Michael Caine was robbed of an Oscar. He gives his finest performance in a decade as big-talking small-time agent Ray Say, a paunchy, pale life-of-the-party hiding his desperation under gold chains and cool bravura. When he hears the almost magical voice of Jane Horrocks's meek little LV (short for Little Voice) fill her bedroom with the rich voice of Judy Garland, he sees his ticket to the big time.
The first televisual adaptation of the P.D. James mysteries featuring Detective Adam Dagliesh.... Scotland Yard's senior murder detective Adam Dalgliesh is called to an isolated chalk quarry to investigate the murder of a young girl in the back of a derelict car. Could she be a victim of the back seat strangler? On his return to London Dalgliesh is called to another suspicious death at Hoggatt's government controlled forensic science laboratory. He soon discovers that the laboratory is a hot-bed of intrigue and jealousy making almost everyone a possible suspect. Whilst focusing on his investigations Dalgliesh battles to set aside the personal tragedy of losing his wife and their first baby in childbirth.
The Girls' Night of the title refers to Friday night, the one time of escape from the daily grind for longstanding best friends and factory co-workers, Dawn and Jackie. And Friday night means bingo. One evening their dream comes true when Dawn (the cautious, caring one) scoops £100,000, but the savage twist in the tale is that even before she gets the cheque she discovers she has an inoperable brain tumour. Cue Jackie (the spontaneous, irresponsible one) fulfilling Dawn's lifetime ambition with a holiday in Las Vegas ("Come on, we've got an hour to get the plane"). And from then on it's a buddy movie with inescapable resonances of Thelma and Louise, though the difference here is that the protagonists are two ordinary middle-aged women. Brenda Blethyn and Julie Walters are a magical pairing, with both giving mesmerising moving performances (honorary mention should also be made of Cody, the one sympathetic male character in the film, magnificently played by Kris Kristofferson). Though death is ever-present, this is by no means a depressing movie; rather the opposite, in fact, with a remarkably upbeat ending. If there's a message to be found here, it's that even the most apparently ordinary people can be extraordinary given the right circumstances. On the DVD: As well as the original trailer, there is on-location feature
This is the story of Ousmane a Muslim and Mrs Sommers a Christian. Ousmane lives in France Mrs Sommers in the Channel Islands. They both lead ordinary lives that is until their respective children go missing on the day of a terrorist attack in London. Although they come from different religious backgrounds Ousmane and Mrs Sommers will share the same hope of finding their children alive.
Mysterious Creatures
A romance ahead of its time... The five Bennet sisters - Elizabeth or Lizzie (Keira Knightley) Jane (Rosamund Pike) Lydia (Jena Malone) Mary (Talulah Riley) and Kitty (Carey Mulligan) - have been raised well aware of their mother's (Brenda Blethyn) fixation on finding them husbands and securing set futures. The spirited and intelligent Elizabeth however strives to live her life with a broader perspective as encouraged by her doting father (Donald Sutherland). When wealthy bachelor Mr. Bingley takes up residence in a nearby mansion the Bennets are abuzz. Amongst the man's sophisticated circle of London friends and the influx of young military officers surely there will be no shortage of suitors for the Bennet sisters. Eldest daughter Jane serene and beautiful seems poised to win Mr. Bingley's heart. For her part Lizzie meets with the handsome and it would seem snobbish Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) and the battle of the sexes is joined. Their encounters are frequent and spirited yet far from encouraging. Lizzie finds herself even less inclined to accept a marriage proposal from a distant cousin Mr. Collins (Tom Hollander) and supported by her father stuns her mother and Mr. Collins by declining. When the previously good-natured Mr. Bingley abruptly departs for London leaving a devastated Jane Lizzie holds Mr. Darcy culpable for contributing to the heartbreak. But a crisis involving youngest sister Lydia soon opens Lizzie's eyes to the true nature of her relationship with Mr. Darcy...
Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a young, black optometrist whose adoptive parents have recently died. Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn) is a sad, unmarried mother who works in a factory and lives in a shabby terraced house with her confrontational daughter Roxanna (Claire Rushbrook). Cynthia's brother Maurice (Timothy Spall) is a successful photographer who lives comfortably in suburbia with his wife Monica (Phyllis Logan). In a misplaced effort to re-unite the family, Maurice & Monica throw a small barbecue party for Roxanne's 21st birthday. When Cynthia brings along her new friend Hortense, chaos ensues and some painful truths are revealed.
