2009 Bellwether Foreign Films
Top Performing Films
Red Cliff 2: The Decisive Battle (赤壁（下 ; Chi bi: Xia - Jue zhan tian xia)
Circuit: Chinese
Distributor: China Film Group
Opening Weekend: 7 January 2009
Director: John Woo
Producer: Terence Chang
Stars:
Tony Leung (Chiu Wai)
Takeshi Kaneshiro (Wu Jincheng)
Fengyi Zhang
Chiling Lin
“Vicki” Wei Zhao
Tri-genre: epic drama action
Story Situation: undercover
Satisfaction Rating: excellent
Maturity Rating: 13+
Plotline: The year is 208 A.D. As Prime Minister of Wei Kingdom, power-mad warlord Cao Cao has invaded Wu Kingdom with a million-man army, forcing East Wu’s General Zhou Yu to form an alliance with rival Liu Bei of Shu Kingdom to mount a resistance. In part two, gorgeous Wu princess Sun Shangxiang infiltrates Cao Cao’s camp and sends back military reconnaissance by carrier pigeon: An epidemic has struck delaying Cao Cao’s next big push. The outnumbered alliance uses the time to soften up their enemy by tricking Cao Cao into turning over 100,000 arrows and even into executing his own two top generals. Meanwhile, as Sun Shangxiang returns from Cao Cao’s camp with a map of the enemy’s battle formations, General Zhou Yu’s wife - whom Cao Cao has long lusted after - arrives behind enemy lines to delay Cao Cao’s attack a little longer by distracting him while the alliance commences the Battle of Red Cliff with a full-scale surprise attack by sea. Based on the novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” by Guanzhong Luo.
Rookies: Graduation (ルーキーズ -卒業 -)
Circuit: Japanese
Distributor: Toho
Opening Weekend: 30 May 2009
Director: Yuichiro Hirakawa
Stars:
Ryuta Sato
Yuu Shirota
Hayato Ichihara
Tri-genre: sports action drama
Story Situation: Mentor
Maturity Rating: 13+
Satisfaction Rating: Above Average
Plotline: This film concludes the 2008 TBS-TV mini-series, Rookies, about a rookie Japanese teacher at the notorious Futakotamagawa High School where he’s put in charge of the school’s baseball team. The players are largely misfits and juvenile delinquents and have been suspended one year from competition for brawling. The new teacher takes a personal interest in the boys and, while constantly quoting literary proverbs, inspires them to work together toward the championship tournament at Koshien Stadium. In the film, the team begins to take their goal more seriously as their win record mounts. But the road to Koshien remains difficult as the team confronts new obstacles and overcomes injuries along the way.
Män som hatar kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Circuit: Scandinavian (Swedish)
Distributor: Nordisk Film
Opening Weekend: 27 February 2009
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Producer: Soren Staermose
Stars:
Noomi Rapace
Michael Nyqvist
Peter Haber
Tri-genre: crime thriller suspense
Story Situation: murderer
Satisfaction Rating: excellent
Maturity Rating:13+
Plotline: Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced she was murdered and that the killer is a member of his own dysfunctional family. He hires disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, ruthless computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate. When the pair link Harriet’s disappearance to a number of simultaneous grotesque murders, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vangers are a secretive lot, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they will go to protect themselves. Based on the trilogy of books by Stieg Larsson.
Haeundae (해운대 )
Circuit: Korean
Distributor: C.J. Entertainment
Opening Weekend: 23 July 2009
Director: Je-gyun Yun
Screenwriter: Je-gyun Yun
Producer: Ji-seung Lee
Stars:
Ji-won Ha
Kyung-gu Sol
Joong-hoon Park
Tri-genre: disaster sci-fi suspense
Story Situation: rescue
Satisfaction Rating: excellent
Maturity Rating: 13+
Plotline: Haeundae, Korea’s most popular beach located beside the city of Busan, draws one milion visitors every year… A few years ago, local native Man-sik went deep-sea fishing and lost a friend in the Indian Ocean tsunami. Now he leads a simple life running a small sushi shop while preparing to propose to his longtime girlfriend… Man-sik’s brother works for the coast guard. One day, he rescues a female college student who promptly comes on to him… Meanwhile geologist Hwi Kim, an expert on tsunamis, discovers signs of activity similar to the time of the big tsunami in 2004… Contrary to Kim’s warnings, the Disaster Prevention Agency declares Korea outside of any potential harm’s way… Kim detects a mega-tsunami starting in Tsushima, Japan, and headed straight toward Korea. He rushes to Haeundae… Kim finds his ex-wife organizing a cultural event for the first time in seven years. He also meets his young daughter who is unaware that he is her father… Kim receives a call confirming that the deadly oncoming wave is just ten minutes away… The vacationers and citizens of Busan enjoy the peaceful, hot summer day, unaware that a super tsunami is to about crash with a 500-mile-an-hour wall of water.
