Home > Synopsis > HBO Asia Synopses - Month of May 2009

HBO Asia Synopses - Month of May 2009

HBO Asia Synopses - Month of May 2009

30 DAYS OF NIGHT
In an isolated Alaskan town, where complete darkness descends on it for a full month every year, an estranged husband-and-wife sheriff team must rally the townspeople to safety against the rise of a bloodthirsty gang of vampires.
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George

A GIRL LIKE ME: THE GWEN ARAUJO STORY
Along with the typical struggles of being raised by a single mother, Eddie Araujo has always kept a secret that sets him apart from his two siblings. Upon entering high school, Eddie embraces his personal reality as a young woman trapped in a man’s body. Life changes drastically after he starts going by the name Gwen and dresses in women’s clothes. When Gwen starts dating an ex-Marine, tensions mount as disapproval escalates at home and at school. After Gwen is senselessly killed, her mother Sylvia honors her memory by acting as an advocate for all transgendered people.
Starring: Mercedes Ruehl, J.D. Pardo

ALL YOU’VE GOT
Two female volleyball teams have a longstanding rivalry and grudge against each other on and off the court. But one day, fate breaks down the social and cultural barriers between the teams and they discover what true sportsmanship is all about.
Starring: Sarah Mason, Adrienne Bailon

APRIL FOOL’S DAY
A group of eight college friends gather at a mansion on an island to celebrate their final year of school. In time, they realize that each of them has a dark secret. As soon as the secrets are revealed, they start dying one by one. Can the survivors solve the mystery before it is too late or is this just a cruel April Fool’s joke?
Starring: Griffin O’Neal, Deborah Foreman

ATONEMENT
Based on the critically acclaimed best-seller by Ian McEwan, Atonement tells the tale of a writer from her childhood through to her adulthood. As a 13-year old child, Briony Tallis sets in motion a chain of events which would have repercussions on the lives of her sister Cecilia Tallis and her lover Robbie Turner. The film charts the events over a number of decades, carefully documenting the consequences of Briony’s actions. Atonement is a spellbinding movie which will haunt you with a combination of brilliant cinematography and storytelling.
Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Vanessa Redgrave

BALLS OF FURY
Taking a page from Enter the Dragon’s plot, Balls of Fury tells the tale of a former ping-pong champ who is brought in by the government to infiltrate a high-stakes underworld tournament and bring down the organizer, a feared crime boss.
Starring: Christopher Walken, Dan Fogler, Maggie Q

BE KIND REWIND
Jack Black stars in this brilliantly off-beat comedy from the original mind of writer/director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Black portrays a loveable loser stuck in a life that’s too small for his big dreams. But when he unintentionally erases all the tapes in a video store where his best friend works, he devises a plan to satisfy the store’s few loyal customers by re-creating and re-filming every movie they decide to rent.
Starring: Danny Glover, Jack Black, Mos Def

BLACK SUNDAY
A beautiful Arab terrorist and a brainwashed Vietnam veteran plan to terrorize the Super Bowl while the US President is watching the game.
Starring: Robert Shaw, Bruce Dern

BLAZING SADDLES
Mel Brooks’ riotous western spoof stars Cleavon Little as a black Sheriff sent to defend the very white Old West town of Rock Ridge. Can he stop evildoer Hedley Lamarr from scaring off the residents in order to raze the town and build a railroad in its place?
Starring: Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks, Harvey Korman

BODY SNATCHERS
Space aliens drain the life force of earthlings, leaving the victims behind as empty body ’shells’. One family’s arrival on a military base is greeted by a terrified warning, “they get you when you sleep”. Soon, the teenage daughter discovers that soldiers and officers alike are being taken over by the aliens, and that her own family is next!
Starring: Forest Whitaker, Meg Tilly, Gabrielle Anwar

BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
Adhering more faithfully to Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel than any previous version has, director Francis Ford Coppola offers a full-blooded portrait of the immortal Transylvanian vampire. Count Dracula drinks blood as a means of avenging the death of his beloved wife in the 15th century. Centuries later, having achieved immortality, he goes to London to meet Mina Murray, the living image of his late wife. Abraham Van Helsing is obsession personified as the vampire hunter who pairs up with Jonathan Harker in a race against time to reclaim Mina’s soul from Dracula.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins, Winona Ryder

