308. Liar Liar

Title: Liar Liar
Genre: Comedy
Year: 1997

Summary: In Los Angeles, California Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) is a career-focused lawyer and divorced father. He loves spending time with his young son Max (Justin Cooper); they often play a game where Fletcher makes his hand into "the Claw" and pretends to chase Max with it. But Fletcher has a habit of giving precedence to his job, breaking promises to Max and his ex-wife Audrey (Maura Tierney), and then lying about the reasons. Fletcher's compulsive lying has also built him a reputation as one of the best defense lawyers in the state of California as he is climbing the ladder in the firm for which he works. Ultimately, Fletcher misses his son's fifth birthday party because he is having sex with his boss Miranda (Amanda Donohoe). Max makes a birthday wish that his father would be unable to tell a lie for an entire day; a wish that immediately becomes true.

Fletcher soon discovers, through a series of embarrassing incidents; such as when he tells Miranda that he has "had better" sex than he just did with her; that he is unable to lie, mislead, or even withhold a true answer. These incidents are inconvenient, as he is fighting a divorce case in court which, should he win, could be a huge boost to his career. His client is Samantha Cole (Jennifer Tilly). His main witness is willing to commit perjury to win, but Fletcher discovers that he cannot even ask a question if he knows the answer will be a lie; during the case he even objects to himself when he tries to lie to get the desired information. Meanwhile, Audrey is planning to move to Boston with her new boyfriend Jerry (Cary Elwes), and decides that Max is going with them so that she can protect him from getting hurt by Fletcher.

Fletcher tries desperately to delay the case, even beating himself up, but he cannot conceal that he is able to continue, so Judge Marshall Stevens (Jason Bernard) insists that he does. Finally he realizes that his client had lied about her age and therefore had signed her prenuptial agreement while a minor, rendering it invalid. This allows him to win his case truthfully, but the repercussions become a catalyst to his understanding of what he himself is about to lose. Samantha, who only cared about her ex-husband's money, takes custody of her children purely so her ex-husband would be forced to continue paying her for child care and literally snatches the children out of the arms of their good and caring father. Fletcher then has a crisis of conscience and shouts at the judge to reverse the decision, and is taken to jail for contempt of court. Audrey refuses to pay his bail, which is eventually paid by his secretary Greta (Anne Haney), who forgives him for his earlier rude truth-tellings after hearing he "went all noble" in front of their firm's senior partner.

Now recognizing his son Max as his highest priority, Fletcher struggles to keep him. He hurries to the airport, but Audrey and Max's plane has already left the terminal. Desperate, he hijacks a mobile stairway and pursues the plane onto the runway. The plane finally stops, but Fletcher is injured. On his way to the hospital, he vows to his son to spend more time with him and never hurt him again. Even though the 24 hours of truth are up, Max knows he means it, and Audrey decides not to move to Boston with Jerry after all.

One year later, Fletcher and Audrey are celebrating Max's birthday. The lights go off when Max blows out his birthday candles. When they go back on, Fletcher and Audrey are kissing. Fletcher asks Max if he wished for his mother and his dad to get back together and Max replies "No, I wished for roller blades!" The family seemingly returns to normal as Fletcher chases Audrey and Max around the house with "the Claw".

307. Rio

Title: Rio
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Year: 2011

Summary: In Brazil, various exotic birds are smuggled out of the country. In Moose Lake, Minnesota, a crate with a male blue macaw hatchling falls out of a truck and is found by a little girl named Linda Gunderson, who names him Blu. Fifteen years later, Linda owns a bookstore. Blu, highly domesticated and unable to fly, is ridiculed frequently by the Canada Geese that come by the outside of Linda's bookstore.

One day, ornithologist Túlio Monteiro invites Blu and Linda to Rio de Janeiro on the condition that Blu, who is the last male of his species, mates with a female macaw. Linda accepts and they fly to Rio, where Blu meets a Red-crested Cardinal named Pedro and his Yellow Canary friend Nico. At Túlio's aviary, Blu falls in love with Jewel, a fiercely independent blue macaw longing to flee into the wilderness. The macaws are captured by Fernando, an impoverished orphan boy, and a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo named Nigel, both of whom work for a group of smugglers led by Marcel. While Fernando has second thoughts about his actions, Nigel tells the macaws that he vowed to smuggle exotic birds in revenge after his role on a television program had been replaced by one. However, because of Blu's familiarity with cages, the macaws are able to flee into a jungle.

