Taken 2 was a box office hit

There’s a lot of kidnapping in this film series, but Taken 2 was a box office smash. Just be careful when you are on vacation in Istanbul.

1) Taken 2: This movie took everyone by surprise because it wasn’t expected to do much at the box office. Instead, the international action thriller set a new North American record for the highest-ever opening in the month of October for a PG-13 film. The movie stars Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen and continues the story from the first film. Neeson’s character, Bryan Mills, is a former CIA operative who is held hostage with his wife during a vacation in Istanbul. Mills’ captivity is retaliation for killing one of the men who kidnapped his daughter. Now, he must rely on is own daughter, played by Grace, to rescue them. There is a lot of kidnapping in this film series.

Rotten Tomatoes: 21% Splat

2) To Rome with Love: In keeping with an international theme, this film was Woody Allen‘s follow-up to his critically-acclaimed 2011 movie, Midnight in Paris. Allen continues his love affair with Europe after highlighting other cities in the last decade from London to Barcelona to Paris. In Rome, the usual Allen film hijinks happen as tourists and residents fall in love, fight and have adventures along the way. A star-studded cast rounds out the ensemble with Alec Baldwin, Judy Davis, Alison Pill and Roberto Benigni joining Allen for his latest romp.

Rotten Tomatoes: 43% Splat

3) The Paperboy: While this film received some mixed reactions from the critics, it has garnered Nicole Kidman praise and two award nominations —  one for a SAG and a Golden Globes award for Best Supporting Actress. The film follows two brothers, played by Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron, who investigate a case in their hometown in Florida. John Cusack portrays the inmate on death row while Kidman is the love interest of Cusack’s character. The dark film also received a lot of media attention for a urination scene between Kidman and Efron, so there’s another odd reason to check out the flick.

Rotten Tomatoes: 39% Splat

4) Pina: This 2011 Oscar-nominated documentary is a stunning feature-length film about the work of German choreographer Pina Bausch. Bausch passed away in 2009, but her works still lives on through her dancers. The dance film is a wondrous adventure that is not to be missed, as the troupe begins in the theatre and moves throughout the city of Wuppertal, home to Bausch’s work for 35 years. This doc was originally shown in 3D in theatres, but it is not to be missed, even in your own home theatre.

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Fresh

Image courtesy of WENN.com