out of place there as a dance instructor would be at basketball camp. So when shy Ellen is dateless for her school dance, or Michael gets beat up for wearing a dress and heels to his prom, they cling to the thought that they’ll be at a better place–Camp Ovation–in just a few days. Based on his own experiences attending a summer musical workshop, “Camp” is screenwriter Todd Graff’s directorial debut.

Spike Lee knows the score

Jae-Ha Kim

Shelton Lee always had a bit of an edge. When his schoolteacher mother began calling him Spike, even he realized the nickname fit him to a T. “I was always a little different,” Lee says, laughing. “I don’t think I knew it as a kid, but it wasn’t a bad thing. I grew up in a wonderful environment filled with love, knowledge and lots of jazz.”

“Pokemon Heroes” unveils new heroes

Jae-Ha Kim

In “Pokemon Heroes”–the fifth film in the phenomenally popular Pokemon series–a pair of dolphin-like sibling creatures are the center of intrigue. Latias and Latios–the newest characters from the Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire video games–make their big-screen debut in this spunky adventure.

Confusing ‘Onmyoji’ casts an interesting spell

Jae-Ha Kim

Once you get past the exotic costumers and Kabuki-inspired makeup in “Onmyoji,” you realize that the subtitled Japanese film really is a dark, supernatural fairy tale not unlike “The Lord of the Rings.” OK, there are no dwarves, elves or sorcerers in “Onmyoji,” but the film is peppered with magicians, demons and, well, the undead.

“The Real Cancun”

Jae-Ha Kim

Reality not only bites in “The Real Cancun.” It smells. Watching this film, I thought about a recent Onion Headline: “Girl Gone Wild Actually Just Regular Girl, Only More Insecure and Drunk.” Add the male gender into that headline and you’ve pretty much got the plot for what’s being touted as the first reality feature film, courtesy of the producers of MTV’s “The Real World.”

Critical approval means Justin Lin’s ‘Luck’ is here to stay

Jae-Ha Kim

When funding ran low for “Better Luck Tomorrow,” filmmaker Justin Lin called on an unlikely resource to help: MC Hammer. Yup. It was Hammer time. “I had met him in Vegas when I was working on the script,” says Lin. “He was really nice and offered to help. I called and said, ‘Hi, remember me?’ He couldn’t have been nicer. He wired me a decent amount of money within two hours.”

Bruce Lee — Urban Legend

Jae-Ha Kim

“Without a question, Bruce Lee was the uncontested idol for a lot of little black boys growing up in the ’70s. We absolutely accepted him as Soul Brother No. 1.”