When Harry Potter's name emerges from the Goblet of Fire he becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools - the Triwizard Tournament. But since Harry never submitted his name for the Tournament who did? Now Harry must confront a deadly dragon fierce water demons and an enchanted maze only to find himself in the cruel grasp of He Who Must Not Be Named. In this fourth film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series everything changes as Harry Ron and Hermione leave childhood forever and take on challenges greater than anything they could have imagined.
A pitch black, wryly British comedy from the mind of Alice Lowe, Prevenge follows Ruth, a pregnant woman on a killing spree. It's her misanthropic unborn baby dictating Ruth's actions, holding society responsible for the absence of a father. The child speaks to Ruth from the womb, coaching her to lure and ultimately kill her unsuspecting victims. Struggling with her conscience, loneliness, and a strange strain of prepartum madness, Ruth must ultimately choose between redemption and destruction at the moment of motherhood. Having shown at Venice, Toronto and most recently the London International Film Festival, Prevenge marks the directorial debut from Lowe, who is a true triple threat, writing, directing, and acting in the film during her own real-life pregnancy.
Set during the brief hours of light one day in February when the sea has frozen, The Winter Guest is about how four pairs of people at different stages of life attempt to fill the emptiness in their hearts. While that sounds bleak--and the setting in a small town on the East coast of Scotland is certainly stark--there is considerable human warmth in Alan Rickman's directorial debut. Without a conventional story, Rickman simply cuts between four strands, spending most of the time with the difficult relationship between a mother and daughter, played by real-life parent and offspring Phyllida Law and Emma Thomson. Strong dialogue, with a dash of Samuel's Beckett's existential squabbling angst and outstanding performances make this both funny and touching. Meanwhile Thomson's teenage son begins a tentative romance with the new girl in town, two younger boys bunk off school to the icy beach and a pair of elderly ladies attends a funeral. Ultimately the ice-locked sea and Michael Kamen's crystalline piano score become additional characters, the film offering a pseudo-mysticism akin to Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) while echoing with the spare dramas of Krzysztof Kieslowski; especially Three Colours: White (1994). A beautiful drama that demands attention throughout. --Gary S Dalkin
Titles Comprise: The Government Inspector The Promise Britz
Atonement: On the hottest day of the summer of 1935 thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis sees her older sister Cecilia (Kiera Knightley) strip off her clothes and plunge into the fountain in the garden of their country house. Watching Cecilia is their housekeeper's son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) a childhood friend who along with Briony's sister has recently graduated from Cambridge. By the end of that day the lives of all three will have been changed forever. Robbie and Cecilia will have crossed a boundary they had never before dared to approach and will have become victims of the younger girl's scheming imagination and Briony will have committed a dreadful crime the guilt for which will colour her entire life. Sense And Sensibility: The story of two sisters; pragmatic Elinor (Emma Thompson) and passionate wilful Marianne (Kate Winslet). When their father Henry Dashwood dies by law his estate must pass to the eldest son from his first marriage. Suddenly homeless and impoverished his current wife and daughters find themselves living in a simple country cottage. The two sisters are soon accepted into their new society. Marianne becomes swept up in a passionate love affair with the dashing Willoughby (Greg Wise) while Elinor struggles to keep a tight rein on the family purse strings and to keep her feelings for Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant) whom she left behind hidden from her family. Despite their different personalities they both experience great sorrow in their affairs but they learn to mix sense with sensibility in a society that is obsessed with both financial and social status.
