Latest Bellwether Films: 27 June 2010
Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz
71 - Into the Gunfire (포화 속으로) - Korean wartime action drama
After hostilities commence in June 1950, seventy-one student volunteers are taught to fire exactly one shot, then are posted in front the Pohang Girl’s Middle School with orders to defend the quiet town. That night the student soldiers are surprise-attacked by hundreds of heavily-equipped North Korean regulars. The outnumbered students confront adult emotions as they fight fiercely to the last soul, buying vital time for the routed South Korean army to regroup along the Nakdong River and to be joined by UN forces. Upshot: South Korea’s Alamo. A true story inspired by a letter found among the 71 deceased student soldiers, this movie is the first of several upcoming films in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Satisfaction rating: ABOVE AVERAGE - 77
Grown Ups - Hollywood domestic goofball comedy
After their high school basketball coach passes away, five former teammates (Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider) refresh their bonds of friendship and family over a Fourth of July weekend at the lake resort where they previously celebrated their youthful championship season. Upshot: More gags than story. Satisfaction rating: BELOW AVERAGE - 37
Knight and Day - Hollywood espionage rom-com action
A charming but lethal covert agent (Tom Cruise), who may have gone rogue, abducts a sweet-natured unlucky-in-love classic car restorer (Cameron Diaz) to keep her from becoming an accidental target of assassination. They are pursued across the globe by determined federal agents (Viola Davis, Peter Sarsgaard) while trying to prevent a secret high-tech invention and its inventor (Paul Dano) from falling in the wrong hands. Upshot: Lots of charisma, lots of fun. Much better than critics would have you believe. Satisfaction rating: ABOVE AVERAGE - 65
Lost on Journey (人在囧途) - Chinese road trip drama comedy
As the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival approaches, a toy company executive (Zheng Xu) plans to join his wife in their hometown of Changsha to announce that he’s leaving her for another woman. But when his flight is cancelled for inclement weather, he boards a train where he joins forces with a zany farm worker (Baoqiang Wang - 王宝强) to overcome one natural disaster after another, switching from train to bus, to ferry, to truck and even to tractor in their mad two-day dash to make the holiday. Once home, he realizes he still loves his wife and does not want to break up their happy family. Upshot: Planes, Trains and Automobiles in China. Satisfaction rating: ABOVE AVERAGE - 66
Raavan - Bollywood crime action romance
When a young police officer (Chiyaan Vikram) accepts the assignment of restoring law and order to the remote northern town of Lal Maati, the local tribal leader (Abhishek Bachchan) challenges his authority by kidnapping the policeman’s new bride (Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan). The tribal leader quickly falls in love the beautiful woman, touching off a war both for control of the town as well as for the woman’s heart. Satisfaction rating: GOOD - 55
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World's Favorite Films 2010
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World's Favorite Foreign Language Films 2010
Aftershock (Chinese)
L'arnacoeur (French)
The Borrower Arietty (Japanese)
Ip Man 2 (Chinese)
Pokemon: Phanton Ruler Zoroark (Japanese)
Confessions (Japanese)
My Name Is Khan (Bollywood)
Nodame Cantabile 2 (Japanese)
Blood Brothers: Secret Reunion (Korean)
Doraemon: Mermaid Adventure (Japanese)
Raajneeti (Bollywood)
Little Big Soldier (Chinese)
La Rafle (French)
Les Aventures Extraordinaire d'Adele Blanc-Sec (French)
Io, loro e Lara (Italian)
Liar Game (Japanese)
Our Rossiya (Russian)
Moss (Korean)
71 - Into the Gunfire (Korean)
Housefull (Bollywood)