CITY SLICKERS II: THE LEGEND OF CURLY’S GOLD
This sequel to the box office smash, “City Slickers”, finds Mitch happily resettled into family life. One day, he finds an old treasure map hidden in the hat belonging to their late expedition leader, Curly. When he discovers that the map could lead to real treasure, he saddles up with his old buddy, Phil, and Mitch’s younger brother, Glen, for one more trek into the wild, woolly West. But they aren’t the only ones with an eye on the gold — they will have to contend with a “ghost” from their past… Duke Washburn.
Starring: Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern

CLARA’S HEART
Focusing on the powerful bond between the unlikeliest of friends from dramatically different worlds, Jamaican housekeeper Clara Mayfield, an extraordinary woman – wise, warm and independent, becomes an unforgettable influence in the life of Harris, a young boy. Clara’s affection and gentle comic ways help Harris face the harsh realities of his self-absorbed parents coping with another child’s death.
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Kathleen Quinlan, Michael Ontkean

COPPERHEAD
A small western town filled with gunslingers, saloons and high stakes poker players is suddenly thrown into disarray when it is attacked by a massive army of snakes.
Starring: Brad Johnson, Billy Drago, Wendy Carter

COUSINS
Everything’s relative in this glorious romantic comedy about following your heart. Cousins by marriage, Larry and Maria are understandably upset when shallow spouses Tom and Tish have a quickie fling. But their commiseration turns into infatuation and soon, they too, are having an affair.
Starring: Sean Young, Isabella Rossellini, Ted Danson

DADDY DAY CAMP
Charlie Hinton and Phil Ryerson is a pair of fathers who attempt to keep their summer camp afloat even though they are under dire economic strain. In order to help improve the financial situation, and to whip together a group of children who have a problem with following orders, Hinton brings in his military trained father even though he and his father have been on the outs. Soon the campers, and the fathers, are involved in a series of adventures that will save the camp and some broken relationships.
Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr, Lochlyn Munro

DAN IN REAL LIFE
Comedy star Steve Carell and Academy Award-winner Juliette Binoche star in this charmingly endearing comedy about a widower who falls in love with a woman who turns out to be his brother’s girlfriend.
Starring: Steve Carell, Dane Cook, Juliette Binoche

DISTURBIA
Disturbia tells the tale of a young teenager put on house arrest and thinks his neighbour is a murderer. He befriends his next-door neighbour and together with a friend from school, starts a stakeout from his home to spy his neighbour’s next move.
Starring: Carrie-Anne Moss, David Morse, Shia Labeouf

ELEPHANT
Director Gus Van Sant explores the contemporary reality of high schools in America; which has been transformed by school shootings like the Columbine High School massacre. This HBO Original observes the comings and goings of its characters, showing students as they are. For each of the students, high school is a different experience: stimulating, friendly, traumatic, lonely, and hard. Beautiful and poetic – yet deeply disturbing – Elephant is a hard hitting docu-drama that shows high school life as a complex landscape, where the vitality and innocence of young lives can shift from light to darkness, and possibly violence.
Starring: Alex Frost, Eric Deulen

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE
In the 16th Century, a papist Spain, led by Philip, wants to bring down England’s Queen Elizabeth, whom he brands as a heretic. While he builds an armada to invade England, Queen Elizabeth has to fend off courtly intrigue and traps with the help of her secretary Walsingham and guarding herself against the romantic advances of Walter Raleigh.
Starring: Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush, Cate Blanchett

ENTOURAGE 57: THE ALL OUT FALL OUT
Miserable over his break up with Jacqueline, Drama joins the guys to meet Shauna for help, who lines up a Sweet Sixteen gig for Vince. Ari receives a new Ferrari from his wife as an anniversary gift, only to get sucked into a grudge race with Adam Davies, with unfortunate consequences. Meanwhile, Eric secures Amanda’s and Ed Norton’s interest in his new clients’ script, turning ‘Nine Brave Souls’ into a Ridley Scott-driven film called ‘Smokejumpers’. This episode guest-stars Fran Drescher and Carla Gugino.