Fernando meets Linda and Túlio and helps them find the birds, while Blu and Jewel meet a Toco Toucan named Rafael, who offers to take them to his bulldog friend Luiz to remove their leg chain. He tries to teach Blu how to fly, before they meet up with Pedro and Nico. Nigel hires a horde of thieving marmosets to capture Blu and Jewel. Pedro and Nico take Blu and Jewel to a bird's Rio-style party, where they perform a duet, but encounter the marmosets in the process. Their bird friends fight them off while Blu's group escapes. Fernando takes Linda and Túlio to the smugglers hideout, where they discover that the birds have already been moved out. Marcel, wanting to leave the country as soon as possible to secure a black market deal regarding Blu and Jewel, explains that he will use the Rio Carnival parade to smuggle the birds to the airport, as all the other streets have been blocked off for the festivities.

Meanwhile, Blu and the others meet Luiz, who releases the chain holding Blu and Jewel. Thinking that being unable to fly will only be a burden to Jewel, argues with Jewel before going their separate ways. Pedro and Nico witness Nigel capturing Jewel. When Blu and Rafael learn from Pedro and Nico that Nigel captured Jewel, they rush to the carnival to rescue her. Meanwhile, Linda and Túlio have spotted the smuggler's parade float and organize a rescue attempt for the birds.

As Linda and Túlio pose as dancers in blue macaw costumes, Nigel captures Blu and the group. Linda and Túlio fail to stop the smugglers on time and Marcel's group takes off in a Short SC.7 Skyvan. On board, Blu destroys his cage using his fire hydrant and releases Jewel. The macaws release the captive birds, but Nigel injures Jewel. Blu sends Nigel flying into the plane engine using the fire hydrant, and the smugglers flee the plane. Unable to fly, Jewel falls out of the plane's open cargo hatch towards the ocean. Jumping out of the plane to rescue her, Blu finally discovers that he is able to fly and he carries Jewel to Linda and Túlio for help. Later, Linda and Túlio adopt Fernando and organize a sanctuary to protect the jungle from smugglers. Blu and Jewel raise three baby birds together and celebrate with their bird friends, Nigel is ridiculed for his loss of feathers, and the smugglers are sent to jail.

306. Daredevil

Title: Daredevil

Genre: Action, Crime, Fantasy

Year: 2003

Summary: Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck) is a blind lawyer who lives in New York City's Hell's Kitchen and runs a firm with his best friend Franklin "Foggy" Nelson (Jon Favreau), who only defends innocent people and does not require monetary payment.

As a child, Matt (Scott Terra) was blinded after toxic waste was spilled over his eyes while he was taking a shortcut home from school after discovering that his father, former boxer Jack "The Devil" Murdock (David Keith), had become an enforcer for a local mobster. The accident, however, also enhanced his other senses and gave him a sonar that allowed him to "see" through sonic vibrations. Matt uses his sharpened senses to train himself in martial arts. His father, blaming himself for his disability, stopped being an enforcer and went back to boxing. However, his new career was short-lived and he was murdered after refusing to turn in a fixed fight by the same mobster that had employed him earlier. To avenge his father's death, Matt used his abilities to become a crime-fighter known as "Daredevil", who operates in Hell's Kitchen, going after the criminals that escape the conventional means of justice.

One day, Matt meets Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner). Elektra is the daughter of Nikolas Natchios (Erick Avari), a businessman that has dealings with Wilson Fisk (Michael Clarke Duncan), a rich executive who is also the criminal leader of New York City's Underworld, known and feared as the Kingpin. When Nikolas tries to bail on his dealings with the Kingpin, the mobster hires the Irish hitman Bullseye (Colin Farrell), who never misses a shot, to kill him. Daredevil tries to stop Bullseye, even causing him to miss a shot, but Bullseye ultimately succeeds in killing Nikolas and framing Daredevil in the process. As a result, Elektra swears to take revenge on him as reporter Ben Urich (Joe Pantoliano), who had been investigating Daredevil's activities, discovers his secret identity. Believing Daredevil to have done good things for Hell's Kitchen, he tells Matt that Bullseye will be going after Elektra next.

Daredevil goes after Bullseye, but is attacked by Elektra, who plans to use her extensive training in martial arts to avenge her father's death by killing Daredevil. After wounding him, she removes his mask, and discovers his secret identity and innocence. Forced to fight Bullseye alone, Elektra is overpowered and murdered by the hitman, who is forced to flee before he can kill Daredevil as the police arrive, having been tipped off by Urich. Matt, wounded, makes his way to a local church, where he is looked after by his confidant Father Everett (Derrick O'Connor), who knows his secret identity. After recovering slightly, Daredevil fights Bullseye, who had followed him to the church. After a violent battle, Bullseye discovers that loud noise is Daredevil's weakness and prepares to kill him with a spiked piece of wood after incapacitating him. Daredevil blocks the attack and hears an FBI sniper stationed on the neighbouring building preparing to fire. As the bullet is fired, Daredevil moves out of the path of the bullet and pulls Bullseye's hands into the path of the bullet. Wounded, Bullseye pleads for mercy, but is overpowered by Daredevil and thrown from the church's top floor. He lands on the hood of Urich's car, wounded but alive.

Upon discovering that Fisk is the Kingpin and Bullseye's employer, Daredevil makes his way to his office to face him in combat. The confrontation gets off to a bad start for Daredevil, however, as the Kingpin proves to be a surprisingly powerful combatant, overwhelming Daredevil for the majority of the fight. Lying on the floor, Matt questions the Kingpin as to why he killed the people he loved, having learned that Fisk had killed his father many years before, to which Fisk says it was just business. Angered, Matt finds the strength and breaks the Kingpin's legs, but refrains from killing him, instead allowing him to be arrested by the police, who have discovered his criminal connections. Before being taken away, the Kingpin — who had also discovered Daredevil's secret identity after overpowering him — swears revenge on Matt Murdock, but Matt taunts him, pointing out that he can't reveal his secret identity, for the humiliation of being beaten by a blind man, and that Daredevil will be waiting for him when he gets out of prison.

Having taken down the Kingpin and gained some closure over his father's murder, Matt goes back to his day-to-day routine, though brokenhearted over the loss of Elektra. His strength is renewed at the possibility that Elektra might still be alive after he goes to the rooftop where they had their first kiss and finds a necklace like the one her mother gave her, except with a Braille inscription. Matt meets Urich one last time, in which Urich assures him that he will not publish his article about Matt's true identity, and Daredevil dives into the night, forever the "Man Without Fear".

During the credits, Bullseye, having been moved to a prison hospital and severely bandaged up after his confrontation with Daredevil, is shown to still have his perfect aim despite his injuries after he impales a fly on the wall with a nearby syringe needle.

305. The Karate Kid

Title: The Karate Kid

Genre: Action, Drama, Family
Year: 2010

Summary: 12-year-old Dre Parker and his mother Sherry move from Detroit to Beijing after getting a job transfer. Dre develops a crush on a young violinist, Mei Ying, who reciprocates his attention, but Cheng, a rebellious kung fu prodigy whose family is close to Mei Ying's, attempts to keep them apart by beating Dre, and later bullies him at school. During the attack, Mr. Han comes to Dre's aid, revealing himself as a kung fu master.

After Han mends Dre's injuries using fire cupping, Dre asks if Mr. Han could teach him kung fu. Han refuses, but meets Cheng's teacher, Master Li, to make peace. Li, who teaches his students to show no mercy to their enemies, challenges Dre to a fight with Cheng. Li tells Han that if Dre does not show up during the tournament he will personally bring pain to Han and Dre.

Dre is shocked when Han tells him that he will fight in a kung fu tournament. Han promises to teach Dre "real" kung fu. Han begins training Dre, Han emphasizes that the movements Dre is learning apply to life in general, and that serenity and maturity, not punches and power, are the true keys to mastering the martial arts.

Han says that Dre will take a day off from training. Dre goes to Han at night and finds a drunk Han, smashing a car he was working on. Han tells Dre that he crashed the same car years ago. His wife and ten-year old son was with him and died in the car crash. Han fixes the car every year but smashes it to remind himself of what happened. Dre shows Han the kung fu techniques he learned while his mother arrives and watches him.

As Dre's friendship with Mei Ying continues, Dre persuades Mei Ying to cut school for a day of fun, but when she is nearly late for her violin audition which was brought forward a day without their knowledge, her parents deem him a bad influence and forbid her from spending more time with him. Han assists Dre in reading a note of apology to Mei Ying's father in Chinese; he accepts and promises that Mei Ying will attend the tournament to support Dre.

