2014.9.19 Now Playing
Grand Central (19)
Directed by French screenwriter and director Rebecca Zlotowski, this French-Austrian romance is set in a nuclear power plant that acts as a third character throughout the film.
Gary (Tahar Rahim) is an unskilled unemployed man who is hired as a contract decontamination worker at a nuclear facility, facing life-threatening incidents on a regular basis.
One day, Gary joins his colleagues for a drink and meets Karole (Lea Seydoux), an attractive young woman who is married to his friend Tony (Denis Menochet). The two share a spontaneous kiss, which ignites a forbidden love affair. Just to stay close to Karole, Gary even forges his radiation-rate record to stay employed.
The pulsating score and the two beautiful actors add to the deteriorating yet romantic ambience of the film.
“Grand Central” was invited to the Cannes International Film Festival to be screened at the Un Certain Regard section in 2013.
The Plan (19)
Revenge film “The Plan” marks accomplished actress Shin Eun-kyung’s comeback to the movie scene after four years absence.
Shin plays Se-hee, who becomes a notorious loan shark after her family and childhood were ruined by moneylenders.
In order to survive in the cruel business, she is not afraid to seduce a man or destroy a family. By the time her name becomes known in the business, she gets a sponsor, In-ho (Lee Ki-young), and also a faithful follower, Yong-hoon (Kang Ji-sub).
One day, she comes across a desperate but beautiful girl who reminds her of herself as a child. Se-hee lures the girl into her clan, and together they meticulously and seductively plan an act of revenge to take down the kingpin of the loan shark business.
The Two Faces of January (15)
Thriller/ 96/ English
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1964 novel, “The Two Faces of January” has been adapted by Iranian director Hossein Amini. Although it’s a crime thriller, the film doesn’t fall under the typical template of the genre. Instead, it is an absolute visual feast, filled with the sunny landscape of Greece.
Wealthy married couple Chester (Viggo Mortensen) and Colette MacFarland (Kirsten Dunst) of the United States take a trip to Greece. During their glamorous stay, the couple strikes up a friendship with American tour guide Rydal (Oscar Isaac).
However, while they enjoy their last day at a luxury hotel, the two come face to face with a suspicious man and end up killing him. Just in time, Rydal offers to help them conceal the case and escape the city.
In the process, he notices that the couple aren’t as in love as they seem and starts to form romantic feelings for Colette.
The Quiet Ones (15)
The latest trend in Western-made horror movies is to use found footage, such as in “The Conjuring” and “Paranomal Activity.”
And now Hammer Films, which spawned the “Hammer Horror” series from 1955 to the mid-1980s, has put together a film that falls under that fad.
Set in 1970s England, Coupland (Jared Harris) is a psychology professor at Oxford University who is experimenting on Jane (Olivia Cooke), a mentally unstable girl believed to be possessed by a demonic spirit.
However, the school authority shuts down his testing and Coupland relocates the “study” to a creepy, isolated part of town.
A group of his students follow him, including cameraman Brian, which is where the supernatural events begin.
As Brian films Jane and her alter ego, Evey, he starts to become attracted to the girl and unexpected revelations start to come to light.
It Boy (19)
Alice (Virginie Efira) is a successful editor at a popular fashion magazine who is heading into her forties.
For the past eight years, she has devoted her time to her career, leaving no time to date men.
One day, she comes across the 19-year-old boy Balthazar (Pierre Niney), whom she knows from a business trip to Brazil. But somehow, photos of the two of them together spread online, and her boss starts to see her in a different light: He begins to think that Alice has what it takes to get to the next level.
With her newfound cougar persona, Alice goes back to Balthazar and tries to seduce him in order to keep up her man-eating image at work.
But Balthazar believes in true love. With Alice’s professional and mature attitude, Balthazar starts to form genuine feelings for her and Alice, of course, cannot resist this handsome young guy.
How will this love, with its 20-year age difference, end up?
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For(19)
Action, thriller/ 102/ English
Nearly a decade after the release of “Sin City,” which caused a sensation with its groundbreaking monochrome cinematography and harsh brutality, Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez have come up with a second installment.
Just like the first in the series, “A Dame to Kill For” features a stellar cast, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eva Green, Jessica Alba and Bruce Willis.
The film is set in a fictional city full of rampant crime, where gambler Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) jumps fearlessly into the card game scene to challenge the metropolis’ evil boss.
Although Johnny wins, he is punished by the city’s corrupt authorities and sets out for revenge.
French actress and model Eva Green, meanwhile, plays Ava Lord, a typical black widow temptress. She lures investigator Dwight (Josh Brolin) into killing her abusive husband, and in the end he becomes her prey.
The Wicked (19)
Horror, thriller/ 93/ Korean
The Korean movie scene hasn’t seen many well-made horror flicks this year. But although summer has already ended, there is one more scary movie waiting to send chills down your spine.
Directed by Yoo Young-sun of “Almost Dead” (2013), “The Wicked” is set in an office - an unlikely backdrop for a horror film.
Se-young (Park Ju-hee) is a newbie worker stressed out from work and pulling all-nighters. And fastidious team manager Lee-sun (Na Soo-yoon) isn’t helping.
One day, Lee-sun makes the creepy bet that if Se-young can’t finish her workload in time, she will take away one of her fingers.
The deadline is near and Se-young finishes her work in time.
Then, with a finished report in one hand, she finds Lee-sun to collect what has been waged.
This is the debut feature-length film of actress Park Ju-hee, and her strong presence throughout the film was noted by critics even before the movie opened.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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