Founding of a Republic, The (建国大业 )
Circuit: Chinese
Distributor: China Film Group
Opening Weekend: 17 September 2009
Directors: Sanping Han, co-director Jianxin Huang
Screenwriter: Xingdong Wang;
Producer: Sanping Han
Stars:
Guoqiang Tang
Guoli Zhang
Qing Xu
with prominent cameos from
Jet Li
Jackie Chan
Ziyi Zhang
Donnie Yen
You Ge
Tri-genre: Epic docudrama
Story Situation: rivals
Satisfaction Rating: average
Maturity Rating: 7+
Plotline: The story follows the emotional rollercoaster experiences of China’s historical figures Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-Tung), Zhou Enlai (Chou En-Lai) and the other central five leaders of the Communist Party as they orchestrate the defeat of Chiang Kai-shek’s 550,000-man, US-supplied Nationalist army during the Huaihai Campaign and ultimately bring an end to the Chinese Civil War. Subsequently, they convene the “Political Consultative Meeting” that frames the new government in 1949. Produced with government support to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on October 1st.
Guoqiang Tang as Mao Zedong
Although largely dismissed in the West as patriotic fluff, producer-director Sanping Han’s The Founding of the Republic (Jian guo da ye) nevertheless delivers epic visual grandeur, intimate emotional drama, and China’s largest-ever opening weekend box office with an impressive $18.2 (Cn¥130.0) million take.
As CEO of the powerful state-owned China Film Group (which finances, imports and distributes films for mainland China), Sanping Han put his reputation on the line by shepherding this project, both as producer and debut director, to commemorate the 60th birthday of the Chinese government on October 1st. Working with a budget of approximately $10 (Cn¥77.5) million, Han brought in Xingdong Wang (Flag of the Republic - Gong he guo zhi qi) to pen the script as well as co-director Jianxin Huang to steady his hand for this first stint in the director’s chair. Huang belongs to the prestigious “fifth generation” of Chinese directors that includes Kaige Chen, Yimou Zhang and Zhuangzhuang Tian.
Because the film attempts to impart a sense of intimacy about the historic revolutionary leaders by showing them at times of anger and in moments of celebratory drinking - an approach never before seen in China - Sanping Han cast lesser-known lookalike actors Guoqiang Tang, Guoli Zhang and Jin Liu for the central roles of Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-Tung), Chiang Kai-Shek and Zhou Enlai (Chou En-Lai). But Han also gave the picture its commercial marquee by personally asking a Who’s Who of 172 Chinese celebrities to participate as cameo players for minimal compensation. Jet Li appears as an admiral, Jackie Chan as a journalist and Ziyi Zhang as a cultural sector representative. Other cameos include Stephen Chow, Donnie Yen, Andy Lau, You Ge and directors John Woo and Kaige Chen.
Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Ziyi Zhang in "The Founding of a Republic"
Finally, aided by federal sponsorship, Han arranged for an unprecedented wide release on 1450 of China’s 4100 total screens. Throughout late August and early September, every film screened in China was preceded by a promotional trailer for The Founding of the Republic.