First appearing on our screens in late 1979, Minder was a vehicle for ex-Sweeney sidekick Denis Waterman, but its lasting contribution to TV culture was rehabilitating George Cole, whose loveable but unscrupulous "entrepreneur" (an older version of the spiv he portrayed in the St Trinians films) mockingly reflected the values of 1980s Thatcherite Britain. Set in the rough demimonde of London, against a backdrop of small-time gangsters, seedy pubs, dubious business dealings and ageing dollybirds, Waterman plays Terry McCann, ex-boxer and ex-con trying to stick to the straight and narrow but persuaded against his better judgement to become involved in murky capers set up by his employer "Arfur" who regularly sublets him to associates of his. Though aspects of these episodes are a little creaky and dated--Terrys flares especially--the interplay between the too soft-hearted hardman Waterman and his dapper but slippery boss is both priceless and timeless. --David Stubbs
At fortysomething, straight-laced Cal Weaver is living the dream, good job, nice house, great kids and marriage to his high school sweetheart. But when Cal learns that his wife has cheated on him and wants a divorce, his 'perfect' life quickly unravels.
Fasten your seatbelts for the flight of a lifetime! What do pilots and cabin crew get up to both in and out of uniform? Mile High is the sexy drama series which follows the lives and loves of six airline crew from sharing a house in London to travelling across different countries and time zones. Young and sexy they work hard and play even harder!
Raining Stones is classic Ken Loach--an overtly bleak piece of drama shot through with defiant humour, a story of life beyond the edge of society. Bob (Bruce Jones in a role that foreshadows his more ludicrous Coronation Street character) is unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, especially with the added pressure of his young daughter's first communion and the expense involved. And that's it really--one man's struggle to maintain his dignity and provide for his family. Despite the film's frequent moments of comedy (more often than not provided by Loach regular Ricky Tomlinson), Raining Stones is ultimately more than a little disheartening. The film is in many ways similar to Loach's previous film, Riff Raff (1991), but here the examples of a community pulling together are countered with backstabbing and exploitation. In the end, there are no winners or losers in Loach's world, only those who survive and those who don't. --Phil Udell
The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the film all Harry Potter fans have waited 10 years to see, and the good news is that it's worth the hype--visually stunning, action packed, faithful to the book, and mature not just in its themes and emotion but in the acting by its cast, some of whom had spent half their lives making Harry Potter movies. Part 2 cuts right to the chase: Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has stolen the Elder Wand, one of the three objects required to give someone power over death (a.k.a. the Deathly Hallows), with the intent to hunt and kill Harry. Meanwhile, Harry's quest to destroy the rest of the Horcruxes (each containing a bit of Voldemort's soul) leads him first to a thrilling (and hilarious--love that Polyjuice Potion!) trip to Gringotts Bank, then back to Hogwarts, where a spectacular battle pitting the young students and professors (a showcase of the British thesps who have stolen every scene of the series: Maggie Smith's McGonagall, Jim Broadbent's Slughorn, David Thewlis's Lupin) against a dark army of Dementors, ogres, and Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter, with far less crazy eyes to make this round). As predicted all throughout the saga, Harry also has his final showdown with Voldemort--neither can live while the other survives--though the physics of that predicament might need a set of crib notes to explain. But while each installment has become progressively grimmer, this finale is the most balanced between light and dark (the dark is quite dark--several familiar characters die, with one significant death particularly grisly); the humor is sprinkled in at the most welcome times, thanks to the deft adaptation by Steve Kloves (who scribed all but one of the films from J.K. Rowling's books) and direction by four-time Potter director David Yates. The climactic kiss between Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), capping off a decade of romantic tension, is perfectly tuned to their idiosyncratic relationship, and Daniel Radcliffe has, over the last decade, certainly proven he was the right kid for the job all along. As Prof. Snape, the most perfect of casting choices in the best-cast franchise of all time, Alan Rickman breaks your heart. Only the epilogue (and the lack of chemistry between Harry and love Ginny Weasley, barely present here) stand a little shaky, but no matter: the most lucrative franchise in movie history to date has just reached its conclusion, and it's done so without losing its soul. --Ellen A. Kim
In one of the last great roles of his career Richard Harris plays Sandeman - the most feared crime lord in an economically ravaged Liverpool. His kingdom is the city and his strength is his family. However an unexpected event is about to cause his kingdom to crumble... When his beloved wife Mandy (Lynn Redgrave) is killed in a mugging incident Sandeman becomes convinced it was premeditated murder. Consumed by grief and determined to avenge her death Sandeman's rage agitates other long festering rivalries and bitter resentments. Soon his close-knit family will feel the strain. An astonishing interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear My Kingdom tells the story of a family consumed by greed rage and grief...
Nanny For Christmas:Ally (Emmanuelle Vaugier of Covert Affairs and Two and a Half Men) is a smart young career woman who needs a new job. Samantha (Cynthia Gibb of Fame and Gypsy) is a busy Beverly Hills advertising executive/mom whose too-well-mannered kids need some fun in their lives. Danny Donner (Dean Cain of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) is the tough-guy owner of a chocolate company who wants a major ad campaign immediately. Could it all somehow lead to the Christmas that changes everyone's lives forever?Richard Ruccolo (Rita Rocks), Sierra McCormick (Ramona and Beezus), Jared Gilmore (Mad Men) and Sarah Thompson (7th Heaven and Angel) co-star in this surprising comedy about little white lies, big holiday wishes, and a woman who may just find love in the most unexpected places by becoming A Nanny For Christmas!A Christmas Proposal:When real estate tycoon Alexander Malone (Tom Arnold - True Lies) sets in motion a proposal to turn the small ski town of Fillmore into a posh year-round resort he finds himself up against local attorney Lisa Donahue (Nicole Eggert - Baywatch) who will do whatever possible to stop the demolition of the town.Nothing Like The Holidays:John Leguizamo (Ice Age, Moulin Rouge!), Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under, Bobby), Debra Messing (Will & Grace, The Starter Wife), and Alfred Molina (Spiderman 2) lead a hilarious ensemble cast in this humourous and heartwarming holiday story.It's Christmastime in Chicago, and the far-flung members of the Rodriguez family are converging at their parent's home to celebrate the season. During the course of this eventful week, traditions will be celebrated, secrets revealed, old resentments forgotten, familial bonds re-affirmed, and the healing power of laughter will work its magic.
They Beat Defeat With Dino Power And Heroic Teamwork.You'll join the adventure as Mesagog the alien reptile on the isle has Dr. Tommy Oliver in his clutches. The only means of rescue has Power Rangers racing Raptor Cycles through an invisaportal. The traps are set to lure the newest Power Ranger superheroes into action over a Dino gem of untold might. The teens will have to bravely face the incredible Tyrannodrones De-Magnetron and more fantastic monsters as the protectors
A spin-off of the popular 'Power Rangers' children's TV show 'Dino Thunder' features a team of kids who discover ancient rocks that give them the ability to transform into superheroes. With the help of manufactured dinosaurs they fight mutants created by an evil paleontologist named Mesogog who would like to see the world return to a prehistoric era. In these episodes Kira and Devin while working at an internship at a TV station are attacked by Mesagog's faceless soldiers the Ty
The sixth series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer followed the logic of plot and character development into some gloomy places. The year begins with Buffy being raised from the dead by the friends who miss her, but who fail to understand that a sacrifice taken back is a sacrifice negated. Dragged out of what she believes to have been heavenly bliss, she finds herself "going through the motions" and entering into a relationship with the evil, besotted vampire Spike just to force her emotions. Willow becomes ever more caught up in the temptations of magic; Xander and Anya move towards marriage without ever discussing their reservations; Giles feels he is standing in the way of Buffy's adult independence; Dawn feels neglected. What none of them need is a menace that is, at this point, simply annoying--three high school contemporaries who have turned their hand to magical and high-tech villainy. Added to this is a hungry ghost, an invisibility ray, an amnesia spell and a song-and-dance demon (who acts as rationale for the incomparable musical episode "Once More With Feeling"). This is a year in which chickens come home to roost: everything from the villainy of the three geeks to Xander's doubts about marriage come to a head, often--as in the case of the impressive wedding episode--through wildly dark humour. The estrangement of the characters from each other--a well-observed portrait of what happens to college pals in their early 20s--comes to a shocking head with the death of a major character and that death's apocalyptic consequences. The series ends on a consoling note which it has, by that point and in spite of imperfections, entirely earned. --Roz Kaveney
Agent Jay travels back in time to 1969, where he teams up with a younger version of Agent Kay to stop an evil alien from destroying the future.
