Land of Happiness (12)

Drama / 124 min. / Korean / August 14


The size of the story is often made up of smaller, interwoven narratives.

When Korea’s former president and dictator Park Chung Hee was assassinated on October 26, 1979, the country briefly had a chance at democratization. What followed, however, was a military coup on December 12 of that year. Land of Happiness delves into this turbulent time and offers a broader perspective through the story of one man caught up in the chaotic aftermath.

The late actor Lee Sun-kyun plays Park Tae-ju, an agent of Korea’s Central Intelligence Agency. On a crucial night, Tae-ju is forced into action when his superior pulls the trigger, prompting him to storm the presidential residence. The assassination attempt is successful, but the ensuing political unrest puts Tae-ju in a precarious position. Jung In-hu, a lawyer played by Cho Jung-seok, fights to save Tae-ju from disastrous political consequences. As tensions escalate, the question remains: Can the lawyer succeed in defending the disgraced agent amidst the swirling political chaos?

“Land of Happiness” marks director Choo Chang-min’s return to the big screen after a six-year hiatus following “Seven Years of Night” (2018). Choo made his directorial debut with the 2005 comedy “Mapado: Island of Fortunes” and gained widespread acclaim with the 2012 historical feature “Masquerade.”

Freud’s last session (15)

Drama / 110 min. / English / August 21


A timeless discussion: Does God exist or is God dead?

In Freud’s Last Sitting, British writer CS Lewis, played by Matthew Goode, meets famous Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud, played by Anthony Hopkins, for an intense debate about the existence of God. Their meeting takes place under tense circumstances, just two days after the outbreak of World War II. Freud is dejected and particularly agitated by Lewis’s abandonment of atheism in favor of Christianity.

Their conversation covers a wide range of topics, including Lewis’ experiences as a soldier in World War I, his friendship with JRR Tolkien, and Freud’s relationship with his daughter Anna, played by Liv Lisa Fries. At this stage in his life, Freud is battling advanced oral cancer, a battle that has left him unable to speak with his usual authority. The question looms: what solution, if any, will this meeting of two great minds bring?

Freud’s Last Session (2023) is a fictionalized account of this imagined encounter between Lewis and Freud. The film was directed by Matt Brown, known for Ropewalk (2000) and The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015). It premiered at AFI Fest 2023 on October 27, 2023.

Victory (12)

Drama / 120 min. / Korean / August 14


A dose of nostalgia never hurts.

Pil-sun, played by Lee Hye-ri, is a spirited country girl from Geoje, South Gyeongsang, with a great passion for dancing. Determined to channel her enthusiasm, she decides to form the cheerleading club Millennium Girls. Joining her are her best friend Mi-na, played by Park Se-wan, and Se-hyun, an exchange student from Seoul, played by Jo A-ram. Together, they aim to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Although the girls are full of passion and dedication, enthusiasm alone is not enough to guarantee success. To make matters even more difficult, the high school soccer team they are supposed to cheer for is constantly at the bottom of the league. The team captain, Chi-hyeong, played by Lee Jung-Ha, has already come to terms with their grim fate. However, the cheerleaders have no intention of wasting their energy on a team of perpetual losers. The question is: can the girls inspire the soccer team to turn their luck around?

Director Park Beom-su first made a name for himself with the short film “Solo 36′” in 2008. His feature film debut “Red Carpet” (2013) further cemented his career. “Victory” is Park’s latest work and comes just nine months after the release of his previous film “Single in Seoul” in November 2023.

Revolvers (15)

Crime, Thriller / 114 min. / Korean / August 7

You’ve picked a fight with the wrong woman.

Former police officer Ha Soo-young, played by Jeon Do-yeon, is out for revenge. In exchange for a promised sum of money, Soo-young was imprisoned instead of Andy, played by Ji Chang-wook. After two years in prison, she is now free. But the promised money is nowhere to be found and Andy cannot be reached. Everyone involved in the corruption case that landed her in prison has disappeared.

Soo-young no longer feels sorry for herself. She immediately sets out to get the money. Then a mysterious woman named Yoon-sun, played by Lim Ji-yeon, appears before her and offers to help her. What will Soo-young do when her confidence is shattered?

“Revolver” is director Oh Seung-uk’s first film in nine years, since 2015’s “The Shameless.” Jeon Do-yeon also starred in “The Shameless” and received the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Female Actor in the Film category for her performance.

Twisters (12)

Disaster, Action / 122 min. / English / August 14

Don’t run from the storm, throw yourself into it.

Kate Carter, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones, is a storm chaser who investigates a tornado outbreak in Oklahoma and tries various methods to stop the storm using chemicals. The storm overwhelms her and leads to the deaths of her boyfriend and two friends. Completely devastated, Carter gives up her efforts and leaves town.

Five years later, Carter is working as a meteorologist in an office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in New York. She is given the opportunity to test a new tornado scanning system in Oklahoma. For this dangerous mission, she teams up with Tyler Owens, a popular storm chaser on YouTube, played by Glen Powell. Everything seems to be going well until the nightmare from five years ago seems eerily familiar.

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, Twisters is a standalone sequel to the 1996 disaster film Twister. The film comes four years after Chung’s last film Minari in 2020. Chung also wrote an episode for the third season of the popular Star Wars franchise television series The Mandalorian in 2023.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG ([email protected])