2009 Movies : Drama

With Nicolas Mauvernay • Jacques Perrin • Christophe Barratier • Julien Rappeneau

Set in a suburb of north-east Paris between December 1935 and July 1936 during the "revolutionary" period of the Popular Front (who introduced the first paid holidays and a shorter working week). Three unemployed performers decide to take over by force the music hall where they worked a few months earlier and stage a show there.

With Jeremy Kipp Walker • Andre Holland • Michael Gaston • Ryan Fleck • Anna Boden • Paul S. Mezey • Jamie Patricof • Algenis Pérez Soto • Rayniel Rufino

'Sugar' follows the story of Miguel Santos, a.k.a. Sugar, a Dominican pitcher from San Pedro De Macorís, struggling to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. Playing professionally at a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic, Miguel finally gets his break at age 19 when he advances to the United States’ minor league system; but when his play on the mound falters, he begins to question the single-mindedness of his life’s ambition. Blending the genres of sports drama, immigrant journey, and coming-of-age story, 'Sugar' is a unique film about self-discovery.

With Majid Majidi

Karim works at an ostrich farm outside of Tehran, Iran. He leads a simple and contented life with his family in his small house, until one day when one of the ostriches runs away. Karim is blamed for the loss and is fired from the farm. Soon after, he travels to the city in order to repair his elder daughter’s hearing aid but finds himself mistaken for a motorcycle taxi driver. Thus begins his new profession: ferrying people and goods through heavy traffic. But the people and material goods that he deals with daily starts to transform Karim’s generous and honest nature, much to the distress of his wife and daughters. It is up to those closest to him to restore the values that he had once cherished…

With Rob Margolies

Chronicles the hapless Bernstein family as they try to catch up to the life they are living.

With Emmy Rossum • Jamie Chung • Justin Chatwin • Ernie Hudson • Stephen Chow • James Marsters • Chow Yun-Fat • Joon Park • Eriko Tamura • Luis Arrieta • James Wong • Ben Ramsey • Tedi Sarafian • Akira Toriyama • Rich Thorne

The motion picture "Dragonball: Evolution" features a cast of rising young stars and veteran acclaimed actors. Justin Chatwin, who portrayed Tom Cruise's son in Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," takes on the role of the heroic Goku, a powerful warrior who protects the Earth from an endless stream of rogues bent on dominating the Universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name. Emmy Rossum ("The Day After Tomorrow") is Bulma, a beautiful woman intent on retrieving the mystical Dragonballs for her own reasons; Jamie Chung ("Samurai Girl") is Chi Chi, a young martial artist who captures Goku's eye; and screen legend Chow Yun-Fat ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") is Roshi, the Master who guides Goku on the young man's epic quest to save the Earth from the forces of darkness.

James Marsters ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") is Lord Piccolo, whose return could signal the Earth's destruction; international performing sensation Joon Park is Yamcha, a charismatic "bad boy" whose schemes could thwart the heroes' journey; popular Japanese actress Eriko ("Heroes") is Mai, an assassin who works with Piccolo; Ernie Hudson ("Ghostbusters") is Sifu Norris, a Master and contemporary of Roshi's; and Randall Duk Kim ("The Matrix Revolutions") is Goku's grandfather Gohan, whose lessons for Goku begins to prepare the young man for the monumental tasks that lie ahead.

With Ben Affleck • Russell Crowe • Jason Bateman • Rachel McAdams • Robin Wright • Helen Mirren • Tony Gilroy • Jeff Daniels • Billy Ray • Liza Chasin • Matthew Michael Carnahan • Debra Hayward • Paul Abbott • Kevin Macdonald • Andrew Hauptman • Tracy Falco • E. Bennett Walsh

Oscar® winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast in a blistering thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in an case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Crowe plays D.C. reporter Cal McAffrey, whose street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation's most promising political and corporate figures in "State of Play," from acclaimed director Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland").

Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party's contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.

McAffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron (Oscar® winner Helen Mirren), who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della (Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer's identity, McAffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation's power structures. And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one's integrity, love or life is ever safe.

With Jason Statham • Brian Taylor • Skip Williamson • Efren Ramirez • Tom Rosenberg • Gary Lucchesi • Corey Haim • Amy Smart • Bai Ling • Glenn Howerton • Mark Neveldine • Michael Davis • Richard Wright • David Rubin

In this high-octane sequel, hitman Chev Chelios' (Jason Statham) launches himself on an electrifying chase through Los Angeles in pursuit of the Chinese mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart.

With Nicole Beharie • Tim Disney • Bill Haney

A woman takes on a powerful District Attorney in Texas when she was caught up in a drug raid.

With Michael Caine • David Heyman • Marc Turtletaub • John Crowley • Peter Saraf • Peter Harness

A young boy fascinated with death, strikes up a friendship with a retired magician.

With Eran Riklis • Suha Arraf

The true story of a Palestinian widow who must defend her lemontree field when a new Israeli Defense Minister moves next to her and threatens to have her lemon grove torn down.

With Daniel Burman

With So Yong Kim

In Seoul, Korea, two sisters must look after one another when their mother leaves them to search for their estranged father.

With Channing Tatum • Luis Guzman • Terrence Howard • Dito Montiel • Kevin Misher • Robert Munic • Lisa Bruce • Brian White • Zulay Henao

Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) has come to New York City with nothing. Barely earning a living selling counterfeit goods on the streets, his luck changes when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) sees that he has a natural talent for streetfighting. When Harvey offers Shawn help at making the real cash, the two form an uneasy partnership.

As Shawn's manager, Harvey introduces him to the corrupt bare-knuckle circuit, where rich men bet on disposable pawns. Almost overnight, he becomes a star brawler, taking down professional boxers, mixed martial arts champs and ultimate fighters in a series of staggeringly intense bouts. But if Shawn ever hopes to escape the dark world in which he's found himself, he must now face the toughest fight of his life.

With Robert Downey Jr. • Jamie Foxx • Joe Wright • Catherine Keener • LisaGay Hamilton • Susannah Grant • Gary Foster • Russ Krasnoff

In "The Soloist," an emotionally soaring drama about the redemptive power of music, journalist Steve Lopez (Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr.) discovers Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Oscar winner Jamie Foxx), a former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets of L.A. As Lopez endeavors to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed, one that transforms both their lives. "The Soloist" is directed by Joe Wright (Golden Globe winner for Best Drama and Oscar nominee for Best Picture "Atonement").

With Amber Heard • Winona Ryder • Mickey Rourke • Billy Bob Thornton • Kim Basinger • Gregor Jordan • Lou Pucci • Austin Nichols • Ashley Olsen • Jon Foster • Chris Isaak • Nicholas Jarecki • Marco Weber

Bret Easton Ellis (“Less Than Zero” and “American Psycho”) adapts his own acclaimed novel for the screen, returning to the Los Angeles of the early 1980’s with a multi-strand narrative that deftly balances a vast array of characters who represent both the top of the heap (a Hollywood dream merchant, a dissolute rock star, an aging newscaster) and the bottom (a voyeuristic doorman, an amoral ex-con). Connecting all his intertwining strands are the quintessential Ellis protagonists—a group of beautiful, blonde young men and women who sleep all day and party all night, doing drugs—and one another—with abandon, never realizing that they are dancing on the edge of a volcano. Filmed with uncommon glamour and grit by acclaimed Australian director Gregor Jordan, "The Informers" is an alternately blistering and chilling portrait of hedonism run amuck. The film stars Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Winona Ryder, Jon Foster and Amber Heard.

With Toni Servillo • Paolo Sorrentino

The story of Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti.

With Rob Margolies

Chronicles the hapless Bernstein family as they try to catch up to the life they are living.