Columbia Pictures (USA): 161

In the martial arts drama film, The Karate Kid (2010), directed by Harald Zwart, 12-year-old Dre Parker and his widowed mother Sherry move to Beijing due to her job transfer at a car factory. While there, Dre forms a connection with Meiying, a young violinist. However, their budding relationship is hindered by Cheng, a rebellious Kung Fu prodigy whose family is close to Meiying’s. Cheng constantly bullies and attacks Dre as revenge for an incident at the Forbidden City during a school trip. One day, after being viciously beaten by Cheng and his gang in an alleyway, Mr Han steps in to defend Dre. It is revealed ...

The American biographical drama film, The Social Network (2010), directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, is based on the 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. On October 28, 2003, Mark Zuckerberg – a 19-year-old Harvard University sophomore – is dumped by his girlfriend Erica Albright. After returning to his dorm room, Zuckerberg uses his LiveJournal blog to post an insulting message about Albright. Seeking revenge for the breakup, he creates a website called Facemash ...

Salt (2010) is an American action thriller film directed by Phillip Noyce and written by Kurt Wimmer. The story follows Evelyn Salt, who finds herself imprisoned in North Korea on suspicion of being a U.S. spy. In an effort to quiet the attention her boyfriend, arachnologist Mike Krause, has drawn to her case, the CIA arranges for a prisoner exchange. Despite Evelyn’s confession of her true identity as a CIA operative, Mike still proposes marriage. Two years later, Evelyn is involved in an interrogation of Russian defector Oleg Vasilyevich Orlov with fellow CIA ...

The American action thriller film The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), directed by Tony Scott and written by Brian Helgeland, revolves around a hijacking scenario. A man known as Ryder, along with his accomplices Bashkin, Emri, and ex-train operator Phil Ramos, take over Pelham 123 – a New York City Subway train at 77th Street. In an attempt to gain control of the situation, Walter Garber – a Metropolitan Transportation Authority employee working as a train dispatcher in the Rail Control Center – receives a call from Ryder demanding $10 million in cash ...

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) is an animated comedy disaster film from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation. It follows the story of aspiring scientist Flint Lockwood, who resides on the remote island of Swallow Falls. The island’s main source of income comes from sardines, but due to their widespread unpopularity, the local cannery, known as Baby Brent Sardines, has gone bankrupt. One day, Flint creates a machine called the ‘Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator’ (FLDSMDFR), which can transform water into food. In order to power the machine, he attaches it to a towering riser pole near the town’s ...

Terminator Salvation (2009) is an American military science fiction action film and the fourth installment of the popular Terminator franchise. It serves as a sequel to Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), while also functioning as a soft reboot. In that same year, Dr. Serena Kogan, of Cyberdyne Systems, persuades death row inmate Marcus Wright to donate his body for medical research after his execution. Later on, Skynet – a highly advanced automated system – becomes self-aware and perceives humans as a threat to its existence, triggering a nuclear holocaust known as ‘Judgment Day’. In 2018, John Connor leads an assault ...

2012 (2009) is a science fiction film directed and written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser. American geologist Adrian Helmsley travels to East India in 2009 to meet with astrophysicist Satnam Tsurutani, where he learns about a new type of neutrino causing the Earth’s core to heat up. Upon his return to Washington D.C., Adrian informs White House Chief of Staff Carl Anheuser and President Thomas Wilson. The following year, over forty-six nations work together to build nine arks in Tibet and secure important artifacts. Nima, a Buddhist monk, is evacuated with his ...

The Ugly Truth (2009), an American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, follows Abby Richter, a morning show TV producer in Sacramento, California. Despite being a believer in true love, Abby is also drawn to self-help books like Chicken Soup for the Soul and Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. After a disastrous date, Abby stumbles upon a segment of The Ugly Truth featuring Mike Chadway, known for his cynical views on relationships. She can’t resist calling into the show to argue with him. The next day, Abby learns that her show’s ratings are low and the station owner has hired Mike to do a ...

Angels & Demons (2009) is an American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman and David Koepp, adapted from Dan Brown’s novel of the same name. Following the sudden death of Pope Pius XVI, the Catholic Church prepares for the papal conclave to elect his successor in Vatican City. During this time, Father Patrick McKenna serves as temporary ruler of the Vatican as Camerlengo. Meanwhile, scientists Father Silvano Bentivoglio and Dr. ...

Step Brothers (2008) is an American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and produced by Jimmy Miller and Judd Apatow. The screenplay was co-written by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. The movie follows the story of Brennan Huff, a 39-year-old living with his divorced mother Nancy, and Dale Doback, a 40-year-old residing with his widowed father Robert. When Nancy and Robert get married, the two step brothers are forced to live ...

