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Subgenre Sampler

 
Bad BehaviourBad Behaviour (2023)
Dir. Alice Englert
Feat. Jennifer Connelly, Alice Englert, Ben Whishaw
Jennifer Connelly gives a committed performance as a former child actor who seeks enlightenment at a retreat in Oregon while navigating a…
Cat PersonCat Person (2023) Recommended
Dir. Susanna Fogel
Feat. Emilia Jones, Nicholas Braun, Geraldine Viswanathan
An extended film adaptation of a 2017 'New Yorker' short story that went viral on account of its wildly relatable tale of a young millennial woman's…
Holdovers, TheHoldovers, The (2023) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa
A jaded teacher is forced to remain on campus during the snowy Christmas break to babysit a handful of students with nowhere else to go. He soon…
UproarUproar (2023) Recommended
Dir. Paul Middleditch, Hamish Bennett
Feat. Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Minnie Driver
Set in Dunedin in 1981, a rugby–obsessed country is divided over the arrival of the South African Springboks team, sparking nationwide…
AllelujahAllelujah (2022)
Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Jennifer Saunders, Russell Tovey, David Bradley
An adaptation of the play by Alan Bennett, set in a geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital that is threatened with closure. The hospital…
BabylonBabylon (2022)
Dir. Damien Chazelle
Feat. Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Diego Calva Hernandez
Director Damien Chazelle's epic set in 1920s Los Angeles tells a tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, tracing the rise and fall of…
Man Called Otto, AMan Called Otto, A (2022)
Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Tom Hanks, Rachel Keller, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo
Based on the bestseller and subsequent Swedish film “A Man Called Ove”, this English language remake tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom…
Menu, TheMenu, The (2022) Recommended
Dir. Mark Mylod
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult
A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.…
Mrs. Harris Goes To ParisMrs. Harris Goes To Paris (2022)
Dir. Anthony Fabian
Feat. Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson
The story of a widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London who falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress and decides that she must have one of her own.…
Triangle of SadnessTriangle of Sadness (2022) Recommended
Dir. Ruben Östlund
Feat. Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Woody Harrelson
Gilded privilege gets a stinging taste of reality in this brilliantly orchestrated Palm D'Or–winner from the dir. of THE SQUARE and FORCE…
Two Tickets To GreeceTwo Tickets To Greece (2022) Recommended
Dir. Marc Fitoussi
Feat. Laure Calamy, Olivia Cote, Kristin Scott Thomas
A sunlit escapist comedy set in Les Cyclades (the original French title) starring Laure Calamy and Olivia Côte as long–estranged childhood…
C'Mon C'MonC'Mon C'Mon (2021) Recommended
Dir. Mike Mills
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Scoot McNairy
Joaquin Phoenix offers his best self as a journalist saddled with his sister's precocious 10–year–old while on assignment gathering…
French Dispatch, TheFrench Dispatch, The (2021) Recommended
Dir. Wes Anderson
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton
A wildly inventive anthology film from meticulous auteur Wes Anderson (GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL) set in in a fictional 20th century French town, where a…
French ExitFrench Exit (2021) Recommended
Dir. Azazel Jacobs
Feat. Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucas Hedges, Imogen Poots
Another wonderfully surreal comedy from director Azazel Jacobs (THE LOVERS). Michelle Pfeiffer plays a privileged Manhattan heiress who loses her…
Language LessonsLanguage Lessons (2021)
Dir. Natalie Morales
Feat. Mark Duplass, Natalie Morales
A Spanish teacher and her American student develop an unexpected friendship over a series of conference calls in this quirky, Co–Vid inspired…
Licorice PizzaLicorice Pizza (2021)
Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Feat. Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn
Celebrated auteur Paul Thomas Anderson amusingly runs through the fads of the 1970s while loosely following the relationship between a precocious…
My Salinger YearMy Salinger Year (2021)
Dir. Philippe Falardeau
Feat. Margaret Qualley, Sigourney Weaver, Douglas Booth
Light drama set in the world of literary arts in the pre–digital era, from French–Canadian director Philippe Falardeau (MONSIEUR…
Worst Person in the World, TheWorst Person in the World, The (2021) Aro Favourite
Dir. Joachim Trier
Feat. Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum
Gloriously provocative and richly perceptive comedy drama from talented Norwegian director Joachim Trier (THELMA), which follows an unpredictable,…
A Christmas Gift from BobA Christmas Gift from Bob (A Gift from Bob) (2020)
Dir. Charles Martin Smith
Feat. Luke Treadaway, Anna Wilson-Jones
A Christmas sequel to A STREET CAT NAMED BOB with Luke Treadaway returning as James Bowen (who wrote the loosely autobiographical books) – a…
A Friendly TaleA Friendly Tale (Le bonheur des uns) (2020)
Dir. Daniel Cohen
Feat. Bérénice Bejo, Vincent Cassel, François Damiens
A charming four–hander from the director of LE CHEF in which a sparkling cast play two forty–something couples whose professional and…
Another RoundAnother Round (Druk) (2020) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang
Another cheeky yet bittersweet provocation from Dogme 95 alumni Thomas Vinterberg that won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. The…
Antoinette in the CevennesAntoinette in the Cevennes (2020)
Dir. Caroline Vignal
Feat. Laure Calamy, Benjamin Lavernhe, Olivia Cote
A warm hearted French comedy from writer director Caroline Vignal, starring Laure Calamy as a school teacher on a journey of self–discovery in…
County, TheCounty, The (2020)
Dir. Grimur Hakonarson
Feat. Arndis Hronn Egilsdottir, Sveinn Olafur Gunnarsson
A quintessentially Icelandic serio–comedy from the director of RAMS about one woman’s fight against a monopolistic co–op stifling the…
Duke, TheDuke, The (2020) Recommended
Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren, Fionn Whitehead
Crowd–pleasing British comedy–drama based on a true incident in which a 60–year old taxi driver (Jim Broadbent) stole Goya’s…
Freshman YearFreshman Year (S#!%house) (2020) Recommended
Dir. Cooper Raiff
Feat. Cooper Raiff, Amy Landecker, Dylan Gelula
An intimate microbudget indie depicting the experience of an awkward, lonely college freshman who unexpectedly makes a connection with a girl at a…
Great, The (TV Series)Great, The (TV Series) (2020)
Feat. Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox
A wild and witty period drama loosely based on the rise to power of Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning). Billed as 'anti–historical', the…
How to Be a Good WifeHow to Be a Good Wife (2020)
Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Yolande Moreau, Noemie Lvovsky
Feather lite French comedy set in 1968, with the predictably scene–stealing Juliette Binoche playing an immaculate and morally upright teacher…
June AgainJune Again (2020)
Dir. JJ Winlove
Feat. Noni Hazlehurst, Claudia Karvan, Stephen Curry
Drama with Noni Hazelhurst playing a woman whose dementia unexpectedly goes away, leaving her with a valuable window of time before her inevitable…
KajillionaireKajillionaire (2020) Recommended
Dir. Miranda July
Feat. Evan Rachel Wood, Debra Winger, Gina Rodriguez
Irreverent comedy from writer–director Miranda July (ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW) following a struggling family who survive on petty crime,…
King of Staten Island, TheKing of Staten Island, The (2020) Recommended
Dir. Judd Apatow
Feat. Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr
An understated and surprisingly mature comedy charmer from director Judd Apatow about a young slacker in a state of arrested development and…
LimboLimbo (2020) Recommended
Dir. Ben Sharrock
Feat. Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Ola Orebiyi
A moving cross–cultural comedy about the refugee experience, set on a remote Scottish island where a promising young Syrian musician is waiting…
Love SarahLove Sarah (2020)
Dir. Eliza Schroeder
Feat. Rupert Penry-Jones, Celia Imrie, Shelley Conn
Charming multi–generational rom–com set in Notting Hill, where a 19 year–old woman enlists the help of her mother's best friend and…
Man in the Hat, TheMan in the Hat, The (2020)
Dir. Stephen Warbeck, John-Paul Davidson
Feat. Ciaran Hinds, Stephen Dillane, Maïwenn
Road–trip comedy–musical about a man who sets off from Marseilles in a small Fiat 500, with five angry men in a Citroën Dyane…
Military WivesMilitary Wives (2020)
Dir. Peter Cattaneo
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan, Jason Flemyng
Shamelessly cheesy British comedy following four women who form a military wives choir after their husbands leave to serve in Afghanistan, then find…
Never Gonna Snow AgainNever Gonna Snow Again (2020)
Dir. Malgorzata Szumowska
Feat. Alec Utgoff, Maja Ostaszewska, Agata Kulesza
Assured Polish Oscar contender about a Ukrainian immigrant who unexpectedly develops a cult–like following while working as a masseur in a…
RamsRams (2020)
Dir. Jeremy Sims
Feat. Sam Neill, Michael Caton, Miranda Richardson
Aussie re–imagining of the hit Icelandic comedy RAMS (2016), with Sam Neill the obvious choice to play a farmer in a decades long war with his…
Rosa's WeddingRosa's Wedding (2020) Recommended
Feat. Candela Pena, Sergi Lopez, Nathalie Poza
Delightful Spanish comedy about a hard–working seamstress in her mid–40's who decides to turn her life around after spending years…
Rose Maker, TheRose Maker, The (La fine fleur) (2020)
Dir. Pierre Pinaud
Feat. Catherine Frot, Olivia Cote, Rukkmini Ghosh
Gentle French comedy with Catherine Frot (THE MIDWIFE) playing a rose maker on the verge of financial ruin, who hires three hapless misfits with no…
Show, TheShow, The (2020)
Dir. Mitch Jenkins
Feat. Tom Burke, Siobhan Hewlett, Alan Moore
Highly imaginative British fantasy noir based on a screenplay by brilliant English graphic novelist Alan Moore (V FOR VENDETTA, WATCHMEN). Set in…
Wild Mountain ThymeWild Mountain Thyme (2020) Recommended
Dir. John Patrick Shanley
Feat. Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, Jon Hamm
John Patrick Shanley, who created MOONSTRUCK, brings his sweeping romantic vision to Ireland with Wild Mountain Thyme. The headstrong farmer Rosemary…
A Bump Along the WayA Bump Along the Way (2019)
Dir. Shelly Love
Feat. Bronagh Gallagher, Lola Petticrew, Mary Moulds
A warm hearted comedy set in Derry in Northern Ireland, with Bronagh Gallagher in a deserved lead role as a free spirited mother in her 40's who…
A Dog's JourneyA Dog's Journey (2019)
Dir. Gail Mancuso
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger
Sweet and sentimental sequel to A DOG'S PURPOSE (2017), following the various reincarnations of a lovable canine, who carries out a promise to a…
A Rainy Day in New YorkA Rainy Day in New York (2019)
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Selena Gomez
Whimsical rom–com set in New York and following a young college student (Timothée Chalamet) and his romantic exploits with his film student…
AnimalsAnimals (2019)
Dir. Sophie Hyde
Feat. Holliday Grainger, Alia Shawkat
Raucous comedy with Holliday Grainger and Alia Shawkat brilliant together as best friends living in Dublin, whose hard partying lifestyle comes under…
BabyteethBabyteeth (2019) Recommended
Dir. Shannon Murphy
Feat. Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Michelle Lotters
Australian coming–of–age drama marking the feature debut for director Shannon Murphy (KILLING EVE), from a screenplay by Rita Kalnejais,…
BellbirdBellbird (2019) Recommended
Dir. Hamish Bennett
Feat. Marshall Napier, Cohen Holloway, Annie Whittle
Charming and quietly restrained comedy drama set on a Northland NZ dairy farm, where a third generation farm owner struggles to cope with the loss of…
Climb, TheClimb, The (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michael Angelo Covino
Feat. Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin, Gayle Rankin
Expanding on their short film of the same name, friends Michael Angelo Corvino and Kyle Marvin write and star in this caustically funny portrait of…
Come As You AreCome As You Are (2019)
Dir. Richard Wong
Feat. Grant Rosenmeyer, Hayden Szeto, Ravi Patel
A remake of the acclaimed Belgian film 'Hasta La Vista', this endearing and often funny bro comedy follows three young men with disabilities who hit…
DaffodilsDaffodils (2019)
Dir. David Stubbs
Feat. Rose McIver, George Mason, Kimbra
Ambitious screen musical based on the stageplay of same name that threads a bittersweet romantic narrative over several decades through a setlist of…
Days of the Bagnold SummerDays of the Bagnold Summer (2019) Recommended
Dir. Simon Bird
Feat. Earl Cave, Tamsin Greig, Rob Brydon
Charming coming–of–age comedy–drama starring newcomer Earl Cave (son of Nick Cave) as a teenage heavy metal fan struggling to get…
Dogs Don't Wear PantsDogs Don't Wear Pants (Koirat eivät käytä housuja) (2019)
Dir. J.-P. Valkeapää
Feat. Krista Kosonen
Finnish erotic drama about a lonely dad who is traumatized by the loss of his wife in a drowning accident, and stumbles into ecstasy via a powerful…
EmmaEmma (2019) Recommended
Dir. Autumn de Wilde
Feat. Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Callum Turner
Adaptation of the beloved Jane Austen novel, from a screenplay by New Zealand novelist Eleanor Catton. Lead actress Anna Taylor–Joy is wickedly…
Farewell, TheFarewell, The (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Lulu Wang
Feat. Awkwafina , Tzi Ma, Zhao Shuzhen
Widely acclaimed comedy–drama of family dysfunction, based on the real–life experiences of Chinese writer director Lulu Wang. A…
Fighting With My FamilyFighting With My Family (2019)
Dir. Stephen Merchant
Feat. Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost
Big–hearted wrestling biopic centered around real–life WWE wrestler Paige (Florence Pugh), whose dad is also a former wrestler.
Fisherman's FriendsFisherman's Friends (2019) Recommended
Dir. Chris Foggin
Feat. Daniel Mays, James Purefoy, David Hayman
Delightful comedy inspired by the true story of ten grizzled Cornish fishermen whose sea shanties unexpectedly became chart toppers after a cynical…
Gloria BellGloria Bell (2019) Recommended
Dir. Sebastián Lelio
Feat. Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Caren Pistorius
Another winner from Chilean director Sebastian Lelio, who remakes his superb Spanish–language mid–life romance with absolute assurance…
GreedGreed (2019)
Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Steve Coogan, David Mitchell, Asa Butterfield
Satirical comedy about filthy rich people, with Steve Coogan playing a billionaire fashion mogul whose life is explored using non–linear…
Jo-Jo RabbitJo-Jo Rabbit (JoJo Rabbit) (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Taika Waititi
Feat. Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Taika Waititi
Wildly satirical WWII comedy following Jojo, a lonely German boy who discovers his mother, who is secretly anti–Nazi, is hiding a young Jewish…
Late NightLate Night (2019)
Dir. Nisha Ganatra
Feat. Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, Max Casella
Emma Thompson plays a once successful late–night talk show host who fears her popularity is slipping and hires a woman (Mindy Kaling) to…
Mystery of Henri Pick, TheMystery of Henri Pick, The (Le mystère Henri Pick) (2019) Recommended
Dir. Rémi Bezançon
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Camille Cottin, Alice Isaaz
Delectable literary–themed French comedy caper based on the book of the same name by David Foenkinos. The titular Henri Pick is a…
Of Love and LiesOf Love and Lies (2019)
Dir. Julien Rappeneau
Feat. François Damiens, Andre Dussollier, Maleaume Paquin
Uplifting French dramedy about a diminutive but spirited 12–year old boy who challenges his lonely disillusioned dad into embracing life again…
Palm BeachPalm Beach (2019)
Dir. Rachel Ward
Feat. Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Aaron Jeffery
Veteran Australian actor Rachel Ward directs this ensemble comedy in which lifelong friends of a privileged class reunite for a party at Sydney's…
PerfumesPerfumes (2019)
Dir. Gregory Magne
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Gregory Montel
Anne (Emmanuelle Devos) was once the star of her industry – a perfumer whose ability to produce enticing new fragrances was second to none. She…
Personal History Of David Copperfield, ThePersonal History Of David Copperfield, The (2019) Recommended
Dir. Armando Iannucci
Feat. Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton
A modern take on the Charles Dickens classic about the young orphan who triumphs over adversity in Victorian England. Puts a refreshing spin on…
Room 212Room 212 (Chambre 212, On a Magical Night) (2019)
Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Chiara Mastroianni, Vincent Lacoste, Camille Cottin
Playful French rom–com from acclaimed writer–director Christophe Honore (MA MERE, DAN PARIS). Set over the course of one night, where…
Safe SpacesSafe Spaces (After Class) (2019)
Dir. Daniel Schechter
Feat. Justin Long, Fran Drescher, Kate Berlant
A biting comedy following a NYC professor who has an awkward run–in with a student, and attempts to defend his controversial behavior while…
Truth, TheTruth, The (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke
Dazzling modern family drama from master auteur Kore–eda Hirokazu (SHOPLIFTERS), pairing French screen icons Catherine Deneuve and Juliette…
Where'd You Go, BernadetteWhere'd You Go, Bernadette (2019)
Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig
The 19th feature of director Richard Linklater (BOYHOOD) is a whimsical drama about an architect–turned–recluse Bernadette Fox (Cate…
A Man in a HurryA Man in a Hurry (Un homme pressé) (2018)
Dir. Hervé Mimran
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Leïla Bekhti
French comic–drama based on the life of the former head of Peugeot, Christian Stieff, a high profile businessman who has let his personal life…
BlacKkKlansmanBlacKkKlansman (Black Klansman) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier
Celebrated as the best Spike Lee "joint" in years, this astute period satire tells the story of Ron Stallworth, a black police officer in 1970's…
Book WeekBook Week (2018)
Dir. Heath Davis
Feat. Toby Schmitz, Maya Stange
Aussie comedy following a jaded and self–centered novelist and high school English teacher who stumbles upon a new lease on life when a trashy…
Destination WeddingDestination Wedding (2018)
Dir. Victor Levin
Feat. Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Dj Dallenbach
Two hopelessly mismatched wedding guests develop a mutual affection while contending with their own spiteful feelings about the wedding, the guests,…
Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir, TheExtraordinary Journey of the Fakir, The (2018)
Dir. Ken Scott
Feat. Dhanush , Bérénice Bejo, Erin Moriarty
Whimsical comedy following a street magician from Mumbai who sets out to find his estranged father but finds himself adventuring around the world in…
Favourite, TheFavourite, The (2018) Aro Favourite
Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Feat. Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone
A viciously witty tragi–comedy from Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos, set in early 18th century England where a frail Queen Anne allows her close…
Good Girls (TV Series)Good Girls (TV Series) (2018)
Feat. Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman, Retta
A female–centric take on the premise of BREAKING BAD in which three suburban moms who're tired of trying to make ends meet take a leap into…
Green BookGreen Book (2018) Recommended
Dir. Pete Farrelly
Feat. Mahershala Ali, Viggo Mortensen, Linda Cardellini
Enjoyable road movie based on a true story about the unlikely friendship between an African–American concert pianist and a roughneck…
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, TheGuernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The (2018)
Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Glenn Powell
Warm and picturesque romantic comedy from the director of FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL. Set in 1946, the charismatic and free–spirited writer…
Happy New Year, Colin BursteadHappy New Year, Colin Burstead (2018)
Dir. Ben Wheatley
Feat. Neil Maskell, Hayley Squires, Sam Riley
Director Ben Wheatley (HIGH RISE, FREE FIRE) applies his absurd mix of humour and violence to the dysfunction family genre in this comedy about a man…
Hearts Beat LoudHearts Beat Loud (2018)
Dir. Brett Haley
Feat. Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson
Heartfelt drama set in a hip Brooklyn neighborhood, about an unlikely musical partnership formed between a record store owner dad and his daughter in…
Here and Now (TV Series)Here and Now (TV Series) (2018)
Feat. Holly Hunter, Tim Robbins, Daniel Zovatto
Dark comedy TV series created by Alan Ball (SIX FEET UNDER), following Portlandian parents with three adopted kids from Liberia, Vietnam and…
Hot AirHot Air (2018)
Dir. Frank Coraci
Feat. Steve Coogan, Taylor Russell, Neve Campbell
Steve Coogan plays a conservative talk show host whose life is shaken up when his 16 year old niece shows up out of the blue. A timely, but…
Humor MeHumor Me (Humour Me) (2018)
Dir. Sam Hoffman
Feat. Jemaine Clement, Elliott Gould
A down–on–his–luck New York playwright (Jermaine Clement) moves in with his widowed father after his wife leaves him. But living in…
Instant FamilyInstant Family (2018)
Dir. Sean Anders
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Isabela Moner
An enjoyable comedy of family dysfunction with Wahlberg and Byrne as a happily married couple who adopt three Hispanic–American siblings but…
Juliet, NakedJuliet, Naked (2018)
Dir. Jesse Peretz
Feat. Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O'Dowd
Romantic comedy from the pen of Nick Hornby, exploring indie music superfandom, with a professor who idolises an obscure 90's alt–rocker (Ethan…
Keep the ChangeKeep the Change (2018) Aro Favourite
Dir. Rachel Israel
Feat. Brandon Polansky, Samantha Elisofon
A tender, funny and unique New York romantic–comedy that melts the heart with two engaging performances from the thirty–something leads…
Kidding (TV Series)Kidding (TV Series) (2018)
Dir. Michel Gondry, Jake Schreier
Feat. Jim Carrey, Frank Langella, Judy Greer
An ironically titled, poignant examination of life and grief for a beloved children's television presenter known as Mr. Pickles who anchors a…
Ladies in BlackLadies in Black (2018)
Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Angourie Rice, Rachael Taylor, Julia Ormond
Set in Sydney in 1959, this charming adaptation of the bestselling novel by Madeleine St John follows the lives of a group of young employees at the…
Old BoysOld Boys (2018)
Dir. Toby MacDonald
Feat. Jonah Hauer-King, Alex Lawther, Pauline Etienne
A fresh and modern re–working of the classic French comedy Cyrano de Bergerac, set at an English all–boys boarding school, where the…
Richard Says GoodbyeRichard Says Goodbye (Professor, the) (2018)
Dir. Wayne Roberts
Feat. Johnny Depp, Danny Huston, Rosemarie DeWitt
Johnny Depp is well cast as an (unintentionally?) insufferable college professor who, after finding out he has six months to live, transforms into a…
Seven Stages To Achieve Eternal Bliss By Passing Through The Gateway Chosen By The Holy StorshSeven Stages To Achieve Eternal Bliss By Passing Through The Gateway Chosen By The Holy Storsh (2018)
Dir. Vivieno Caldinelli
Feat. Kate Micucci, Sam Huntington, Mark McKinney
Maverick existential black comedy about a young couple whose new LA apartment turns out to have been the site of a cult leader's suicide, and his…
Sick Of It (TV Series)Sick Of It (TV Series) (2018)
Dir. Richard Yee
Feat. Karl Pilkington, Marama Corlett, Sondra James
Delightfully melancholic British comedy co–created and written by the talented Karl Pilkington (AN IDIOT ABROAD), who plays a fictionalised…
Sink or SwimSink or Swim (Le grand bain) (2018)
Dir. Gilles Lellouche
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume Canet, Benoit Poelvoorde
A group of 40–something guys, all on the verge of a mid–life crisis, decide to form their local pool's first ever synchronized swimming…
Sisters Brothers, TheSisters Brothers, The (2018) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal
John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix play a couple of fraternal assassins who hunt down a gold prospector in 1850s Oregon in this richly satisfying and…
Sometimes Always NeverSometimes Always Never (2018)
Dir. Carl Hunter
Feat. Bill Nighy, Sam Riley, Alice Lowe
Charming British comedy about a ageing tailor (Bill Nighy) whose eccentricities drive his family up the wall. Based on a short story by Frank…
Stan and OllieStan and Ollie (2018) Recommended
Dir. Jon S. Baird
Feat. Steve Coogan, John C. Reilly, Shirley Henderson
Delightful biopic based on the later years of the lives of the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy, focusing on the duo's personal relationship while…
Support the GirlsSupport the Girls (2018)
Dir. Andrew Bujalski
Feat. Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, James LeGros
Indie stalwart Andrew Bujalski (MUTUAL APPRECIATION) directs this keenly observed comedy about a relentlessly optimistic and dedicated woman who…
Swinging SafariSwinging Safari (2018)
Dir. Stephan Elliot
Feat. Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell
Slap–dash cringe comedy set in suburban Australia in the 1970's, where everyone's lives are disrupted when a 200–ton whale washes up on…
Thunder RoadThunder Road (2018)
Dir. Jim Cummings
Feat. Jim Cummings, Kendal Farr
Jim Cummings wrote, directed and stars in this feature debut as a Texan police officer who suffers a nervous breakdown after his mother dies, risking…
Upside, TheUpside, The (2018)
Dir. Neil Burger
Feat. Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman
A remake of the French smash hit comedy THE INTOUCHABLES that charts the relationship between a wealthy quadriplegic and an unemployed man with a…
Woman at WarWoman at War (2018) Aro Favourite
Dir. Benedikt Erlingsson
Feat. Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir
A droll yet heroic tale of a fifty–year–old environmental activist who is secretly waging a one–woman–war on the local…
20th Century Women20th Century Women (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mike Mills
Feat. Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig
Recalling her turn in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, Annette Bening shines once again as a bohemian Californian mom, who here enlists Greta Gerwig and Elle…
AuroreAurore (I Got Life!) (2017)
Dir. Blandine Lenoir
Feat. Agnes Jaoui, Thibault de Montalembert, Pascale Arbillot
Actress and co–writer Jaoui is the heart and soul of this witty if overly–familiar rom–com as the eponymous 50–year–old…
Back to BurgundyBack to Burgundy (Ce qui nous lie) (2017)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Pio Marmaï, Ana Girardot, François Civil
Sumptuous French family saga which will be a special treat for oenophiles, as three siblings attempt to save the family vineyard in picturesque…
Battle of the Sexes, TheBattle of the Sexes, The (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Feat. Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Sarah Silverman
Entertainingly playful telling of the story behind the milestone 1973 tennis match in which the 29–year–old women's champ Billie Jean…
Brad's StatusBrad's Status (2017) Recommended
Dir. Mike White
Feat. Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Jenna Fischer
Ben Stiller is well cast as a man living a comfortable but unspectacular life, who begins to have doubts about his happiness and prosperity after a…
Brigsby BearBrigsby Bear (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Dave McCary
Feat. Kyle Mooney, Greg Kinnear, Mark Hamill
A wonderfully outré yet comedy starring Saturday Night Live’s Kyle Mooney as a young man whose only connection to the world are his eccentric…
Death of Stalin, TheDeath of Stalin, The (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Armando Iannucci
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine
Outrageous "comedy of terrors" from the creator of IN THE LOOP and VEEP, set in Moscow in 1953, where Stalin has just dropped dead and his cronies…
Disaster Artist, TheDisaster Artist, The (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. James Franco
Feat. James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen
A satirical yet empathetic adaptation of Greg Sestero's autobiographical book of the same name depicting his friendship with one Tommy Wiseau, the…
DownsizingDownsizing (2017)
Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau
Dir. Alexander Payne (NEBRASKA, SIDEWAYS) pulls another one from outside the box with a satiric fantasy in which a man joins the ranks of a…
Funny CowFunny Cow (2017)
Dir. Adrian Shergold
Feat. Maxine Peake, Paddy Considine
Maxine Peake is tremendous in this role as a stand–up comedian touring the working men's clubs in the stifling cultural climate of 1970's…
GiftedGifted (2017)
Dir. Marc Webb
Feat. Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan
A single man (Chris Evans) attempts to give his niece, a burgeoning child prodigy, a normal school life in coastal Florida in this heartfelt and…
Girls - Season 6 (TV Series)Girls - Season 6 (TV Series) (2017) Recommended
Dir. Lena Dunham
Feat. Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke
Final season of Lena Dunham's savvy HBO series on the highs and lows of living and dating in New York – a show that's at once witty, shallow,…
HampsteadHampstead (2017)
Dir. Joel Hopkins
Feat. Diane Keaton, Brendan Gleeson, Lesley Manville
Cosy Brit rom–com in the Richard Curtis tradition, following a mis–matched love affair between Diane Keaton (a wealthy widow) and Brendan…
Hero, TheHero, The (2017)
Dir. Brett Haley
Feat. Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter
An ailing movie star comes to terms with his past and mortality in this touching comedy drama. The title role was written for lead actor Sam Elliot,…
I, TonyaI, Tonya (2017) Recommended
Dir. Craig Gillespie
Feat. Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Sebastian Stan
Darkly comedic tale of American figure skater, Tonya Harding, and one of the most sensational scandals in sports history. Harding was the first…
Imposters (TV Series)Imposters (TV Series) (2017)
Feat. Inbar Lavi
TV series following a relationship con–artist, who gets involved with men and women under the guise of invented personalities, before using…
Just To Be SureJust To Be Sure (Otez-moi d'un doute) (2017)
Dir. Carine Tardieu
Feat. François Damiens, Cecile De France, Andre Wilms
A delightful French comedy–of–errors following a grounded 45–year old widower whose life changes abruptly when he learns that the…
Last Word, TheLast Word, The (2017)
Dir. Mark Pellington
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Amanda Seyfried
A once–successful businesswoman writes her own obituary in an effort to keep tight control over her life, enlisting the help of a young local…
Love, Lies and Records (TV Series)Love, Lies and Records (TV Series) (2017)
Feat. Ashley Jensen, Kenny Doughty
6–episode TV Series from the pen of BAFTA award–winning writer Kay Mellor (SYNDICATE, IN THE CLUB). Kate Dickenson has just been…
Lovers, TheLovers, The (2017) Recommended
Dir. Azazel Jacobs
Feat. Debra Winger, Tracy Letts, Aidan Gillen
Authentic sombre comedy with Debra Winger and Tracy Letts well matched as a long–married, dispassionate couple whose romantic spark suddenly…
Other Side of Hope, TheOther Side of Hope, The (2017) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Sakari Kuosmanen, Sherwan Haji, Ville Virtanen
This Finnish take on the European migrant crisis – proclaimed to be last directed by auteur Aki Kaurismäki – is a poignant yet typically…
Party, TheParty, The (2017)
Dir. Sally Potter
Feat. Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Cherry Jones
A bitingly sharp social satire from the usually more experimental director Sally Potter (ORLANDO) with an experienced ensemble cast lead by Patricia…
PermissionPermission (2017)
Dir. Brian Crano
Feat. Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Morgan Spector
A rom–com that explores thought–provoking themes in a charming package, with Rebecca Hall and Dan Stevens as a committed and loving…
Pop AyePop Aye (2017) Recommended
Dir. Kirsten Tan
Feat. Thaneth Warakulnukroh
Quietly uplifting road trip dramedy following a disillusioned Bangkok architect who embarks on a trek across the idyllic Thai countryside with the…
See You Up ThereSee You Up There (Au revoir là-haut) (2017)
Dir. Albert Dupontel
Feat. Albert Dupontel, Nahuel Pérez Biscayar, Laurent Lafitte
French film adaptation of the ambitious novel set a few days before the 1918 Armistice, where, among the ruins of WWI, a genius draftsman and a…
SuburbiconSuburbicon (2017)
Dir. George Clooney
Feat. Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Oscar Isaac
Dark crime comedy set in supposedly idyllic 50's suburbia, with Matt Damon as a husband and father who is discovering a dark underbelly of crime and…
Their FinestTheir Finest (2017) Recommended
Dir. Lone Scherfig
Feat. Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy
Charming, rousing WWII romance starring Gemma Arterton as a greenhorn screenwriter who joins a makeshift cast and crew to make a film to lift British…
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MissouriThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) Recommended
Dir. Martin McDonagh
Feat. Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell
Frances McDormand gives an Oscar–winning turn as a grieving mother who personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's…
Wajib - The Wedding InvitationWajib - The Wedding Invitation (Wajib) (2017)
Dir. Annemarie Jacir
Feat. Mohamed Bakri
Wryly comedic drama set in Nazareth in the lead–up to Christmas, where a conservative father and his estranged hipster son attempt to reconcile…
A Date for Mad MaryA Date for Mad Mary (2016) Recommended
Dir. Darren Thornton
Feat. Seána Kerslake, Tara Lee
Smart, soulful Irish rom–com following "Mad" Mary McArdle (Seana Kerslake) as she struggles to find a date to her best friends wedding after…
Adult Life SkillsAdult Life Skills (2016)
Dir. Rachel Tunnard
Feat. Jodie Whittaker, Ozzy Myers, Brett Goldstein
Smart indie Brit–com with Jodie Whittaker as a women approaching 30 but caught a state of arrested adolescence, living reclusively in her mum's…
After the StormAfter the Storm (Umi yori mo mada fukaku) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Hiroshi Abe, Kirin Kiki, Yôko Maki
After the death of his father, a morally bankrupt private detective struggles to find child support money and reconnect with his son and…
Atlanta (TV Series)Atlanta (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield
One of a kind comedy series created by and starring Donald Glover, set in the Atlanta rap scene, where a collage drop out (Glover) takes on the…
Brief Encounters (TV Series)Brief Encounters (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Sophie Rundle, Angela Griffin, Penelope Wilton
In early 1980s England, four women wrestling with the pressures of family and finances grasp the opportunity to become party planners for "Ann…
Burn Burn BurnBurn Burn Burn (2016)
Dir. Chanya Button
Feat. Laura Carmichael, Hannah Arterton, Joe Dempsie
Agreeable British dramedy with two woman hitting the road to scatter their friends ashes in four different locations.
