Empire of the Sun

Drama | English, Japanese, Chinese, Welsh, Latin with English subtitles | 152 minutes

Info

James “Jim” Graham is a schoolboy living a privileged and affluent life with his family in the Shanghai International Settlement. After the Japanese attacked Pear Harbor, they began to occupy the Settlement. When the Graham family moved out, chaos ensued and Jim was separated from his family. Hungryand scared, Jim meets two American expatriates, Basie and Frank, who try to help. The Japanese capture the three and send them to an internment camp. It is now 1945 and the war is nearly over. The base is attacked by American fighters. As the prisoners escape, Jim is rescued by American soldiers and placed in an orphanage. With the war ending, Jim is hoping he could reunite with his family.

Cast

Christian Bale (James “Jim” Graham) / John Malkovich (Basie)

Why Stream This Film?

“One of Steven Spielberg’s most ambitious efforts of the 1980s, EMPIRE of the SUN remains an underrated gem in the director’s distinguished filmography.” – Rotten Tomatoes, Critics Consensus

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus): 77%
Metacritic Score: 62

Accolades

Academy Awards: Nominated, Best Cinematography (Allen Daviau); Best Art Direction- Set Decoration (Norman Reynolds, Harry Cordwell)
National Board of Review: Winner, Best Film; Best Director (Steven Spielberg); Outstanding Juvenile Performance (Christian Bale)
New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Nominated, Best Cinematographer (Allen Daviau)
Golden Globe Awards: Nominated, Best Motion Picture – Drama

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