At the tournament, the under-confident Dre is slow to achieve parity with his opponents, but soon begins beating them and advances to the semifinals, as does Cheng, who violently finishes off his opponents. Dre comes up against Liang, badly injured.

Despite Han's insistence that he has earned respect for his performance, Dre convinces Han to mend his leg by using fire cupping in order to continue. Dre returns to the arena, facing Cheng. Dre delivers impressive blows, but Cheng counters with a strike to Dre's injured leg. Dre struggles to get up, and attempts the reflection technique to manipulate Cheng into changing his attack stance. Cheng charges Dre, but Dre flips and catches Cheng with a kick to his head, winning the tournament along with the respect of Cheng and his classmates. Cheng instead of the presenter awards Dre the trophy, and the Fighting Dragon students bow to Mr. Han.

304. Jumper

Title: Jumper
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Year: 2008

Summary: In Ann Arbor, Michigan, 15-year-old David Rice gives his crush, Millie Harris, a snow globe. A bully, Mark Kobold, throws the globe onto the ice near a river. While trying to retrieve it, David falls through the ice and is pulled away by the current. He suddenly finds himself in the local library and discovers he can "jump" (teleport) from one place and instantly appearing in another. Amazed with his new ability, he runs away and is believed dead by his alcoholic father.

Eight years later, an adult David (Christensen) lives lavishly using money stolen via his jumping ability. One day, he is ambushed in his home by Roland Cox (Jackson). Roland belongs to an extremist group called the Paladins which has been tracking down and killing these teleporters, the "Jumpers". He tries to trap David with a system of high-voltage cables, which prevent him from being able to jump. David escapes and returns home to Ann Arbor, seeking his old crush Millie. He is attacked by Mark, the same bully, and purposely teleports him into a bank vault then leaves him there. David then returns to Millie and invites her to travel with him by conventional means to Rome. Roland later discovers Mark in police custody and so learns David's identity.

David and Millie arrive in Rome. David attempts to keep his true nature as a thief and his power a secret. After talking they share a kiss and have sex. They visit the Colosseum, only to find it closed, so David uses his ability to unlock a door from the inside, telling Millie the door was already unlocked. He discovers another Jumper, Griffin; he warns David that the Anti-Jumper Brigade henchpeople are coming. Several Paladins appear and attack them. Griffin kills one and teleports away. David tries to leave with Millie, but is detained by Italian police and questioned about the death. While waiting for a magistrate to arrive, David's mother, Mary, who had left David when he was five, appears and helps him escape. David tries to follow his mother, but she says David must leave now or Millie will die. David tells Millie the police let him go, and they leave together. Millie, now very suspicious, demands the truth. David declines and puts her on a plane home.

David jumps to Griffin's lair and asks where to find Roland. Griffin tells David that the Paladins will kill Jumpers by targeting their loved ones. Griffin says he has been trying to kill Roland to avenge his parents. Realizing that his father is now a target, David teleports to his father and finds him bleeding. David teleports him to a hospital and returns to Griffin to ask for help. They go to pick Millie up at the airport, but she is no longer there. Griffin returns to get weapons from his lair while David searches for Millie. He breaks into Millie's apartment, angering her. David sees Roland arriving, so David decides to show Millie his abilities. He saves her by teleporting her back to Griffin's lair. The Paladins follow using a machine that keeps the "jump scar" open, and fight David and Griffin. Roland is chased back through the portal to Mille's apartment, but he snatches Millie with him with a cable.

Griffin decides to bomb the apartment, but David refuses, wanting to save Millie. They fight and David traps Griffin with power lines in Chechnya. Griffin warns that if David faces the Paladins alone he will be outnumbered. David goes anyway and is quickly trapped by Roland's cables. David cannot escape as he is physically tied to the apartment by the cables, so he teleports the apartment, Roland, Millie and himself to a river. Once free of the cables, David teleports Millie to safety and dumps Roland in a cave in the Grand Canyon, saying he could have killed Roland.

David visits his mother and discovers that he has a half-sister (Kristen Stewart). Mary tells David she has known he was a Jumper since he was five, when Jumpers make their first jump. She is a Paladin, and had to either kill David or leave. Since she left David when he was a child, she prefers him to leave, allowing him a head start. He meets with Millie outside and they jump to an unknown location.