Cafe SocietyCafe Society (2016) Recommended
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Jeannie Berlin
Diverting valentine to the 1930s from Woody Allen, in his 49th film, following Bronx–born Jesse Eisenberg through romantic, familial and…
Captain FantasticCaptain Fantastic (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Matt Ross
Feat. Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Samantha Isler
Viggo Mortensen stars in this provocative yet delightful drama set in the forests of the Pacific Northwest as a father devoted to raising his six…
Carer, TheCarer, The (2016)
Dir. János Edelényi
Feat. Brian Cox, Anna Chancellor, Emilia Fox
The redoubtable Brian Cox stars in this likeable, if familiar, drama about an ailing thespian and his relationship with a young immigrant actress who…
Carrie PilbyCarrie Pilby (2016)
Dir. Susan Johnson
Feat. Bel Powley, Nathan Lane, Gabriel Byrne
Bel Powley (DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL) gives another excellent performance as a highly intelligent but isolated 19–year–old woman who is…
Catch, TheCatch, The (2016)
Dir. Simon Mark-Brown
Feat. Tainui Tukiwaho, David Capstick , Nicol Munro
Based on a true story, this good–hearted eco–comedy celebrates fishing culture as fraud unfolds during an angling contest amidst the…
ChronesthesiaChronesthesia (2016) Recommended
Dir. Hayden J. Weal
Feat. Hayden J. Weal, Michelle Ny, Cohen Holloway
Indie rom–com with a curious time–shifting twist in which a socially isolated young man's burgeoning romance with a science student is…
Dear EleanorDear Eleanor (2016)
Dir. Kevin Connolly
Feat. Isabelle Fuhrman, Liana Liberato, Jessica Alba
Family–friendly drama follows two teenage girls who travel across the U.S. in 1962, during the chaos of the Cuban missile crisis, in search of…
Delicious (TV Series)Delicious (TV Series) (2016)
Dir. Claire Kilner
Feat. Dawn French, Iain Glen, Emilia Fox
A darkly comedic infidelity drama with a foodie twist. Dawn French plays a passionate cook who engages in a complicating affair with her celebrity…
Don't Think TwiceDon't Think Twice (2016) Recommended
Dir. Mike Birbiglia
Feat. Mike Birbiglia, Gillian Jacobs, Keegan-Michael Key
Stand–up comic Mike Birbiglia follows up his debut feature SLEEPWALK WITH ME with another self–analytical probe set in the comedy…
Durrells, The (TV Series)Durrells, The (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Keeley Hawes, Milo Parker, Leslie Caron
Picturesque adaptation of Gerald Durrell's autobiographical novel about his family's sudden move to Corfu in the 1930's.
Eddie the EagleEddie the Eagle (2016) Recommended
Dir. Dexter Fletcher
Feat. Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken
Feelgood biopic about the infamous British ski–jumper Eddie Edwards whose lack of athletic prowess and unlikely character charmed the world at…
Edge of SeventeenEdge of Seventeen (2016) Recommended
Dir. Kelly Fremon Craig
Feat. Hailee Steinfeld, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner
Candid and humourous coming–of–age drama where an awkward seventeen year old comes to terms with her all–star older brother dating…
Elvis & NixonElvis & Nixon (Elvis and Nixon) (2016)
Dir. Liza Johnson
Feat. Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer
Kevin Spacey and Michael Shannon square off in this entertaining account of rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley's journey to the White House to request…
Everybody Wants Some!Everybody Wants Some! (2016)
Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Blake Jenner, Will Brittain, Ryan Guzman
Richard Linklater's spiritual successor to DAZED AND CONFUSED follows a group of college baseball players as they navigate their way through the…
Family Fang, TheFamily Fang, The (2016)
Dir. Jason Bateman
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn
The Fang siblings, raised by performance artist parents, return home as adults with their own artistic careers in this art–world family…
Family Law, The (TV Series)Family Law, The (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Trystan Go, Fiona Choi
Gently comic series set in one dysfunctional Chinese–Australian family seen through the eyes of a fourteen–year old boy.
Florence Foster JenkinsFlorence Foster Jenkins (2016) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg
Meryl Streep shines in this biopic of Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York heiress who dreamed of becoming an opera singer, despite having a terrible…
Girls - Season 5 (TV Series)Girls - Season 5 (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Lena Dunham, Adam Driver
Further episodes from Lena Dunham's savvy HBO series on the highs and lows of living and dating in New York – a show that's at once witty,…
Handsome DevilHandsome Devil (2016)
Dir. John Butler
Feat. Fionn O’Shea, Nicholas Galitzine, Andrew Scott
This sweet and amiable Irish coming–of–age story in which a loner and the star athlete at a rugby–mad boarding school become…
Hollars, TheHollars, The (2016)
Dir. John Krasinski
Feat. Margo Martindale, Sharlto Copley, Richard Jenkins
Actor John Kasinski makes a commendable directing debut with this bittersweet indie as a New York artist who returns to his middle–American…
Hologram for the King, AHologram for the King, A (2016)
Dir. Tom Tykwer
Feat. Tom Hanks, Sarita Choudhury, Ben Whishaw
An off–beat, low–key vehicle for Tom Hanks, who plays a failed American sales rep looks to recoup his losses by traveling to Saudi Arabia…
Home From Home (TV Series)Home From Home (TV Series) (2016)
Feat. Johnny Vegas, Emilia Fox, Adam James
BBC sitcom set in the Lake District, England, where a couple fulfill their dream of buying a holiday lodge there, and are overjoyed until they meet…
Hunt for the WilderpeopleHunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Taika Waititi
Feat. Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata
A feel–good comic misadventure in which a rebellious city kid and his reluctant foster uncle become subjects of a manhunt after they "go bush"…
La La LandLa La Land (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Damien Chazelle
Feat. Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Rosemarie DeWitt
The wunderkind director of WHIPLASH fashions another bold, contemporary love letter to the Jazz age, this time as a widescreen, technicolor romantic…
Lazy EyeLazy Eye (2016)
Dir. Tim Kirkman
Feat. Lucas Near-Verbruggh, Aaron Costa Ganis, Michaela Watkins
A graphic designer in his 40's reconnects with a lost love over a weekend away in the Californian desert in this gay–themed romantic drama.…
Like CrazyLike Crazy (La Pazza Gioia) (2016)
Dir. Paolo Virzi
Feat. Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Micaela Ramazzotti
Gratifying comedy–drama following two women, one a troubled introvert, one an impassioned mythomaniac, who break out of a psychiatric facility…
Love & FriendshipLove & Friendship (Love and Friendship) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Whit Stillman
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Chloe Sevigny, Xavier Samuel
Cult American director Whit Stillman helms this sparkling adaptation of a lesser known Jane Austen novella called “Lady Susan”, believed to have…
Mother's DayMother's Day (2016)
Dir. Garry Marshall
Feat. Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson
A quality sap–fest from the director of NEW YEAR'S EVE and VALENTINE'S DAY that follows the fortunes of three generations coming together for…
Mum (TV Series)Mum (TV Series) (2016-2019) Recommended
Dir. Richard Laxton
Feat. Lesley Manville, Peter Mullan
Quality British character comedy following twelve months in the life of a newly widowed mother in her late fifties who attempts to rebuild her life…
Olive Tree, TheOlive Tree, The (El olivo) (2016)
Dir. Iciar Bollain
Feat. Anna Castillo, Javier Gutiérrez, Pep Ambros
Spanish actor–director Iciar Bollain and Ken Loach's regular screenwriter Paul Laverty join forces for this warm and sometimes humorous road…
Ordinary WorldOrdinary World (2016)
Dir. Lee Kirk
Feat. Billie Joe Armstrong, Selma Blair, Judy Greer
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong tries out his acting chops as a domesticated ex–rocker who throws an extravagant 40th birthday party…
Perfect StrangersPerfect Strangers (Perfetti sconosciuti) (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Paolo Genovese
Feat. Giuseppe Battiston, Anna Foglietta, Marco Giallini
A clever comedy of manners for the iphone–era, this Italian award–winner follows a dinner party debacle that unfolds after seven…
Shared RoomsShared Rooms (2016)
Dir. Rob Williams
Feat. Daniel Lipshutz, Alex Neil Miller, Enzo Nova
Queer rom–com telling three interconnected stories of gay men seeking love during the holiday season. A married couple take in a teenage…
Street Cat Named Bob, AStreet Cat Named Bob, A (2016)
Dir. Roger Spottiswoode
Feat. Luke Treadaway, Ruta Gedmintas, Joanne Froggatt
A sweet and poignant comedy–drama based on the life (and best–selling autobiography) of James Bowen, a young homeless London busker and…
Teacher, TheTeacher, The (Ucitelka) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Jan Hrebejk
Feat. Zuzana Mauréry
Black comedy set in 1983 Bratislava, where a school teacher takes advantage of Communist traditions, manipulating the parents of her students into…
This Beautiful FantasticThis Beautiful Fantastic (2016)
Dir. Simon Aboud
Feat. Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Irvine
A talented but reclusive girl develops a friendship with her cantankerous neighbour in this contemporary fairy tale set against the backdrop of a…
This Is Us (TV Series)This Is Us (TV Series) (2016) Recommended
Feat. Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown
Comedy–drama following the lives of two twins and their adopted brother, interweaving the past and present to explore how each of the…
Toni ErdmannToni Erdmann (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Maren Ade
Feat. Peter Simonischek, Sandra Huller, Ingrid Bisu
Brilliant, unclassifiable German comedy where a stern, career–focused woman is followed around a series of mundane board meetings and vapid…
Two is a FamilyTwo is a Family (Demain tout commence) (2016)
Dir. Hugo Gélin
Feat. Omar Sy, Clemence Poesy
An elegantly crafted, crowd–pleasing comedy–drama in fine French tradition, following a bachelor (Omar Sy, THE INTOUCHABLES) who enjoys a…
Whiskey Tango FoxtrotWhiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)
Dir. Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Feat. Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman
Spiky war comedy with Tina Fey as a journalist assigned to Afghanistan at the height of the second Gulf War. Based on the acclaimed memoir "The…
Wiener-DogWiener-Dog (2016)
Dir. Todd Solondz
Feat. Ellen Burstyn, Kieran Culkin, Julie Delpy
Typically black humoured and viciously insightful comedy from dir. Todd Solondz, a spin–off from his indie classic WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE,…
5 Flights Up5 Flights Up (Five Flights Up) (2015)
Dir. Richard Loncraine
Feat. Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman, Cynthia Nixon
Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton headline this amiable drama as a long–married couple endure a hectic weekend as they ponder the sale of the…
800 Words (TV Series)800 Words (TV Series) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Erik Thomson, Michelle Langstone, Jonathan Brugh
From the writers of OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE come this gentle dramedy that follows the travails of a widowed Sydney columnist as he up sticks for life in…
A Man Called OveA Man Called Ove (En man som heter Ove) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Hannes Holm
Feat. Rolf Lassgard, Bahar Pars, Filip Berg
Endearing Swedish hit about a grumpy 59–year–old widower who was deposed as president of the condominium association, but still presides…
AlohaAloha (2015)
Dir. Cameron Crowe
Feat. Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams, Emma Stone
Hawaiian set romantic comedy with Bradley Cooper as a defense worker who teams up with a pilot to stop a satellite launch.
Already Tomorrow in Hong KongAlready Tomorrow in Hong Kong (2015)
Dir. Emily Ting
Feat. Jamie Chung, Bryan Greenberg
A charming romance unfolds in Hong Kong between a Chinese–American toy designer and an American ex–pat. Based on the director's own…
AnomalisaAnomalisa (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Charlie Kaufman
Feat. David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan
Charlie Kaufman directs this affecting stop–motion animation that explores a loners failure to connect with other people and his struggles to…
Ballers (TV Series)Ballers (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Rob Corddry, John David Washington
ENTOURAGE–like series centred around the misadventures of a group of NFL footballers, their agents and their families.
Better Call Saul (TV Series)Better Call Saul (TV Series) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Michael McKean
Spinning–off from smash hit BREAKING BAD, this worthy successor follows the trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Saul Goodman, in the…
Big Short, TheBig Short, The (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Adam McKay
Feat. Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling
A nimble and pointed comedy with a serious agenda about four denizens in the world of high–finance who predict the credit and housing bubble…
Brand New Testament, TheBrand New Testament, The (2015)
Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Catherine Deneuve, François Damiens
Fantastical comedy in which God's teenage daughter gets fed up up with her overbearing father – who never gets off the computer – and…
Chi-RaqChi-Raq (2015)
Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Teyonah Parris
Brilliant Spike Lee musical transposing the classical Greek play Lysistrata by Aristophanes into the setting of a Chicago neighbourhood beset by gang…
Danny CollinsDanny Collins (2015)
Dir. Dan Fogelman
Feat. Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner
Al Pacino stars as an aging rock star who decides to change his life when he discovers a 40–year–old letter written to him by John…
Diary of a Teenage Girl, TheDiary of a Teenage Girl, The (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Marielle Heller
Feat. Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgard, Kristen Wiig
This brave and bittersweet portrait of an unusual sexual awakening has Bel Powley as a fledgling cartoonist entering into a relationship with her…
Dressmaker, TheDressmaker, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Jocelyn Moorhouse
Feat. Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth
Kate Winslet cuts a dashing figure (and a true–blue Aussie accent) as a talented dressmaker who returns home from Paris to the tiny isolated…
FocusFocus (2015)
Dir. John Requa, Glenn Ficarra
Feat. Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro
Will Smith stars as a veteran con man whose latest scheme is thrown for a loop when a woman from his past returns.
Forbidden Room, TheForbidden Room, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson
Feat. Roy Dupuis, Clara Furey, Jacques Nolot
Maverick director Guy Maddin applies his wild and deliciously demented imagination to this fantastic fantasy, telling a range of almost…
FriskyFrisky (2015)
Dir. Claudia Pickering
Feat. Claudia Pickering, Monica Ammerman, Brandon Wardle
Directed by and starring the multi–talented Claudia Pickering, this fresh micro–budget indie follows two female college grads who leave…
Girl AsleepGirl Asleep (2015)
Dir. Rosemary Myers
Feat. Bethany Whitmore, Harrison Feldman, Amber McMahon
Based on the theatre production, this colourful coming–of–age tale set in 1970’s Australia expressively journeys into the absurd, scary…
Girls - Season 4 (TV Series)Girls - Season 4 (TV Series) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke
Further episodes from Lena Dunham's savvy HBO series on the highs and lows of living and dating in New York – a show that's at once witty,…
GrandmaGrandma (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Paul Weitz
Feat. Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden
Satisfying indie comedy–drama starring Lily Tomlin in a rare starring role as an acerbic lesbian grandmother who receives an unexpected visit…
I'll See You In My DreamsI'll See You In My Dreams (2015)
Dir. Brett Haley
Feat. Blythe Danner, Sam Elliott, Martin Starr
Blythe Danner is exceptional in this heartfelt drama about a widow and former songstress who discovers that life can begin anew at any age.
Idol, TheIdol, The (Ya tayr el tayer) (2015)
Dir. Hany Abu-Assad
Feat. Tawfeek Barhom, Kais Attalah, Hiba Attalah
Comedy–drama based on the true story of an aspiring Palestinian musician who sets about overcoming the extraordinary goal of competing on the…
Intern, TheIntern, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Nancy Meyers
Feat. Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo
Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway clash in this generation gap comedy from the pen of Nancy Meyers (IT'S COMPLICATED). De Niro plays a retired…
Lady in the Van, TheLady in the Van, The (2015)
Dir. Nicholas Hytner
Feat. Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Jim Broadbent
Maggie Smith is adorable as usual in this cosy adaptation of Alan Bennett's play, based on his experience of developing an unlikely friendship with a…
Lobster, TheLobster, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Feat. Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux
The director of DOGTOOTH returns with another decidedly offbeat satire. Set in the dystopian near future, single people, are obliged to find a…
Looking for GraceLooking for Grace (2015)
Dir. Sue Brooks
Feat. Radha Mitchell, Richard Roxburgh, Odessa Young
Set in hot and desolate Western Australia, this tells its story of a runaway teenager and her parents endeavours to track her down from multiple…
Maggie's PlanMaggie's Plan (2015)
Dir. Rebecca Miller
Feat. Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore
Witty showcase for the talents of Greta Gerwig, here playing a woman who's plans to have a baby on her own are derailed when she becomes involved…
Magic Mike XXLMagic Mike XXL (2015)
Dir. Gregory Jacobs
Feat. Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Kevin Nash
Channing Tatum rips his pants one more time as Mike and the remaining Kings of Tampa hit the road to Myrtle Beach to put on one last blow–out…
MargueriteMarguerite (2015) Recommended
Dir. Xavier Giannoli
Feat. Catherine Frot, Andre Marcon, Michel Fau
Touching French version of the story inspired by the life of Florence Foster Jenkins, a socialite who believed she was in possession of a beautiful…
Me and Earl and the Dying GirlMe and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Feat. Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke
Winner of the Grand Jury prize at Sundance, this imaginative, eclectic dramedy follows an awkward high–school filmmaker and a gravely ill…
Meddler, TheMeddler, The (2015)
Dir. Lorene Scafaria
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne, J.K. Simmons
Susan Sarandon and Rose Byrne face off in this amiable, bittersweet and comedy about an aging widow who follows her daughter to Los Angeles in hopes…
Miss You AlreadyMiss You Already (2015)
Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Feat. Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Dominic Cooper
Toni Collette and Drew Barrymore headline this superior tearjerker about how the friendship between two life–long girlfriends is put to the…
Nina ForeverNina Forever (2015)
Dir. Chris Blaine, Ben Blaine
Feat. Fiona OShaughnessy, Cian Barry, Abigail Hardingham
Darkly funny horror in which a man embarking on a new relationship is taunted by his dead ex–girlfriend whenever he has sex.
One Wild MomentOne Wild Moment (2015)
Dir. Jean-François Richet
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Francois Cluzet, Alice Isaaz
Exotic romantic comedy with Cassel and Cluzet as two friends who bring their daughters with them on a beach vacation and find themselves in an…
Paper TownsPaper Towns (2015)
Dir. Jake Schreier
Feat. Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Austin Abrams
From the pen of John Green, the writer of THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, comes a wistful teen adventure in which a boy and his friends search for his…
PawnoPawno (2015)
Dir. Phil Ireland
Feat. John Brumpton, Damian Hill, Kerry Armstrong
A well–drawn ensemble drama that surveys a single day in a Melbourne pawnshop centred around its laid–back but jaded owner who encounters…
People Places ThingsPeople Places Things (2015) Recommended
Dir. James C. Strouse
Feat. Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Jessica Williams
Bittersweet indie comedy distinguished by a romantic lead performance by Jemaine Clement as a newly single graphic novelist balancing parenting his…
Ricki and the FlashRicki and the Flash (2015)
Dir. Jonathan Demme
Feat. Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Mamie Gummer
Meryl Streep adds 'rock star' to her oeuvre in this pleasing dramedy written by Diablo Cody and directed by Jonathan Demme. Streep stars as a…
Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, TheSecond Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The (2015)
Dir. John Madden
Feat. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy
Sequel to the unlikely hit comedy has the Marigold's proprietor considering expansion as a rooming predicament arises.
Second Mother, TheSecond Mother, The (Que Horas Ela Volta?) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Anna Muylaert
Feat. Regina Case
An intelligent, touching and funny film exploring the complexities of class structure in Brazil. Tensions arise when a wealthy family allows their…
TangerineTangerine (2015) Recommended
Dir. Sean Baker
Feat. Katana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, James Ransone
Energetic and frequently hilarious buddy comedy follows two transgender sex workers as they navigate the unforgiving streets of Los Angeles on…
Togetherness (TV Series)Togetherness (TV Series) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Mark Duplass, Melanie Lynskey, Amanda Peet
Kiwi actress Melanie Lynskey stars in this entirely relatable HBO comedy–drama from the prolific Duplass brothers that follows the…
TrumanTruman (2015) Recommended
Dir. Cesc Gay
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Javier Camara
Spanish cinema stars Ricardo Darin and Javier Camara team up for this sensitive comedy as childhood friends who reunite after many years when one of…
TumbledownTumbledown (2015)
Dir. Sean Mewshaw
Feat. Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, Blythe Danner
Earnest romantic drama with the widow of a acclaimed folk–singer tentatively exploring romance with his biographer.
