Universal Pictures (USA): 245

Ex Machina (2014) is a science fiction thriller written and directed by Alex Garland. The plot follows Caleb Smith, a programmer at the search engine company Blue Book, who wins a contest for a one-week stay at the extravagant home of his CEO, Nathan Bateman. Along with Nathan and his quiet servant Kyoko, who Nathan claims does not speak English, they live with Ava, a humanoid robot created by Nathan with advanced artificial intelligence. As Ava has already passed a simple Turing test, Nathan wants Caleb to determine if she truly possesses consciousness and the ability to think. Despite being confined to her apartment, ...

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, 2 Guns (2013) is an American action comedy starring Robert ‘Bobby’ Trench and Michael ‘Stig’ Stigman, two criminals who are actually undercover agents. Bobby works for the DEA while Stig is a US Navy SEAL and Petty Officer 1st Class with the Office of Naval Intelligence. Their mission leads them to meet drug lord Manny ‘Papi’ Greco at his Mexican farm where, instead of giving them cocaine as promised, Papi hands Bobby a large sum of cash. Back in the U.S., Bobby informs his superior Agent Jessup and colleague Deb Rees that they didn’t get the ...

Man of Tai Chi (2013), directed by Keanu Reeves, tells the story of Hong Kong police officer Sun-Jing and his investigation into Donaka Mark’s illegal fighting operation. Donaka sets his sights on recruiting Tiger, a young working-class disciple of Tai Chi who is competing in a Wu Lin Wang Competition. Despite Donaka’s tempting offers of large sums of money, Tiger refuses to fight for him as it would compromise his honor. However, when inspectors declare Tiger’s Tai Chi temple unsafe and plan to demolish it, he decides to apply for historic protection status to save it. In order to repair the temple ...

The American animated comedy film, Despicable Me 2 (2013), produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures, follows the story of a mysterious aircraft that steals PX-41, a highly potent mutagen, from a secret laboratory in the Arctic Circle. Upon learning of this theft, Silas Ramsbottom, director of the Anti-Villain League (AVL), enlists the help of Lucy Wilde to recruit former supervillain Gru. Despite being forcibly brought to AVL headquarters, Gru is asked by Ramsbottom to aid in tracking down the culprit and recovering the mutagen. However, Gru declines, stating that he has now taken on a more legitimate role as a father and owner of a ...

Oblivion (2013), an American post-apocalyptic film, was produced and directed by Joseph Kosinski, with a screenplay by Karl Gajdusek and Michael deBruyn. The movie is set in 2077, when repair technician Jack and communications officer Victoria seem to be the only survivors on Earth. In 2017, an alien invasion destroyed the Moon and rendered the planet uninhabitable due to nuclear warfare. Now, Jack’s job involves fixing combat drones that protect the hydrothermal platforms converting seawater into fusion energy. Their ...

The World’s End (2013), an apocalyptic sci-fi comedy film, was created by director Edgar Wright and screenwriters Simon Pegg and Wright. In an effort to relive his youth, 40-year-old Gary King, who struggles with alcoholism, reconnects with childhood friends Oliver Chamberlain, Peter Page, Steven Prince, and Andrew Knightley. He convinces them to join him on the ‘Golden Mile’, a pub crawl through their hometown of Newton Haven that ends at the World’s End pub. The group had attempted this feat in ...

Kick-Ass 2 (2013) is a black comedy superhero film that follows Dave Lizewski, also known as Kick-Ass, as he tries to find purpose after retiring from crime fighting four years ago. With the help of Hit-Girl (Mindy Macready), Dave trains to become a real hero. However, his efforts are interrupted when his girlfriend Katie Deauxma breaks up with him, wrongly accusing him of cheating with Mindy. Meanwhile, Chris D’Amico takes over his father’s criminal empire and transforms into the supervillain ‘The Motherfucker’, gathering a team of villains called the Toxic Mega Cunts. Seeking revenge on Kick-Ass for the death of his father and mother, Chris ...

Fast & Furious 6 (2013) is an action-packed film directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan. After their successful heist in Brazil, Dominic Toretto and his skilled team of criminals have fled around the globe and are living a peaceful life. Dom resides with Elena Neves, his sister Mia is with Brian O’Conner and their child Jack, Gisele Yashar and Han Lue are together, while Roman Pearce and Tej Parker enjoy a life of luxury. On the other hand, DSS agents Luke Hobbs and Riley Hicks are investigating the destruction of a Russian military convoy caused by ...

In the American fantasy film, Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), based on the German fairy tale Snow White by the Brothers Grimm, Queen Eleanor of Tabor pricks her finger while admiring a bright red rose blooming in a white winter. Three drops of blood fall onto the snow and she makes a wish for a daughter with specific physical attributes and a strong heart. As predicted, Snow White is born but unfortunately, the queen passes away many years later. Following her death, King Magnus and his army engage in a battle against glass soldiers from an invading army. During this time, King Magnus becomes captivated by ...