ENTOURAGE 58: FIRE SALE
Eric is in the middle of a bidding war for ‘Smokejumpers’ when Ari decides to sell it with Vince attached. Eric gets upset, having promised it to Amanda and Ed Norton, only to be reminded that his job is to drive up the price. This eventually pisses off Amanda. Meanwhile, still missing Jacqueline, Drama makes a fool of himself on a show and ends up in jail. This episode guest-stars Whoopi Goldberg, Carla Gugino, Lukas Haas and Giovanni Ribisi.

ENTOURAGE 59: TREE TRIPPERS
Ari gives up on trying to get Alan Gray to green light Vince to play second lead in “Smokejumpers”, so he urges Vince to consider “Benji”. Vince needs a soul searching excursion so Drama takes them to the Joshua Tree, but not before swinging by Eric Roberts’ place to pick up some ’shrooms. This episode guest-stars Shay Jordan, Katie Morgan, Eric Roberts and Cassie Young.

ENTOURAGE 60: REDOMPTION
Ari takes on Alan Gray in a golf game, with Vince’s fate in “Smokejumpers” on the line. Unlucky for him, Gray’s coach is Phil Mickelson. Meanwhile, Vince convinces Drama to hire Turtle as his new assistant. Vince gets a call from an old friend, Dom, who’s in jail and needs help. Eric doesn’t buy into Dom’s story but Vince forces him to go on a $100K bail. This episode guest-stars Martin Landau and Phil Mickelson.

ENTOURAGE 61: GOTTA LOOK UP TO GET DOWN
Vince and the guys show up for his Dolce & Gabbana photo shoot. Sparks fly between Vince and his model co-star Natasha. Meanwhile, at Alan Gray’s funeral, Ari corners Gray’s boss John Ellis to secure Vince’s role in “Smokejumpers” only to be offered Gray’s role as his replacement.

FIRST SUNDAY
In this hilarious comedy, Durell and LeeJohn are best friends and bumbling petty criminals. When told they have one week to pay a $17,000 debt or Durell will lose his son, they come up with a desperate scheme to rob their neighborhood church. Instead, they end up spending the night in the presence of the Lord and are forced to deal with much more than they bargained for.
Starring: Ice Cube, Keith David, Katt Williams, Tracy Morgan

FOOL’S GOLD
Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson and Donald Sutherland star in this romantic comedy caper about an estranged couple whose romance and sense of adventure is rekindled when they discover a clue to a long-lost treasure. Divorced and in debt, the ex-lovers re-team in their search for a lost treasure-laden Spanish galleon, enlisting the aid of a multimillionaire and his celebrity daughter. But hot on their heels are a former partner and a ruthless drug dealer who will stop at nothing to be the first to find the fortune in a no-holds-barred hunt for Fool’s Gold.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII - THE NEW BLOOD
Bloody horror spills across the screen as the nightmare saga of Crystal Lake continues. In this seventh gory outing, a telekinetic teenager accidentally uses her psychic powers to summon the deathless Jason from his watery grave — just in time for a birthday bash! At least a dozen sorry teens are proof that when Jason’s the uninvited guest at a party, cake isn’t the only thing around that gets sliced!
Starring: Kane Hodder, Lar Park Lincoln

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN
Step aside “Sixth Sense” and “Seven,” and make way for the seventh sequel in the “Friday The 13th” franchise. Now with plenty of killing experience behind him, the hockey mask-donner and life-size Swiss army knife is planning a cruise, and savoring its passengers — the graduating class of a local high school. Everybody knows Jason Vorhees — all except the hapless victims who constitute the canvas for the bloody mess he will soon create. Keep on your toes, curl them if you like, but when you see the man in the plastic mask, you’re dead meat.
Starring: Jensen Daggett, Kane Hodder

H.I.T
A young woman has to deal with being abandoned by her contract killer father when he revisits her with plans to recruit her for his line of work.
Starring: Shiri Appleby

HBO CENTRAL
HBO Central is your monthly guide to the hottest attractions on HBO! Take a peek at the biggest blockbusters and HBO Original productions headed your way, including Hollywood gossip, behind-the-scenes tidbits, superstar profiles and red carpet style guides. It’s a one-stop center for entertainment news that’s all about HBO, on HBO.

