Heading to theaters this weekend but not sure what to watch?

The Korea Herald offers a summary of the top box office hits now playing or movies that are coming soon.

"Mission :Impossible -- Rogue Nation" and "Assassination" are battling it out in the box office, with action crime film "Veteran" fighting the good fight and Illumination's adorable "Minions" maintaining a steady audience particularly among moviegoers in their 20s. 

Next week, the battle gets fierce as the highly anticipated "Memories of the Sword" is released alongside a slew of other films ahead of the Liberation Day long weekend.



Memories of the Sword (Korea)
Opening Aug. 13
Martial arts epic. Directed by Park Heung-sik

Three swordsmen pledge allegiance to one another, and try to topple the corrupt regime in Korea. But one of the fighters betrays the others in pursuit of political power, and begins to move up in the royal court. Eighteen years after his betrayal, he comes face to face with two women who remember his sins, and want revenge.


Veteran (Korea)
Opened Aug. 5
Action. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan

When hot-headed veteran detective Seo Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min) suspects foul play by a rich, cocky corporate executive in the mysterious injuries of a truck driver, he begins an investigation but is blocked at every turn by bribes. Powerless but determined, Seo yells and punches his way through the film in pursuit of the truth and justice.



Minions (U.S.)
Opened July 29
Animation. Directed by Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda

“Minions” introduces the history behind the mysterious yellow creatures seen in the “Despicable Me” movies. Since the dawn of time, all the Minions wanted to do was to find the most despicable master to serve, but they are unable to stick with any one master for long. Unable to stand it any longer, three Minion friends set off on a journey to find a new evil boss.



Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation (U.S.)
Opened July 30
Action. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back, and he is facing his most dangerous enemy yet: a group called the Syndicate, as highly trained and deadly as the IMF (Impossible Missions Force). As the Syndicate attempts to change the world order through terrorist attacks, Ethan’s team scrambles to take them down, joining together with disavowed British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).



Assassination (Korea)
Opened July 22
Action. Directed by Choi Dong-hoon

In 1933, Korea is ruled by a brutal Japanese government. The resistance brings in three assassins led by a female sniper (Jun Ji-hyun) to target two high-level figures on the Japanese side. During the mission, the assassins discover they are being chased down themselves by another hit man (Ha Jung-woo).


By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)