The seventh and final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer begins with a mystery: someone is murdering teenage girls all over the world and something is trying hard to drive Spike mad. Buffy is considerably more cheerful in these episodes than we have seen her during the previous year as she trains Dawn and gets a job as student counselor at the newly rebuilt Sunnydale High. Willow is recovering from the magical addiction which almost led her to destroy the world, but all is not yet well with her, or with Anya, who has returned to being a Vengeance demon in "Same Time, Same Place" and "Selfless," and both women are haunted by their decisions. Haunting of a different kind comes in the excellent "Conversations with Dead People" (one of the show's most terrifying episodes ever), in which a mysterious song is making Spike kill again in spite of his soul and his chip. Giles turns up in "Bring on the Night" and Buffy has to fight one of the deadliest vampires of her career in "Showtime". In "Potential" Dawn faces a fundamental reassessment of her purpose in life. Buffy was always a show about female empowerment, but it was also a show about how ordinary people can decide to make a difference alongside people who are special. And it was also a show about people making up for past errors and crimes. So, for example, we have the excellent episodes "Storyteller", in which the former geek/supervillain Andrew sorts out his redemption while making a video diary about life with Buffy; and "Lies My Parents Told Me," in which we find out why a particular folk song sends Spike crazy. Redemption abounds as Faith returns to Sunnydale and the friends she once betrayed, and Willow finds herself turning into the man she flayed. Above all, this was always Buffy's show: Sarah Michelle Gellar does extraordinary work here both as Buffy and as her ultimate shadow, the First Evil, who takes her face to mock her. This is a fine ending to one of television's most remarkable shows. --Roz Kaveney
A funny and compelling mini-soap set in the bedrooms of adjoining houses in an ordinary street in an ordinary London suburb 'Bedtime' peers behind the curtains and watches the night time rituals of three couples in the last half hour of their day.
The Remains of the Day is one of Merchant-Ivory's most thought-provoking films. Anthony Hopkins is a model of restraint and propriety as Stevens, the butler who "knows his place"; Emma Thompson is the animated and sympathetic Miss Kenton, the housekeeper whose attraction to Stevens is doomed to disappointment. As Nazi appeaser Lord Darlington, James Fox clings to the notion of a gentleman's agreement in the ruthless political climate before World War Two. Hugh Grant is his journalist nephew all too aware of reality, while Christopher Reeves gives a spirited portrayal of an American senator, whose purchase of Darlington Hall 20 years on sends Stevens on a journey to right the mistake he made out of loyalty. As a period drama with an ever-relevant message, this 1993 film is absorbing viewing all the way. On the DVD: the letterbox widescreen format reproduces the 2.35:1 aspect ratio with absolute clarity. Subtitles are in French and German, with audio subtitles also in English, Italian and Spanish, and with 28 separate chapter selections. The "making-of" featurette and retrospective documentary complement each other with their "during and after" perspectives, while "Blind Loyalty, Hollow Honour" is an interesting short on the question of appeasement and war. The running commentary from Thompson, Merchant and Ivory is more of a once-only diversion. --Richard Whitehouse
Angelina has been given the honour of putting on her very own performance of The Sleeping Beauty for the Queen in her splendid palace. In this magical introduction to ballet Miss Lilly William and Angelina''s other friends all help out to put on a Star Performance. Meanwhile Princess Phoebe and Henry cause havoc with their mischievous antics. It''s Angelina''s biggest challenge yet'' will she manage to pull it off?
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