Based on George Crile's book about the CIA's largest and most successful covert CIA operation, the arming of the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan. The covert ops were engineered by Charlie Wilson (Hanks), a charismatic, wheeler-dealer, liberal Texas congressman who teamed with a rogue CIA operative (Hoffman). The two manipulated Congress, the CIA and a host of foreign governments in order to assist the Afghan rebels in their fight against the Soviets in the 1980s. Many of the men armed by the CIA went on to become the Taliban's enforcers and Osama bin Laden's protectors.
Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Om Puri, Jud Tylor, Nazanin Boniadi
Directed by Mike Nichols
Set at the end of the eighteenth century, The Duchess is the story of the beautiful and, glamorous Georgiana Spencer, the most fascinating woman of the age.
While her beauty and charisma made her name, her extravagant tastes and appetite for gambling and love made her infamous. Married young to the older, distant Duke of Devonshire, intimate of ministers and princes, Georgiana became a fashion icon, a doting mother, a shrewd political operator and darling of the common people. But at the core of her story is a desperate search for love.
Cast: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling u.c.
Directed by Saul Dibb
Script: Jeffrey Hatcher
On September 4, 1984, democracy movement leader Kim Jong Tae (Park Won Sang) is arrested and taken to an infamous interrogation facility in Namyeong-dong. For the next 22 days, he would be cruelly and continuously tortured in all manners by interrogators intent on forcing him to confess to communist collaboration.
Fearing for the safety of his beloved Ada, the wounded Confederate soldier Inman makes his way across the war-ravaged South, back to her farm on Cold Mountain. He faces trials and tribulations as he encounters slaves and bounty hunters, soldiers and witches, unexpected friends and dangerous enemies at every turn. Ada's road is no easier as she relies on wits and newfound bravery to protect her father's farm from attack, with the help of an intrepid drifter named Ruby. As they come ever closer, Inman and Ada weave a story about the longing for home after being in the wilderness, the longing for peace after being at war, and the longing for love and union in the midst of chaos.
Based on one of the most acclaimed novels in recent memory, "Cold Mountain" sets off on a true American odyssey through a time that saw some of the greatest ferocity -- and heroism -- the nation has ever known.
In ancient Greece, the passion of two of history's most legendary lovers, Paris, Prince of Troy (ORLANDO BLOOM) and Helen (DIANE KRUGER), Queen of Sparta, ignites a war that will devastate a civilization. When Paris steals Helen away from her husband, King Menelaus (BRENDAN GLEESON), it is an insult that cannot be suffered. Familial pride dictates that an affront to Menelaus is an affront to his brother Agamemnon (BRIAN COX), powerful King of the Myceneans, who soon unites all the massive tribes of Greece to steal Helen back from Troy in defense of his brother's honor.
In truth, Agamemnon's pursuit of honor is corrupted by his overwhelming greed - he needs control of Troy to ensure the supremacy of his already vast empire. The walled city, under the leadership of King Prium (PETER O'TOOLE) and defended by mighty Prince Hector (ERIC BANA), is a citadel that no army has been able to breach. One man alone stands as the key to victory or defeat over Troy - Achilles (BRAD PITT), believed to be the greatest warrior alive.
Arrogant, rebellious and seemingly invincible, Achilles has no allegiance to anyone or anything, save his own glory. It is his insatiable hunger for eternal renown that leads him to attack the gates of Troy under Agamemnon's banner - but it will be love that ultimately decides his fate.
Two worlds will go to war for honor and power. Thousands will fall in pursuit of glory. And for love, a nation will burn to the ground.
When the child Arthur’s father is murdered, Vortigern, Arthur’s uncle, seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword Excalibur from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy... whether he likes it or not.
This film is based on "Our Sunshine" by Robert Drew, a novel based on the life of Australian bushranger and icon, Ned Kelly. It tells of his life as a bushranger in north-west Victoria, where he lived all his life. He, his brother Dan, and two other men, Steve Hart and Joe Byrne, formed a gang. These four robbed a bank and hijacked an entire town for 3 days. They killed three policemen who were hunting them. They then took over a pub in Glenrowan, where they basically held a party, waiting for a train full of police to derail at a part of the track that they tore up. However a school teacher warned the train, so the gang and all the others in the pub ended up in a shootout with scores of policemen.
Conquering 90% of the known world by the age of 25, Alexander the Great (Farrell) led his armies through 22,000 miles of sieges and conquests in just eight years. Coming out of tiny Macedonia, Alexander led his armies against the mighty Persian Empire, drove west to Egypt, and finally made his way east to India. This film will concentrate on those eight years of battles, as well as his relationship with his boyhood friend and battle mate, Hephaestion. Alexander died young, of illness, at 33. Alexander's conquests paved the way for the spread of Greek culture (facilitating the spread of Christianity centuries later), and removed many of the obstacles that might have prevented the expansion of the Roman Empire. In other words, the world we know today might never have been if not for Alexander's bloody, yet unifying, conquest.
Starring: Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Anthony Hopkins, Jared Leto, Rosario Dawson, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers
Set in the 12th century, the film focuses on a young blacksmith who becomes a knight and helps defend Jerusalem against the Crusaders. There is also a love story, as the young knight falls in love with a princess.
Starring: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Eva Green, Edward Norton
During the darkest years of the Great Depression, Braddock (Crowe) takes on various dead end jobs as a means to support his wife, Mae (Zellweger) and their children, but he never forgets his dream of boxing again. Then, due to a last minute cancellation, Braddock finds himself once again in the boxing ring, facing the second-ranked world contender, and to everyone's astonishment beats him in the 3rd round. Braddock continues on a string of successes, despite being pounds lighter than his opponents and suffering excessive damage to his hands. Nicknamed "Cinderella Man", he finally comes to face his toughest challenger yet, Max Baer (Bierko), the heavyweight champion of the world, renowned for killing two men in the ring. Looking for nothing more than to provide for his family, Braddock was a great man whose commitment to them spurred him on, ultimately elevating him to legend status.
Casting: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Craig Bierko, Paul Giamatti, Paddy Considine.
English with latvian and russian subtitles.
Set in the Philippines in 1945, "The Great Raid" tells the true story of the 6th Ranger Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Mucci (Benjamin Bratt) who undertakes a daring rescue mission against all odds. Traveling thirty miles behind enemy lines, the 6th Ranger Battalion aims to liberate over 500 American prisoners-of-war from the notorious Cabanatuan Japanese POW camp in the most audacious rescue ever.
Directed by John Dahl, the film also stars James Franco ("Spider Man"), Joseph Fiennes ("Shakespeare in Love") and Connie Nielsen ("Gladiator").
Starring: Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Fiennes, Mark Consuelos
English language with latvian and russian subtitles.