Seven Pounds (2008) is a film, directed by Gabriele Muccino and starring Will Smith. It follows the story of Tim Thomas, a man who becomes responsible for the deaths of seven people in a car accident while driving and texting. Among the victims were six strangers and his fiancee, Sarah Jenson. Unable to bear the weight of his guilt, Tim makes it his mission to save the lives of seven deserving individuals as a way to seek redemption. He begins by leaving his job as an aeronautical engineer and donating part of his liver to Holly, who works in social services. He then ...

Hancock (2008), a satirical superhero film directed by Peter Berg and written by Vince Gilligan and Vy Vincent Ngo, follows the story of an alcoholic, reckless superhuman named John Hancock. Gifted with flight, invulnerability, and super-strength, Hancock operates as a haphazard and unrefined superhero in Los Angeles. However, his drunken and careless crime-fighting methods, as well as his rude and unpleasant demeanor, often lead to public ridicule and hate. One day, while causing unnecessary destruction during a rescue ...

Pineapple Express (2008) is a buddy stoner action comedy directed by David Gordon Green and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The story takes place in Clark County, the same fictional county from the film Superbad. We meet Dale Denton, a process server and marijuana lover, as he visits his dealer Saul Silver. After trying the rare ‘Pineapple Express’ strain together, Dale heads back to work. However, things take a dramatic turn when he witnesses Ted Jones and officer Carol Brazier kill a Korean gangster. ...

Quantum of Solace (2008) is the twenty-second installment in the iconic James Bond series created by Eon Productions. Bond transports Mr. White, a detainee, from Lake Garda to Siena, Italy in his vehicle. While evading pursuers, Bond successfully delivers White to M, who questions him about the elusive organisation Quantum. When White reveals that their agents are ubiquitous, one of M’s protectors named Craig Mitchell shoots a guard and turns on her. In an attempt to apprehend Mitchell, Bond ends his life as White manages to escape. Further investigation of Mitchell’s residence in London leads Bond and M to learn about his connection with a man ...

Directed by James Mangold, 3:10 to Yuma (2007) is an American Western action drama film. It is the second adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s 1953 short story Three-Ten to Yuma, following the 1957 film of the same name. Set in Arizona in 1884, it tells the story of Dan Evans, a poor rancher and Civil War veteran who is in debt to wealthy Glen Hollander. Following Hollander’s warning by burning down his barn and scattering his cattle, Evans and his two sons set out to find their lost herd. They come across Ben Wade and his gang robbing an armored stagecoach ...

Superbad (2007) is an American comedy film from about two best friends, Seth and Evan. The two are seniors in high school and getting ready to head off to different colleges. At a party thrown by Jules, Seth’s love interest, the boys plan to get alcohol through Fogell’s fake ID. But their plans take a turn when Fogell is confronted by a robber and the police show up. Thinking their friend is being arrested, Seth and Evan are surprised when the officers offer to give ‘McLovin’ a ride to the party instead. Meanwhile, Seth gets hit by a car outside of the liquor store and makes a deal with the driver for a ride to another party where they can get ...

Surf’s Up (2007) is a humorous animated film created by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, and then distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. It follows the story of Cody Maverick, a teenage northern rockhopper penguin living in Shiverpool, Antarctica with his mother Edna and older brother Glen. Since first meeting the renowned surfer emperor penguin Zeke ‘Big Z’ Topanga, Cody has been determined to become a professional surfer. So when talent scout shorebird Michael Abromowitz visits Shiverpool to find participants for the Big Z Memorial surfing competition on Pen-Gu Island, Cody eagerly joins in. On the way to the contest, Cody makes ...

Spider-Man 3 (2007) is an American superhero film based on the popular Marvel Comics character. The movie was a joint effort between Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Laura Ziskin Productions, with distribution by Sony Pictures Releasing. It was directed by Sam Raimi, who also co-wrote the script with his brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent. The plot follows Peter Parker as he plans to propose to Mary Jane Watson after a year since their last adventure involving the defeat of Otto Octavius. However, their peaceful moment in ...

The Holiday (2006) is an American romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers. Iris Simpkins, a society columnist for the Daily Telegraph in London, is hopelessly in love with her ex-boyfriend, Jasper Bloom; despite his infidelity and current relationship, he has maintained a close friendship with Iris. However, when he reveals his engagement at their company’s Christmas party, Iris is heartbroken. Meanwhile, Amanda Woods, owner of a Los Angeles film trailer company, ends things with her cheating composer boyfriend Ethan due to her own emotional unavailability. By chance, Amanda stumbles ...

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) is an American sports comedy film directed by Adam McKay and co-written by Will Ferrell. Born in rural North Carolina, Ricky Bobby’s arrival into the world was a bit unconventional – in the backseat of a speeding car, as his father Reese missed the turnoff for the hospital. After that, Ricky only saw his father once at school when he was 10 years old. It was during this brief encounter that Reese imparted some valuable advice to his son: ‘If you ain’t first, you’re last’. Taking those ...