Walk in the Woods, AWalk in the Woods, A (2015)
Dir. Ken Kwapis
Feat. Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson
Robert Redford and Nick Nolte walk the Appalachian trail together in this lightly comic adaptation of Bill Bryson's memoir, with much of the pleasure…
Westside (TV Series)Westside (TV Series) (2015-2019)
Feat. Antonia Prebble, David de Lautour, Reef Ireland
A period prequel to OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE. Legendary safe cracker and career criminal, Ted West and his first wife Rita Build their fortune in the slums…
YouthYouth (2015) Recommended
Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz
Bittersweet dramedy with Michael Caine as a retired orchestra conductor on holiday contemplating one final performance after a request from Queen…
ZoomZoom (2015)
Dir. Paulo Morelli
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Alison Pill, Jason Priestley
A multi–dimensional interface between a comic book artist, a novelist, and a film director. Each lives in a separate reality but authors a…
A Chance EncounterA Chance Encounter (Quantum Love) (2014)
Dir. Lisa Azuelos
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Francois Cluzet, Lisa Azuelos
High–concept romantic comedy which blends fantasy with reality as a a married man's encounter with another woman develops into a mutual…
A Long Way DownA Long Way Down (2014)
Dir. Pascal Chaumeil
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots
Four lost souls – a disgraced TV presenter, a foul–mouthed teen, an isolated single mother and a solipsistic muso – decide to end…
Babylon (TV Mini-Series)Babylon (TV Mini-Series) (2014)
Feat. Brit Marling, Ella Smith, Bertie Carvel
British comedy–drama set in contemporary London, and following the activities of the Metropolitan Police Service and New Scotland Yard, as they…
BirdmanBirdman (Birdman: or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Feat. Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton
A nimble, bravura Oscar–winning black comedy that cannily casts Michael Keaton as a washed–up actor who, having once played an iconic…
Cobbler, TheCobbler, The (2014)
Dir. Tom McCarthy
Feat. Adam Sandler, Dan Stevens, Ellen Barkin
The director of THE STATION AGENT and THE VISITOR helms this slice of magic realism about a frustrated shoemaker who finds a magical sewing machine…
CometComet (2014)
Dir. Sam Esmail
Feat. Justin Long, Emmy Rossum, Kayla Servi
Visually distinctive romantic drama set in a parallel universe that bounces back and forth over the course of an unlikely but perfectly paired…
Elsa & FredElsa & Fred (Elsa and Fred) (2014)
Dir. Michael Radford
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Christopher Plummer, Marcia Gay Harden
Shirley Maclaine and Christopher Plummer take the leads in this remake of the Argentinian romance in which a feisty retiree and her new neighbor, an…
FaultsFaults (2014) Recommended
Dir. Riley Stearns
Feat. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Leland Orser
Commendable, darkly comic indie–drama set in the intiguing world of cult de–programming with excellent performances from Lealand Orser…
Folies BergèreFolies Bergère (Paris Follies) (2014)
Dir. Marc Fitoussi
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Michael Nyqvist
Isabelle Huppert stars in this lighty comic French tale as a as a farmer’s wife who takes off to Paris on a whim and finds romance in unexpected…
Force MajeureForce Majeure (Turist) (2014) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ruben Östlund
Feat. Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Kristofer Hivju
A barbed and incisive Swedish black comedy of gender politics, centred around a family on a skiing holiday in the French Alps who face a recognizable…
FrankFrank (2014) Aro Favourite
Dir. Lenny Abrahamson
Feat. Domhnall Gleeson, Scoot McNairy, Maggie Gyllenhaal
A lovable, off–beat indie rock satire in which Michael Fassbender plays the leader of a group of experimental musicians who lives permanently…
Gemma BoveryGemma Bovery (2014)
Dir. Anne Fontaine
Feat. Gemma Arterton, Fabrice Luchini, Jason Flemyng
Gemma Arterton stars in this whimsical send–up of Flaubert's classic novel. Aftermoving to the French countryside with her husband, a British…
Girls - Season 3 (TV Series)Girls - Season 3 (TV Series) (2014) Recommended
Dir. Lena Dunham
Feat. Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke
Further episodes from Lena Dunham's savvy HBO series on the highs and lows of living and dating in New York – a show that's at once witty,…
Hector and the Search For HappinessHector and the Search For Happiness (2014)
Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, Jean Reno
Simon Pegg plays a disillusioned psychiatrist traveling the globe in search of the secret of happiness.
Humbling, TheHumbling, The (2014)
Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Al Pacino, Greta Gerwig, Dianne Wiest
Al Pacino and Greta Gerwig headline this erotic comedy about a stage actor who is slowly losing his mind who engages in a relationship with a…
Infinitely Polar BearInfinitely Polar Bear (2014)
Dir. Maya Forbes
Feat. Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Keir Dullea
Bittersweet drama in which a bipolar father takes over sole responsibility for his two spirited daughters while his wife attends graduate school in…
LaggiesLaggies (2014)
Dir. Lynn Shelton
Feat. Keira Knightley, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sam Rockwell
Indie comedy with Knightley as a woman in the throes of a quarter–life crisis brought on by her boyfriend's sudden proposal.
Learning to DriveLearning to Drive (2014)
Dir. Isabel Coixet
Feat. Patricia Clarkson, Ben Kingsley, Grace Gummer
Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley headline this undemanding comedy about the unlikely friendship between a literary agent and a Sikh driving…
Life PartnersLife Partners (2014)
Dir. Susanna Fogel
Feat. Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, Adam Brody
A lawyer and her lesbian best friend experience a dramatic shift in their longtime bond after one enters a serious relationship.
Listen Up PhilipListen Up Philip (2014)
Dir. Alex Ross Perry
Feat. Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce
Acidic, stylistically bold portrait of a young narcissistic writer (Schwartzman) who petulantly refuses to promote his second novel, and instead…
Looking (TV Series)Looking (TV Series) (2014) Recommended
Feat. Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Álvarez, Murray Bartlett
A funny and earnest HBO dramedy about the lives of a group of gay friends living in contemporary San Francisco. Co–produced by Andrew Haigh…
Love at First FightLove at First Fight (Les Combattants) (2014) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Cailley
Feat. Adele Haenel, Kevin Azais, Antoine Laurent
An intensely physical take on the romantic comedy, with an awkward summer romance taking place at a French survivalist camp between a…
My Old LadyMy Old Lady (2014) Recommended
Dir. Israel Horovitz
Feat. Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas
Uplifting and sophisticated Anglo–French dramedy set around a disputed Parisian apartment in the wake of a family bereavement. Based on…
Obvious ChildObvious Child (2014)
Dir. Gillian Robespierre
Feat. Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann
A New York indie comedy of the "awkward girl" variety that focuses on how a comedienne's unplanned pregnancy forces her to confront the realities of…
Our Zoo (TV Series)Our Zoo (TV Series) (2014)
Feat. Lee Ingleby, Liz White, Anne Reid
Charming mini–series follows the family who founded the famed Chester Zoo.
PridePride (2014) Aro Favourite
Dir. Matthew Warchus
Feat. Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West
An inspired and inspirational dramatization of true events that took place when a group of Gay Rights activists in London offered generous support to…
Queen & CountryQueen & Country (Queen and Country) (2014)
Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Callum Turner, Vanessa Kirby, David Thewlis
Long–awaited follow up to director John Boorman's comic memoir HOPE AND GLORY follows his alter–ego as he undergoes basic training in…
SambaSamba (2014)
Dir. Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Feat. Omar Sy, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Tahar Rahim
The creative force behind THE INTOUCHABLES return with this inspirational drama centered on the redeeming relationship between a Senegalese…
Shooting for SocratesShooting for Socrates (2014)
Dir. James Erskine
Feat. Art Parkinson, Richard Dormer, John Hannah
Heartfelt sports drama follows Northern Ireland's participation in the 1986 soccer World Cup told from the point of view of a player and a young fan.
Skeleton Twins, TheSkeleton Twins, The (2014) Recommended
Dir. Craig Johnson
Feat. Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Luke Wilson
Piercing black comedy about two estranged twins, having both coincidentally cheated death on the same day, struggling to mend their relationship.
St. VincentSt. Vincent (2014) Recommended
Dir. Theodore Melfi
Feat. Bill Murray, Naomi Watts, Melissa McCarthy
Likeable coming–of–age comedy about an unlikely friendship between a young boy and a misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic war veteran who…
TrashTrash (2014) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Daldry
Feat. Rooney Mara, Martin Sheen, Wagner Moura
From the unlikely pen of Brit rom–com supremo Richard Curtis comes this crime comedy set in Rio de Janeiro in which three kids who make a…
What We Did on Our HolidayWhat We Did on Our Holiday (2014) Recommended
Dir. Andy Hamilton, Guy Jenkin
Feat. Rosamund Pike, David Tennant, Billy Connolly
Amiable British comedy with Rosamund Pike and David Tennant as a bickering, divorcing couple, who take their kids from London to Scotland, to visit…
While We're YoungWhile We're Young (2014) Recommended
Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver
Ben Stiller plays a documentarian whose career and marriage are overturned when a much younger couple enters their social circle in this…
Wish I Was HereWish I Was Here (2014)
Dir. Zach Braff
Feat. Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin
Zach Braff's belated follow–up to GARDEN STATE sees him direct and star as a 35 year old struggling actor, father and husband who winds up…
Witches of East End (TV Series)Witches of East End (TV Series) (2014)
Feat. Julia Ormond, Madchen Amick
TV series about a family of witches who live in the seaside town of East End. Based on the book of the same name by Melissa de la Cruz.
A.C.O.DA.C.O.D (Adult Children Of Divorce) (2013)
Dir. Stuart Zicherman
Feat. Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O'Hara
A solid, character–focused mixer of dysfunctional comedy and down–to–earth navel gazing, with Adam Scott as the weary…
AdmissionAdmission (2013)
Dir. Paul Weitz
Feat. Tina Fey, Paul Rudd, Wallace Shawn
A sweet, serio–comic romance with Tiny Fey as a Princeton admission officer whose straight–laced existence is invigorated by a…
Adult WorldAdult World (2013)
Dir. Scott Coffey
Feat. Emma Roberts, John Cusack, Evan Peters
A struggling college graduate with aspirations of becoming a poet slums it at a small town sex shop in this dry indie comedy.
Ambassadors (TV Series)Ambassadors (TV Series) (2013)
Feat. David Mitchell, Robert Webb
Comedy duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb somewhat invert their PEEP SHOW personas for this three–part comedy–drama series following the…
Blue JasmineBlue Jasmine (2013) Aro Favourite
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin
Another jewel from 'late period' Woody Allen with Cate Blanchett also in fine form as a down–at–heel socialite who moves to San Francisco…
Bluestone 42 (TV Series)Bluestone 42 (TV Series) (2013) Recommended
Feat. Oliver Chris, Kelly Adams, Matthew Lewis
Excellent British dramedy combines realism with levity in its chronicle of a British bomb disposal detachment in Afghanistan. Series One: 9…
C.O.G.C.O.G. (2013)
Dir. Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Feat. Jonathan Groff, Denis O'Hare, Casey Wilson
Coming–of–age dramedy based on the story of the same name by David Sedaris. A young man (Jonathan Groff) travels to Oregon to work on…
Computer ChessComputer Chess (2013) Recommended
Dir. Andrew Bujalski
Feat. Kriss Schludermann, Tom Fletcher, Wiley Wiggins
Mumblecore maestro Andrew Bujalski directs this left–of–field mockumentary, shot on low–fi video, about a surreal chess tournament…
Don JonDon Jon (2013) Recommended
Dir. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Feat. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore
Joseph Gordon–Levitt wrote, directs and stars in this distinctly masculine rom–com as a New Jersey 'player' who must confront his nagging…
Drinking BuddiesDrinking Buddies (2013) Recommended
Dir. Joe Swanberg
Feat. Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick
Dir. Joe Swanberg instills a mumblecore ethos into this lively and naturalistic comedy of two friendly couples fighting an attraction to opposite…
English Teacher, TheEnglish Teacher, The (2013)
Dir. Craig Zisk
Feat. Julianne Moore, Michael Angarano, Greg Kinnear
An introverted English teacher learns to take risks in life and love with the aid of a former student and aspiring playwright in this snappy,…
Enough SaidEnough Said (2013) Aro Favourite
Dir. Nicole Holofcener
Feat. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener
Writer/director Nicole Holofcener moves into the first division with her fifth feature film, a savvy divorcee rom–com in perfect accord with…
Fading GigoloFading Gigolo (2013)
Dir. John Turturro
Feat. John Turturro, Woody Allen, Sofia Vergara
John Turturro is a struggling Brooklyn bookstore owner who contrives with his best friend (played by Woody Allen) to set up a male prostitution…
Family Tree (TV Series)Family Tree (TV Series) (2013)
Dir. Christopher Guest
Feat. Chris O'Dowd, Ed Jr. Begley, Nina Conti
Director Christopher Guest (WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, BEST IN SHOW) applies his distinctive doco–style comedy to the episodic format of television…
Geography ClubGeography Club (2013)
Dir. Gary Entin
Feat. Cameron Deane Stewart, Meaghan Martin, Justin Deeley
A sweet–centred dramedy of queer coming–of–age, focused on a teenager whose struggle with sexuality is comforted after he joins an…
Getting On (TV Series)Getting On (TV Series) (2013)
Feat. Laurie Metcalf, Alex Borstein, Niecy Nash
Serio–comic HBO remake of the British satirical series about a geriatric ward and the relationship between its patients and medical…
Girls - Season 2 (TV Series)Girls - Season 2 (TV Series) (2013) Recommended
Dir. Lena Dunham
Feat. Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke
Further episodes from Lena Dunham's savvy HBO series on the highs and lows of living and dating in New York – a show that's at once witty,…
Le WeekendLe Weekend (2013)
Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum
Director Roger Michell and writer Hanif Kureishi (VENUS, THE MOTHER) reteam for this poignant story of a long–married couple who revisit Paris…
Life of CrimeLife of Crime (2013)
Dir. Daniel Schechter
Feat. Jennifer Aniston, Mos Def, Isla Fisher
Elmore Leonard adaptation has two crims get more than they bargained for after kidnapping the wife of a corrupt real–estate developer who shows…
Living is Easy with Eyes ClosedLiving is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013)
Dir. David Trueba
Feat. Javier Camara, Natalia de Molina, Francesc Colomer
Award–winning Spanish comedy concerning a Beatles–obsessed school teacher on a quest to meet John Lennon, picking up two teenage runaways…
May in the SummerMay in the Summer (2013)
Dir. Cherien Dabis
Feat. Cherien Dabis, Alia Shawkat, Hiam Abbass
Jordanian set drama of cultural misunderstanding about a successful author returning to her familial hometown Amman in preparation for her impending…
Mr. Morgan's Last LoveMr. Morgan's Last Love (Last Love) (2013)
Dir. Sandra Nettelbeck
Feat. Michael Caine, Clemence Poesy, Gillian Anderson
Grieving for his beloved wife, a professor who planned to spend their twilight years in Paris rekindles a passion for life after a chance meeting…
Of Horses and MenOf Horses and Men (2013)
Dir. Benedikt Erlingsson
Feat. Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Charlotte Bøving, Kristbjörg Kjeld
A series of comic vignettes of life in a rural Icelandic community, which shows the intertwined lives of humans and horses in sometimes awkward…
Orange is the New Black (TV Series)Orange is the New Black (TV Series) (2013) Aro Favourite
Feat. Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew
A bracing, darkly humorous addition to the women–in–prison genre, centred on the plight of a privileged young woman whose fling with a…
Perfect Wedding, ThePerfect Wedding, The (2013)
Dir. Scott Gabriel
Feat. James Rebhorn, Eric Aragon, Kristine Sutherland
Nobody's going for the Best Actor Oscar in this Hallmark–but–gay Xmas movie from New York Times Bestselling Author Suzanne Brockmann.…
Please Like Me (TV Series)Please Like Me (TV Series) (2013) Recommended
Dir. Matthew Saville
Feat. Josh Thomas, Debra Lawrance, David Roberts
A charming (if cute) Australian comedy–drama series created by and starring Josh Thomas, who plays a twenty–something who's girlfriend…
Pretty One, ThePretty One, The (2013)
Dir. Jenée LaMarque
Feat. Zoe Kazan, Jake Johnson, Ron Livingston
An insecure young woman assumes the identity of her dead twin sister in this whimsical romantic comedy.
Prince AvalanchePrince Avalanche (2013)
Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch
Two highway road workers pass the time in the Texas wilderness in this laconic return–to–form for indie darling David Gordon Green.
Rock the CasbahRock the Casbah (2013)
Dir. Laïla Marrakchi
Feat. Morjana Alaoui, Nadine Labaki, Lubna Azabal
Culturally–specific family comedy in which three women reunite in Morocco to mourn in accordance with Muslim tradition following the death of…
Secret Life of Walter Mitty, TheSecret Life of Walter Mitty, The (2013)
Dir. Ben Stiller
Feat. Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Kathryn Hahn
Ben Stiller directs and stars in this splashy adaptation of James Thurber's short story about a meek proofreader who finds solace and empowerment in…
Some Girl(s)Some Girl(s) (2013)
Feat. Adam Brody, Kristen Bell, Zoe Kazan
Adam Brody (THE OC) stars in this comedy about a man who decides to travel around the USA visiting his ex–girlfriends, who he mistreated,…
Spud 2: The Madness ContinuesSpud 2: The Madness Continues (2013)
Dir. Donovan Marsh
Feat. Troye Sivan, John Cleese
The eponymous spud, now 15–years–old, creeps along towards manhood in this sequel to the charming private school comedy.
Still LifeStill Life (2013)
Dir. Uberto Pasolini
Feat. Eddie Marsan, Joanne Froggatt, Andrew Buchan
Eddie Marsan excels as a lonely, obsessive council worker made redundant from his job tracking down relatives of those who have died alone who…
Sunshine on LeithSunshine on Leith (2013) Recommended
Dir. Dexter Fletcher
Feat. Antonia Thomas, Peter Mullan, Jason Flemyng
Bouncing off the solid catalogue of hits from died–in–the–wool Scots popsters The Proclaimers, this jubilant musical inspires with…
Turtle Hill, BrooklynTurtle Hill, Brooklyn (2013)
Dir. Ryan Gielen
Feat. Brian W. Seibert, Ricardo Valdez, Joie Bauer
Micro–budget indie dramedy about a gay couple who invite their friends over for a 30th birthday party, with all kinds of drama ensuing. A well…
Way Way Back, TheWay Way Back, The (2013) Recommended
Dir. Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Feat. Rob Corddry, Steve Carell, Toni Collette
The screenwriters behind THE DESCENDENTS direct this affecting summer comedy of an awkward boy's transition into adulthood and his relationships with…
WetlandsWetlands (2013)
Dir. David Wnendt
Feat. Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Marlen Kruse
Provocative comic tale of an eccentric girl who has strange attitudes towards hygiene and sexuality longs for the reunion of her divorced parents.
What IfWhat If (2013)
Dir. Michael Dowse
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, Megan Park
A medical–school dropout tries to hide his attraction to his new friend, a bubbly artist who already has a boyfriend.
Words and PicturesWords and Pictures (2013)
Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche, Bruce Davison
Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche play passionate arts teachers with opposing worldviews in this romantic comedy of the mind.
2 Days in New York2 Days in New York (2012)
Dir. Julie Delpy
Feat. Julie Delpy, Chris Rock
The sequel to 2 DAYS IN PARIS, written, directed and starring Julie Delpy, who is Marian, a Parisian woman now living in New York and exploring a new…
A Gun in Each HandA Gun in Each Hand (2012)
Dir. Cesc Gay
Feat. Javier Camara, Ricardo Darín, Jordi Molla
A talk–em–up as opposed to a shoot–em–up, this lively portmanteau follows the dissatisfied lives of eight middle–aged…
Cheerful Weather for the WeddingCheerful Weather for the Wedding (2012)
Dir. Donald Rice
Feat. Felicity Jones, Luke Treadaway, Mackenzie Crook
Coy period drama with a young woman battling with nerves on her wedding day, while downstairs her fretting husband waits.
Darling CompanionDarling Companion (2012)
Dir. Lawrence Kasdan
Feat. Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Dianne Wiest
Cracks in the marriage of a long–time couple begin to show when their beloved dog goes missing on a weekend retreat. Dir. Kasdan's ongoing…
Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 8Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 8 (2012)
Feat. Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross
Final episodes from the popular drama–black comedy set among the denizens of suburban America. 23 Episodes.
Frances HaFrances Ha (2012)
Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver
The whimsical exploits of a struggling dancer at the tail end of her adolescence are semi–improvised in this Manhattan indie rom–com,…
Free SamplesFree Samples (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jay Gammill
Feat. Jess Weixler, Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Ritter
A small–scale but deceptively smart and engaging "retail comedy" that spends a day in the life with a sarcastic LA law–school dropout who…
Girl In ProgressGirl In Progress (2012)
Dir. Patricia Riggen
Feat. Eva Mendes, Matthew Modine, Cierra Ramirez
Comedy following a Hispanic single mother (Eva Mendes) raising a precocious teenager who wants to grow up fast, and decides to tick off all the…
Girls - Season 1 (TV Series)Girls - Season 1 (TV Series) (2012) Recommended
Dir. Lena Dunham
Feat. Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke
Following her "mumblecore" hit TINY FURNITURE, wunderkind Lena Dunham's breakthrough into television (with the help of kingpin Judd Apatow) heralds a…
Haute CuisineHaute Cuisine (2012)
Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Catherine Frot, Hippolyte Girardot
A heavenly food biopic of the life of Danièle Delpeuch, celebrated private chef to the French president, François Mitterrand.
Hello I Must Be GoingHello I Must Be Going (2012)
Dir. Todd Louiso
Feat. Melanie Lynskey, Blythe Danner, John Rubinstein
Melanie Lynskey is excellent as a wounded young divorcee forced to move back in with her parents, in this serio–comic character…
Hope SpringsHope Springs (2012)
Dir. David Frankel
Feat. Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell
An admirable dramedy of twilight romance, with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones playing a couple of thirty years who attend marriage counseling when…
Hyde Park on HudsonHyde Park on Hudson (2012)
Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Colman
Pleasant chronicle of the affair between President Roosevelt (Bill Murray) and his distant cousin, Daisy (Laura Linney), which comes to light during…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2012: Volume OneItalian Film Festival Collection, The - 2012: Volume One (2012)
Comprehensive box–set collection of 16 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2012' spread over 5 discs. Films…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2012: Volume TwoItalian Film Festival Collection, The - 2012: Volume Two (2012)
Comprehensive box–set collection of 14 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2012' spread over 5 discs. Films…
Jayne Mansfield's CarJayne Mansfield's Car (2012)
Dir. Billy Bob Thornton
Feat. Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick
Flavoursome southern drama set during the Vietnam war is about two families from different countries whose cultures clash.
Kiwi FlyerKiwi Flyer (2012)
Dir. Tony Simpson
Feat. Edward Hall, Tikirau Hathaway, Tandi Wright
Amiable family fun follows twelve–year old Ben as he sets out to win Nelson's annual trolley derby, but he's up against some stiff Aussie…
Liberal ArtsLiberal Arts (2012)
Dir. Josh Radnor
Feat. Josh Radnor, Elizabeth Olsen, Richard Jenkins
Josh Radnor, star of top–draw sitcom HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER directs his second self–penned romantic comedy, himself playing a…
Looking for HortenseLooking for Hortense (2012)
Dir. Pascal Bonitzer
Feat. Jean-Pierre Bacri, Kristin Scott Thomas, Isabelle Carré
This bittersweet comedy of manners finds familiar May–December pleasures in the mid–life journey of an unhappily married professor who…
Magic MikeMagic Mike (2012)
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer
Steven Soderbergh directs this hard–bodied drama of an upstart male stripper mentored by a veteran of the business, apparently based on…
Much Ado About NothingMuch Ado About Nothing (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Joss Whedon
Feat. Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion
Thank heaven for Joss Whedon and for a tiny little project he threw together in his spare time whole he was in the editing room for THE AVENGERS.…
On AirOn Air (Parlez-moi de vous) (2012)
Dir. Pierre Pinaud
Feat. Karin Viard, Nicolas Duvauchelle
A solid character vehicle for French mainstay Karin Viard, here playing the sophisticated host of a radio talkback show, whose knack for delivering…
Picture DayPicture Day (2012)
Dir. Kate Melville
Feat. Tatiana Maslany, Spencer Van Wyck, Steven McCarthy
A rebellious teenager forced to complete her senior year of high school falls in romantically with two very different guys in this modest indie…
QuartetQuartet (2012) Recommended
Dir. Dustin Hoffman
Feat. Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly
Another pleasant surprise for the retiree set, this time centred on a home for retired musicians, and the recently arrived opera diva (Maggie Smith)…
RealityReality (2012) Recommended
Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli, Nando Paone
A working class scam artist tries out for 'Big Brother' in this bustling, Fellini–esque satire of unrealised dreams from dir. Matteo Garrone…
Rita (TV Series)Rita (TV Series) (2012-2015) Recommended
Feat. Mille Dinesen, Lise Baastrup, Carsten Bjørnlund
Danish comedy series following the life of a defiantly outspoken school teacher and single mother who excels in her teaching but struggles in her…
Silver Linings PlaybookSilver Linings Playbook (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro
An institutionalized man attempts to readjust to life and love in this full–bodied comedy–drama that pairs two of the hottest stars of…
Stella (TV Series)Stella (TV Series) (2012)
Feat. Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones, creator of GAVIN AND STACEY, steps into the role of a Welsh single mother surrounded by the comic eccentricities of her family and the…
Thanks For SharingThanks For Sharing (2012)
Dir. Stuart Blumberg
Feat. Mark Ruffalo, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim Robbins
By making the primary addiction of its central characters sex, Stuart Blumberg’s film prompts the audience to ask themselves about their attitudes…
Tortoise in LoveTortoise in Love (2012)
Dir. Guy Browning
Feat. Tom Mitchelson, Alice Zawadzki, Tom Yates
Cheap and cheerful rom–com concerning a socially awkward gardener who attempts to overcome his chronic shyness after falling in love with a…
Why Stop Now?Why Stop Now? (2012)
Dir. Phil Dorling, Ron Nyswaner
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo, Tracy Morgan
Jesse Eisenberg plays a piano prodigy determined to get his drug addicted mother (Melissa Leo) into rehab – with the help of a bumbling dealer…
10 Years10 Years (2011)
Dir. Jamie Linden
Feat. Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Rosario Dawson
A group of friends take the opportunity to reassess their lives on the occasion of their ten–year high school reunion in this…
50/5050/50 (2011)
Dir. Jonathan Levine
Feat. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick
Seth Rogen plays the supportive best friend to Joseph Gordon–Levitt's terminally ill 27–year–old in this serio–comic…
A Happy EventA Happy Event (Un Heureux Evenement) (2011)
Dir. Rémi Bezançon
Feat. Louise Bourgoin, Pio Marmaï, Josiane Balasko
Keenly felt depiction of the baby blues as a young couple struggle to come to grips with parenthood.
