Foreign Movies

The rightful heir to a powerful Malaysian business empire seeks revenge against the jealous brother who framed him for murder. Malaysian billionaire Jaggoi Sibuyan always favored his adopted son Prince Amara over his biological son Putra Sibuyan. When Jaggoi dies and names Prince as his successor, bitter Putra sets his brother up to take the fall for a murder he didn't commit. As a result, Prince is banished from Malaysia. Later, in France, Prince makes the acquaintance of Ben Carlton, a ruthless gangster with big ambitions. Years back, Ben had gotten turned down by Prince's father after proposing a partnership. Now Putra has rejected Ben as well, making Prince his last hope for getting a cut of the action. Before long Ben and Prince have cut a deal: Ben will smuggle Prince back into Malaysia in exchange for a legitimate partnership. With the help of tough bodyguard Iskandar Yaakob, Prince returns to his home country and gathers crucial information about the frame-up, and his brother's current business dealings. Now that his revenge plot has been set into motion, the only thing left to do is ruin his brother's reputation, and take over the heavily-fortified family mansion with the help of Ben and Iskandar. In the end only one brother will be left standing, and he will hold the entire city in the palm of his hand. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A 19-year-old girl abducted by the ruthless bandits who slaughtered her family must fight to escape a fate worse than death in this period action thriller from the director of Cold Prey. A decade after the Black Plague, Signe is traveling over a mountain pass with her family when everyone except for her is killed in a surprise ambush. In the aftermath of the bloodbath, Signe is taken captive by the gang so that she may suffer the most severe punishment imaginable. Now Signe's time is running out fast, and her only hope for survival is make one last, desperate dash for freedom. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Filmmaker Frederik Horn profiles Vatican approved exorcist Father Jose Antonio Fortea as he fights for the soul of a Colombian woman who has suffered from demonic possession for 15 years. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Emily Bronte's classic romance is given an austere, naturalistic interpretation in this adaptation from filmmaker Andrea Arnold, which strips the story of much of its dialogue and adds a racial component to the tale of forbidden love. Yorkshire landowner Mr. Earnshaw (Paul Hilton) brings a West Indian boy (Solomon Glave) to live on his property and earn his keep working on Earnshaw's farm, naming the youth Heathcliff. While Heathcliff is regarded with deep suspicion by Earnshaw's son Hindley (Lee Shaw), he strikes up a friendship with Earnshaw's daughter Catherine (Shannon Beer) that grows stronger with time. After the death of Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley takes control of the farm, and Heathcliff chafes under Hindley's vicious treatment, running off to make his own way. In time, Catherine (now played by Kaya Scodelario) grows into a beautiful woman, and Edgar Linton (James Northcote), the son of a wealthy man, asks for her hand in marriage. Hindley approves of the match, but Catherine is torn when Heathcliff returns (now played by James Howson) as a self-made man. The affection Catherine and Heathcliff knew in their youth has grown into something deeper, but she isn't sure if she can defy her family in the name of love. Wuthering Heights received its world premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Legendary Hong Kong director Gordan Chan brings Wen Ruian's hit novel to the screen in this action-packed supernatural thriller that's the first chapter of an epic trilogy centered on the adventures of four legendary detectives and martial arts masters. A coin cast has been stolen, counterfeit currency is circulating, and now Coldblood (Deng Chao), Emotionless (Liu Yi Fei), Life Snatcher (Ronald Cheng), and Iron Hands (Collin Chou) are on the case. Operating under the powerful Master Zhuge (Anthony Wong), they form a powerful quartet capable of solving any crime. As government institutions and financial organizations conspire the four sleuths follow a trail of clues. Meanwhile the dead are rising up under the command of an unknown force, and carving out a swath of terror on their trail to the capitol. Master Zhuge's team may be the best at capturing criminals, but can they stand up to a horror that's beyond the realm of this reality? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Japanese horror auteur Takashi Shimizu (Marebito, The Grudge) weaves this dark tale of a troubled young boy whose unusual friendship with a stuffed toy rabbit begins to blur his perception of reality. As his father seems to slip deeper into insanity and his sister seems to hover between life and death, the boy finds his only faithful companion, a plush rabbit, springing to life. Meanwhile, the bizarre relationship between the child and his toy serves as the catalyst for a shocking sequence of events. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In a genre crowded with quality films, director Robert Bresson's POW drama has become legendary, in part because it strips down the experience of a man desperate to escape to the essentials. That's in keeping with the approach Bresson took with all of his films. The filmmaker, who spent a year in a German prison camp during World War II, based this story on the experiences of Andre Devigny, a French Resistance fighter sent in 1943 to the infamous prison in Lyons, where 7,000 of the 10,000 prisoners housed there died either by natural means or by execution. Lt. Fontaine (Francois Leterrier) is certain that execution awaits him, and he almost immediately begins planning his escape, using homemade tools and an ingenuity for detecting the few weaknesses in the prison's structure and routine. For a time, he goes it alone, then takes on a partner, but only reluctantly. Fontaine does get some help from a couple of prisoners allowed to stroll in the exercise yard, but for the most part he is a figure in isolation. For Bresson, the process of escape is all, and in simplifying his narrative he ratchets up the tension, creating a film story of survival that many feel is without peer. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi

A socially-awkward hitman finds his retirement plans bungled by a jealous boyfriend and a pair of thieving con-artists in this neo-noir crime comedy presented in glorious black and white. Charles is a veteran contract killer from Cannes who has never even kissed a girl when he decides to hang up his handgun, and enjoy retirement with his sexy cleaning lady Lisa. But Lisa's boyfriend is none-too-thrilled about this curious romantic development, and when slimy hustlers Simon and Ray swipe Charles' life savings right out from under his nose, the race is on to recover his cash. Meanwhile, Charles longtime nemesis Clancy isn't about to let him stroll off into the sunset until they've settled up. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A typical stag weekend turns into a struggle for survival for a group of friends who find themselves pitted against an angry army of the living dead. Dean is about to get married, and his buddies are determined to send him out of the single life with a bang. Their plan: Take Dean to play Zomball - the latest craze in a post-zombie apocalypse society. Though mankind has won the war against the armies of the undead, dispatching with the walking corpses that remain above ground has proven quite a task. As a result, private companies have been forced to get creative with their clean-up methods. In Zomball, players are invited to dispatch zombies in a safe environment. When Dean and his pals break the game's number one rule, however, the zombies strike back with a vengeance. Now surrounded by flesh eaters with his best friends and a fierce stripper, Dean must aim for the head if he ever hopes to reach the altar on time. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In the heart of one of Buenos Aires' most exclusive neighborhoods, you will find La Recoleta Cemetery, arguably the most prestigious graveyard in Argentina. La Recoleta is the final home for many of the country's most important historical figures -- founders of the nation, high-ranking politicians, artists, authors and the wealthy and influential. However, a handful of noted rebels and dissidents are also interned there, and one can trace much of the nation's history by noting the names of the headstones. Filmmaker Nicolas Prividera presents an impressionistic look into Argentina's past and present in the film Tierra de los Padres (aka Fatherland), in which actors stroll through La Recoleta Cemetery, observing the graves of some of the nation's heroes and villains, and reading aloud from their writings. Taken together, the speeches form a story of political turmoil and strife, as the film also offers a glimpse into the work of the men who maintain this historic site. Fatherland received its North American premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

 

In the aftermath of the global zombie apocalypse, a scientist seeks a cure for the undead scourge with the help of two trigger-happy survivors. Together, this unlikely trio encounters a variety of lost souls including an enigmatic teenager who may be the daughter of the very man who set the terrifying plague into motion. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi