Movies: 2833

The American comedy-drama film, Up in the Air (2009), directed by Jason Reitman and written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner, is based on Walter Kirn’s 2001 novel of the same name. The protagonist, Ryan Bingham, is employed at an American human resources consultancy firm that specializes in assisting with employment terminations. As part of his job, Ryan frequently travels around the country to conduct layoffs on behalf of companies. In addition to his work ...

Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009) is an American romantic musical film written, directed, and produced by Damien Chazelle in his feature directorial debut. Set in modern-day Boston, Massachusetts, it follows the story of a couple who have been dating for three months. Guy is an up-and-coming jazz trumpeter while Madeline is an introvert searching for work. As time passes, the initial thrill of their romance diminishes and Guy’s eye begins to wander towards Elena, a more outgoing woman. When they meet on a busy subway car, their immediate connection spells the end for Guy and Madeline’s relationship. In ...

Starring Robert Downey Jr. as the iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes (2009) is a period mystery action film based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Set in 1890 London, the story follows Holmes and his partner Dr. John Watson as they thwart a ritualistic murder committed by Lord Henry Blackwood, a notorious killer who has already claimed five victims. Thanks to the efforts of Inspector Lestrade and the police, Blackwood is apprehended and arrested. Fast forward two months later, and Watson, who is now engaged to Mary Morstan, eagerly prepares to move out of their ...

The action film Fast & Furious (2009), directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan, follows Dominic Toretto and his crew as they hijack fuel tankers in the Dominican Republic. When Dom suspects they are being pursued by the police, he leaves behind his girlfriend Letty to protect her. However, months later, Dom receives news from his sister Mia that Letty has been killed. He travels to Los Angeles for her funeral and discovers traces of nitromethane at the crash site. To find out who is responsible, he pressures a local mechanic into revealing the buyer’s ...

The fantasy film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), was directed by David Yates and written by Steve Kloves based on J. K. Rowling’s novel of the same name. Lord Voldemort continues to tighten his grip on both the wizarding and Muggle worlds in the film: his Death Eaters abduct Mr Ollivander and cause destruction to London’s Millennium Bridge. As Lucius Malfoy remains imprisoned in Azkaban, Voldemort assigns his son, Draco Malfoy, with a secret mission at Hogwarts. To ensure Draco’s safety, ...

The American science fiction action film, Star Trek (2009), was directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Serving as the 11th installment in the Star Trek franchise, it marks a reboot featuring a new cast portraying the main characters from the original television series. In the year 2233, while investigating a mysterious ‘lightning storm’ in space, the Federation starship USS Kelvin is unexpectedly attacked by a Romulan ship called Narada. The commanding officer of Narada, ...

Inglourious Basterds (2009) is an alternative history war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The plot centers around two intersecting plans to assassinate the leaders of Nazi Germany at a Paris cinema. One operation is carried out by a team of Jewish American soldiers under the command of First Lieutenant Aldo Raine, while the other is led by French Jewish cinema owner Shosanna Dreyfus, seeking revenge for her family’s murder. Both are up against SS colonel Hans Landa, infamous for his brutal persecution of Jews. The title was inspired by a 1978 Euro War film called The Inglorious Bastards, ...

The film Away We Go (2009), directed by Sam Mendes and written by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, follows the story of Verona De Tessant and Burt Farlander, a young couple living in Denver. Struggling to make ends meet and create a fulfilling life for themselves, they receive unexpected news of their upcoming parenthood. As they contemplate how and where to raise their child and build a happy family, they decide to visit Burt’s parents, Gloria and Jerry, who live nearby. However, upon arriving at their home, they ...

Directed by Alexandre Aja, Mirrors (2008) is a supernatural horror film. The story follows a security guard who runs through a subway station and finds himself trapped in a room with his reflection begging for his life. In a gruesome turn of events, the reflection uses a shard of glass to fatally wound the real security guard. Meanwhile, Ben Carson, a suspended police detective, starts his first night as a security guard at the Mayflower – a luxury department store that had been gutted by fire and closed five years prior. As he patrols the building, Ben notices numerous mirrors still intact from the store’s ...

Catherine Hardwicke directed the American romantic fantasy film Twilight (2008), which was based on Stephenie Meyer’s 2005 novel and written by Melissa Rosenberg. Seventeen-year-old Bella Swan moves from Phoenix, Arizona to live with her father, Charlie, who is the police chief in Forks, Washington. Her mother Renée is remarried to a minor league baseball player named Phil. In Forks, Bella reunites with her childhood friend Jacob Black, who lives on the nearby Quileute Indian Reservation with his father Billy. At ...

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) is a 3D film directed by Eric Brevig, featuring an American cast. Volcanologist Trevor Anderson, living in Boston at the time, was expecting his 13-year-old nephew, Sean, to stay with him for ten days. However, Trevor’s day took a turn when he learned that his brother’s laboratory was closing due to budget constraints. In the midst of the chaos at work, Trevor received multiple messages from Sean’s mother, Elizabeth. Once Sean arrives and Elizabeth leaves to go home, she hands Trevor a box filled with belongings that once belonged to his brother Max – who ...

In his directorial debut, Martin McDonagh brings us In Bruges (2008), a black comedy-drama crime thriller. Following orders, inexperienced hitman Ray unintentionally shoots a young boy instead of his target, a priest during confession. Along with his mentor Ken, Ray travels to Bruges as instructed by their employer Harry, to wait for further instructions. While Ken finds the city enchanting and peaceful, Ray is unimpressed and unhappy. However, their boredom is momentarily interrupted when they come across a movie being filmed with a dwarf actor. This entertains Ray greatly. During his time in Bruges, Ray also meets Chloë – a local drug dealer who is working as ...

Directed by French Tunisian filmmaker Mabrouk el Mechri, JCVD (2008) is a crime drama that follows Jean-Claude Van Damme as a fictionalized version of himself. The former action star finds himself in dire circumstances as his career and family fall apart in his hometown of Brussels, Belgium. Struggling financially and unable to secure acting roles, Van Damme’s personal life also takes a hit when his ex-wife gains the upper hand in a custody battle for their daughter. In search of solace, he returns to Schaerbeek where he is still regarded as a local hero. While ...

Wanted (2008) is an American action thriller film helmed by Timur Bekmambetov, loosely based on the comic book miniseries written by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones. In the bustling city of Chicago, Wesley Gibson toils away in a mundane desk job under the tyranny of his boss. He struggles with panic attacks and relies on medication to keep them at bay. His abrasive girlfriend, Cathy, is unfaithful with his supposed best friend and colleague, Barry. Wesley’s world is turned upside down when a woman named Fox reveals that ...

Directed by Iain Softley, Inkheart (2008) is a fantasy adventure film that follows the Folchart family. Mo and Resa read a fairy tale to their daughter, Meggie, when a red velvet hood appears mysteriously. Twelve years later, while on a trip to Europe with her father, Meggie finds herself in an old book shop. Little does she know, Mo is secretly searching for a specific copy of Inkheart. As he finds the book, Meggie has an encounter with a horned marten that tries to attack her fingers. A familiar man comes to her rescue, claiming to be an old friend. Recognizing him as Dustfinger, Mo quickly seeks refuge with Meggie. ...

Directed and written by Guillermo Arriaga, The Burning Plain (2008) is a nonlinear American drama that follows the lives of a married mother, Gina, and her lover, Nick Martinez. Set in a small town near Las Cruces, New Mexico during the mid-1990s, the story unfolds as events are revealed out of sequence. Gina’s daughter, Mariana, discovers her mother’s affair with Nick and attempts to end it by setting fire to his trailer while they are inside. However, Mariana’s plan goes awry when the flames spread to a gas tank causing an explosion that tragically takes both Nick and Gina’s lives. The ...

The American drama film, Sleepwalking (2008), follows the struggles of Tara Reedy and her mother Joleen, who have been forced to leave their previous home due to Joleen’s boyfriend’s arrest for growing marijuana. With nowhere else to turn, Joleen persuades her younger brother James to take them in. However, after settling into James’ apartment, Joleen disappears with a truck driver, leaving Tara in the care of her uncle who works on a road-building crew. Unfortunately, he loses his job and is forced to stay with his married best friend Randall. Meanwhile, Tara is placed in a foster home where she faces bullying and desperately yearns to be reunited ...

In the American drama film Fireflies in the Garden (2008), written and directed by Dennis Lee, we see a strained relationship between English professor Charles and his son Michael. Since their boyhood road trip, when young Michael falsely claimed to have lost his glasses, their interactions have been filled with rule breaking and retaliation. When Lisa’s younger sister Jane stays with them while she is pregnant, she becomes close with Michael and takes his side against Charles. This tension only escalates when Michael embarrasses Charles in front of his colleagues by claiming to have written a Robert Frost poem. ...

The movie The Great Buck Howard (2008) is directed by Sean McGinly. Troy Gable, despite his father’s disapproval, leaves law school to chase his dream of becoming a writer in Los Angeles. He lands a job as a road manager for fading mentalist, ‘The Great’ Buck Howard. Troy accompanies Buck on tours to smaller cities like Bakersfield and Akron, where he grows fond of the mentalist’s signature trick – finding a hidden fee from an audience member every night without fail (reportedly done 6,000 times with only nine failures by Kreskin). A reluctant publicist named Valerie Brennan is sent to join ...

Changeling (2008) is a gripping American film about a real-life mystery. Directed, produced, and scored by Clint Eastwood and written by J. Michael Straczynski, the story is based on the tragic 1928 Wineville Chicken Coop murders in Mira Loma, California. Set in Los Angeles during the same year, the film follows Christine Collins, a single mother who returns home to find her 9-year-old son, Walter, missing. In a desperate attempt to find him, Reverend Gustav Briegleb publicizes her situation and criticizes the LAPD for their incompetence and corruption. Despite this ...