opening

B13-U Ultimatum. (France). Rating 3/5   In this sequel to Luc Besson’s 2004 adrenaline-pumping action flick, undercover cop Damien and street savvy vigilante Leito return to District 13 to bring peace to the sector, now under the control of five different criminal gangs.

Cape No.7. (Taiwan). Rating 3/5 . Jul 9. At House.

Cheri. (France/UK). Rating 3/5 Directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen), this period drama stars Michelle Pfeiffer as an aging courtesan who has an affair with a flamboyant young man (Rupert Friend). Jul 9. At Lido.

The Secret of Moonacre. (UK). Rating 2/5 In this tepid fantasy, Dakota Blue Richards (The Golden Compass) plays an orphan who discovers that she is the last Moon Princess who must fight to end the age-old feud between her family and a rival clan. Jul 9.

upcoming

PICK> Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. (USA). Rating 3/5 Jul 16.

BK PICK

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts proves to be the most dramatic yet as the young wizard learns more about Lord Voldemort’s past and tries to deal with emerging romantic relationships and the typical confusions of being a teenager.

Now playing

17 Again. (USA). Rating 3/5  A high school-basketball-star-turned-loser gets a second shot at life when he wakes up one day and finds he’s a 17-year-old again.

Blood: The Last Vampire. (USA). Rating 2/5   Jun Ji-Hyun (My Sassy Girl), plays a vampire named Saya who is a member of a government agency that hunts and destroys demons in post-WWII Japan.

PICK> Departures. (Japan). Rating 4/5 Winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film 2009, Yojiro Takita’s slow-moving drama follows Daigo, a devoted cellist-turned-reluctant undertaker, as he discovers the meaning of life through death. At House and Lido.

Fireflies in the Garden. (USA). Rating 2/5   Featuring a stellar cast of Julia Roberts, Willem Defoe, Emily Watson and Ryan Reynolds, this downbeat melodrama centers on a dysfunctional family who, faced with a tragic accident, are forced to relive past grudges. At SF Cinema.

PICK> Gomorrah. (Italy). Rating 3/5 Matteo Garrone’s award-winning crime drama offers an inside look into the corruption and Mafiosi-links that still plague modern-day Italy. At House.

Home. (USA/French). Rating 3/5 This documentary weaves together the jaw-dropping aerial photography of famed French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, taken in over 50 countries, to highlight how humans are threatening the planet. At Lido.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. (USA). Rating 3/5 In the third installation of this prehistoric animation, Scrat the squirrel, Sid the sloth, Manny the mammoth and Diego the saber-tooth tiger find themselves dodging further dinosaur-driven dangers.

Largo Winch. (France). Rating 3/5 Jerome Salle’s adaptation of the best-selling Belgian comic book is a fast-paced action film that centers on Largo Winch heir to an industrial empire that many would like to claim as their own. At SFW CentralWorld.

Miao Miao. (Taiwan). Rating 3/5 Cheng Hsiao-Tse’s familiar-yet-enjoyable debut follows two girls, shy Miao Miao and sassy Xiao-Ai, as they experience first love and emotional strife. At House.

PICK> Nang Mai. (Thailand). Rating 3/5 Screened at 2009 Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, Pen-Ek Ratanaruang’s ghostly love story follows a young husband and wife as they travel through a remote jungle.

BK PICK

Public Enemy 1. (France). In the first part of Jean-Francois Richet’s crime thriller, Ceasar-award winner Vincent Cassel portrays Jacques Mesrine, the notorious French criminal dubbed France’s biggest public enemy. At Apex.

Pandemic. (Japan). Rating3/5 Takashi Tsumabuki (Nada So So) plays a doctor who comes across a mysterious, deadly virus called Blame that spreads alarmingly throughout Tokyo. At Lido.

PICK> Public Enemy 1. (France). Rating 3/5 .

Roommate. (Thailand). Rating 3/5 Hoping to put on their own concert, four university students form a band called The Roommate. But things get complicated when the friends start to want more than just friendship.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. (USA). Rating 3/5  Shia LaBeouf return as Sam Witwicky, who once again joins forces with the Autobots to fight against the evil Decepticons.

PICK> Up. (USA). Rating 3/5 From the Academy Award-nominated director Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.) comes this 3D animated comedy adventure about a grumpy retired balloon salesman who ties his house to thousands of balloons and takes off on a journey through South America.

Wongkamlao. (Thailand). Rating 3/5 Petchtai Wongkamlao, a.k.a. Mum Jokmok, writes, directs and stars in this romantic comedy, playing a hi-so khun chai who falls for a lowly teacher.

Free screenings

FREE> Alliance Francaise. French films with English subtitles are screened every Wed at 7:30pm. Jul 8. La Tete de Maman: Determined to bring a smile back to her depressed mother, Lulu sets out to find her mother’s first love. Jul 15.13m2: When a heist plan goes wrong, three criminals are forced to hide in a 13-square meter bunker. l 29 South Sathorn Rd., 02-670-4240, www.alliance-francaise.or.th.

FREE> Avant-garde Cinema for Designers. Presented by B52, a group of students at KMUTT’s School of Architecture and Design (SoA+D), this open-air screening showcases design-oriented movies, followed by a discussion, every Wed, 7pm. Jul 15. Manufactured Landscapes: Photographer Edward Burtynsky embarks on a journey to observe how industry has changed the landscape. Jul 22. War Photographer: Christian Frei’s documentary about American war photographer James Nachtwey. l King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, School of Architecture & Design, 83 Moo 8, Bangkhuntien-Chaitalay Rd., Takham, 02-470-8888, b52.cinema@gmail.com.

FREE> FCCT. The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) screens a selection of movies at 8pm. Free for members, but B150 for non-members. Jul 9. Jay: Directed by Francis Xavier Pasion, this Filipino drama follows film maker Jay as he makes a documentary about the life of another Jay, a gay teacher who was brutally murdered. l Maneeya Center, 518/5 Ploenchit Rd., 02-652-0580-1. www.fccthai.com.

FREE> Pridi Banomyong Inst. The theme for July is “Classic Chinese.” Jul 4. Green Snake: Tsui Hark’s (see at http://bkmagazine.com/feature/q-tsui-hark) adaptation of the Chinese folk tale, Madame White Snake, told from the perspective of the Green Snake (played by Maggie Cheung), noon; Full Moon Scimitar: In an adaptation of Gu Long’s best-selling novel, Derek Yee, who is now a famed director (Shinjuku Incident) plays a talented swordsman, 2:15pm; Ashes of Time: Wong Kar-wai’s award-winning wuxia film stars Cantopop superstar Leslie Cheung as a heartbroken swordsman, 4:10pm. Jul 5. Golden Swallow: A martial arts master, finds herself caught in a love triangle while having to fight against the evil kung fu clan, noon; The Blood Brothers: Set against the backdrop of the Taiping Rebellion in the late Qing Dynasty, this 1973 classic tells a story of three sworn brothers forced to turn against one another because of war and politics, 1:50pm; The Warlords: Peter Chan’s remake of The Blood Brothers starring Jet Li, Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro, 3:50pm. Jul 11. Dragon Inn: Set in the Ming Dynasty, two warring factions face off at the Dragon Inn, noon; Handsome Siblings: Starring Andy Lau, this action comedy is about two twin brothers separated at birth: one is brought up by a wealthy family, the other by bandits, 2pm; The Emperor and the Assassin: Gong Li plays a concubine turned spy, 3:50pm. l 65/3 Soi Thonglor, 02-381-3860/1, www.pridiinstitute.com.