2016.12.23 NOW PLAYING

Rudolf The Black Cat (All)

Animation/ 89/ Japanese

House cat Rudolf has always been curious about the outside world. When his owner takes her eyes off of him, Rudolf dashes out the door in search of a new adventure. After the cat jumps onto a truck, however, his journey becomes a longer one than intended, as the car takes him 388 kilometers (241 miles) away from home.

In the middle of an unknown village, Rudolf thankfully runs into an intelligent stray cat and his friends. The stray cat has a great deal of interesting knowledge and can even read books. Simply sticking around the stray cat keeps Rudolf highly fascinated, since he unveils a new world that Rudolf has never known of. However, this isn’t enough to keep Rudolf’s mind off his warm home. Desperate to return home and see his owners again, Rudolf plans a grand journey back with the help of his warmhearted friends.

When Harry Met Sally…(15)

Comedy, romance/ 96/ English

College student Harry, played by Billy Crystal, has this firm belief that men and women can never be friends. He makes this clear while carpooling with Sally, played by Meg Ryan, who doesn’t agree but goes along with it because she just wants him to stop chattering. Harry was attracted to Sally during the whole ride, but Sally ignores him since he’s her good friend’s boyfriend.

Five years later, the two run into each other at the airport - Sally’s with her boyfriend Joe, played by Steven Ford, and Harry’s planning to get married to Helen, played by Harley Jane Kozak. Although all those years have passed, Harry seems to have not changed a bit, still tagging along behind Sally and making jokes. Sally finds him annoying, walking away without even saying good-bye.

Years later, the two run into each other at a bookstore. This time, though, the two are suffering from heartache after parting with their loved ones. Harry had been quite certain that men and women could never become friends, but this time, he feels that he should let it slide and share his wounds with his longtime buddy.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (12)

Action, adventure, fantasy, science fiction/ 133/ English

In a universe that has lost hope, Jyn Erso, played by Felicity Jones, undertakes the mission of stealing the plans to the Death Star, an ultimate weapon created by the Dark Side that is reaching completion. The Death Star is expected to hold unimaginable power, which may even lead to the collapse of whole worlds.

The possibility of leading a successful mission, however, is only 2.4 percent. With the help of Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen), Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) and K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), Jyn sets out on the most secretive yet dangerous mission to bring an end to this destructive war.

Lead actor Felicity Jones is a rising British movie star, also having appeared as the protagonist in the recent film “Inferno.”

Hibou (12)

Romance/ 83/ French

Rocky, played by Ramzy Bedia, is an ordinary man with no self-esteem. He’s not very fond of his looks, abilities or personality. While everyone seems to be leading such successful lives, all Rocky is able to manage is a banal life alone at home and work.

One day, while he’s preparing something to eat in the kitchen, a bizarre sound catches his ears. As he turns around, he realizes that he’s greeted by a strange owl in his living room. Aghast, Rocky tries to shoo the owl out of the kitchen, but in vein. Without a choice, he now has a new roommate - a fluffy owl.

When Rocky heads to the office to share the interesting news though, no one believes him, making him bring the owl to work and show it for himself. But as the owl had refused to leave Rocky’s house in the first place, it’s highly reluctant to move itself away from the couch.

Hence Rocky wears an owl costume to work instead. Some might think that everyone on the streets would have stared at him, but there was one person that did not look at him with a judging eye - a woman, played by Elodie Bouchez, who was roaming around in her panda suit.

This romance flick with peculiar characters is notable for its unique material and beautiful scenes. Ramzy Bedia takes on various roles in this film, writing the screenplay and directing the film as well as appearing as the main character.

Sleepless In Seattle (15)

Romance, comedy, drama/ 105/ English

On Christmas Eve, a young boy living in Seattle named Jonah Baldwin, played by Ross Malinger, tunes in to a radio station with a wish. His dad Sam Baldwin, played by Tom Hanks, has been living in depression since he lost his wife a year and a half ago, so his son wishes to send his father a new wife.

Sam is persuaded by his son and is all of a sudden on the air telling his story, earning himself the nickname “Sleepless in Seattle.” After the show airs, Sam gains fans who are willing to provide help, and among them is Annie Reed, played by Meg Ryan, who lives on the other side of the country, in Baltimore.

As Annie listens to Sam’s honest stories, she is more and more drawn to this man she hasn’t even met, or is ever going to meet. Does this signal a chance that Christmas may turn out to be a miracle for Annie and Sam?

Master (15)

Action, crime/ 143/ Korean

A high-intensity action flick cast with some of Korea’s hottest stars is making its way to theaters just in time for the holiday season. Starring top stars Lee Byung-hun, Gang Dong-won and Kim Woo-bin, “Master” is high on the list of films for action fans to check out before the end of the year.

Jin Hyeon-pil, played by Lee Byung-hun, is a corrupt chairman who has been seizing opportunities through his own sly tactics. He has excellent speaking skills, is capable of disguising his intentions, and is a master of manipulating other people.

Behind Jin’s back, however, stands the investigator Kim Jae-myeong, played by Gang Dong-won, who has been chasing after him for the past few months. In order to prove his wrongdoings, Kim pressures Jin’s close aid Park Jang-goon, played by Kim Woo-bin, to pass along secret information. Park, however, is a clever man who doesn’t easily succumb to others’ orders. His mind is already stuck to how he could make the most out of this opportunity to gain a fortune. Slowly, Jin also notices that something is going wrong. A thrilling chase between a competent investigator, a notorious swindler, and an awfully adroit man is bound to make it hard for moviegoers to take their eyes off of the screen.

Sing (All)

Musical, animation/ 108/ English

Buster Moon, a koala played by Matthew McConaughey, owns what used to stand as a dazzling theater filled with hot stars and spectators. The theater, however, is now empty most of the time, and is on the brink of closing down. In order to save his treasured space, Moon holds an audition open to animals across the country, promising to award 1,000 dollars to the winner. With a slight mistake, however, the 1,000-dollar award turns into a 100,000-dollar award. Mesmerized by the huge prize, animals from all corners of the world assemble to participate in the audition.

Various participants will enlighten the audition scene. Pig mom Rosita, played by Reese Witherspoon, is a supermom who raises 25 piglets while gorilla Johnny, played by Taron Egerton, is stuck between family issues and his remarkable singing abilities.

As a musical, the movie is filled with exceptional songs, which carry the story from beginning to end. The film is filled with witty jokes and encouraging life lessons, and families are strongly recommended to check out the film for a warm holiday night.