Ages of LoveAges of Love (Manual of Love 3) (2011)
Dir. Giovanni Veronesi
Feat. Robert De Niro, Monica Bellucci, Riccardo Scamarcio
Third installment in the fluffy romantic series has benefits from the presence of De Niro as a visiting professor seduced by his neighbour's…
Almighty Johnsons, The (TV Series)Almighty Johnsons, The (TV Series) (2011)
Feat. Timothy Balme, Dean O'Gorman, Ben Barrington
From the creators of Outrageous Fortune, this fantastical series follows the misadventures of four brothers who happen to be the living incarnations…
And If We All Lived TogetherAnd If We All Lived Together (2011)
Dir. Stéphane Robelin
Feat. Guy Bedos, Daniel Brühl, Geraldine Chaplin
Five 70–something friends resolve to move in together when faced with life in a retirement home, much to the fascination of a ethnology student…
Another Happy DayAnother Happy Day (2011)
Dir. Sam Levinson
Feat. Ellen Barkin, Kate Bosworth, Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Barkin is a stand–out in this black comedy, playing a high strung woman who visits her parents' Annapolis estate for a wedding, which…
Art of Getting By, TheArt of Getting By, The (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gavin Wiesen
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano
A sensitive and even–handed coming–of–age tale about a teenage fatalist and his blooming friendship with the popular…
Artist, TheArtist, The (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michel Hazanavicius
Feat. Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman
The director and star of the OSS 117 movies combine for this glorious homage to the Golden Age of cinema, set in 1920s Hollywood on the eve of the…
Awkward (TV Series)Awkward (TV Series) (2011)
Feat. Ashley Rickards, Beau Mirchoff, Nikki Deloach
An unpopular 15 year old gains immediate, yet unwanted, popularity at her high school when the student body mistakes an accident she has for a…
BeginnersBeginners (2011)
Dir. Mike Mills
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent
Semi–autobiographical tale from the dir. of THUMBSUCKER reconciles two relationships in the life of a 38–year–old graphic artist…
BernieBernie (2011) Recommended
Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Jack Black, Shirley Maclaine, Matthew McConaughey
A memorable (Jack) Black comedy about a gregarious Texas mortician who befriends a clingy spinster (Maclaine), with murderous results. The film's…
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, TheBest Exotic Marigold Hotel, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. John Madden
Feat. Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy
A gaggle of British senior citizens are charmed by the 'real' India when they check into a run–down Jaipur hotel they believed was a luxury…
Black PondBlack Pond (2011)
Dir. Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe
Feat. Chris Langham, Simon Amstell, Amanda Hadingue
Distinctive indie thriller from acclaimed up–and–coming UK writer–directors Tom Kingsley and Will Sharpe. A suburban man in a…
Burning ManBurning Man (2011)
Dir. Jonathan Teplitzky
Feat. Matthew Goode, Rachel Griffiths, Bojana Novakovic
The reasons behind a Bondi chef's self–destructive behaviour are slowly revealed in this absorbing portrait of grief that plays its cards close…
CarnageCarnage (2011) Recommended
Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly
Two sets of parents resort to increasingly childish tactics over an altercation between their sons in this fiery war of words directed by Roman…
Celeste and Jesse ForeverCeleste and Jesse Forever (2011)
Dir. Lee Toland Krieger
Feat. Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Ari Graynor
Two best friends struggle to reconcile lingering feelings despite being divorced from one another in this smart, unexpected romantic comedy.
Chinese TakeawayChinese Takeaway (2011) Recommended
Dir. Sebastian Borensztein
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Muriel Santa Ana, Ignacio Huang
Wry comedy of clashing cultures centres on an unlikely friendship between a curmudgeonly hardware store–owner and a young immigrant.
CollaboratorCollaborator (2011)
Dir. Martin Donovan
Feat. Martin Donovan, David Morse, Olivia Williams
A playwright whose marriage and career are in a free fall has an explosive run–in with his former neighbor, a right–wing ex–con.
Curry MunchersCurry Munchers (2011)
Dir. Cristobal Araus Lobos
Feat. Aunanda Naaido, Alison Titulaer, Ben Mitchell
Knockabout comedy has a young Indian immigrant struggling to catch the attention of kiwi girls.
Death in Paradise (TV Series)Death in Paradise (TV Series) (2011)
Feat. Ben Miller, Sara Martins, Kris Marshall
A stuffy London detective is assigned the murder case of a fellow British policeman on a fictional Caribbean island, and ends up staying against his…
Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 7Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 7 (2011)
Feat. Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross
More episodes from the popular drama–black comedy set among the denizens of suburban America. 23 Episodes.
Details, TheDetails, The (2011)
Dir. Jacob Aaron Estes
Feat. Tobey Maguire, Elizabeth Banks, Laura Linney
A confidently delivered black comedy of a idealised suburban existence turned inside out, this stars Tobey Maguire as successful young doctor whose…
Dilemma, TheDilemma, The (2011)
Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Winona Ryder
Thorny comedy, verging on melodrama, with Vaughn discovering his best friend's wife is being unfaithful.
FootnoteFootnote (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Joseph Cedar
Feat. Shlomo Bar-Aba, Lior Ashkenazi, Micah Lewnsohn
A father and son's complicated relationship is tested over the award of a vaunted academic prize in their shared field of Talmudic studies in this…
Future, TheFuture, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. Miranda July
Feat. Miranda July, Hamish Linklater, David Warshofsky
Another arthouse treasure from the writer/director/actor behind ME AND YOU EVERYONE WE KNOW concerns an atypical 30–something LA couple who…
Girl Walks Into a BarGirl Walks Into a Bar (2011)
Dir. Sebastian Guitierrez
Feat. Danny De Vito, Carla Gugino, Josh Hartnett
The third of dir. Guitierrez's female–centric ensemble comedies, here springing an episodic structure from a noir–ish plot hatched by a…
God Bless AmericaGod Bless America (2011) Recommended
Dir. Bobcat Goldthwait
Feat. Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr, Melinda Page Hamilton
Irrepressible writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait returns with another sizzling, charcoal–black comedy that takes aim at the worst proponents of…
HysteriaHysteria (2011)
Dir. Tanya Wexler
Feat. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Hugh Dancy, Jonathan Pryce
A buoyant, light–to–touch period romance about the 19th Century invention of the vibrator, devised as cure for the female ailment know as…
I Don't Know How She Does ItI Don't Know How She Does It (2011)
Dir. Douglas McGrath
Feat. Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear
Glib SJP vehicle about a supermom who miraculously juggles a needy husband, two young children, and a career in hedge–fund managing without…
Intouchables, TheIntouchables, The (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny
Exemplary feel–good French comedy that details the unlikely friendship between an aristocratic quadriplegic and a young French–African…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2011Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2011 (2011)
Comprehensive box–set collection of 11 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2011' spread over 5 discs. Film…
Jeff, Who Lives at HomeJeff, Who Lives at Home (2011) Recommended
Dir. Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
Feat. Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Susan Sarandon
The Duplass brothers follow–up the formidable CYRUS with another deep–centred comedy about the crises of two stagnant adult siblings; one…
Le HavreLe Havre (2011) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Andre Wilms, Kati Outinen, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
An old–time shoe–shiner befriends a young African refugee in hiding from immigration authorities in this soft–centred comedy from…
Midnight in ParisMidnight in Paris (2011) Recommended
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates
High class whimsy from Woody Allen with Woody–surrogate honours going this time to Owen Wilson as a frustrated hack screenwriter magically…
Monsieur LazharMonsieur Lazhar (2011) Recommended
Dir. Philippe Falardeau
Feat. Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nelisse, Emilien Neron
An asylum seeking Algerian attempts to pass himself off as teacher in a Canadian school bereft after the suicide of a popular teacher.
My Wedding and Other SecretsMy Wedding and Other Secrets (2011) Recommended
Dir. Roseanne Liang
Feat. Michelle Ang, Matt Whelan, Kenneth Tsang
Dir. Roseanne Liang adapts her winning documentary (BANANA IN A NUTSHELL) on the struggle to get her traditional Chinese parents to accept her Kiwi…
Nothing Trivial (TV Series)Nothing Trivial (TV Series) (2011)
Feat. Shane Cortese, Tandi Wright, Blair Strang
An agreeable and endearingly performed 'singles' comedy by way of modern day Auckland, centred on the romantic hang ups of five friends who compete…
Oranges, TheOranges, The (2011)
Dir. Julian Farino
Feat. Leighton Meester, Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener
Two upper–middle class New Jersey families are split apart when the father of one (Laurie) falls in love with the daughter of the other…
Peace, Love & MisunderstandingPeace, Love & Misunderstanding (2011)
Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Elizabeth Olsen
Light comedy about an uptight NYC lawyer takes her two teenagers to her hippie mother's farmhouse upstate for a family vacation.
Salmon Fishing in the YemenSalmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011) Recommended
Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Kristin Scott Thomas
Lasse Hallstrom directs this light–headed romantic comedy about a British businesswoman and a doctor recruited to project manage a Sheikh's…
Shameless (TV Series, US)Shameless (TV Series, US) (2011)
Feat. William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum, Justin Chatwin
Watchable, surprisingly insightful remake of the hit British series attempts to three–dimensionalize the 'trailer park' stereotype in its…
Something BorrowedSomething Borrowed (2011)
Dir. Luke Greenfield
Feat. Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, Colin Egglesfield
Modest wedding drama with the appealing Goodwin testing the boundaries of friendship after sleeping with her best friend's fiance.
Source, TheSource, The (La Source des femmes) (2011)
Dir. Radu Mihaileanu
Feat. Leïla Bekhti, Hafsia Herzi, Hiam Abbass
A dashing feminist dramedy sprung from the male bias in the Middle East, about a village of women who take up a 'sex strike' after their husbands…
Spark of Life, TheSpark of Life, The (As Luck Would Have It) (2011)
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Jose Mota, Salma Hayek, Blanca Portillo
An aggressive media satire centred around the frenzied bidding war that erupts for a permanently and publicly immobile man's story, with the man…
Suits (TV Series)Suits (TV Series) (2011) Recommended
Feat. Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams
Smart, sassy lawyer show where a brilliant college drop–out with a photographic memory is hired by one of Manhattan's top corporate firms,…
TerriTerri (2011)
Dir. Azazel Jacobs
Feat. John C. Reilly, Jacob Wysocki, Creed Bratton
An overweight teenage outcast finds unlikely counsel and friendship in the intimidating vice principal of his high school in this…
Turn Me On, Goddamit!Turn Me On, Goddamit! (2011)
Dir. Jannicke Systad Jacobsen
Feat. Helene Bergsholm, Beate Stofring, Malin Bjorhovde
Deadpan sex comedy in a sleepy Norwegian hamlet with a hormone ravaged teen determined to lose her virginity.
Win WinWin Win (2011)
Dir. Tom McCarthy
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Alex Shaffer, Amy Ryan
Recession comedy starring midlife–crisis poster boy Paul Giamatti, who here entangles his professional life as a struggling lawyer with his…
Winners and Losers (TV Series)Winners and Losers (TV Series) (2011)
Feat. Zoe Tuckwell-Smith, Melissa Bergland, Virginia Gay
Winning female–centric dramedy concerns the altered lives of four Melbournian women who score big on the Lottery. Gets great mileage from the…
33 (Three) (2010)
Dir. Tom Tykwer
Feat. Sophie Rois, Sebastian Schipper, Devid Striesow
Dir. Tom Tykwer energises this simple love story of a forty–something couple who fall for the same man with the frenetic visual and narrative…
AbelAbel (2010)
Dir. Diego Luna
Feat. Christopher Ruíz-Esparza, Jose Maria Yazpik
Sweet and satisfyingly unpredictable child fantasy about an imaginative young boy who returns from a psychiatric ward to declare himself the father…
After the Break UpAfter the Break Up (Break Ke Baad) (2010)
Dir. Danish Aslam
Feat. Imran Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sharmila Tagore
Two of India's most popular young stars feature in this coming–of–age story about an independent–minded woman who takes a small…
Another WorldAnother World (Un altro Mondo) (2010)
Dir. Silvio Muccino
Feat. Silvio Muccino, Isabella Ragonese, Michael Rainey Jr
Glossy dramedy in which a wealthy slacker who after the death of his father finds himself the legal guardian of a half–brother he never new…
Barney's VersionBarney's Version (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Richard J. Lewis
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Mark Addy
Paul Giamatti fans will find much to enjoy in this bittersweet character piece in which he plays a jaded TV producer who reflects on his varied…
BoyBoy (2010) Recommended
Dir. Taika Waititi
Feat. Taika Waititi, James Rolleston, Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu
Taika Waititi continues his dream run as director with this fictionalised coming–of–age tale that draws on his own experience growing up…
Casino JackCasino Jack (2010)
Dir. George Hickenlooper
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper, Jon Lovitz
A cracking script that favours comedy through absurdity over a heavyweight statement on American politics energises this dramatization of the scandal…
Castle (TV Series)Castle (TV Series) (2010)
Feat. Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas
Quirky cop show with a pulp crime writer teaming up with a detective to track down a serial killer.
Cemetery JunctionCemetery Junction (2010)
Dir. Ricky Gervais
Feat. Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes, Jack Doolan
Ricky Gervais directs this 70s coming of age tale of three young and rebellious insurance salesman set against the less–than–glamorous…
CopacabanaCopacabana (2010)
Dir. Marc Fitoussi
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Aure Atika, Lolita Chammah
Free–spirited and perpetually unemployed Isabelle Huppert must get with the program after learning her newly engaged daughter (played by her…
Daydream NationDaydream Nation (2010)
Dir. Michael Goldbach
Feat. Kat Dennings, Reece Thompson, Andie MacDowell
A daydreaming 17–year–old (Dennings) seduces a high school teacher for kicks, only to attract the attention of a lovesick stoner…
Elektra LuxxElektra Luxx (2010)
Dir. Sebastian Guitierrez
Feat. Carla Gugino, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kathleen Quinlan
Luscious Carla Gugino reprises the role of the retired porn star whose pregnancy complicates life and career options in this burlesque comedy sequel…
Enlightened (TV Series)Enlightened (TV Series) (2010) Recommended
Dir. Miguel Arteta, Nicole Holofcener, Jonathan Demme
Feat. Laura Dern, Diane Ladd, Luke Wilson
This enlightened HBO cringe–comedy from writer–actor Mike White (CHUCK & BUCK) pushes all the buttons as an excruciating study of…
Expecting Mary Expecting Mary (2010)
Dir. Dan Gordon
Feat. Olesya Rulin, Elliott Gould, Linda Gray
Good–natured road movie tale with a pregnant teenager heading to California in search of her father, but who she encounters along the way will…
Father of InventionFather of Invention (2010)
Dir. Trent Cooper
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Camilla Belle, Heather Graham
A former 'king of infomercials' struggles to win back his estranged family and his top–billing in the tele–marketing world in this…
First Beautiful Thing, TheFirst Beautiful Thing, The (2010)
Dir. Paolo Virzi
Feat. Valerio Mastandrea, Micaela Ramazzotti, Stefania Sandrelli
Winsome melodrama with a misanthropic professor returning to his home town to assist his dying mother. Delicately performed but perhaps overly…
First Grader, TheFirst Grader, The (2010)
Dir. Justin Chadwick
Feat. Naomie Harris, Oliver Litondo, Emily Njoki
Heart–warming true tale of an Kenyan octogenarian who decides to take advantage of his government's offer of free education and enrolls at the…
Get LowGet Low (2010)
Dir. Aaron Schneider
Feat. Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek
Folksy comic tale with mysterious hermit Duvall throwing the inhabitants of a small town into turmoil when he decides to host his own funeral party.
GreenbergGreenberg (2010)
Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans
An off–key, serio–comic role for Ben Stiller, here playing a challenged 40–something whose stint crashing at his brother’s L.A.…
Happy Thank You More PleaseHappy Thank You More Please (2010)
Dir. Josh Radnor
Feat. Josh Radnor, Malin Akerman, Zoe Kazan
Genial indie comedy with a self involved writer and his friends struggling to adjust to adulthood. Directorial debut of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER star…
Happy, HappyHappy, Happy (2010)
Dir. Anne Sewitsky
Feat. Agnes Kittelsen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Joachim Rafaelsen
Sharp comedy with a woman trapped in a loveless marriage finding her life taking an exciting turn for the better when an exciting new couple move in…
HesherHesher (2010)
Dir. Spencer Susser
Feat. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Devin Brochu
Cruel comedy as black as the tee–shirt of its stringy–haired, metal–loving, borderline–sociopath titular character, who…
Hopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell, TheHopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell, The (2010)
Dir. Brendan Donovan
Feat. William McInnes, Robyn Malcolm, Mia Blake
Emotionally loaded kiwi comedy centres on a Peter Pan dad with political aspirations and a serious go–karting obsession.
How Do You KnowHow Do You Know (2010)
Dir. James L. Brooks
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson
A softball star (Witherspoon) past her prime contemplates the future while flittering romantically between a major league baseballer (Wilson) and a…
Human Resources Manager, TheHuman Resources Manager, The (2010)
Dir. Eran Riklis
Feat. Mark Ivanir
An absurdist odyssey from the director of LEMON TREE, about an Israeli bakery manager who must accompany the body of one of his employees back to…
Insatiable Moon, TheInsatiable Moon, The (2010)
Dir. Rosemary Riddell
Feat. Rawiri Paratene, Sara Wiseman, Ian Mune
Heartfelt local feature has a self–proclaimed son of God setting out to save the world, save his boarding–house, and woo the Queen of…
It's Kind of a Funny StoryIt's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)
Dir. Anna Boden , Ryan Fleck
Feat. Keir Gilchrist, Emma Roberts, Zach Galifianakis
A wayward teen (Gilchrist) checks himself into a mental hospital, forming life–changing relationships with an affable older patient…
Kids Are All Right, TheKids Are All Right, The (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Lisa Cholodenko
Feat. Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo
Feathers fly in this smart and insightful comedy–drama anchored by three terrific lead performances whose character's unique relationships are…
Letters to JulietLetters to Juliet (2010)
Dir. Gary Winick
Feat. Amanda Seyfried, Vanessa Redgrave, Gael Garcia Bernal
Picturesque romance set in Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, where a young American tourist discovers a love letter that will change her life.
Love and Other DrugsLove and Other Drugs (2010)
Dir. Edward Zwick
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Judy Greer
Winning romance with a charismatic pharmaceutical salesman falling for a free–spirited woman with a tragic secret.
Love RanchLove Ranch (2010)
Dir. Taylor Hackford
Feat. Helen Mirren, Joe Pesci, Sergio Peris-Mencheta
Helen Mirren stars in this flamboyant tale of the real–life couple who opened the first legal brothel in America.
Made in DagenhamMade in Dagenham (2010) Recommended
Dir. Nigel Cole
Feat. Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson
Nostalgic, uplifting dramatization of the 1968 strike at the Ford car plant in Dagenham, where female machinists famously walked out in protest…
Meet Monica VelourMeet Monica Velour (2010)
Dir. Keith Bearden
Feat. Kim Cattrall, Dustin Ingram, Brian Dennehy
Kim Cattrall shines in this indie drama about a nerdy, movie–loving teen who lusts after a softcore actress and embarks on a road trip to see…
My Afternoons With MargueritteMy Afternoons With Margueritte (2010)
Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Gisèle Casadesus
Gerard Depardieu plays an illiterate man who forges an unlikely friendship with a elderly writer in this gentle new film from the dir. of…
My Name is KhanMy Name is Khan (2010)
Dir. Karan Johar
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Kajol , Christopher B. Duncan
Well–meaning plea for racial tolerance with an Aspergers–afflicted Muslim detained in the U.S. as a terrorist and undertaking a journey…
Names of Love, TheNames of Love, The (2010)
Dir. Michel Leclerc
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Sara Forestier, Zinedine Soualem
Witty cocktail of sex and politics about an extroverted left–wing activist who sleeps with her political opponents to convert them to her cause.
NormanNorman (2010)
Dir. Jonathan Segal
Feat. Dan Byrd, Emily VanCamp, Richard Jenkins
A melancholy high school 'indie' about a teenage loner who claims his father's terminal cancer as his own in order to make tracks with a pretty…
Offspring (TV Series)Offspring (TV Series) (2010) Recommended
Feat. Asher Keddie, Don Hany, Deborah Mailman
A neurotic obstetrician and her extended Melbourne family navigate love and other disasters in this bright comedy series. While not particularly…
Outrageous Fortune (TV Series) - Series 6Outrageous Fortune (TV Series) - Series 6 (2010) Recommended
Feat. Robyn Malcolm, Antony Starr, Antonia Prebble
Explosive final season of the popular NZ series, set around a family of 'Westie' (West Auckland) criminals trying to go straight.
Parenthood (TV Series)Parenthood (TV Series) (2010)
Feat. Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard
Familiar faces star aplenty in this "funny and heart–warming" series that follows four grown siblings as they try to balance the various…
Romantics, TheRomantics, The (2010)
Dir. Galt Niederhoffer
Feat. Anna Paquin, Katie Holmes, Josh Duhamel
Low–key ensemble drama has seven close friends re–unite for a wedding, but long simmering romantic tensions threaten to tear their…
Room in RomeRoom in Rome (Habitación en Roma) (2010)
Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Elena Anaya, Natasha Yarovenko, Enrico Lo Verso
Erotic chronicle of a brief encounter between two women set almost entirely within the confines of a hotel room. More porno–profundity from…
Russian SnarkRussian Snark (2010)
Dir. Stephen Sinclair
Feat. Stephen Papps, Elena Stejko, Stephanie Tauevihi
A pair of Russian refugees settle in Auckland to make art and a new home in this eccentric yet accessible 'art comedy' from screenwriter and…
SashaSasha (2010)
Dir. Dennis Todorovic
Feat. Sasa Kekez, Predrag Bjelac, Ljubisa Gruicic
Compassionate gay drama about a Yugoslav–German piano prodigy who is trying to gain admittance to a prestigious music school but who becomes…
SensationSensation (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Tom Hall
Feat. Domhnall Gleeson, Luanne Gordon, Patrick Ryan
An intelligently written and thoroughly endearing sex comedy involving an introverted farmer's son and a Kiwi prostitute who form an unlikely…
Sex and the City 2Sex and the City 2 (2010)
Dir. Michael Patrick King
Feat. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon
While wrestling with the pressures of life, love, and work in Manhattan, Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte join Samantha for a trip to Abu Dhabi, where…
SpudSpud (2010)
Dir. Donovan Marsh
Feat. John Cleese, Troye Sivan, Jamie Royal
Charming coming–of–age comedy concerns the misfortunes of a young boy struggling to adapt to live in a South African private school. Very…
SubmarineSubmarine (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Richard Ayoade
Feat. Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige, Noah Taylor
Actor Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd) proves adept behind the camera with this imaginative adaptation of Joe Dunthorne's novel about precocious…
Tamara DreweTamara Drewe (2010) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Gemma Arterton, Dominic Cooper, Tamsin Greig
Winning comedy concerns the comic travails of a young journalist whose return to her hometown sets tongues wagging and disasters into motion.
Tiny FurnitureTiny Furniture (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Lena Dunham
Feat. Lena Dunham, Laurie Simmons, Alex Karpovsky
A prototype for Lena Dunham's hugely successful HBO series GIRLS, this smart–funny indie finds the talented actress/director mining the…
ToastToast (2010)
Dir. S.J. Clarkson
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Ken Stott, Freddie Highmore
Heartily nostalgic adaptation of chef and author Nigel Slater's best–selling memoir, about growing up in a stodgy British household in the 60s…
Vincent Wants to SeaVincent Wants to Sea (2010)
Dir. Ralf Huettner
Feat. Florian David Fitz, Karoline Herfurth, Heino Ferch
Likeable though lightweight road comedy in which a Tourette's sufferer escapes from a clinic with two others (an obsessive and an anorexic) and…
Woman of My Dreams, TheWoman of My Dreams, The (La donna della mia vita) (2010)
Dir. Luca Lucini
Feat. Alessandro Gassman, Luca Argentero
Astute romantic comedy about the big and little lies people tell in their search for love, following the fallout of a friendship between two brothers…
You Will Meet a Tall Dark StrangerYou Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010)
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin
Not so much a serious Woody Allen film as a funny one without any jokes. An ensemble of fine actors stumble through a series of scenes with only a…
Accidents HappenAccidents Happen (2009)
Dir. Andrew Lancaster
Feat. Geena Davis, Harrison Gilbertson, Harry Cook
Earnest dramedy enlivened by a sensationally brash Geena Davis performance. Davis plays the mother of a deeply dysfunctional family who's lives are…
AdamAdam (2009)
Dir. Max Mayer
Feat. Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher
Moon–faced Rose Byrne warms to her Asperger's–afflicted neighbour (Dancy) in this unlikely, heartfelt romance. Distracting subplots…
AdventurelandAdventureland (2009)
Dir. Greg Mottola
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds
Low–key indie comedy set in 1987 where a virginal high–school grad gets a summer job at a local amusement park and finds unlikely…
Away We GoAway We Go (2009)
Dir. Sam Mendes
Feat. John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Catherine O'Hara
An ersatz hipster road movie that follows a 30–something expectant couple as they travel across America looking for the perfect place to start…
BaariaBaaria (2009)
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Raoul Bova, Margareth Made, Francesco Scianna
Giuseppe Tornatore directs an autobiographical saga covering sixty years of turmoil through the eyes of three generations of a peasant family. Those…
Boogie WoogieBoogie Woogie (2009)
Dir. Duncan Ward
Feat. Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson, Alan Cumming
Broad satire of the modern art scene with Danny Huston as a supercilious art dealer scheming to get his hands on a rare Mondrian. Hugely…
Breaking UpwardsBreaking Upwards (2009)
Dir. Daryl Wein
Feat. Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister Jones, Julie White
Skittish romantic comedy in which a couple attempt to end their moribund relationship gradually, beginning with three days off each week. Drawing…
Brief Interviews with Hideous MenBrief Interviews with Hideous Men (2009)
Dir. John Krasinski
Feat. Julianne Nicholson, Ben Shenkman, Timothy Hutton
A graduate student copes with a recent breakup by conducting interviews with various men. Ill–conceived and messy adaptation of David Foster…
Calvin MarshallCalvin Marshall (2009)
Dir. Gary Lundgren
Feat. Steve Zahn, Alex Frost, Michelle Lombardo
Sweet–natured drama has a young man chasing his dream of playing Major League Baseball with little success. Low–key and agreeably folksy,…
Cezanne Affair, TheCezanne Affair, The (2009)
Dir. Sergio Rubini
Feat. Sergio Rubini, Riccardo Scamarcio, Valeria Golino
Sentimental comedy–drama with a son returning home to his dying father who's thwarted artistic ambitions cast a dark shaodw over his childhood.