The Lorax (2012), an animated musical comedy, was created by Illumination Entertainment and released by Universal Pictures. Young Ted Wiggins resides in Thneedville, a city enclosed by walls where all plant life is artificial. His crush on Audrey prompts him to seek out a ‘real tree’ to impress her. His grandmother, Norma, shares the story of the Once-ler, who holds knowledge about the trees’ disappearance. Venturing beyond Thneedville, Ted is met with a barren and polluted outside world. He locates the Once-ler and after multiple visits, convinces him to recount the tale of the trees. On another trip away from town, Ted encounters Aloysius ...

The historical romantic drama film, Anna Karenina (2012), directed by Joe Wright and adapted by Tom Stoppard from Leo Tolstoy’s novel of the same name, portrays the tragic story of Russian aristocrat and socialite Anna Karenina. Married to statesman Alexei Karenin, Anna engages in an affair with wealthy cavalry officer Count Vronsky. Meanwhile, in 1874 Russia, Princess Darya (known as ‘Dolly’) banishes her unfaithful husband Prince Stephan ‘Stiva’ Oblonsky. Upon hearing this news, Anna travels ...

Battleship (2012) is an American military science fiction action film, adapted from the popular board game. Directed by Peter Berg from a script by brothers Jon and Erich Hoeber, the film takes place in 2005 on ‘Planet G’, a possibly habitable world. During this time, a communications array is constructed in Oahu to connect with any extraterrestrial life. It is here where Alex Hopper crosses paths with Samantha Shane, daughter of Admiral Terrance Shane, while trying to impress her. After getting arrested, ...

Safe House (2012), an American action thriller directed by Daniel Espinosa and written by David Guggenheim, tells the story of junior CIA officer Matt Weston in Cape Town, South Africa. His role as a ‘housekeeper’ involves maintaining a local CIA safe house for potential operations. Seeking to join his girlfriend Ana in Paris as she starts her residency, Matt contacts his mentor and superior David Barlow to inquire about a station there. However, Barlow dismisses the idea, claiming that Matt lacks the required qualifications. This only adds to Matt’s ...

The Bourne Legacy (2012) is a fast-paced action-thriller directed by Tony Gilroy. It is the fourth film in the series based on the popular Jason Bourne novels by Robert Ludlum and Eric Van Lustbader. After narrowly escaping from Russia, former CIA agent Jason Bourne’s absence catches the attention of Operation Outcome, leading agent Aaron Cross to be sent on a training mission in the harsh Alaskan wilderness as punishment for his unauthorized actions. As he treks through unforgiving terrain, Cross finds ...

The American romantic comedy film, Larry Crowne (2011), centers on middle-aged Navy veteran, Larry who is suddenly fired from his job at a big-box store. His termination is due to a lack of college education, despite his seniority and exceptional work ethic. Produced and directed by Hanks himself, the film’s screenplay was co-written with Nia Vardalos. The inspiration for the story comes from Hanks’ own experience studying at Chabot College. Facing unemployment and the potential loss of his home, Larry turns to ...

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) is a captivating American sci-fi romantic thriller, marking George Nolfi’s directorial debut. In 2006, Brooklyn congressman David Norris misses out on a seat in the US Senate. As he rehearses his concession speech, he crosses paths with Elise Sellas and shares a passionate kiss. Unfortunately, they are separated before he can learn her name. Despite this, David finds himself inspired by their encounter and delivers an unusually honest speech, making him a top contender for the next election. A month later, Harry Mitchell receives an assignment from Richardson at Madison Square Park ...

Sanctum (2011), a 3D action-thriller, follows the story of expedition bank-roller Carl Hurley, his girlfriend Victoria ‘Vic’ Elaine, and seventeen-year-old Joshua ‘Josh’ McGuire as they embark on a journey to the Esa’ala Cave in Papua New Guinea. Josh’s father, master diver Frank, has set up a base camp inside the cave where the team has been exploring for weeks. While Josh expresses his frustration towards his father and their differing views on cave exploration, the team prepares to venture into an uncharted section of the system. As Judes explores the new system, she encounters a problem with her air tank hose. This results in ...

The film, Tower Heist (2011), directed by Brett Ratner and written by Ted Griffin and Jeff Nathanson, is based on a story by Bill Collage, Adam Cooper, and Griffin. Josh Kovaks manages The Tower, a luxurious apartment complex in New York City with Wall Street mogul Arthur Shaw living in the penthouse. As a favor to Shaw, Josh entrusts him with the hotel staff’s pension ...

Johnny English Reborn (2011) is a spy action comedy movie helmed by Oliver Parker and penned by Hamish McColl based on a story by William Davies. Following an unsuccessful mission to protect the newly elected president of Mozambique that resulted in him losing his knighthood, Johnny English spent the last eight years training at a monastery in Tibet. However, when MI7’s new director Pamela ‘Pegasus’ Thornton calls him back into service, he must investigate an assassination plot targeting the Chinese ...

Fast Five (2011) is an action film directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan. While Dominic Toretto is being transported to Lompoc Prison on a bus, his sister Mia Toretto and friend Brian O’Conner launch an attack and free him. Evading authorities, the trio flees to Rio de Janeiro. Meanwhile, Mia and Brian team up with their friend Vince and others for a robbery mission involving three cars on a train. However, they discover that DEA agents are pursuing the same cars as seized property. Dom arrives with his crew but their main target Zizi only wants one car ...