HAIRSPRAY
Set in John Waters’ beloved native Baltimore during the 1960s TV dance-show craze, Hairspray tells the story of zaftig high school “hairhopper” Tracy Turnblad as she graduates from outsider to celebrity trendsetter. She stars on “The Corny Collins Show,” wins the heart of resident hunk Link Larkin and kicks down the barriers to racial integration on local television – all without messing up her hair!
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, John Travolta, Amanda Bynes

HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS
An easy-going father’s life is suddenly turned upside down when his car hits a real-life Bigfoot. Thinking it is dead, they bring it home only to find that it is quite alive. Trying to hide their furry friend as they race to get him back to his natural environment isn’t as easy as they think.
Starring: John Lithgow, Don Ameche

HOMIE SPUMONI
After years of living and being raised by an Italian-American family, African-American Renato finds his life turned upside down when his real parents arrive and he has to come to terms with his African-American heritage, with hilarious results.
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Donald Faison

HOSTEL 2
While studying art in Rome for the summer, three young American women are lured away to a Slovakian hostel by a model from their class. Soon they will experience the grim reality their weekend getaway has in store.
Starring: Lauren German, Heather Matarazzo, Bijou Phillips

HOT FUZZ
Reuniting the creative forces behind international hit Shaun of the Dead, this hilarious comedy/mystery features Simon Pegg as a top London cop who finds himself reassigned to a sleepy village. With garden parties and neighborhood watch meetings replacing the action of the city, Pegg struggles to adapt to his situation and finds himself partnered with an oafish but well-meaning young Constable. Just as all seems lost, a series of grisly accidents motivates them into action. Convinced of foul play, Simon realizes that this sleepy hamlet may not be as idyllic as it seems!
Starring: Timothy Dalton, Bill Nighy, Simon Pegg

I.Q.
Albert Einstein…mathematician, professor and matchmaker. Matchmaker? In this gentle romantic comedy, Einstein wants his brainy niece to follow her heart, instead of her head. Will she have the wisdom to choose a sweet auto mechanic over her boring fiancé, who is also a professor?
Starring: Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins, Walter Matthau

ILLEGAL TENDER
After his father gets killed by gangsters, a teenage boy and his mother turn the tables on the killers. Having grown into an adult, strong man, Wilson DeLeon Jr. is forced to team up with his mother Millie, when an enemy from his father’s past returns to haunt them.
Starring: Rick Gonzalez, Wanda Dejesus

INNERSPACE
A test pilot, Tuck Pendelton, volunteers in a top-secret experiment: he is to be shrunk and injected into a rabbit in a submersible pod. But at the moment of miniaturization, a group of Silicon Valley industrial spies break into the lab and steal one of the two microchips necessary for reversing the process. As for an amoeba-sized Tuck, he is accidentally injected into the body of an easily strung out supermarket clerk, Jack Putter. As Tuck gets acquainted with Jack, the unlikely duo try to retrieve the other chip, with the help of Tuck’s estranged girlfriend, Lydia.
Starring: Martin Short, Meg Ryan, Dennis Quaid

INNOCENT BLOOD
A beautiful vampire with a conscience stalks the streets of Pittsburgh in search of prey in this comedic horror flick. She prefers the blood of mobsters – so when a gang war breaks out, she feasts nightly and makes the killings look like mob hits. But she doesn’t complete the job while feeding on one baddie, and he in turn becomes a blood sucker and is out for her blood!
Starring: Anne Parillaud, Anthony Lapaglia

INTERSECTION
Wealthy architect Vincent Eastman is torn between his beautiful but passive wife of 16 years, Sally, and his sizzling hot mistress Olivia in this probing, mature drama. Will he make the right choice?
Starring: Lolita Davidovich, Richard Gere, Sharon Stone

JAWBREAKER
Three of the most popular girls at school pull a prank on their fourth clique member, Liz that proves fatal. Courtney takes the lead and decides on how to dispose of Liz’s body. Julie and Marcie go along with Courtney’s plan of making Liz’s death look like the result of a depraved double life. Things get complicated when the school nerd, Fern discovers the cover-up. In exchange for silence, Courtney agrees to make Fern beautiful and popular. As the prom approaches, a power struggle between Courtney and Fern breaks out.
Starring: Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz

JUST CAUSE
Convicted for the rape and murder of an 11 year-old girl without any evidence, Bobby Earl insists that it was his death row neighbor Blair Sullivan who did it. He appeals to the only man who can help him – Paul Armstrong, a Harvard law professor who swears against capital punishment. He takes on the case and whisks himself off to Florida. As Bobby’s death draws nearer, Paul finds the all-important shadow of doubt he needs to prove his client’s innocence. Everything slowly falls into place. But there’s something about Bobby that still doesn’t feel right.
Starring: Sean Connery, Ed Harris, Laurence Fishburne

LEGENDS OF THE FALL
A sweeping saga of love, betrayal and brotherhood set in Montana. This is the story of three brothers who share an unbreakable bond – until the beautiful, compelling Susannah enters their lives. Affianced to youngest son, Samuel, she soon finds herself falling in love with Samuel’s brother, the untamed Tristan. Even the eldest of the three, Alfred, finds himself falling for Susannah. This epic romance follows a retired colonel, Ludlow, as he tries to come to terms with himself, his beloved sons and the impending disaster that threatens to tear them apart.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn

LIFE SUPPORT
Inspired by a true story of one woman’s struggle to find meaning in misfortune, this HBO Original Movie uses a mix of actors and real people from the HIV/AIDS community to tell the story of Ana, an HIV-positive woman who dedicates her life to an AIDS outreach group, Life Support. When she discovers that her daughter’s HIV-infected friend has gone missing, she embarks on a journey to save one life and heal another, learning the poignant lesson of loving and letting go along the way.
Starring: Queen Latifah, Anna Deavere Smith

LUCKY YOU
Acclaimed filmmaker Curtis Hanson and award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth deal viewers into the game with this high-stakes drama set in the world of professional poker. A gifted young gambler Huck gets a few lessons in risk and reward from a struggling Vegas singer and her sister. Now on a collision course with his estranged father in the World Series of Poker, Huck presses his luck in a world where there are only winners and losers.
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall, Eric Bana

MAIL ORDER BRIDE
Diana McQueen, a con woman fleeing from her handler, ends up posing as her recently-deceased friend, Jen, in order to move out West to marry a man neither woman has ever met. But Diana’s lies begin to crumble when her new fiancé becomes suspicious and her violent past suddenly shows up on her doorstep.
Starring: Greg Evigan, Daphne Zuniga

NEW BEST FRIEND
Before Alicia met Hadley, Sydney, and Julianne the only thing she had to worry about was her grades. Blossoming under Hadley’s tutelage, Alicia takes to drugs and alcohol. But while the new chick in the click is a fast learner, she needs to learn to keep her hands to herself. Things get out of control when Alicia seduces Sydney’s boyfriend. One fling and a heartbeat later, Alicia overdoses on drugs. When the acting Sheriff, Artie Bonner, investigates, he realizes that Alicia didn’t just OD — she had help.
Starring: Mia Kirshner, Meredith Monroe, Dominique Swain

NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS
It is time for Professor Sherman Klump to get married to colleague Professor Denise Gaines. But not if Buddy Love, his alter ego, can help it. Buddy keeps resurfacing and threatening the professor’s marriage plans. The professor decides to put his fiancée’s advanced DNA research to good use and extract Buddy’s DNA from his body, thereby ridding himself of the Buddy menace for good. Klump also hides a revolutionary youth serum carefully in his home. But Buddy is onto it in a flash, but to get to it, he must deal with the Klump family.
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Janet Jackson, Larry Miller

ONE MISSED CALL
Cryptic cell-phone messages foreshadow a series of grisly deaths in this scary remake of Takashi Miike’s 2003 cult hit. Shannyn Sossamon stars as a young co-ed whose friends begin dying soon after hearing eerie voice mails in which they hear their own future deaths; Ed Burns is the detective on the case who finds himself hunting a killer that may only exist in the realm of the supernatural. Ana Claudia Talancon, Ray Wise and Azura Skye co-star.
Starring: Edward Burns, Shannyn Sossamon

  1. No comments yet.
  1. No trackbacks yet.