2014.4.11 Now Playing
Broken (19)
Over the past few years, Korea’s film industry has been fascinated with Japanese writer Keigo Higashino’s works, including “Into the White Night” (2009) and “Perfect Number” (2012). Director Lee Jung-ho is no exception as he depicts a father’s quest for revenge for the death of his teenage daughter, who was discovered dead in a deserted bathhouse.
Infuriated by an apathetic police investigation, he decides to find the killer himself after receiving a text message hinting at clues to his daughter’s killer.
Actor Jung Jae-young portrays the father, who is psychologically torn in his path to revenge.
Lee Sung-min of the mega-hit “The Attorney” (2013) stars as a detective who tries to stop the father in his quest.
Innocent Thing (19)
Suspense, Horror / 117 / Korean
Jang Hyuk is back in a role that shows more of his sensitive side rather than his chiseled six-pack abs.
The 38-year-old actor stars as Joon-gi, a physical education teacher at a girls’ middle school. Although he’s used to playful advances from pubescent girls, things take a dangerous turn when Young-eun (Cho Bo-ah) falls hard for her teacher.
There’s something about Young-eun that is different from the other girls, and it seems Joon-gi just can’t get away from his pupil no matter where he goes.
It doesn’t help that his wife Seo-yeon (Sunwoo Sun), who is very pregnant with the couple’s first child, starts inviting Young-eun to the couple’s home.
Caught somewhere between his nostalgia for youth and the reality that he’ll become a father, Joon-gi is conflicted.
New to the big screen, Cho oozes sex appeal with a hint of schoolgirl charm complete with a fixation on strawberry milk.
Sunwoo Sun delivers a powerful performance as a woman who suspects something’s not quite right, and the way she goes about dealing with it is even more shocking.
Professional Mr. Baek (15)
Baek Se-jin (Yoon Si-yoon) is a celebrated professional golfer who enjoys rock-star status thanks to his success on the golf course and gorgeous looks.
But after he loses his best friend in an accident, Se-jin finds himself unable to do anything or even talk.
He travels to a seaside town in South Gyeongsang where he meets an old high school teacher and some other people who will change his life.
Director Kim Myung-kyun’s comedy is filled with several prominent actors, including Chun Ho-jin, Lee Kyung-young and Lee Byung-jun.
But the most notable is Yeo Jin-goo, who is now a big star - he’s the likely reason this 2011 film has finally earned a theatrical release.
Son of God (12)
Drama / 138 / English
Just in time for the Easter season, the story of Jesus unfolds (yet again) on the big screen.
Based on the History Channel’s series “The Bible,” the film boasts a skilled behind-the-scenes team with documentary specialist Christopher Spencer at its helm.
The music directors Lorne Balfe and Hans Zimmer have hits like “The Dark Knight,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” and “12 Years a Slave” under their belts, so at least on paper the production should hold its own. Sadly, it just plays out like a TV movie that should have stayed on the boob tube.
In comparison to “Noah,” which caused an uproar among Christian communities for its liberal interpretation of the Bible, “Son of God” does not rock the boat at all. Compared to “The Passion of the Christ,” which was released 10 years ago, it doesn’t bring anything new. It did, however, get attention for casting actor Diogo Morgado as Jesus. CNN reported on the film with the headline “Is Jesus Too Sexy?”
Dabba, The Lunchbox (12)
In this Indian romance, viewers will encounter the delicious tale of Saajan and Ila communicating through a lunch box.
In contemporary Mumbai, Ila (Nimrat Kaur) prepares a special lunch box to win her husband’s love back. However, the box ends up being delivered to Saajan (Irfan Khan), a widower still despondent over his wife’s death. After learning about her mistake, Ila writes a note to Saajan, and that’s where the drama begins.
As the strangers begin to exchange notes through the lunch box every day, they share their innermost secrets with each other, and their friendship somehow picks up a hint of romance. The story not only portrays India’s vibrant business capital, but also tells a touching tale that anyone who has fallen in love can relate to.
The film was screened at International Critics’ Week at the 2013 Cannes International Film Festival and won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award, also known as the Grand Rail d’Or.
The Legend of Hercules (15)
Director Renny Harlin unfolds the familiar story of a mythical Greek hero Hercules in a 3-D action film. Kellan Lutz, the American heartthrob from the Twilight film series, stars as the mythical Greek hero: the son of Zeus, a half-god, half-man blessed with extraordinary strength. Set in Greece in 1200 B.C., power-hungry warrior Amphitryon (Scott Adkins) conquers the land. Later, Amphitryon’s wife Alcmene (Roxanne McKee) pleads to the gods to free the kingdom from her husband’s tyrannical rule. The goddess Hera answers her prayer and prophesizes that she will bear the son of Zeus: a demigod named Hercules, destined to restore peace to Greece.
Twenty years later, a fully grown Hercules prefers to frolic with his forbidden love, Hebe (Gaia Weiss), the Princess of Crete. However, as Hebe is promised to Hercules’ half-brother Iphicles (Liam Garrigan), the young lovers try to run away, only to end up in exile, which later leads Hercules to be sold as a slave.
Following Harlin’s attempt, director Brett Ratner is getting ready to release another film version of the Greek hero’s story over the summer.
August: Osage County (15)
Drama / 121 / English
The Weston family reunite in their hometown in Oklahoma after the patriarch Beverly (Sam Shepard) is found drowned in a nearby lake.
Although they’ve come together for consolation, it isn’t long before the bickering begins.
Beverly’s wife Violet (Meryl Streep) is a self-professed alcoholic who has very strained relations with all three of her daughters: Barbara (Julia Roberts), Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) and Karen (Juliette Lewis).
Barbara is close to getting divorced from her husband Bill (Ewan McGregor), who admits to “being involved with a younger girl” at the dinner table when Violet directly asks him about what’s going on between them. Ivy has a crush on her first cousin and Karen is the shyest of the three.
The movie is an adaptation of a Broadway play written by Tracy Letts.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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