Two of Britain s finest actors, Timothy Spall (Harry Potter) and Brenda Blethyn (Pride and Prejudice), star in this heart-warming Christmas story perfect for the whole family. Fifteen year old Eddie (Joseph Phillips) is on a shopping trip with his mother when she is tragically struck by a car and left in critical condition. With their father absent from their lives, Eddie and his brother Stewart (Angus Harrison) face the daunting prospect of potentially losing their mother just as Christmas approaches. One night, Eddie s mother visits him in a dream urging him to find a halo so that she may be saved. Stewart scoffs at the idea but Eddie is determined. Will the brothers be able to find an angel and save their mother before Christmas?
Academy Award nominee and BAFTA Award-winning actress Brenda Blethyn OBE stars in critically acclaimed crime drama Vera based on the novels by award-winning crime writer Ann Cleeves. Blethyn plays the title role of DCI Vera Stanhope a sharp but shambolic detective driven by her own personal demons. With her caustic wit and singular charm Vera and her trusted right-hand man DS Joe Ashworth (David Leon) face a series of captivating murder mysteries set against the breathtaking Northumberland landscape. Episodes Comprise: Hidden Depths Telling Tales The Crow Trap Little Lazarus The Ghost Position Silent Voices Sandancers A Certain Samaritan Castles In The Air Poster Child Young Gods Prodigal Son
A young boy stumbles onto a witch convention and must stop them, even after he has been turned into a mouse.
Cricket--the sport of gentlemen--takes on new dimensions in this cheeky British comedy about the foibles and follies of married life. Kevin and Maggie Costello live for the moment constantly expressing their affection for each other in outrageous ways. Roger and Mim Dervish on the other hand lead a quiet life reserving their passions for the seemingly more subdued activities of cricket and tea cakes. But when the Costellos and Dervishes meet at a cricket match the collision of
Written by BAFTA award winning writer Kay Mellor comes this witty emotional story centred around a unique selection of people whose lives are inextricably intertwined on a journey of discovery as they come face to face with their sexual problems....
London River tells the story of a friendship which develops between two seemingly unconnected people: Elizabeth (Academy Award nominee Brenda Blethyn) and Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyate). Both have come to London to search for their children who are missing in the aftermath of 7/7 bombings.Beautifully detailed and movingly realised by Academy Award nominated director Rachid Bouchareb (Days Of Glory), the film convincingly creates a portrait of a multi-ethnic city struggling to come to terms with the terrorist attacks.At its centre it contains a stunning lead performance from Brenda Blethyn hailed by critics as her strongest since she won a best actress Golden Globe for Secrets and Lies.
The Knights of Can-a-Lot is a 45-minute never-televised adventure starring Bob the Builder, otherwise dubbed "Sir Fix-a-Lot". When Bob's dad, also called Bob, arrives for an unexpected visit, a simple case of mistaken identity lands Bob junior and his crew a big job restoring a crumbling castle--under the leadership of Bob senior. Problem is, Bob's dad isn't quite up to the role of foreman, nor are Bob and Wendy comfortable taking orders from him. Naturally, the construction crew steps up to the challenge, assuming names like "Sir Roll-a-Lot" and "Lady Dump-a-Lot" and learning all about medieval castles and legends as they work. When Bob and his Dad get locked in the dungeon, they have a heart-to-heart discussion that reveals the importance of honesty and teamwork. After the restoration is complete, Bob's mum joins her family, the construction crew and the historical society for a celebratory medieval pageant. This Bob the Builder episode is rich in history and construction fun. --Tami Horiuchi
First screened in 1982 this timeless story of an ageing king who decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters stars Michael Hordern as Lear with Brenda Blethyn as Cordelia Giliam Barge as Goneril Penelope Wilton as Regan Michael Kitchen as Edmund and Anton Lesser as Edgar....
A depressed man decides to swim the channel in this movie from director Gaby Dellal.
In Tolstoy's tempestuous epic of love and war passion and power a small circle of aristocrats find their glittering world crumbling as Napoleon's sweeping forces threaten to overwhelm Imperial Russia. Set in the opening decades of the 19th century War and Peace follows the changing fortunes of brooding military hero Prince Andrej his bookish friend Pierre and the spirited but naïve Natasha. As Napoleon's armies menace their privileged lives the horrors of the battlefield reach into Russia's most elegant ballrooms and bedrooms. Starring an international cast including Clémence Poésy (The Tunnel) Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) Brenda Blethyn (Pride and Prejudice) Alessio Boni (Caravaggio) Alexander Beyer (Carlos The Jackal) and Ken Duken (Inglourious Basterds) this magnifi cent production was fi lmed on location in Saint Petersburg and Eastern Europe by Oscar -nominated director Robert Dornhelm.
Lesley Bruce 's drama series about a woman who can't help helping others.
This ensemble comedy follows an eccentric mother (Brenda Blethyn) her two adult daughters, the former homecoming queen (Catherine Keener) & the insecure actress (Emily Mortimer), and the 8-year-old adopted African American girl that unites them.
Please wait. Loading...
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy