2008. 9.19 NOW PLAYING

The Children of Huang Shi (12)

Drama, War / 114 min. / English, Japanese, Mandarin

See full review, left.

Mirrors (18)

Thriller, Suspense / 111 min. / English

A disgraced former New York City police officer, Ben Carson (Kiefer Sutherland), now works as a security guard on the night shift at a department store almost burnt down by a big fire. While he’s on duty, he feels sinister spirits behind the walls trying to connect to the human world by carving messages on the mirrors. As they discover Ben, they go after his family. To cut off the connection with the malicious souls, Ben has to take a stand.

The film is a remake of the Korean feature “Geoul Sokeuro” (2003). Director Alexandre Aja reproduces the film with higher tension and edge-of-your-seat moments.

Mad Detective (15)

Thriller, Mystery / 90 min. / Chinese

Chan Kwai Bun (Ching Wan Lau), formerly a lauded detective, is suspended for good after earning a bad nickname: the mad detective. As his former co-worker disappears during the investigation of a serial killer, a mysterious massacre begins. Ho Ka On (Andy On), the detective in charge, reaches the point where he has to ask his onetime superior, Bun, for help.

As they team up, Bun finds an unusual, innate ability to penetrate other people’s superego and begins a unique way of inspection. However, Ho doubts Bun’s abilities. Will they be able to work together and stop the bloodshed?

Singijeon (The Divine Weapon) (15)

Historical Drama / 134 min. / Korean with English subtitles

The Joseon Dynasty of the 1400s is in great governmental turmoil. China’s Ming Dynasty has an army of 3,000 encroaching upon Joseon, increasingly demanding more tribute from King Sejong and his court. With the entire Joseon court under surveillance, military official Chang-gang (Heo Jun-ho) seeks help elsewhere.

Enter Hong-li (Han Eun-jeong), a tragic, brainy heroine who’s apparently the only person in Joseon who knows how to craft the state’s secret weapon, the singijeon, “the divine weapon.” Chang-gang has decided to keep Hong-li at the home of Sul-ju (Jeong Jae-yeong), the leader of a band of merchants. But can Hong-li and Sul-ju overcome their significant differences and build a singijeon to save Joseon?

Bangkok Dangerous (15)

Thriller, Action / 97 min. / English

In this remake of a 1999 Thai hit of the same name, hit man Joe (Nicolas Cage) touches down in Bangkok targeting four local crime lords. Upon Joe’s arrival, he hires Kong (Shahkrit Yamnarm), a pickpocket, to run errands and to cover his tracks.

As Joe quietly plans the assassination, he ends up mentoring Kong, whom he sees as a younger version of himself. But when Joe’s hit doesn’t go as planned, his boss changes his intended target and the city of Bangkok is put in serious danger.

Twentieth Century Boys (12)

Fantasy / 141 min. / Japanese

Originally a comic book series in Japan, “Twentieth Century Boys” comes to the screen. In 1969, Kenji (Toshiaki Karasawa) and his friends create “The Foretelling Book,” which is their way of imagining solutions to evildoing around the world. But 30 years later, at the end of the century, Kenji and his friends find their worst fears come true as a virus spreads around the universe. Can the men band together and defeat this virus, or will they see the end of humanity as they know it?

Mamma Mia! (12)

Musical, Comedy / 108 min. / English

Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the daughter of Donna (Meryl Streep), a former pop star-turned-hotel owner, finds out that she has three possible dads. Sophie decides to invite all three men to her wedding to discover who’s her real father. Is he Sam (Pierce Brosnan) from New York? Harry (Colin Firth) from London? Maybe he’s the wild adventurer Bill (Stellan Skarsgard)?

Amid all the bustle, Sophie and Donna must overcome their own feelings, all to the tune of ABBA hits.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (All)

Animation, Sci-Fi / 90 min. / English

The three-decades-old legendary science-fiction series “Star Wars” comes back to the big screen in animated form. The intergalactic wars between good and evil continue in this installment. Dark forces cast gloom all over the universe in the midst of the Clone Wars, and its fate is in the hands of the Jedi Knights.

The hero, Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter), and his Padawan disciple Ahsoka (Ashley Eckstein) leave on an odyssey that will lead them to sinister characters. Meanwhile, Yoda (Tom Kane) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) lead the clone army in their fight against the dark side.