(L-R) Director Sanping Han, actors Guoqiang and Guoli Zhang at Beijing premiere
Wickie und die starken Männer - Der Pfeil (Vicky the Viking)
Circuit: German
Distributor: Constantin Film
Opening Weekend: 9 September 2009
Director: Michael Herbig
Screenwriter: Michael Herbig
Producer: Christian Becker
Stars:
Jonas Hammerle
Waldemar Kobus
Olaf Kratke
Tri-genre: swashbuckler adventure comedy
Story Situation: rescue
Satisfaction Rating: above average
Maturity Rating: 0+
Plotline: Young Vicky lives with his parents Halvar and Ylva in the small village of Flake. As a budding Viking, he’s supposed to be rude, strong and courageous. But to the horror of his father, the Viking chief, this boy with auburn hair is none of those things. Actually, he’s quite timid. For a Viking, that’s unimaginable. His father decides to take Vicky along on Viking adventures to toughen him up. Then hostile pirate Sven The Terrible abducts all the village’s children; except Vicky. When Halvar and his men hoist sail for the rescue mission, Vicky sneaks aboard and subsequently saves the Viking crew from dicey situation after dicey situation with his quick wit and clever schemes. He even personally saves his heartthrob best friend Ilvy from the clutches of the loathsome pirate himself. Based the children’s book by Runer Jonsson and the 1974 German animated TV series Chîsana baikingu Bikke.
Petit Nicolas, Le (Little Nicholas)
Circuit: French
Distributor: Wild Bunch
Opening Weekend: 30 September 2009
Director: Laurent Tirard
Screenwriter: Rene Goscinny
Producers: Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier
Stars:
Kad Merad (Best Actor recipient - César)
Valérie Lemercier (Best Actor recipient - César)
Maxime Gadart
Tri-genre: domestic situation comedy
Story Situation: coming-of-age
Satisfaction Rating: above average
Maturity Rating: 0+
Plotline: Kid Maxime Godart conspires against his parents, played by Kad Merad and Valérie Lemercier, to keep them from having another baby who might then steal the spotlight away from him. Based on children’s books by Rene Goscinny.
Owing to its second wind at the box office, this family comedy overtook Coco avant Chanel, starring Audrey Tautou, and single mom family comedy LOL - Laughing Out Loud, starring César Award winner Sophie Marceau (Braveheart, The World Is Not Enough), as the year’s top grossing French language film.
National Athlete (Take Off, Gukga daepyo; 국가대표 )
Circuit: Korean
Distributor: Showbox
Opening Weekend: 30 July 2009
Director: Yong-hwa Kim
Screenwriter: Yong-hwa Kim
Producer: Moo-seung Park
Stars:
Jung-woo Ha
Tri-genre: sports action drama
Story Situation: rivals
Satisfaction Rating: excellent
Maturity Rating: 13+
Plotline: In 1996, South Korea bids to host an upcoming Winter Olympics. But the International Olympic Committee will not seriously consider the offer without a national ski jumping team. A team is quickly formed and five men go for gold as members of the first national team. Inspired by a true story.
Coco before Chanel (Coco avant Chanel)
Circuit: French
Distributor: Films Distribution
Opening Weekend: 22 April 2009
Director: Anne Fontaine
Producer: Philippe Carcassone
Stars:
Audrey Tautou
Alessandro Nivola
Marie Gillain
Benoit Poelvoorde
Tri-grnre: period true life drama
Story Situation: rags-to-riches
Satisfaction Rating: excellent
Maturity Rating: 7+
Plotline: In an orphanage, next to a perfectly made bed, stands a frail and slender ten-year-old girl with thick black hair: Gabrielle Chanel, known as “Coco” to her friends. The story follows the path traveled by Coco, using her outspoken aggressiveness, to rise from obscure beginnings to the blinding lights of the Parisian fashion world. Freely adapted from the novel L’Irreguliere by Edmonde Charles-Roux.
Flickan som lekte med elden (The Girl Who Played with Fire)
Circuit: Swedish
Distributor: Nordisk Film
Opening Weekend: 18 September 2009
Director: Daniel Alfredson
Screenwriter: Jonas Frykberg
Producer: Soren Staermose
Stars:
Noomi Rapace (Best Actress - Bodil Award)
Michael Nyqvist (Best Actor - Guldbagge Award)
Lena Endre
Tri-genre: crime thriller suspense
Story Situation: on-the-run
Satisfaction Rating: above average
Maturity Rating: 13+
Plotline: In a second crime thriller based on novelist Stieg Larsson’s Millenium trilogy, Sweden’s Noomi Rapace reprises her role as a tattooed Goth computer hacker working for Millenium magazine’s editor Michael Nyqvist. This time Rapace finds herself framed for a triple homicide involving Millenium journalists who were about to expose a high profile sex trade scandal. Rapace and Nyqvist must separately race against the clock to break open the conspiracy and exonerate Rapace. Their first pairing in Män som hatar kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) remains the second highest-grossing foreign language film for 2009.