Change of PlansChange of Plans (Le code a changé) (2009)
Dir. Daniele Thompson
Feat. Dany Boon, Karin Viard, Emmanuelle Seigner
Stacked Gallic dramedy stars Karin Viard and Dany Boon as a swanky French couple who invite six equally wealthy Parisians to dinner – their evening…
City IslandCity Island (2009)
Dir. Raymond De Felitta
Feat. Andy Garcia, Julianne Margulies, Steven Strait
Winning ensemble stars Andy Garcia as a would–be actor–cum–corrections officer who brings a young ex–con home from work, much…
Cold SoulsCold Souls (2009)
Dir. Sophie Barthes
Feat. Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, Lauren Ambrose
A existentialist tragi–comedy in which Paul Giamatti plays himself, a New York actor in crisis, who literally has his soul extracted, only to…
Drop Dead Diva (TV Series)Drop Dead Diva (TV Series) (2009)
Feat. Brooke Elliott, Margaret Cho, Kate Levering
A vacant fashion model is killed in a car accident, only to be resurrected in the body of a plus–sized lawyer, in this far–fetched, if…
East West EastEast West East (2009)
Dir. Gjergj Xhuvani
Feat. Ervin Bejleri, Helidon Fino, Gentiano Hazizi
An amateur cycling team from Albania heads to France to take part in a tournament only to discover on the way that revolution has broken out back…
Emma (TV Mini-Series)Emma (TV Mini-Series) (2009) Recommended
Feat. Romola Garai, Jonny Lee Miller, Michael Gambon
The BBC's latest update of Jane Austen's comic classic, centred on the titular beauty's dangerous game of matchmaking. Regarded as the best Austen…
Funny PeopleFunny People (2009)
Dir. Judd Apatow
Feat. Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann
Judd Apatow (KNOCKED UP) helms this muddled comedy about a lonely but successful stand–up comedian (Sandler) who discovers he has an incurable…
Go Girls (TV Series)Go Girls (TV Series) (2009)
Feat. Anna Hutchison, Bronwyn Turei, Alix Bushnell
A North Shore equivalent of OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE perhaps, but with considerably less bite, this follows four middle–class 20–somethings as…
Good Guy, TheGood Guy, The (2009)
Dir. Julio DePietro
Feat. Alexis Bledel, Scott Porter, Bryan Greenberg
Unusually stringent romantic comedy set against the back drop of Wall Street where an offbeat love triangle develops. Dir. De Pietro – a former…
Hedgehog, TheHedgehog, The (Le hérisson) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Mona Achache
Feat. Josiane Balasko, Togo Igawa, Garance Le Guillermic
Charming, melancholy comedy in which a precocious, jaded 11–year–old from a well–to–do family decides to commit suicide on…
Hung (TV Series)Hung (TV Series) (2009) Recommended
Feat. Thomas Jane, Jane Adams, Anne Heche
Earthy HBO drama centred around a former high–school sports legend turned middle–aged basketball coach and cash–strapped dad,…
I Killed My MotherI Killed My Mother (J'ai tué ma mère) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Xavier Dolan, Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clément
An angst ridden teen grapples with growing up gay and his neurotic, overbearing mother in this feisty first feature from young French Canadian…
Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, TheImmaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, The (2009) Recommended
Dir. David Russo
Feat. Marshall Allman, Vince Vieluf, Natasha Lyonne
Pleasingly off–kilter indie comedy bares witness to the spiritual crisis of an office clerk who joins a posse of bohemian night janitors who…
Informant!, TheInformant!, The (2009)
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Melanie Lynskey
Frantic and frivilous, yet oddly diverting upscale comedy from prolific dir. Steven Soderbergh, with Matt Damon's bland appeal put to surprisingly…
Joneses, TheJoneses, The (2009)
Dir. Derrick Borte
Feat. David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Amber Heard
A seemingly perfect couple and their equally perfect teenagers move into an upscale gated community. The only problem is they're not a family but…
Julie And JuliaJulie And Julia (Julie & Julia) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Nora Ephron
Feat. Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci
The biography of legendary chef Julia Child is puzzingly intertwined with the story of Julie Powell, who in 2002 challenged herself to cook…
Life Coach, TheLife Coach, The (Le Coach) (2009)
Dir. Olivier Doran
Feat. Jean-Paul Rouve, Richard Berry, Annie Marivin
Affable comedy with a business coach, up to his eyeballs in debt, taking on a most difficult assignment help an irredeemable miquetoast close an…
Looking For EricLooking For Eric (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Steve Evets, Eric Cantona, Stephanie Bishop
With a touch of magic realism, the great British director Ken Loach returns to the top of his game to tell the story of a beleaguered postal worker…
Many Kisses LaterMany Kisses Later (Ex) (2009)
Dir. Fausto Brizzi
Feat. Claudia Gerini, Flavio Insinna, Silvio Orlando
Breezy rom–com –a smash hit in Italy– follows six couples from Chistmas to Valetine's Day and their various entanglements.…
Marc Pease Experience, TheMarc Pease Experience, The (2009)
Dir. Todd Louiso
Feat. Jason Schwartzman, Ben Stiller, Anna Kendrick
Remorseless comedy of the deluded with Schwartzman as a sad–sack limo driver desperate to relive his glory days as a high school music star.…
Me TooMe Too (Yo, Tambien) (2009)
Dir. Antonio Naharro, Alvaro Pastor
Feat. Lola Dueñas, Isabel Garcia Lorca, Antonio Naharro
Affecting tale of a bittersweet friendship between an office worker with Down syndrome and his restless, free–spirited colleague.
Middle MenMiddle Men (2009)
Dir. George Gallo
Feat. Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Gabriel Macht
Darkly funny drama looks at the unsavoury mix of characters who kicked off the internet porn revolution in the mid–nineties. Stylishly done in…
My One and OnlyMy One and Only (2009)
Dir. Richard Loncraine
Feat. Renee Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Kevin Bacon
Inspired by the childhood experiences of actor George Hamilton in the 1950s, this bittersweet comedy of some acclaim tells the tale of one mother's…
My SuicideMy Suicide (2009)
Dir. David Lee Miller
Feat. Gabriel Sunday, David Carradine, Mariel Hemingway
A disaffected teenager announces that he intends to document his impending suicide on camera in this heavy handed, if potent youth indie. Built on…
My Year Without SexMy Year Without Sex (2009) Recommended
Dir. Sarah Watt
Feat. Sacha Horler, Matt Day
The director of LOOK BOTH WAYS offers a closely observed portrait of an Australian family in this tender–funny comedy of marriage, abstinence,…
Nurse Jackie (TV Series)Nurse Jackie (TV Series) (2009)
Feat. Edie Falco
Pitch black comedy follows the everyday travails of the deeply troubled Nurse Jackie as she rails against the insanity of the US Health System.
Outrageous Fortune (TV Series) - Series 5Outrageous Fortune (TV Series) - Series 5 (2009) Recommended
Feat. Robyn Malcolm, Charles Mesure, Antony Starr
Further outrageous episodes in the popular NZ series, set around a family of 'Westie' (West Auckland) criminals trying to go straight. Series 5:…
Packed to the Rafters (TV Series) Packed to the Rafters (TV Series) (2009)
Feat. Rebecca Gibney, Erik Thomson, Jessica Marais
Fluffy Australian comedy focused around a couple whose plans of finally having a quiet household are destroyed when their three grown children move…
Post GradPost Grad (Post Grad Survival Guide) (2009)
Dir. Vicky Jenson
Feat. Alexis Bledel, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch
Innocuous dramedy follows the misfortune of an unemployed graduate who is forced to move back home when the economy starts to pinch a…
PuzzlePuzzle (Rompecabezas) (2009)
Dir. Natalia Smirnoff
Feat. María Onetto, Arturo Goetz, Gabriel Goity
Low–key charmer with a bored housewife discovering her freakish aptitude for puzzles and partnering with a rich bachelor for an international…
Saint John of Las VegasSaint John of Las Vegas (2009)
Dir. Hue Rhodes
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Romany Malco, Sarah Silverman
Steve Buscemi is in his element as an ex–gambler and inveterate loser sent to Las Vegas to investigate a mysterious auto accident. Oddball…
Separation CitySeparation City (2009)
Dir. Paul Middleditch
Feat. Joel Edgerton, Rhona Mitra, Danielle Cormack
Kiwi comedy penned by satirical cartoonist Tom Scott , musing on the struggle of long–term relationships among a group of…
Smell of Success, TheSmell of Success, The (2009)
Dir. Michael Polish
Feat. Billy Bob Thornton, Tea Leoni, Mark Polish
Another quirky character study from dir. Polish this time set amongst the world of manure salesmen, as Billy Bob and Leoni struggle to keep her late…
Solitary ManSolitary Man (2009)
Dir. Brian Koppelman, David Levien
Feat. Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon, Danny De Vito
Michael Douglas fronts this navel–gazing mid–life drama, about a successful New York businessman whose life begins to unravel after a…
Soul KitchenSoul Kitchen (2009)
Dir. Fatih Akin
Feat. Adam Bousdoukos, Pheline Roggan, Moritz Bleibtreu
Light but hearty food comedy from the dir. of THE EDGE OF HEAVEN, about a soulful Greek immigrant who sets about relaunching his failed restaurant…
SubdivisionSubdivision (2009)
Dir. Sue Brooks
Feat. Gary Sweet, Ashley Bradnam, Brooke Satchwell
Workmanlike drama examines the changes a community goes through when developers take over, and in particular the impact on a father and son carpentry…
Taking WoodstockTaking Woodstock (2009)
Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Demetri Martin, Imelda Staunton, Henry Goodman
Dir. Ang Lee painstakingly recreates the age of Aquarius for this sprawling yet tepid comedy based on the 'true story' of a Jewish interior designer…
UpUp (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Docter, Bob Peterson
Feat. Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai
Pixar are on top yet again with this inspired flight of fancy, about a widowed octogenarian (voiced by grizzly Ed Asner) and his dream of traveling…
Up in the AirUp in the Air (2009) Recommended
Dir. Jason Reitman
Feat. George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick
A cautionary business tale wrapped in a frisky romantic comedy, with George Clooney starring as a compulsive traveller whose job it is to dismiss…
Wah Do DemWah Do Dem (What They Do) (2009)
Dir. Sam Fleischner, Ben Chace
Feat. Sean Bones, Carl Bradshaw, Norah Jones
A young indie musician suffers solo through a disaster–prone Caribbean holiday in this shaggy road movie with a sweetly comic sensibility.…
Whip ItWhip It (2009) Recommended
Dir. Drew Barrymore
Feat. Elliot Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig
Drew Barrymore's directorial debut is a joyful tale of a small town outsider (Page) who empowers herself through the bruising sport of roller…
Women in TroubleWomen in Trouble (2009) Recommended
Dir. Sebastian Guitierrez
Feat. Carla Gugino, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Marley Shelton
A grungy burlesque comedy set on the fringes of Hollywood in LA's porn industry, this connects stories of wives, mothers and ladies of the trade…
World's Greatest DadWorld's Greatest Dad (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Bobcat Goldthwait
Feat. Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara, Geoff Pierson
Savage black comedy gifts Robin Williams his best role in years as a struggling writer and poetry teacher whose life is burdened by his insufferable…
$5 A Day$5 A Day (Five Dollars a Day) (2008)
Dir. Nigel Cole
Feat. Christopher Walken, Alessandro Nivola, Sharon Stone
Lightweight comedy with the conservative son of a thrifty conman begrudgingly joining his father on the road –– after being released from…
BagheadBaghead (2008) Recommended
Dir. Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
Feat. Steve Zissis, Greta Gerwig, Ross Partridge
The Duplass Brothers deliver on the promise of their debut, THE PUFFY CHAIR, with another no–frills charmer that effortlessly marries assured…
Being Human (TV Series)Being Human (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aidan Turner
Supernatural sitcom has three British twenty–somethings struggling with their respective alter–egos as a vampire, ghost and werewolf.
Boston Legal - Season 5 (TV Series)Boston Legal - Season 5 (TV Series) (2008-2009)
Feat. James Spader, William Shatner
Further episodes from the irreverent spinoff to THE PRACTICE, based around the cases and happenings of the civil law section of a renowned Boston…
Bottle ShockBottle Shock (2008)
Dir. Randall Miller
Feat. Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, Bill Pullman
Lightly farcical take on the true story of how American viticulture pioneer Jim Barrett broke the French domination of premium wine market (esp.…
Cashmere Mafia (TV Series) Cashmere Mafia (TV Series) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Peyton Reed
Feat. Lucy Liu, Miranda Otto, Frances O’Connor
Short–lived drama series centred on four career hungry New York friends who turn to each other in times of personal and professional crisis.…
Dean SpanleyDean Spanley (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Toa Fraser
Feat. Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill, Peter O'Toole
This Kiwi–British production cross–breed is a charmingly eccentric, surprisingly moving 'drawing room' drama set in Edwardian Britain in…
Early Bird Catches the Worm, TheEarly Bird Catches the Worm, The (2008)
Dir. Francesco Patierno
Feat. Elio Germano, Laura Chiatti, Martina Stella
Leaden portrait of the rise and fall of popular Italian disc jockey Marco Baldini who's gambling addiction leads him tom make some decidedly rash…
Easy VirtueEasy Virtue (2008)
Dir. Stephan Elliott
Feat. Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, Kristin Scott Thomas
This breezy, gorgeously detailed period piece features Biel as the world's first female Grand Prix driver, a glamorous city–bred American…
Finding AmandaFinding Amanda (2008)
Dir. Peter Tolan
Feat. Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, Maura Tierney
No–holds–barred black comedy stars Broderick as a TV producer and struggling addict sent to Las Vegas to convince his troubled niece to…
First Day of the Rest of Your Life, TheFirst Day of the Rest of Your Life, The (Le Premier Jour du Reste de ta Vie) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Rémi Bezançon
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Zabou Breitman, Deborah Francois
Five days in the life of an average, functional family form the basis of this universally appealing French comedy spanning the decade of the…
French FilmFrench Film (2008)
Dir. Jackie Oudney
Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Victoria Hamilton, Douglas Henshall
Affable British rom–com about a jaded journalist who is forced to reassess his views on romance after interviewing a French…
GiganticGigantic (2008)
Dir. Matt Aselton
Feat. Paul Dano, Zooey Deschanel, Edward Asner
Whimsical, self–conscious indie comedy about a mattress salesman (Paul Dano) whose plan to adopt a baby from China is interrupted when a women…
Good DickGood Dick (2008) Recommended
Dir. Marianna Palka
Feat. Marianna Palka, Jason Ritter, Martin Starr
A romantic–comedy fraught with emotional damage, this unique American indie follows the strange yet touching relationship between a troubled,…
Happy-Go-LuckyHappy-Go-Lucky (2008)
Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman
An optimistic if not exactly 'feel–good' comedy–drama from veteran dir. Mike Leigh, about a London primary school teacher who greets the…
He's Just Not That Into YouHe's Just Not That Into You (2008)
Dir. Ken Kwapis
Feat. Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore
Convoluted ensemble piece based on a self–help book focusing on a group of 20–somethings trying to navigate their way through love's…
Henry Poole Is HereHenry Poole Is Here (2008)
Dir. Mark Pellington
Feat. Luke Wilson, Radha Mitchell, Adriana Barraza
Low–key drama centered around Henry Poole (Wilson) a successful man who, upon being diagonosed with a terrible disease, retreats to a small…
How To BeHow To Be (2008)
Dir. Oliver Irving
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Rebecca Pidgeon, Powell Jones
Another delayed release for eager Robert Pattinson fans sees the heartthrob play a listless musician living in London who enlists the help of a…
Humboldt CountyHumboldt County (2008)
Dir. Darren Grodsky, Danny Jacobs
Feat. Jeremy Strong, Fairuza Balk, Peter Bogdanovich
Pleasant, though highly unoriginal dramedy plonks a straight–laced medical student (Strong) in the company of a potty…
Inbetweeners, The (TV Series)Inbetweeners, The (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison
Acerbic comedy follows four gawky teenage boys growing up in suburbia experiencing the deep humiliations and relentless disappointments of late…
Invisibles, The (TV Series)Invisibles, The (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Anthony Head, Warren Clarke, Jenny Agutter
Crooked comedy sees Antony Head (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) and Warren Clarke (DALZIEL AND PASCOE) play two notorious ex–crims struggling with…
Last Chance HarveyLast Chance Harvey (2008)
Dir. Joel Hopkins
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins
Simple romance stars Dustin Hoffman as a down–and–out divorcee whose life seems to be going nowhere until he meets the equally…
Last Word, TheLast Word, The (2008)
Dir. Geoffrey Haley
Feat. Wes Bentley, Winona Ryder, Ray Romano
Quirky black comedy centered on a man who makes a living writing suicide notes for the depressed, and has his life is turned upside down when he…
Lipstick Jungle (TV Series)Lipstick Jungle (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Brooke Shields, Kim Raver, Lindsay Price
Sassy, if at times sappy, TV drama based on another Candace Bushnell book (author of SEX AND THE CITY) centred on three NYC gal pals attempting to…
Lost in Austen (TV Mini-Series)Lost in Austen (TV Mini-Series) (2008)
Feat. Jemima Rooper, Alex Kingston, Hugh Bonneville
Fizzy twist on PRIDE AND PREJUDICE has an ardent Jane Austen fan, living in present day London, swapping places with Austen's fictional creation…
Marley and MeMarley and Me (2008)
Dir. David Frankel
Feat. Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane
Drama/comedy focused on a young newlywed couple (Wilson and Aniston) who decide to buy a puppy and underestimate the incredible impact it will have…
Mid-August LunchMid-August Lunch (2008) Recommended
Dir. Gianni Di Gregorio
Feat. Gianni Di Gregorio, Valeria De Franciscis, Marina Cacciotti
A comedy of manners and good taste in form and content, this soulful comedy sets up a middle–aged man forced to play host to a gaggle of…
Momma's ManMomma's Man (2008) Recommended
Dir. Azazel Jacobs
Feat. Matt Boren, Ken Jacobs, Richard Edson
A grown man in a state of arrested adolescence stays with his parents whilst on a business trip, and then concocts a series of excuses as to why he…
Mutual Friends (TV Series)Mutual Friends (TV Series) (2008)
Feat. Marc Warren, Alexander Armstrong, Keeley Hawes
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Nick And Nora's Infinite PlaylistNick And Nora's Infinite Playlist (2008)
Dir. Peter Sollett
Feat. Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo
"Geeky Dreamboat" Michael Cera is typecast again in this pleasing but trifle indie flick centred around two high school seniors who bond over music…
Peaceful TimesPeaceful Times (Friedliche Zeiten) (2008)
Dir. Neele Leana Vollmar
Feat. Katharina M. Schubert, Oliver Stokowski, Nina Monka
A sweet, if slender trip back to 1960s West Germany, where a mother's mental health issues are remembered from the naive, but loving perspective of…
Promotion, The Promotion, The (2008)
Dir. Steven Conrad
Feat. Seann William Scott, John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer
A meek assistant manager's dreams of managing his very own supermarket are in doubt when a Canadian nice–guy transfers to the store.…
Rudo and CursiRudo and Cursi (Rudo y Cursi) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Carlos Cuarón
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna
The charismatic stars and co–writer of Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN reunite in this biting satire about two brothers from rural stock who have an intense…
SalvationSalvation (2008)
Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Wendy Hughes, Bruce Myles, Natasha Novak
Dir. Paul Cox delivers the right amount of tenderness and wickedness in this wry Australian comedy, about a downtrodden husband who cannot connect…
Second-Hand WeddingSecond-Hand Wedding (Secondhand Wedding) (2008)
Dir. Paul Murphy
Feat. Holly Shanahan, Geraldine Brophy, Patrick Wilson
Sweet–natured Kiwi suburban rom–com that was a surprise hit at the local box office, with large audiences responding to a highly…
Sex and the City - The MovieSex and the City - The Movie (2008) Recommended
Dir. Michael Patrick King
Feat. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon
Highly–anticipated movie version of the groundbreaking series SEX AND THE CITY, meeting up with the Big Apple's four hottest gal pals Carrie,…
Show of HandsShow of Hands (2008)
Dir. Anthony McCarten
Feat. Melanie Lynskey, Craig Hall, Stephen Lovatt
Quaint but contrived Kiwi rom–dram set in New Plymouth in which a grab–bag of townsfolk compete for new 4–wheel drive by keeping…
Smart People Smart People (2008)
Dir. Noam Murro
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elliot Page
Dunderheaded dramedy focused on a widowed, misanthropic professor (Quaid) who awakens to life again after a hit to the head, only to discover that…
Somers TownSomers Town (2008) Recommended
Dir. Shane Meadows
Feat. Piotr Jagiello, Ireneusz Czop, Perry Benson
A gentle, winsome offering from dir. Shane Meadows, centred on an unlikely friendship between a shy Polish teen, and a knockabout runaway from the…
Synecdoche, New YorkSynecdoche, New York (2008) Recommended
Dir. Charlie Kaufman
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener
Screenwriting extraordinaire Charlie Kaufman turns his hand to directing for the first time with another amusing existential conundrum, here enjoying…
TelstarTelstar (Telstar: The Joe Meek Story) (2008)
Dir. Nick Moran
Feat. Con O' Neill, Kevin Spacey, Pam Ferris
Suitably poppy biopic of the rise and fall of flamboyant music producer Joe Meek whose pioneering sound experiments briefly made him the toast of…
Three Blind MiceThree Blind Mice (2008)
Dir. Matthew Newton
Feat. Ewen Leslie, Toby Schmitz, Matthew Newton
Playful Australian drama focused around three young Navy officers who hit the town in Sydney for one last night before they're shipped off to fight…
Tru LovedTru Loved (2008)
Dir. Stewart Wade
Feat. Najarra Townsend, Jane Lynch, Alexandra Paul
Recently relocated from San Francisco to conservative suburbia by her lesbian mothers, Tru struggles like all teens to fit in and find love, but her…
Vicky Cristina BarcelonaVicky Cristina Barcelona (Vicky Christina Barcelona) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem
Woody Allen proves he hasn't lost his touch with this refreshing and vital rom–com that follows two American gal–pals who fall for the…
Wackness, TheWackness, The (2008)
Dir. Jonathan Levine
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby
Smitten with nostalgia for a bygone early–90's New York, this coming–of–age drama follows a listless, pot–dealing teenager as…
WeirdsvilleWeirdsville (2008)
Dir. Allan Moyle
Feat. Taryn Manning, Wes Bentley, Scott Speedman
Delightfully referential black comedy spins a feverishly–paced, zigzagging yarn about a bizarre night in the life of two junkies who mistakenly…
Wild GrassWild Grass (Les Herbes Folles) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Andre Dussollier, Sabine Azema, Emmanuelle Devos
A masterful light–footed comedy of the surreal from veteran French dir. Alain Resnais, centered on a missing wallet responsible for triggering…
Women, TheWomen, The (2008)
Dir. Diane English
Feat. Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes
Fluffy remake of the 1930s original focuses on a group of shrieking high–society women who rally together to help their friend deal with a…
Wushu - The Young GenerationWushu - The Young Generation (2008)
Dir. Antony Szeto
Feat. Sammo Hung, Fengchao Liu, Wenjie Wang
Under the auspices of genre legends Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan (in producing role), this standard–issue kung fu flick introduces a bevy a…
After SexAfter Sex (2007)
Dir. Eric Amadio
Feat. Mila Kunis, Jane Seymour, Emmanuelle Chriqui
Low–budget indie comedy focused on several couples having awkward, post–modern conversations about sex and sexuality. Unfortunately this…
ArrangedArranged (2007)
Dir. Diane Crespo, Stefan C. Schaefer
Feat. Zoe Lister Jones, Francis Benhamou
Kindhearted take on cross–cultural bridge building, in which two teachers of Jewish and Muslim faith form an unlikely, uplifting…
Band's Visit, The Band's Visit, The (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Eran Kolirin
Sweet and sensitive Israeli comedy following an Egyptian police band who get way laid in a small Israeli town and unexpectedly break down cultural…
Black Snake MoanBlack Snake Moan (2007) Recommended
Dir. Craig Brewer
Feat. Christina Ricci, Samuel L. Jackson, Justin Timberlake
Christina Ricci stars as a scrawny, Southern–fried nympho whose demons get her deep into trouble in the deep, deep South the minute her doting…
Blue StateBlue State (2007)
Dir. Marshall Lewy
Feat. Anna Paquin, Breckin Meyer, Nick Ouellette
Politically skewed road movie following an ardent liberal who makes good on a drunken promise to move to Canada if George Bush wins the…
Boston Legal - Season 4 (TV Series) Boston Legal - Season 4 (TV Series) (2007-2008)
Feat. James Spader, William Shatner
Further episodes from the irreverent spinoff to THE PRACTICE, based around the cases and happenings of the civil law section of a renowned Boston…
Breakfast With ScotBreakfast With Scot (2007)
Dir. Laurie Lynd
Feat. Tom Cavanagh, Ben Shenkman, Noah Bernett
Tom Cavanagh (from TV's ED) plays up his character's awkward machismo – a closeted sportscaster whose 11–year–old adoptive son is…
Broken EnglishBroken English (2007) Recommended
Dir. Zoe Cassavetes
Feat. Parker Posey, Drea De Matteo, Melvil Poupaud
The usually zany Parker Posey searches for love in this supple, melancholic romantic comedy, here playing a Manhattan thirty–something as yet…
Bucket List, TheBucket List, The (2007)
Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes
Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman star in this endearing aging–buddy flick about two terminally ill elderly gentlemen who throw caution to the…
Californication (TV Series)Californication (TV Series) (2007) Recommended
Feat. David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone
Former X–FILER Duchovny plays a ribald American novelist in the throws of a career and personal crisis; a mid–life funk which draws in…
Camille Camille (2007)
Dir. Gregory Mackenzie
Feat. Sienna Miller, James Franco, David Carradine
A kooky road movie with a macabre twist, Sienna Miller plays a ditzy Southern sweetheart who believes she can change her new petty–crim husband…
Chacun Son CinemaChacun Son Cinema (To Each His Own Cinema) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Theo Angelopoulos, Olivier Assayas, Bille August
35 auteurs convey the meaning of cinema in less than three minutes each, in this epic commission to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film…
Chaos TheoryChaos Theory (2007)
Dir. Marcos Siega
Feat. Ryan Reynolds, Emily Mortimer, Stuart Townsend
Ryan Reynolds is an obsessive perfectionist whose precise index–carded existence is turned inside out, with fairly predictable 'chaotic'…
Charlie Wilson's WarCharlie Wilson's War (2007)
Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Tom Hanks spearheads this crisp, ever–timely political sideswipe, about a real–life Texas congressman who, together with the financial…
ClublandClubland (Introducing the Dwights) (2007)
Dir. Cherie Nowlan
Feat. Brenda Blethyn, Richard Wilson, Khan Chittenden
Australian comedy–drama stars Brit Brenda Blethyn (LITTLE VOICE, SECRETS AND LIES) as a bawdy, comedy diva Mum gone downunder, whose midlife…
EmptiesEmpties (Vratné lahve) (2007)
Dir. Jan Sverak
Feat. Zdenek Sverak, Tatiana Vilhelmova, Daniela Kolarova
This cheeky Czech favourite comically indulges the disobedience of its retirement–aged protagonist, who, after losing his teaching position and…
Four Last SongsFour Last Songs (2007)
Dir. Francesca Joseph
Feat. Stanley Tucci, Rhys Ifans, Jena Malone
A group of British and other ex–pats in Mallocan, Spain decide to put on a piano recital in this fanciful mediterranean drama, with Rhys Ifans…
Georgia RuleGeorgia Rule (2007)
Dir. Garry Marshall
Feat. Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan, Felicity Huffman
Jane Fonda leads three generations of strong–minded females in this uneasy mix of comedy and drama. Georgia (Fonda), the…
Go-Getter, TheGo-Getter, The (2007)
Dir. Martin Hynes
Feat. Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel, Jena Malone
Coming–of–age road trip drama situated around an inquisitive teen (THUMBSUCKER's Pucci) who throws caution to the wind after a painful…
Good Life, The Good Life, The (2007)
Dir. Stephen Berra
Feat. Bill Paxton, Chris Klein, Zooey Deschanel
Professional skateboarder Stephen Berra directs this gloomy indie drama centering on a young outsider who finds solace in old movies while living in…
Good Night, TheGood Night, The (2007)
Dir. Jake Paltrow
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Martin Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow
Warped amorous comedy focused on a fed–up fella in the midst of a mid–life breakdown (played by Martin Freeman of THE OFFICE fame) who…
Gossip Girl (TV Series) Gossip Girl (TV Series) (2007)
Feat. Blake Lively, Taylor Momsen, Leighton Meester
Flashy teen series centred on a group of well–heeled New York prep school kids whose main focus in life is a blog written by 'Gossip Girl'…
He Was a Quiet ManHe Was a Quiet Man (2007)
Dir. Frank A. Cappello
Feat. Christian Slater, Elisha Cuthbert, William H. Macy
With his best role in donkey's years, Christian Slater stars in this bleakly satirical drama as a frustrated loner who decides to take out his anger…
In Search Of A Midnight KissIn Search Of A Midnight Kiss (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alex Holdridge
Feat. Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian McGuire
Restoring our faith in the unreliable indie rom–com genre, this terrific example takes place on New Years Eve in Los Angeles, where two…
In the Land of WomenIn the Land of Women (2007)
Dir. Jon Kasdan
Feat. Olympia Dukakis, Meg Ryan, Kristen Stewart
Relationship drama centering on struggling writer Adam Brody (THE OC) and the neighbouring family of women he encounters when he moves in with his…
Inner Life of Martin Frost, TheInner Life of Martin Frost, The (2007)
Dir. Paul Auster
Feat. David Thewlis, Irene Jacob, Michael Imperioli
Philosophy–lite drama gets inside the head of a retreating novelist (Thewlis) suffering from writer’s block who gets reinvigorated by a…
JunoJuno (2007)
Dir. Jason Reitman
Feat. Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner
Upstart indie comedy that broke wide into the mainstream, this packages up Gen–Y angst and 'riot–grrl' attitude into a commercially…
Lars and the Real GirlLars and the Real Girl (2007)
Dir. Craig Gillespie
Feat. Ryan Gosling, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer
Ryan Gosling plays an awkward loner who enters into a courtship with a life–size, anatomically–correct sex doll in this…
Lessons in ChocolateLessons in Chocolate (Lezioni di Cioccolato) (2007)
Dir. Claudio Cupellini
Feat. Luca Argentero, Violante Placido, Neri Marcore
A building contractor on the verge of closing his biggest deal to date finds his future jeopardized when an illegally hired worker is injured on the…
Nanny Diaries, TheNanny Diaries, The (2007)
Dir. Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti
The everhot Scarlett Johansson plays an accidental nanny to Mr and Mrs X of that peculiar breed, the Upper East Sider, in this lightly…
Nina's Heavenly DelightsNina's Heavenly Delights (2007)
Dir. Pratibha Parmar
Feat. Shelley Conn, Laura Fraser
Comical and touching story of a Glaswegian cook who falls in love with a restaurant owner and together attempt to save a floundering restaurant by…
No ReservationsNo Reservations (2007)
Dir. Scott Hicks
Feat. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin
US remake of German foodie rom–com MOSTLY MARTHA that’s inferior to its predecessor, yet appetizing enough in garnish (attractive…
NoiseNoise (2007)
Dir. Henry Bean
Feat. Tim Robbins, Bridget Moynahan, William Hurt
Irreverent black comedy stars Tim Robbins as an outraged citizen impelled to take a stand against the daily irritation of New York noise…
O'HortenO'Horten (2007) Recommended
Dir. Bent Hamer
Feat. Baard Owe, Ghita Norby
The director of KITCHEN STORIES follows up with another comic delicacy about a 67–year–old engineer and his oddly challenging quest to…
PersepolisPersepolis (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Exceptional black–and–white animated feature for adults based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, who grew up in…
Rocket ScienceRocket Science (2007)
Dir. Jeffrey Blitz
Feat. Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Denis O'Hare
Pointy–headed comedy from the dir. of the documentary SPELLBOUND that switches the subject to high–school debating, and the travails of…
Rude Awakenings (TV Series)Rude Awakenings (TV Series) (2007)
Feat. Danielle Cormack, Patrick Wilson
Polished, darkly tinged suburban satire between a grassroots Kiwi family and their new latte–slurping neighbours, who declare warfare in the…
Satisfaction (TV Series)Satisfaction (TV Series) (2007) Recommended
Feat. Kestie Morassi, Diana Glenn, Bojana Novakovic
Intelligent, ASTRA award–winning Australian drama series focusing on a group of beautiful women who work in a high–class brothel in…
Suso's TowerSuso's Tower (La Torre de Suso) (2007)
Dir. Tom Fernández
Feat. Javier Camara, Gonzalo de Castro, César Vea
Forced to return to his native Spain following the death of a friend, a hard–living man decides to fulfill his dead mate’s dream of…
TowelheadTowelhead (Nothing Is Private) (2007)
Dir. Alan Ball
Feat. Summer Bishil, Aaron Eckhart, Toni Collette
The writer of AMERICAN BEAUTY and SIX FEET UNDER brings an acclaimed novel to the screen in this dark and uncomfortable suburban drama focused on a…
Viva Viva (2007)
Dir. Anna Biller
Feat. Anna Biller, Barry Morse
Electric homage to early sexploitation flicks in which an abandoned and frustrated housewife decides to explore the swinging 70s sexual revolution,…
We're Here to HelpWe're Here to Help (2007) Recommended
Dir. Jonothan Cullinane
Feat. Erik Thomson, Miriama Smith, Michael Hurst
Hearty bureaucratic broadside with Australian Erik Thomson well cast as Kiwi property developer Dave Henderson, who became hounded and eventually…
Year of the DogYear of the Dog (2007)
Dir. Mike White
Feat. Laura Dern, Peter Sarsgaard, Regina King
This sensitive comedy–drama about a woman whose life falls to pieces when her pet beagle dies, is the directorial debut of Mike White, writer…
Amazing Mrs Pritchard, The (TV Series)Amazing Mrs Pritchard, The (TV Series) (2006) Recommended
Feat. Jane Horrocks, Steven Mackintosh, Jodhi May
Excellent UK drama focused on supermarket manager Ros Pritchard (Horrocks) who decides to sort out Britain's political climate by running for Prime…
As You Like ItAs You Like It (2006)
Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Bryce Dallas Howard, Romola Garai, Alfred Molina
Kenneth Branagh transplants the Bard’s comedy to old Japan in this talent–stacked tale of woman's flight from persecution and into the arms…
Bernard and DorisBernard and Doris (2006)
Dir. Bob Balaban
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Ralph Fiennes
Romantic comedy based loosely on the real–life relationship between socialite heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke (Sarandon) and her butler…
BonnevilleBonneville (2006)
Dir. Christopher Rowley
Feat. Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Joan Allen
Endearing road dramedy featuring a trio of Mormon friends that set out for Santa Barbara in a vintage 66' Bonneville Convertible to deliver the ashes…
Boston Legal - Season 3 (TV Series) Boston Legal - Season 3 (TV Series) (2006-2007)
Feat. James Spader, William Shatner
Further episodes from the irreverent spinoff to THE PRACTICE, based around the cases and happenings of the civil law section of a renowned Boston…
Caiman, TheCaiman, The (Il Camino) (2006)
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Nanni Moretti, Margherita Buy, Jasmine Trinca
Unflinching Italian film–within–a–film concerning a producer attempting to make a film about former Italian prime minister Silvio…
Devil Wears Prada, TheDevil Wears Prada, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. David Frankel
Feat. Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt
Fabulous fashion cringe–comedy has a provincial lass (Anne Hathaway) somehow obtain a sought after junior position at high–class magazine…
Driving LessonsDriving Lessons (2006)
Dir. Jeremy Brock
Feat. Julie Walters, Laura Linney, Rupert Grint
Both a coming–of–age and late–life story, this British feel–gooder concerns a shy teenager (Grint), who under the influence…
Family LawFamily Law (Derecho de familia) (2006)
Dir. Daniel Burman
Feat. Daniel Hendler, Arturo Goetz, Eloy Burman
Fatherhood and career jitters converge in this wry comedy of family matters. Promising young dir. Burman displays a dry wit in looking at three…
Footy LegendsFooty Legends (2006)
Dir. Khoa Do
Feat. Anh Do
Sydney 'burbs–set feel–good sporting flick about an unemployed Asian rugga fanatic with an ambition to win a local competition with the…
Friends with MoneyFriends with Money (2006)
Dir. Nicole Holofcener
Feat. Jennifer Aniston, Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener
Diverting relationship–drama skips through dir. Holofcener's (LOVELY AND AMAZING) perennial wry life lessons, presenting the tribulations of…
Groomsmen, TheGroomsmen, The (2006)
Dir. Edward Burns
Feat. Edward Burns, Jay Mohr, John Leguizamo
An earnest buddy comedy for writer–director Edward Burns that triples as a reunion film and a pre–wedding jitters piece, with Ed playing…
History Boys, TheHistory Boys, The (2006)
Dir. Nicholas Hytner
Feat. Richard Griffiths, Stephen Campbell Moore, Samuel Anderson
Alan Bennett's hit stageplay about the precocious lads and frustrated teachers at a well–bred English boarding school is transposed directly to…
Hotel Babylon (TV Series)Hotel Babylon (TV Series) (2006) Recommended
Feat. Tamzin Outhwaite, Max Beesley, Dexter Fletcher
The dysfunctional inner–workings of a posh luxury hotel are played out against the ever–increasing eccentricity of its guests in this…
Ira & AbbyIra & Abby (2006)
Dir. Robert Cary
Feat. Chris Messina, Jennifer Westfeldt, Jason Alexander
Jittery romantic comedy concerns the ramifications of a hasty marriage between a neurotic therapy patient and a flighty saleswoman. New York…
Kiss Me BabyKiss Me Baby (Baciami Piccina) (2006)
Dir. Roberto Cimapnelli
Feat. Neri Marcore, Vincenzo Salemme, Elena Russo
Elegant blend of love–story, witty road movie and historical drama tells the story of a couple on their honeymoon at the most unlikely of times…
Land, TheLand, The (La Terra, Our Land) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Sergio Rubini
Feat. Paolo Briguglia, Emilio Solfrizzi, Sergio Rubini
Compulsive Italian dramedy depicting a man who returns to the home of his childhood to tie up the sale of the family estate, but is instead…
LipstickLipstick (Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy) (2006)
Dir. Peter Werner
Feat. Sarah Chalke, Jay Harrington
Based on a true story of a woman's fight to maintain her humour and passion while battling breast cancer, Sarah Chalke (SCRUBS) gives a raw and…
Little Miss SunshineLittle Miss Sunshine (2006) Recommended
Dir. Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Feat. Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette
The little film that could, this endearing, whole–hearted indie underdog shunts a screwball family on an eventful roadtrip across America, lead…
LOLLOL (2006)
Dir. Joe Swanberg
Feat. Joe Swanberg, Kevin Bewersdorf, C. Mason Wells
Humble "mumblecore" rom–com about relationships and technology, written, directed, produced and starring Joe Swanberg, the artist who is…
Night of the White Pants, TheNight of the White Pants, The (2006)
Dir. Amy Talkington
Feat. Tom Wilkinson, Nick Stahl, Selma Blair
Intriguing comedy–drama in which middle–aged businessman Tom Wilkinson is thrown out of his house (and marriage) with only the clothes…
No. 2No. 2 (Number 2) (2006)
Dir. Toa Fraser
Feat. Ruby Dee, Mia Blake, Emile Taungaroa
Playwright Toa Fraser adapts his acclaimed stageplay about a hard–bitten matriarch determined to bring her grandchildren together for a…
OffsideOffside (2006) Recommended
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Filmed using non–professionals, in and around the unfolding events of an actual World Cup qualifier, Jafar Panahi expertly weaves a…
Prairie Home Companion, APrairie Home Companion, A (2006)
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Tommy Lee Jones
Reviving the musical scope of his 70s watermark NASHVILLE, Robert Altman’s last film lovingly dramatizes the backstage quandary of a live radio…
RepriseReprise (2006) Recommended
Dir. Joachim Trier
Feat. Anders Danielsen Lie, Espen Klouman-Høiner, Viktoria Winge
Touching, keenly perceptive Norwegian film fest favourite centres on two twenty–something writers whose vastly divergent personalities and…
Science of Sleep, TheScience of Sleep, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Emma de Caunes
A delightfully self–conscious, self–indulged fantasy for cine–wizard Michel Gondry, the director's follow–up to ETERNAL…
ShortbusShortbus (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Cameron Mitchell
Feat. Sook-Yin Lee, Lindsay Beamish, Paul Dawson
A raucous, freewheeling comedy of intercourse from gay auteur John Cameron Mitchell, audacious in its employment of explicit sex, unknown actors and…
Sixty SixSixty Six (2006) Recommended
Dir. Paul Weiland
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Rea
Gentle, uplifting British comedy–drama about a young boy preparing for his Bar Mitzvah in North London, which just happens to clash with the…
Sunshine Man, TheSunshine Man, The (2006)
Dir. Peter Tonks
A dark parable in short–film form from Wellington dir. Peter Tonks, concerning a seriously–odd telephone salesman whose frustrations in…
TV Set, TheTV Set, The (2006)
Dir. Jake Kasdan
Feat. David Duchovny, Sigourney Weaver, Ioan Gruffudd
Viciously accurate, insider–penned satire of TV networks and one man's efforts to develop his own show by the writer/director of ZERO…
Actress, TheActress, The (2005)
Dir. Zak Hilditch
Feat. Matt Hardie, Catlin Higgins, Steve Mccall
An observational black comedy centering on a Perth household of three sex–starved 20–somethings who invite a seductive actress to be…
Adam's ApplesAdam's Apples (2005) Recommended
Dir. Anders Thomas Jensen
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Ulrich Thomsen, Paprika Steen
Roguishly sardonic Danish black comedy about a sanguine country vicar (CASINO ROYALE’s Mikkelsen) who encounters resistance from a neo–Nazi…
Bigger than the SkyBigger than the Sky (2005)
Dir. Al Corley
Feat. John Corbett, Amy Smart, Sean Astin
An innocuous if fitfully insightful drama about a sad–sack graphic designer (Thomas) who finds solace when he snags the lead role in a…
Boston Legal - Season 2 (TV Series) Boston Legal - Season 2 (TV Series) (2005-2006)
Feat. James Spader, William Shatner
Further episodes from the irreverent spinoff to THE PRACTICE, based around the cases and happenings of the civil law section of a renowned Boston…
Boynton Beach ClubBoynton Beach Club (The Boynton Beach Bereavement Club) (2005)
Dir. Susan Seidelman
Feat. Dyan Cannon, Sally Kellerman, Brenda Vaccaro
Endearingly affable comedy–drama centres on a group of recently bereaved retirees attempting to rejuvenate their lives while coping with trauma…
Broken FlowersBroken Flowers (2005) Recommended
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Bill Murray, Julie Delpy, Frances Conroy
A beguiling middle–age lament starring Bill Murray, unfurled in typical low gear by the world's 'coolest' director, Jim Jarmusch. Playing an…
Conversations with Other WomenConversations with Other Women (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hans Canosa
Feat. Aaron Eckhart, Helena Bonham Carter
An innovative, bittersweet romantic two–hander that uses split screen for its entire running time to explore the contrasting…
Daltry CalhounDaltry Calhoun (2005)
Dir. Katrina Holden Bronson
Feat. Elizabeth Banks, Johnny Knoxville, Beth Grant
'Bachelor father' black comedy set in Tennessee sees ordinary Southern lad Calhoun (Knoxville) have his life turned upside down by the appearance of…
Dark HorseDark Horse (Voksne mennesker) (2005)
Dir. Dagur Kari
Feat. Jakob Cedergren, Nicolas Bro
Charmingly offbeat slacker comedy from the director of NOI THE ALBINO, following a Copenhagen graffiti artist who spends his days dodging parking…
Everything is IlluminatedEverything is Illuminated (2005) Recommended
Dir. Liev Schreiber
Feat. Elijah Wood
An ambitious debut for dir. Schreiber, telling the deadpan, yet wistful tale of an earnest NYC Jew (Wood) who travels to the Ukraine to find the…
Family Stone, TheFamily Stone, The (2005) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Bezucha
Feat. Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Luke Wilson
More considered and better–written than the usual family Christmas comedy plot, this finds Mulroney bringing his fiance (Parker) to his clan's…
Funland (TV Series)Funland (TV Series) (2005)
Feat. Phillip Jackson, Sarah Smart, Daniel Mays
A dark–edged 'comedy' from the creators of LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN, this true original melds surreal humour and coarse drama in equal parts,…
Game 6Game 6 (2005)
Dir. Michael Hoffman
Feat. Michael Keaton, Catherine O'Hara, Griffin Dunne
Nicely balanced dramedy about a fretful playwright with a new work opening on Broadway who chooses to instead focus his anxiety on his beloved Red…
Girl in the Cafe, TheGirl in the Cafe, The (2005)
Dir. David Yates
Feat. Bill Nighy, Kelly MacDonald
Richard Curtis (LOVE ACTUALLY) penned this second–chances romance with a mild political streak, where an aging civil servant strikes up an…
Happy EndingsHappy Endings (2005)
Dir. Don Roos
Feat. Lisa Kudrow, Steve Coogan, Maggie Gyllenhaal
A clutch of hedonistic Americans collide, abuse and impregnate each other in this typically light yet smart black comedy from the dir. of THE…
Hard PillHard Pill (2005) Recommended
Dir. John Baumgartner
Feat. Jonathan Slavin, Scotch Ellis Loring, Susan Slome
Provocative comedy–drama dares to posit a scenario in which a little pill can induce heterosexuality and when a depressed gay man wonders if…
Heartbreak HotelHeartbreak Hotel (2005) Recommended
Dir. Colin Nutley
Feat. Helena Bergstrom, Maria Lundqvist
Two recently–divorced Swedish women form an unlikely bond and navigate their way through the perils of singledom in this fresh–faced…
How Much Do You Love Me?How Much Do You Love Me? (Combien tu m'aimes?) (2005)
Dir. Bertrand Blier
Feat. Monica Bellucci, Gerard Depardieu, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
Akin to THE VALET’s improbable live–in relationship, but offering entirely different results, this peculiar comedy–romance stars Monica…
In Her ShoesIn Her Shoes (2005) Recommended
Dir. Curtis Hanson
Feat. Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Shirley Maclaine
Intelligent, if overly conventional adaptation of Jennifer Weiner's chick–lit novel about two contrasting and clashing sisters: the ebullient…
Insiders Guide to Love, The (TV Series)Insiders Guide to Love, The (TV Series) (2005)
Feat. Kate Elliot, Will Hall, Ryan O' Kane
Adopting the whimsical style of series forerunner INSIDERS GUIDE TO HAPPINESS, this spiffy companion–piece assembles an entirely new set of…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2007 Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2007 (2005-2006) Recommended
Comprehensive box–set collection of 11 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2007' spread over 6 discs. Films…
JunebugJunebug (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. Phil Morrison
Feat. Embeth Davidtz, Alessandro Nivola, Amy Adams
An enchanting indie gem about an art–dealer whose pursuit of an 'outsider artist' in backwoods North Carolina prompts various life crises,…
Look Both WaysLook Both Ways (2005) Recommended
Dir. Sarah Watt
Feat. Justine Clarke, William McInnes, Anthony Hayes
A melancholy comedy with inspired flashes of animation, this impressive feature film debut from writer–director Sarah Watt nicely freshens the…
Mistress of SpicesMistress of Spices (2005)
Dir. Paul Mayeda Berges
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Dylan McDermott, Ayesha Dharkar
A beautiful Indian 'spice mistress' (Rai) emigrates to San Francisco, where she opens a dispensary, having to obey three special edicts –…
Mrs Henderson PresentsMrs Henderson Presents (2005) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Christopher Guest
Set in the grey drabness of 1930s England, this charming wee feel–gooder tells the true story of an eccentric, somewhat difficult dowager…
Mrs. Palfrey at the ClaremontMrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2005) Recommended
Dir. Dan Ireland
Feat. Joan Plowright, Rupert Friend
Immensely popular drama strikes up great chemistry between its genteel, elderly titular character (Plowright) who is struggling to maintain her…
Must Love DogsMust Love Dogs (2005)
Dir. Gary David Goldberg
Feat. Diane Lane, John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins
Candyfloss romcom sees a forty–something teacher (Lane) recover from a broken marriage with the help of her large Irish–American family,…
Mutual AppreciationMutual Appreciation (2005) Recommended
Dir. Andrew Bujalski
Feat. Justin Rice, Andrew Bujalski, Kate Dollenmayer
An authentically amusing, perfectly observed capsule of post–graduate blues from the idiosyncratic dir. of FUNNY HA HA, praised almost…
My Family and Other AnimalsMy Family and Other Animals (2005) Recommended
Dir. Sheree Folkson
Feat. Imelda Staunton
Delightfully unassuming BBC telemovie with Imelda Staunton as the matriarch of an eccentric British family living on the Greek isle of Corfu. Based…
One Stays, One LeavesOne Stays, One Leaves (L' un reste, l'autre part) (2005)
Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nathalie Baye
Witty French comedy with an undercurrent of angst in which two philandering middle–aged husbands do their utmost to juggle fresh–faced…
PuppyPuppy (2005)
Dir. Kieran Galvin
Feat. Bernard Curry, Nadia Townsend
A self–funded meditation on obsession and love, set in Victoria's pretty Yarra Valley, in which a free spirit is rescued by a delusional…
Takeshis'Takeshis' (2005)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren Osugi
Returning to his comedic roots, dir. Takeshi Kitano springs layer upon layer of self–reference and in this conceptually ambitious, though…
Wedding Date, TheWedding Date, The (2005)
Dir. Claire Kilner
Feat. Dermot Mulroney, Debra Messing, Jack Davenport
Lightweight romcom sees a successful single woman (Messing, from TV's "Will and Grace") travel to her sister's wedding in London with a paid male…
Wendell Baker Story, TheWendell Baker Story, The (2005)
Dir. Luke Wilson, Andrew Wilson
Feat. Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Eva Mendes
Typical Wilson brother comedy fare about a scheming ex con who finds work at a retirement hotel and helps the residents get revenge on their nasty…
Winter PassingWinter Passing (2005)
Dir. adam rapp
Feat. Ed Harris, Zooey Deschanel, Will Ferrell
Lyrical, character driven drama offering humour tinged ruminations on loneliness and yearning. Zooey Deschanel provides an arresting lead…
AlfieAlfie (2004)
Dir. Charles Shyer
Feat. Jude Law, Marisa Tomei, Omar Epps
Slicked back remake of the Michael Caine original, here translated to contemporary Manhattan, with Jude Law playing the Cockney skirt–chaser on…
As it is in HeavenAs it is in Heaven (Så som i himmelen) (2004)
Dir. Kay Pollak
Feat. Michael Nyqvist
A feelgood arthouse hit about a renowned classical music conductor who rediscovers his roots in the far north of Sweden. Acquiring a rundown…
Blackpool (TV Series)Blackpool (TV Series) (2004)
Dir. Coky Giedroyc, Julie Ann Robinson
Feat. David Morrissey, Sarah Parish, David Tennant
Cocky and entertaining mini–series concerns the rise and fall of a Blackpool gambling entrepeneur, played with broad intensity by the excellent…
BombonBombon (El Perro) (2004)
Dir. Carlos Sorin
Feat. Juan Villegas
A middle–aged man (Villegas), struggling to maintain his meager lifestyle working as a mechanic in remote Patagonia, and selling knives on the…
Boston Legal - Season 1 (TV Series)Boston Legal - Season 1 (TV Series) (2004-2005)
Feat. James Spader, William Shatner, Monica Potter
Irreverent spinoff to THE PRACTICE adds a thwack of biting comedy to some familiar courtroom antics, chiefly courtesy of star turns from James Spader…
Calcium Kid, TheCalcium Kid, The (2004)
Dir. Alex de Rakoff
Feat. Orlando Bloom
A perky, earnest mockumentary in which a weedy amateur boxer (Bloom) – in daily life a milkman – finds himself in an unlikely bout with…
Coffee and CigarettesCoffee and Cigarettes (2004)
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Roberto Benigni, Steve Buscemi, Iggy Pop
A compendium of whimsical b&w shorts from lapsidaisical indie auteur Jim Jarmusch, set around various celebrity encounters over nicotine and…
CriminalCriminal (2004)
Dir. Greg Jacobs
Feat. John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal
A reasonably successful American replay of the Argentian thriller NINE QUEENS, this sees a con artist (Reilly) take an apprentice (Luna) under his…
Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 1Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 1 (2004) Recommended
Feat. Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross
A wildly popular "super–soap" which explores the secrets, neuroses, affairs and generally intriguing lives of a group of middle–aged…
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst
A miraculous, complex 'domestic fantasy' from the twin genius of writer Charlie Kaufman and director Michel Gondry, who find a satisfying narrative…
Familia RodanteFamilia Rodante (Rolling Family) (2004)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Feat. Graciana Chironi, Bernardo Forteza
Argentinian comedy from the director of EL BONAERENSE, following a large family who embark on an epic road trip from Buenos Aires to a village in…
Garden StateGarden State (2004)
Dir. Zach Braff
Feat. Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, Ian Holm
Sitcom actor Zach Braff compliments his career in "Scrubs" as the ambitious writer, director and star of this personal, melancholy comedy that became…
Huff (TV Series)Huff (TV Series) (2004)
Feat. Hank Azaria, Paget Brewster, Blythe Danner
Solid 'midlife crisis' drama series set around a successful psychiatrist (Azaria) who is sent into a tailspin when a 15–year old patient…
In Good CompanyIn Good Company (2004)
Dir. Paul Weitz
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson
Grappling with the personal dynamics and conflicts of corporate culture in a marketing department, this has a youthful upstart (Grace) promoted over…
Insiders Guide to Happiness, The (TV Series)Insiders Guide to Happiness, The (TV Series) (2004) Recommended
Feat. Fasitua Amosa, Ben Barrington, Fraser Brown
An ambitious, stylish TV series (made on our doorstep) which shows the life–tracks of various contemporary urbanites and suburbanites meshing…
Intimate StrangersIntimate Strangers (Confidences trop intimes) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Fabrice Luchini, Anne Brochet
Another stylish excursion into suspensful romanticism for dir. Leconte (MONSIEUR HIRE), here premised on a woman's mistaken assumption that she is…
Jersey GirlJersey Girl (2004)
Dir. Kevin Smith
Feat. Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Jason Biggs
Surprising schmaltz from the dir. of CLERKS and CHASING AMY, who supresses (almost) the dick and movie jokes that are his stock–in–trade…
Life and Death of Peter Sellers, TheLife and Death of Peter Sellers, The (2004)
Dir. Stephen Hopkins
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Charlize Theron, Emily Watson
An entertaining, if disturbing summary of the turbulent life of British comedian Peter Sellers, with Geoffrey Rush starring as the man who famously…
Life is a MiracleLife is a Miracle (Zivot je cudo) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Slavko Stimac, Natasa Solak
Another feverish, frenetic and heartfelt vision from Balkan dir. Emir Kusturica (UNDERGOUND), attempting here to fathom and unknot the bloody Bosnian…
Little Black BookLittle Black Book (2004)
Dir. Nick Hurran
Feat. Brittany Murphy, Kathy Bates, Holly Hunter
Brittany Murphy plays a television researcher whose curiosity gets the better of her when she gets her hands on her boyfriend's pocket…
Look At MeLook At Me (Comme une Image) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Agnes Jaoui
Feat. Jean-Pierre Bacri, Agnes Jaoui
Another diverting comedy of manners from the husband–wife creative team behind THE TASTE OF OTHERS, set among the fragile egos of the literary…
Me And My SisterMe And My Sister (Les Soeurs Fachees) (2004)
Dir. Alexandra Leclere
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Frot
A deceptively simple French comedy, which has a bubbly and gauche rural–dwelling woman (Frot) visiting her arrogant and successful sister…
Me and You and Everyone We KnowMe and You and Everyone We Know (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Miranda July
Feat. Miranda July, John Hawkes, Brad William Henke
An intriguing, fine–quality drama from the boundary of art and indie filmmaking, in which two struggling characters – a performance…
Melinda and MelindaMelinda and Melinda (2004)
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Radha Mitchell, Will Ferrell, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Woody Allen's tweaks his formula in a clever conceit that alternates a comic and tragic version of the same romantic story. Australian actress…
MillionsMillions (2004) Recommended
Dir. Danny Boyle
Feat. Alex Etel, Lewis McGibbon, James Nesbitt
A magical family film concerning an idealistic seven–year–old Manchester lad (Etel) whose will to 'do good' is complicated when a…
Nighty Night (TV Series)Nighty Night (TV Series) (2004)
Feat. Julia Davis
Thoroughly "wicked" drama series follows the nefarious efforts of arch–manipulator Julia Davis to 'move on' after her husband falls ill to…
Producing AdultsProducing Adults (2004)
Dir. Aleksi Salmenpera
Feat. Minna Haapkyla, Kari-Pekka Toivonen, Minttu Mustakallio
Finnish comedy–drama about a woman who develops an unlikely relationship with the female doctor she meets at the fertility clinic, while she is…
Rice RhapsodyRice Rhapsody (Hainan ji fan) (2004)
Dir. Kenneth Bi
Feat. Sylvia Chang, Mélanie Laurent, Maggie Q
Light, good–natured familial farce about a sturdy single mother who, fearing a drought of grandchildren, plots to ‘straighten’ the…
Shameless (TV Series)Shameless (TV Series) (2004)
Feat. David Threlfall, Elliot Tittensor, Gerard Kearns
The story of a young group of siblings pretty much abandoned by their parents, surviving by their wits – and humor – on a rough…
She Hate MeShe Hate Me (2004)
Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, Ellen Barkin
Another well–packed 'joint' from Spike Lee, has a corporate whistle–blower (Mackie) fired from his job and recruited to impregnate…
SidewaysSideways (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen
Reserve quality odd–couple comedy–drama from the consistent talent behind ELECTION and ABOUT SCHMIDT, about two middle–aged friends…
Silver CitySilver City (2004)
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Chris Cooper, Danny Huston, Daryl Hannah
Oddly tangled satire of Bush–era American politics in which a George Dubya soundalike (Cooper) goes on the campaign trail in Colorado, while…
SpanglishSpanglish (2004)
Dir. James L. Brooks
Feat. Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, Tea Leoni
A Mexican maid (Vega) is inducted into the Bel Air household of a celebrity chef (Sandler) and his dysfunctional family, in this cheerfully sour…
ThunderstruckThunderstruck (2004)
Dir. Darren Ashton
Feat. Sam Worthington
Bittersweet comedy has a group of young heavy–metal musicians make a pact to reunite, should one of them die, so as to bury the body next to…
Upside of Anger, TheUpside of Anger, The (2004)
Dir. Mike Binder
Feat. Kevin Costner, Joan Allen, Erika Christensen
After being deserted by her husband, a resentful suburban Mom (Allen) turns to the bottle and the arms of her neighbour (Costner), an…
Vanity FairVanity Fair (2004)
Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rhys Ifans
Sumptuous and intelligent adaptation of William Thackeray's novel, about the rise of an unscrupulous orphan lass to the aristocracy in Britain during…
A Foreign AffairA Foreign Affair (2 Brothers and a Bride) (2003)
Dir. Helmut Schleppi
Feat. David Arquette, Tim Blake Nelson, Emily Mortimer
An underrated dramatic satire in which two American farmboys enrol in a 'romance tour' of Russia when their mother dies. As they tour the clubs…
Battle of Shaker Heights, TheBattle of Shaker Heights, The (2003)
Dir. Efram Potelle, Kyle Rankin
Feat. Shia LaBeouf, Elden Henson, Amy Smart
This product of the "Project Greenlight" film–making reality–TV is a a light but engaging story of a young war–reenactment…
Bright Young ThingsBright Young Things (2003)
Dir. Stephen Fry
Feat. Emily Mortimer, Stephen Campbell Moore, Dan Aykroyd
Set among the aspirant youth of 1930s Britain, this fresh satirical comedy marks a promising debut for dir. Fry, even if the drama is sliced a little…
Calendar GirlsCalendar Girls (2003)
Dir. Nigel Cole
Feat. Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Linda Bassett
A group of middle–aged Yorkshire–women decide to disrobe for a charity calender, in an affirmative spin on the FULL MONTY…
Canterbury Tales, The (TV Mini-Series)Canterbury Tales, The (TV Mini-Series) (2003)
Feat. James Nesbitt, Julie Walters, Billie Piper
A contemporay retelling of six tales from Geoffrey Chaucer's medieval classic, which dispenses with the framing journey to concentrate on the…
CarolinaCarolina (2003)
Dir. Marleen Gorris
Feat. Julia Stiles, Shirley Maclaine, Randy Quaid
Slightly off–kilter romantic comedy, with the dir. of MRS DALLOWAY injecting a little originality into the normal recipe. Stiles, projecting…
EasyEasy (2003) Recommended
Dir. Jane Weinstock
Feat. Marguerite Moreau, Brian F O'Byrne, Naveen Andrews
A nicely–judged indie riff on some of the perennial dilemmas of modern romance, as experienced by two sisters on the quest to find their…
Fortysomething (TV Series)Fortysomething (TV Series) (2003)
Feat. Hugh Laurie, Anna Chancellor, Benedict Cumberbatch
Humorous Britcom starring Hugh Laurie as an anxiety ridden doctor amidst the meltdown of a midlife crisis. With his long–term marriage slowly…
Good Fences (2003)
Dir. Ernest Dickerson
Feat. Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Mo'Nique
Instructive race–relations telemovie about the stresses of prejudice on an upwardly mobile black family in the white, affluent suburb of…
Goodbye Lenin!Goodbye Lenin! (2003) Recommended
Dir. Wolfgang Becker
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova
This comedy of concealment set around the fall of the Berlin Wall was a justifiable success around the world, with a bittersweet mood of political…
James' Journey to JerusalemJames' Journey to Jerusalem (Massa'ot James Be'eretz Hakodesh) (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ra'anan Alexandrowicz
Feat. Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe
A witty yet significant portrait of contemporary Israel that takes the form of a deceptively straightforward fable, charting the progress of a young…
Kal Ho Naa HoKal Ho Naa Ho (Tomorrow May Never Come) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Nikhil Advani
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta
Sporting a string of hit songs and featuring a troika of India's most popular stars, this giddy swirl of romantic comedy, musical, family melodrama…
Kiss Me First Kiss Me First (Prima dammi un bacio) (2003)
Dir. Ambrogio Lo Giudice
Feat. Stefania Rocca, Marco Cocci
Endearing Italian comedy following the fate of two separated lovers whose lives cannot help but intersect. The events of WW2 inevitably drive these…
Kitchen StoriesKitchen Stories (Salmer fra kjøkkenet) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Bent Hamer
Feat. Tomas Norstrom, Joachim Calmeyer, Reine Brynolfsson
A slyly humourous offering from Scandanavia, examining the efforts of the (real–life) Swedish Home Research Institute to improve lives of…
Last Detective, The (TV Series)Last Detective, The (TV Series) (2003)
Feat. Peter Davison
The ironically moniker Constable "Dangerous" Davies livens up this comic policier about an inept but persistent detective saddled with the most…
Latter DaysLatter Days (2003) Recommended
Dir. C. Jay Cox
Feat. Steve Sandvoss, Wes Ramsey, Jacqueline Bisset
Putting a slight twist on the conventions of romantic gay comedy, a Los Angeles party animal falls for and becomes involved with a young Mormon…
Le DivorceLe Divorce (2003)
Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts, Leslie Caron
Neither romantic escapism nor French farce American–style, this comedy from ‘prestige’ partnership Merchant–Ivory can’t find shape…
Love Me If You DareLove Me If You Dare (Jeux d'enfants) (2003)
Dir. Yann Samuell
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Guillaume Canet
Two French kids develop an intense relationship through escalating games of "dare" that bond and haunt them through a turbulent teenage and…
New Tricks (TV Series)New Tricks (TV Series) (2003) Recommended
Feat. Alun Armstrong, James Bolam, Amanda Redman
Solidly commended British crime series set around a trio of retired police detectives (Armstrong, Bolam and Waterman), led by the rather brash Amanda…
NicotinaNicotina (2003)
Dir. Hugo Rodriguez
Feat. Diego Luna, Jésus Ochoa, Lucas Crespi
A stylish crime caper set in Mexico City, featuring an array of storylines, all featuring frustrated cigarette addicts, who finally intersect in a…
Noi AlbinoiNoi Albinoi (Noi the Albino) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Dagur Kari
Feat. Tomas Lemarquis, Pröstur Leó Gunnarsson
Distinctive drama about a 'gifted' 17–year–old who rebels against the limits of life in a remote Icelandic town. Brimming with…
Out of OrderOut of Order (2003)
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Felicity Huffman, Justine Bateman
The pilot episode for a TV Series set around a Los Angeles family, where Mom (Huffman) and Dad (Stoltz) exist on the middle rungs of the Hollywood…
Pieces of AprilPieces of April (2003)
Dir. Peter Hedges
Feat. Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke
The uncomfortably comic family reunion done in the DAYTRIPPERS mold, with a tattooed Katie Holmes as the spacey black sheep of the clan, who invites…
Rage in Placid Lake, TheRage in Placid Lake, The (2003)
Dir. Tony McNamara
Feat. Ben Lee, Rose Byrne, Miranda Richardson
Tale of an eccentric bullied teenager, this mordant comedy executes its satire of abnormality without mercy. The titular Lake (Ben Lee)…
Real Women Have CurvesReal Women Have Curves (2003) Recommended
Dir. Patricia Cardoso
Feat. America Ferrera
A natural antidote to Hollywood silicone, this tells the charming coming–of–age story of an ‘ordinary’ Mexican–American…
Secondhand LionsSecondhand Lions (2003)
Dir. Tim McCanlies
Feat. Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, Haley Joel Osment
'Hayseed drama' set around a boy (Osment) being sent to live with his eccentric uncles in deepest Texas in the hope they will 'will' him their…
Secret Lives of Dentists, TheSecret Lives of Dentists, The (2003)
Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Campbell Scott, Denis Leary, Hope Davis
Typically quirky adult fare from dir. Alan Rudolph about two dentists who find cavities in their marriage, this takes imaginative yet distracting…
Something's Gotta GiveSomething's Gotta Give (2003)
Dir. Nancy Meyers
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves
Smoothly fashioned comic drama in which aging music–industry womaniser Nicholson suffers a heart attack and falls for grey–haired…
TiptoesTiptoes (Tiny Tiptoes) (2003)
Dir. Matthew Bright
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Gary Oldman, Kate Beckinsale
Safely quirky indie has Kate Beckinsale and Matthew McConaughey's relationship heading for the rough waters when she discovers his family almost…
Von TrappedVon Trapped (2003)
Dir. Morag Fullarton
Feat. Caroline Quentin, Una Stubbs, Jim Carter
Brit comedy in which a jilted mother, portrayed by Caroline Quentin (JONATHAN CREEK), with a religious–like devotion to THE SOUND OF MUSIC…
Watching YouWatching You (2003)
Feat. Diane Flacks, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Cara Pifko
A collection of award–winning international lesbian short films, which will be a treat for the target audience. There's a huge variety of…
Wilbur Wants to Kill HimselfWilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2003)
Dir. Lone Scherfig
Feat. Adrian Rawlins, Shirley Henderson
'Dogme' film by way of Scotland, that surveys the doings of four childlike adults, achieving a curious dual tone of whimsical drama and gallows…
Wondrous OblivionWondrous Oblivion (2003)
Dir. Paul Morrison
Feat. Delroy Lindo, Emily Woof
A warm–hearted tale of sporting nostalgia, set in 60s London around a Jewish boy's tutoring in cricket from his Jamacian neighbour…
24 Hour Party People24 Hour Party People (2002) Recommended
Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Steve Coogan, Andy Serkis, Paddy Considine
A serio–comic music industry biopic about one Tony Wilson, founder of the legendary Factory record label and the Hacienda Club, that provides a…
About a BoyAbout a Boy (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz
Feat. Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz
“No man is an island” is a theme explored with wit and pathos in this romantic comedy that’s plot and characters refreshingly detour from…
About SchmidtAbout Schmidt (2002) Recommended
Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney
Age becomes Jack Nicholson in a beautifully modulated comedy of late life lament that doubles as an affectionate satire of middle…
Catch Me If You CanCatch Me If You Can (2002)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken
A widely enjoyed but minor caper comedy “inspired by” the career of a teenage con man, who passed himself off as an airline pilot, doctor, and…
ChicagoChicago (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Rob Marshall
Feat. Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere
A screen adaptation of Bob Fosse’s 1970s smash hit stage musical that measures up to the legendary director–choreographer’s exacting…
Chutney PopcornChutney Popcorn (2002) Recommended
Dir. Nisha Ganatra
Feat. Nisha Ganatra, Jill Hennessy, Madhur Jaffrey
Writer–director Nisha Ganatra is highly engaging in her own fictional family portrait as a young Indian–American New Yorker trying to…
Confessions of a Dangerous MindConfessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
Dir. George Clooney
Feat. Sam Rockwell, George Clooney, Julia Roberts
The life and neuroses of TV–producer Chuck Barris are the subject of this 'confession', a freewheeling comic fantasy in which the worlds of…
DalkeithDalkeith (2002)
Dir. Leigh Sheehan
Feat. Ray Barrett
The residents of a retirement home are given a greyhound who, to the surprise of all turns out to be a winner, but when management puts a stop to the…
Divine InterventionDivine Intervention (2002) Recommended
Dir. Elia Suleiman
Feat. Elia Suleiman, Manal Khader
A rare cinematic glimpse into life in Ramallah, on the Palestine–Israel border, with its daily challenges presented through a series of…
Footballers' Wives (TV Series)Footballers' Wives (TV Series) (2002)
Feat. Christian Solimeno, Zoe Lucker, Gary Lucky
Compulsive campy drama about women married to members of a fictional English Premiership soccer team. At heart this is soap opera of the highest…
Full FrontalFull Frontal (2002)
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Julia Roberts, Catherine Keener, David Duchovny
Director Stephen Soderbergh calls on the favours of famous friends for a makeshift, semi–improvised poke at the film industry that only a…
Funny Ha HaFunny Ha Ha (2002) Recommended
Dir. Andrew Bujalski
Feat. Kate Dollenmayer
Less 'funny ha ha' than funny peculiar drama about a young woman's desultry efforts to move on in life after completing her university degree. Its…
Good Girl, TheGood Girl, The (2002)
Dir. Miguel Arteta
Feat. Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, John C. Reilly
Quirky, downbeat comedy about people stuck with dead end lives in small–town America adds a string to the bow of acting challenges for starlet…
Hollywood EndingHollywood Ending (2002)
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Tea Leoni, George Hamilton
Dir. Allen turns the lense onto his own business in an ever–characteristic comedy about a struggling film director (Allen) whose comeback…
Hope SpringsHope Springs (2002)
Dir. Mark Herman
Feat. Colin Firth, Minnie Driver, Heather Graham
Smoothly enjoyable though indistinguishable romance that sees a British illustrator (Firth) 'start again' in a small New England town after being…
Igby Goes DownIgby Goes Down (2002) Recommended
Dir. Burr Steers
Feat. Kieran Culkin, Claire Danes, Jeff Goldblum
More than meets the eye in this indie New York satire about an over–educated ‘slacker’ experiencing growing pains amid upper…
L'Homme du TrainL'Homme du Train (Man on the Train) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Jean Rochefort, Johnny Hallyday
An elegantly amusing role–switching tale that's equal parts social comedy, existential drama and subtle thriller, tinged with melancholy…
Laurel CanyonLaurel Canyon (2002)
Dir. Lisa Cholodenko
Feat. Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale
Dropping in on the LA music scene, the writer–director of HIGH ART returns to her pet theme of conservatism yielding to a bohemianism, but…
Linda Green (TV Series)Linda Green (TV Series) (2002)
Feat. Liza Tarbuck
Surprisingly endearing comic drama, follows the life of swinging single girl Linda (played by former TV presenter Liza Tarbuck) from work to home to…
Man Without a Past, TheMan Without a Past, The (2002) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Markku Peltola, Kati Outinen
Another understated, double–take comedy from Finnish dir. Kaurismaki, making perhaps his most cleverly balanced work yet. An itinerant…
Monsieur BatignoleMonsieur Batignole (2002) Recommended
Dir. Gerard Jugnot
Feat. Gerard Jugnot
An ironic comedy set in WW2 Paris, in which the titular butcher helps himself to an apartment vacated by a Jewish family who have been rounded up by…
Nicholas NicklebyNicholas Nickleby (2002)
Dir. Douglas McGrath
Feat. Stella Gonet, Christopher Plummer, Tom Courtenay
Able–handed version of Dicken's classic of Victorian–age injustice, that respects both the comic and tragic sides to the tale. After…
Once Upon a Time in the MidlandsOnce Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002)
Dir. Shane Meadows
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Kathy Burke, Ricky Tomlinson
The bittersweet dramatics of dir. Meadows (ROOM FOR ROMEO BRASS) get a fresh telling in this Nottingham drama, with the added spin of some ironic…
Ping PongPing Pong (2002) Recommended
Dir. Fumisiko Sori
Feat. Yôsuke Kubozuka, Arata
A madcap, yet gently humourous Japanese sports tale, set around two table tennis hotshots (Kubozuka and Arata) preparing for a ferocious battle at a…
PumpkinPumpkin (2002)
Dir. Adam Larson Broder, Tony R Abrams
Feat. Christina Ricci, Hank Harris, Brenda Blethyn
Politically–confused blackly comic satire that follows the progress of Christina Ricci's 'inappropriate' romantic fixation with a disabled…
Raising Victor VargasRaising Victor Vargas (2002) Recommended
Dir. Peter Sollett
Feat. Victor Rasuk, Judy Marte
A sensitive, appealing urban coming of age story set in a Hispanic New York subculture that rewardingly favours low–key incident over…
RespiroRespiro (Grazia's Island) (2002)
Dir. Emanuele Crialese
Feat. Valeria Golino
Highly charged and mostly insightful depiction of a free–spirited woman whose near–psychotic episodes have a profound effect on her small…
SecretarySecretary (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Steven Shainberg
Feat. James Spader, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeremy Davies
A spanking good black comedy detailing the bizarre relationship between a peculiar, ill–tempered lawyer and the meek secretary he…
Summer ThingsSummer Things (Embrassez qui vous voudrez) (2002)
Dir. Michel Blanc
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Jacques Dutronc, Carole Bouquet
Rom–com with an ensemble cast led by Charlotte Rampling as an unhappily married woman who is off to stay at a seaside resort, where she…
Sweet Home AlabamaSweet Home Alabama (2002)
Dir. Andy Tennant
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, Patrick Dempsey
Fashion designer Reese Witherspoon travels from a classy New York existence and engagement to the mayor’s son, back to her hometown in the…
Always Greener (TV Series)Always Greener (TV Series) (2001)
Feat. John Howard, Anne Tenney
Whimsical Australian 'dramedy' follows the mis/fortunes of two related families – the Taylors from suburban Sydney, and the Todds from rural New…
Anniversary Party, TheAnniversary Party, The (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Alan Cumming
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Alan Cumming, Kevin Kline
A wedding anniversary celebration sets the scene for a riveting expose of Hollywood private lives who play host to a large ensemble playing…
Autumn SpringAutumn Spring (Babí léto) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Vladimír Michálek
Feat. Vlastimil Brodsky
Spry Czech comedy of elderly bad manners, concerns an aging prankster (Brodsky) who spends his retirement impersonating people in league with a…
Before You GoBefore You Go (2001)
Dir. Lewis Gilbert
Feat. Julie Walters, Tom Wilkinson, Joanne Whalley
A lightly melancholic comedy, in which three sisters settle scores at their mother’s funeral. The talents of the sparky threesome –…
Being Eve (TV Series)Being Eve (TV Series) (2001)
Feat. Fleur Saville
Spunky, good–natured Kiwi comedy essays the angsty teenage years of girl philosopher Eve Baxter, whose unconventional outlook on life is…
Bob and Rose (TV Series)Bob and Rose (TV Series) (2001)
Dir. Julian Farino, Joe Wright
Feat. Alan Davies, Lesley Sharp
Smart, open–minded relationship drama contemplates the possibility of a gay man and a straight woman falling in love. Devoid of stereotypes,…
Book Group, The (TV Series)Book Group, The (TV Series) (2001)
Dir. Annie Griffin
Feat. Anne Dudek, Rory McCann, James Lance
Browses amusingly through the lives of a mixed group of Glaswegian book–lovers, who have weekly meetings to discuss their literary…
CrushCrush (2001)
Dir. John McKay
Feat. Andie MacDowell, Imelda Staunton, Anna Chancellor
Uninhibited, yet ultimately wishful, this drama concerns the sex–starved lives of three middle–aged women, mainly teacher Andie…
Crying... Silicon TearsCrying... Silicon Tears (Klama) (2001)
Dir. Thanassis Papathanassiou
One of the biggest hits of recent Greek cinema, this is a lavish parody of 1960s Greek movie melodramas, mixing musical, comedy and suspense into a…
Emperor's New ClothesEmperor's New Clothes (2001)
Dir. Alan Taylor
Feat. Ian Holm, Iben Hjejle, Tim McInnerny
Moderately noteworthy, this historical conceit has the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte switch identities with a commoner in order to escape St Helena,…
Fast Food Fast WomenFast Food Fast Women (2001)
Dir. Amos Ollek
Feat. Anna Thomson
Set within a New York diner and the coming–and–going of customers and staff, this gentle indie–drama serves up some charming comedy…
Festival in CannesFestival in Cannes (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Henry Jaglom
Feat. Anouk Aimee, Greta Scacchi, Maximilian Schell
Not a documentary, but just as ‘real’ in the hands of veteran independent director Henry Jaglom, who fashions a delightfully candid…
Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle (2001)
Dir. Philippe Harel
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Jose Garcia
Less sports drama than celebration of the endearingly average, this comical biopic charts the 30–year career of big–hearted, but…
GuinevereGuinevere (2001)
Dir. Audrey Wells
Feat. Sarah Polley, Stephen Rea
Sarah Polley (GO) headlines in this Sundance–winning indie, as a directionless Harvard graduate who falls under the spell of…
Italian For BeginnersItalian For Beginners (2001)
Dir. Lone Scherfig
Feat. Anders W Berthelsen
A likeable ensemble comedy in which six vulnerable characters orbit a drab Copenhagen suburb, each seeking some form of solace, romance or…
La SpagnolaLa Spagnola (2001)
Dir. Steve Jacobs
Feat. Lola Marceli, Alice Ansara, Simon Palomaros
Drawing on the dir.’s experiences as an immigrant Spaniard in 1960s Australia, this colourful tale of revenge centres round a tempestuous…
Lawless HeartLawless Heart (2001)
Dir. Tom Hunsinger, Neil Hunter
Feat. Douglas Henshall, Tom Hollander, Bill Nighy
A triptych of inter–related stories set in a coastal village in Essex, from the points–of–view of three different men who convene…
Martins, TheMartins, The (2001) Recommended
Dir. Tony Grounds
Feat. Lee Evans, Kathy Burke, Paddy Considine
Lee Evans (better known as a standup comic) gives a standout performance as the manic, disgruntled patriarch of a disastrous Hatfield family –…
Mean MachineMean Machine (2001)
Dir. Barry Skolnick
Feat. Vinnie Jones, David Hemmings, Jason Statham
Former footballer Vinnie Jones (SNATCH) sprigs up for this remake of THE LONGEST YARD, as a jailed football champ ordered to coach the prisoner’s…
Minor MishapsMinor Mishaps (2001)
Dir. Annette K. Olesen
Feat. Jorgen Kiil, Maria Wurgler Rich, Jannie Faurschou
Emerging from the lighter end of the Dogme 95 movement, this drama reunites a father and three children after the death of their mother in a car…
Monsoon WeddingMonsoon Wedding (2001) Recommended
Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Naseeruddin Shah, Shafali Shetty, Lillete Dubey
Exotically charmed with a glamorous cast and a tremendous soundtrack, various members of an extended Indian family busy themselves with the mystery…
Pauline and PaulettePauline and Paulette (Pauline et Paulette) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Lieven Debrauwer
Feat. Dora van der Groen, Ann Petersen
An amusing, poignant tale of two elderly sisters and their unique relationship, portrayed by two grand old dames of Belgian theatre. After her…
Secret Life of Us, The (TV Series)Secret Life of Us, The (TV Series) (2001)
Feat. Claudia Karvan, Deborah Mailman
Surprisingly consistent dramedy set in funky, downtown Melbourne amongst a group of romantically ambitious young people. Maintains a quirky lightness…
Son of the BrideSon of the Bride (El Hijo de la novia) (2001)
Dir. Juan José Campanella
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Hector Alterio, Norma Aleandro
Wittily contrived drama, where various family problems revolve around a successful restauranteur Darín, himself undergoing a mid–life crisis…
StorytellingStorytelling (2001)
Dir. Todd Solondz
Feat. John Goodman, Selma Blair, Franke Potente
Continuing to plumb the depths of controversy, the dir. of HAPPINESS tells more stories of the depressed and cruel inhabitants of American suburbia,…
Teachers (TV Series)Teachers (TV Series) (2001-2004)
Feat. Andrew Lincoln, Nina Sosanya, Adrian Bower
British TV comedy following the lives of a group of secondary school teachers in and out of the classroom. Series One centres around Andrew Lincoln…
This is Not a Love StoryThis is Not a Love Story (2001)
Dir. Keith Hill
Feat. Stephen Lovatt, Sarah Smuts-Kennedy
Exploring the dynamics of a love–triangle between a soap–opera actor and two women, this local 'DV drama' from debuting dir. Hill catches…
Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps (TV Series)Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps (TV Series) (2001)
Feat. Will Mellor, Sheridan Smith, Natalie Casey
Brit sitcom following a group of five 20 somethings in Cheshire who regularly meet at the local pub to discuss the trials and tribulations of life.…
Y Tu Mama TambienY Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too!) (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Maribel Verdu, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna
Acclaimed universally (and here in NZ beset with censorship wrangles), this Mexican joyride, taken by two teenage boys and an older woman, is indeed…
101 Reykjavik101 Reykjavik (2000) Recommended
Dir. Baltasar Kormakur
Feat. Baltasar Kormakur, Victoria Abril
An endearingly skewed yet unexpectedly poignant sex comedy moored in the 30–below temperatures of the Icelandic winter, about a…
AberdeenAberdeen (2000)
Dir. Tony Spataro, Hans Petter Moland
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Lena Headey, Jean Anderson
Bleakly funny dysfunctional family drama set in Aberdeen, Scotland, where a dying mother (Charlotte Rampling) enlists the help of her daughter to…
At Home With The Braithwaites (TV Series)At Home With The Braithwaites (TV Series) (2000) Aro Favourite
Feat. Amanda Redman, Peter Davison, Sarah Smart
A self–consciously offbeat domestic drama revolving around the dysfunctional minefield of the Braithwaite household, familial relations that…
Better than SexBetter than Sex (2000)
Dir. Jonathan Teplitzky
Feat. David Wenham, Susie Porter
Better than sex is the open possibility of something ‘more’ between ships–in–the–night David Wenham and Susie Porter, whose two…
Beware of Greeks Bearing GunsBeware of Greeks Bearing Guns (Fovou tous Ellines) (2000)
Dir. John Tatoulis
Feat. Lakis Lazopoulos, Zoe Carides
A warm Greek–Australian rom–com following the exploits of a school teacher from Crete who is sent to Australia to avenge the family name…
ChocolatChocolat (2000) Recommended
Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Alfred Molina, Lena Olin
Light and fluffy ‘food–comedy’ of international mien in which, after a shaky start, Juliette Binoche gets into the heart of an crusty…
Coyote UglyCoyote Ugly (2000)
Dir. David McNally
Feat. Piper Perabo, Andy Garcia, Melanie Lynskey
A young 'Jersey' girl (Piper Perabo) sets off to the Big Apple to follow her dreams of becoming a successful songwriter, but winds up shaking her…
Dinner RushDinner Rush (2000)
Dir. Bob Giraldi
Feat. Danny Aiello, Summer Phoenix, John Corbett
An appetizing New York ‘food movie’ sprinkled over lightly with mobster melodrama set in the bustling, upmarket Italian restaurant of the…
Dr T and the WomenDr T and the Women (2000)
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Farrah Fawcett
Director Altman's typically offbeat ensemble comedy–drama about a middle–aged gynaecologist's (Richard Gere) midlife crisis, as he's…
FlawlessFlawless (2000)
Dir. Joel Schumacher
Feat. Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Hoffman
After suffering a stroke that leaves him part–paralyzed, an arch–conservative, retired security guard (Robert De Niro) agrees to let a…
He Died with a Felafel in His HandHe Died with a Felafel in His Hand (2000)
Dir. Richard Lowenstein
Feat. Noah Taylor, Sophie Lee, Ian Hughes
Ramshackle Aussie comedy based on the cult novel, that follows the fortunes of blocked wannabe writer Noah Taylor in a series of flatting…
Human Remains (TV Series)Human Remains (TV Series) (2000) Recommended
Feat. Rob Brydon, Julia Davis
BBC black comedy mockumentary style series centred around six different offbeat couples, one per episode, candidly revealing their kooky home lives.…
Last of the Blonde Bombshells, TheLast of the Blonde Bombshells, The (2000)
Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Judi Dench, Ian Holm, Leslie Caron
Charming light drama about a recently–widowed Judi Dench who decides to revive her saxophone playing, eventually getting the idea to reunite…
Mad Dogs and EnglishmenMad Dogs and Englishmen (How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog) (2000)
Dir. Michael Kalesniko
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Robin Wright, Jared Harris
Kenneth Branagh brings a rumpled, harassed charm to his role as a playwright whose career is interrupted by 'writer's block', a condition exacerbated…
MalenaMalena (2000)
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Monica Bellucci
The dir. of CINEMA PARADISO throws an amber–lit glow around a man’s memory of a boyhood infatuation in his hometown in WWII Sicily.…
Mrs. Caldicot's Cabbage WarMrs. Caldicot's Cabbage War (2000) Recommended
Dir. Ian Sharp
Feat. Pauline Collins, Peter Capaldi
Pauline Collins (SHIRLEY VALENTINE) plays an elderly widow who is shunted into a resthome by her money grubbing offspring, who don’t count on her…
My Family (TV Series)My Family (TV Series) (2000-2006)
Feat. Zoe Wanamaker, Robert Lindsay
Sturdy British sitcom with Zoe Wanamaker and Robert Lindsay at the head of middle–class family whose dysfunctions range from the petty…
My Mother FrankMy Mother Frank (2000)
Dir. Mark Lamprell
Feat. Sinead Cusack, Sam Neill, Sacha Horler
Sober comedy with an 'it's never too late' theme, is nicely done despite some rather convenient plotting. Mother and widow Sinead Cusack decides…
ShowerShower (Xizhao) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Zhang Yang
Feat. Pu Cunxin, Zhu Xu
A popular success with international audiences, this Chinese comedy is centred around a modern–day bathhouse in Beijing without a…
Space CowboysSpace Cowboys (2000) Recommended
Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland
Director Clint Eastwood plays a specially trained astronaut who takes three of his retirement–age buddies into space on a mission to repair a…
TogetherTogether (2000) Aro Favourite
Dir. Lukas Moodysson
Feat. Lisa Lindgren, Michael Nyqvist
An affectionate yet affecting satire set on a domestic commune in mid–1970s Stockholm that challenges the principled ideologies of its members…
Wonder BoysWonder Boys (2000)
Dir. Curtis Hanson
Feat. Michael Douglas, Robert Downey Jnr., Tobey Maguire
A rumpled Michael Douglas plays an academic professor and successful author who's terminally unfinished second novel is symptomatic of midlife…
28 Days28 Days (1999)
Dir. Betty Thomas
Feat. Sandra Bullock, Viggo Mortensen, Diane Ladd
Fun–loving NY journalist Sandra Bullock doesn't know when to say 'when' and gets slapped with a month in rehab after a drink driving incident.…
Beautiful PeopleBeautiful People (1999) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jasmin Dizdar
Feat. Rosalind Ayres, Julian Firth, Bobby Williams
Set in London 1993 when the Balkan Wars were in full flight, this lively, panoramic drama reaches its ambitions in witnessing turbulence of the…
Cup, TheCup, The (1999) Recommended
Dir. Khyentse Norbu
Feat. Orgyen Tobgyal, Neten Chokling, Jamyang Lodro
This charming, slyly comic tale of soccer–mad young monks obsessed with viewing the World Cup has found broad worldwide appreciation with its…
Daddy and ThemDaddy and Them (1999)
Dir. Billy Bob Thornton
Feat. Billy Bob Thornton, Laura Dern, Kelly Preston
Low–key, quirky and casually paced, dir. Thornton's tribute to his roots unfolds as an Arkansas clan draw together to support their imprisoned…
Elephant JuiceElephant Juice (1999)
Dir. Sam Miller
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Sean Gallagher, Daniel Lapaine
The makers of the cult late–night TV–series ‘This Life’, extract a similar blend of drama, ennui and pathos from the lives of…
GoGo (1999)
Dir. Doug Liman
Feat. Sarah Polley, Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr
The director of SWINGERS switches focus to the reckless chic of LA's twentysomething rave scene, brandishing a slew of racy taboos, an impossibly…
Human ResourcesHuman Resources (1999)
Dir. Laurent Cantet
Feat. Jalil Lespert
Astute French drama from director Laurent Cantet (THE CLASS) set in a white collar human resources department in Normandy, about the conflicts that…
I'm Losing You (1999)
Dir. Bruce Wagner
Feat. Frank Langella, Andrew McCarthy, Elizabeth Perkins
Hollywood 'commentator' Bruce Wagner (WILD PALMS) directs his own novel inter–connecting the rather plaintive lives of well–heeled Los…
Jakob the LiarJakob the Liar (1999)
Dir. Peter Kassovitz
Feat. Alan Arkin, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Robin Williams
In this second version of Jurek Becker's novel, Robin Williams plays a café–owner in Nazi–occupied Poland who capitalises on an unearned…
L.A. Without a MapL.A. Without a Map (1999)
Dir. Mika Kaurismaki
Feat. David Tennant, Vincent Gallo, Julie Delpy
A young Scottish undertaker (Tennant) follows an aspiring American actress back to La–la land, where he competes with the shallow excesses and…
Lost for WordsLost for Words (1999)
Dir. Alan J.W. Bell
Feat. Thora Hird, Pete Postlethwaite, Penny Downie
British drama with Thora Hird playing a mother whose health declines as she suffers a stroke and succumbs to dementia, and the impact this has on her…
Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married (TV Series)Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married (TV Series) (1999)
Dir. Brian Grant
Feat. Gerard Butler
Romantic drama based on the top selling chick lit novel by Marian Keyes following the life and loves of a twenty–something living in London.…
Man On the MoonMan On the Moon (1999) Aro Favourite
Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Jim Carrey, Courtney Love, Danny De Vito
Mesmerising biopic of the late 'comedian' Andy Kaufman culls its magnificence from an utterly unique, intriguing personality subject and a virtuoso…
MifuneMifune (1999)
Dir. Soren Kragh-Jacobson
Feat. Iben Hjejle, Anders W Berthelsen, Jesper Asholt
The third Dogma 95 film is in many ways as traditional a European romantic comedy as you could come across, a breezy and smart take on a yuppie…
Playing by Heart (1999)
Dir. Willard Carroll
Feat. Sean Connery, Gena Rowlands, Gillian Anderson
Ambitious multi–character film along the lines of SHORT CUTS, likewise set in the varying social strata of Los Angeles, but infused with…
Queer as Folk (TV Series)Queer as Folk (TV Series) (1999) Recommended
Feat. Aidan Gillen, Craig Kelly, Charlie Hunnam
Groundbreaking television drama that chronicles the lives of three gay men living in Manchester's gay village around Canal Street. Eight…
Siam SunsetSiam Sunset (1999)
Dir. John Polson
Feat. Linus Roache, Danielle Cormack
Bright brain candy that puts a surreal, antipodean tilt on road–movie/black comedy familiarities, with dazed Brit Linus Roache suffering an…
Soft FruitSoft Fruit (1999)
Dir. Christina Andreef
Feat. Jeanie Drynan, Linal Haft, Russell Dykstra
From NZ short film dir. Christina Andreef comes this ripely entertaining comic drama about the ties that separate and bind as four Aussie siblings…
This Year's LoveThis Year's Love (1999)
Dir. David Kane
Feat. Kathy Burke, Jennifer Ehle, Ian Hart
Set amongst the romantic roundelays of 6 thirty–somethings who reside in London's bohemian Camden Town, this comedy has a quirky streak, some…
Varsity BluesVarsity Blues (1999)
Dir. Brian Robbins
Feat. James Van Der Beek, Jon Voight
Reluctant star quarterback James Van Der Beek (from TV's Dawson's Creek) takes a stand against team coach Jon Voight's voracious pursuit of sporting…
Venus Beauty InstituteVenus Beauty Institute (Venus Beauty) (1999)
Dir. Tonie Marshall
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Audrey Tautou
A modest beauty salon is the setting for this wry ensemble piece about the vagaries of womanhood, with an engagingly eccentric collection of clients…
An Autumn TaleAn Autumn Tale (1998) Recommended
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Marie Riviere, Beatrice Romand, Alain Libolt
Completing his suite of films based on the four seasons, dir. Rohmer provides another mellow, seemingly unplotted comedy, in which Rhone valley…
Butcher Boy, TheButcher Boy, The (1998) Recommended
Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Eamonn Owens, Stephen Rea, Fiona Shaw
Despairing yet distinctive black comedy depicts the insanity implicit in a boy's view of his small town in Ireland, circa 1962. Adopts a lurid…
Cookie's FortuneCookie's Fortune (1998) Recommended
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Glenn Close, Liv Tyler, Chris O'Donnell
A satisfying, home–spun Southern patchwork, stuffed with little–biddy–town idiosyncracies and a slightly kooky plot surrounding the…
Girls' NightGirls' Night (1998) Recommended
Dir. Nick Hurran
Feat. Julie Walters, Brenda Blethyn
A windfall at the local bingo hall puts air in the wings of forty–something factory gals Julie Walters and Brenda Blethyn, but a wheel of…
Grafters (TV Mini-series) Grafters (TV Mini-series) (1998)
Dir. David Richards, Stephen Whittaker
Feat. Robson Green, Stephen Tompkinson
Distinct drama series following the misadventures of two brothers forced to work together as builders and renovate a house for a London couple, which…
Higher LoveHigher Love (At Sachem Farm; Uncorked) (1998)
Dir. John Huddles
Feat. Rufus Sewell, Minnie Driver, Nigel Hawthorne
Moderately quaffable comedy has a young heir (Sewell) plan to sell his wealthy Californian family's huge wine collection so as make an investment.…
Last Days of DiscoLast Days of Disco (1998)
Dir. Whit Stillman
Feat. Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale
Not so much a nostalgia trip as a literate comedy of manners a la 1980s Manhattan, dissecting the sashays on the social dancefloor among a troupe of…
Late August, Early SeptemberLate August, Early September (Fin août, début septembre) (1998)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Virginie Ledoyen, Francois Cluzet
Overlooked French drama from prolific and distinctive auteur Olivier Assayas (IRMA VEP, PERSONAL SHOPPER) following a group of friends and lovers as…
Life Is BeautifulLife Is Beautiful (La vita e bella) (1998)
Dir. Roberto Benigni
Feat. Roberto Benigni
Winner of both Best Foreign Film and Best Actor Oscars (a first for an actor speaking a foreign tongue) as well as the top prize at Cannes, Roberto…
Living Out LoudLiving Out Loud (1998) Recommended
Dir. Richard LaGravenese
Feat. Holly Hunter, Queen Latifah, Danny De Vito
Facing up to life without her philandering husband, a nurse (Holly Hunter) forges unlikely friendships with a jazz club chanteuse (Queen Latifah) and…
Polish WeddingPolish Wedding (1998)
Dir. Theresa Connelly
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Lena Olin, Rade Serbedzija
Laid on incredibly thick, Polish accents and all, this is 'ethnic shtick' writ large with Gabriel Byrne, Lena Olin and Rade Serbedzija heading a…
Relax...It's Just SexRelax...It's Just Sex (1998) Recommended
Dir. P.J. Castellaneta
Feat. Mitchell Anderson, T.C. Carson, Lori Petty
Centring around an eclectic group of friends – gay, straight and lesbian – in LA, a struggling gay playwright is desperately looking for…
Sex and the City - The Ultimate Collection Sex and the City - The Ultimate Collection (1998-2004) Recommended
Feat. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis
Enticing 19–disc DVD box set presented in an oh–so–stylish set of drawers that should take pride of place in the collection of any…
Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love (1998) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Madden
Feat. Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Judi Dench
Shakespeare's art imitates life according to this gloriously fanciful, Oscar–winning tragicomedy, as the Bard himself (Joseph Fiennes), stuck…
Truman Show, TheTruman Show, The (1998) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Natascha McElhone
A brilliantly conceived script by expat–Kiwi whizz–kid Andrew Niccol (GATTACA) finds consummate direction in the hands of esteemed…
Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, The (1998)
Dir. Sheree Folkson, Kieron Walsh
Feat. Ciaran McMenamin, Simone Lahbib, Nicole Stapleton
Young persons are the target of the whimsical Scottish TV series following the fortunes of an eclectic rock group who go from garage nobodies to gain…
ClockwatchersClockwatchers (1997)
Dir. Jill Sprecher
Feat. Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow
Four office temps band together in an oppressive (and outdated?) corporate environment – too bad they're caricatures: Toni Collette is…
Idiot BoxIdiot Box (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. David Caesar
Feat. Ben Mendelsohn, Jeremy Sims
Yet another winner from across the Taz, Ben Mendelsohn and Jeremy Sims give career–best performances as a pair of cuddly petrol–heads…
In the Company of MenIn the Company of Men (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Neil LaBute
Feat. Aaron Eckhart, Stacy Edwards
The year's most–discussed filmic skirmish in the war of the sexes is also one of its more outrageous black comedies. Two corporate exec's on…
Inventing the AbbottsInventing the Abbotts (1997)
Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Liv Tyler, Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly
Liv Tyler, Joaquin Phoenix and Jennifer Connelly can't revive this '50s coming–of–age yawn in which two hard–done–by brothers…
My Son The FanaticMy Son The Fanatic (1997)
Dir. Udayan Prasad
Feat. Akbar Kurtha, Om Puri, Rachel Griffiths
Penned by Hanif Kureishi (MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE), this Brit drama conflates various issues of British–Asian culture as a family is polarised…
On Connait la ChansonOn Connait la Chanson (Same Old Song) (1997) Recommended
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Pierre Arditi, Sabine Azema, Jean-Pierre Bacri
A winner of seven Cesar awards, this light–hearted homage to Dennis Potter applies his musical–cinematic ideas to the…
Second Civil War, TheSecond Civil War, The (1997)
Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Denis Leary, James Earl Jones, James Coburn
Fairly realistic speculation of an American Civil War, occurring when present–day Idaho cedes from the Union, painted over with the lighter…
Someone Else's AmericaSomeone Else's America (1997)
Dir. Goran Paskaljevic
Feat. Tom Conti, Miki Manojlovic
A quirky character–study drawn from the lives of illegal European immigrants living hand–to–mouth on the bottom–rung of New…
Topless Women Talk About Their LivesTopless Women Talk About Their Lives (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Harry Sinclair
Feat. Danielle Cormack, Joel Tobeck, Ian Hughes
The local sensation of the '97 year that far too few Kiwis saw on the big screen, this fresh and assured comic tableau sees various appealing…
Twin TownTwin Town (1997)
Dir. Kevin Allen
Feat. Llyr Ifans, Rhys Ifans, Dorien Thomas
The creators of TRAINSPOTTING lend their executive stamp to this anarchic tale of village dysfunction, set in a quiet Welsh community. Crooked…
Weapons of Mass DistractionWeapons of Mass Distraction (1997)
Dir. Stephen Surjik
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Ben Kingsley, Mimi Rogers
Media moguls Gabriel Byrne and Ben Kingsley vie for ownership of a pro football team, in an escalating war of one–upmanship, eventually raking…
Autumn SunAutumn Sun (Sol de otoño) (1996)
Dir. Eduardo Mignogna
Feat. Frederico Luppi, Norma Aleandro
Argentine drama following a Jewish woman who pretends to be in a relationship with a Jewish man from Uruguay (Frederico Luppi, CRONOS) to appease her…
Ballykissangel (TV Series)Ballykissangel (TV Series) (1996-2001)
Feat. Stephen Tompkinson, Dervla Kirwan, Niall Toibin
Quirky smalltown Irish drama takes a warmly comedic approach to the travails of the 'new priest in town'. It doesn't help that he's English and…
Beautiful GirlsBeautiful Girls (1996)
Dir. Ted Demme
Feat. Matt Dillon, Timothy Hutton, Uma Thurman
Not about beautiful girls but in fact about almost–thirtysomething blokes who think from between their legs. Lots of beautiful movie stars seem…
Big NightBig Night (1996) Recommended
Dir. Stanley Tucci, Campbell Scott
Feat. Stanley Tucci, Ian Holm, Isabella Rossellini
Two Italian restauranteur–brothers hope to catch the imagination of local tastebuds with an elaborate 6–course banquet, and rejuvinate…
Children of the RevolutionChildren of the Revolution (1996)
Dir. Peter Duncan
Feat. Judy Davis, Richard Roxburgh, Sam Neill
An eclectic, ambitious black comedy based on a highly fictional premise – Stalin's son rises through the ranks in Australian politics.…
Citizen RuthCitizen Ruth (1996) Recommended
Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz
When chronic solvent–abuser Laura Dern becomes pregnant, then gets arrested again, she strays into the idealogical thicket of the abortion…
Cold Comfort FarmCold Comfort Farm (1996) Recommended
Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Joanna Lumley, Ian McKellen
A beguiling comedy transpires when a penniless woman of society is forced to live with her yokel cousins. Full of eccentric dialogue and characters,…
Cold Feet (TV Series)Cold Feet (TV Series) (1996) Aro Favourite
Feat. James Nesbitt, Helen Baxendale, John Thomson
Highly infectious and candid look at the lives of six thirty–something Brits, which gets to the sharp end of careers, love and sex in the…
DogsDogs (Dogs: The Rise and Fall of an All-Girl Bookie Joint) (1996)
Dir. Eve Annenburg
Feat. Pam Columbus, Pam Gray, Melody Beal
Four Brooklyn women opt for a life of running an illegal bookie joint, over the dead–end, unemployed lifestyle of the local area. In her debut,…
EmmaEmma (1996) Recommended
Dir. Douglas McGrath
Feat. Gwyneth Paltrow, James Cosmo, Greta Scacchi
A clued up reworking of Jane Austen's classic, set in 19th century England, about a congenial young lady's well–intentioned but misjudged…
EmmaEmma (Jane Austen's Emma) (1996)
Dir. Diarmuid Lawrence
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Dominic Rowan, Mark Strong
Released the same year as the fanfared Gwyneth Paltrow version, this modest made–for–TV version of Jane Austen's matchmaker rom–com…
Go NowGo Now (1996)
Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Juliet Aubrey, James Nesbitt
Scotsman Robert Carlyle faces terminal illness with the support of family, his lover and a rich line in crude male banter from his mates. Not often…
Jane Austen Collection, TheJane Austen Collection, The (1996-2007)
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Billie Piper, Samantha Morton
Collection of three of Austen's greatest stories; Emma, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park, brought to life by prestigious British casts. Emma…
Jerry MaguireJerry Maguire (1996) Recommended
Dir. Cameron Crowe
Feat. Tom Cruise, Renee Zellweger, Cuba Jr. Gooding
The (then) thinking person's Tom Cruise movie, with Hollywood's biggest star actually getting to act in this insightful comic–drama about…
Late BloomersLate Bloomers (1996)
Dir. Gretchen Dyer, Julia Dyer
Feat. Connie Nelson, Dee Hennigan
A lonely, ageing geometry teacher has a blossoming affair with the principal’s married secretary, setting off a chorus of disapproval among the…
Lust and RevengeLust and Revenge (1996)
Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Nicholas Hope, Claudia Karvan
An unlikely creative partnership between the solemn, prolific Dutch–Aussie director Paul Cox (MAN OF FLOWERS, A WOMAN'S TALE) and John Clarke…
Pretty Village, Pretty FlamePretty Village, Pretty Flame (1996) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sadjan Dragojevic
Feat. Dragan Bjelorgrlic, Nikola Kojo
Seen in flashback from a ward in triage, the Bosnian war is portrayed in a riveting counter–play of nihilism and theatre, as a band of Serbian…
Summer in La GouletteSummer in La Goulette (1996)
Dir. Ferid Boughedir
Feat. Sonia Mankai, Ava Cohen-Jonathan, Sarah Pariente
Three families of disparate cultures enjoy harmony in Tunisian paradise, until three of their beautiful daughters flirt with losing their virginity,…
AugustAugust (1995)
Dir. Anthony Hopkins
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Leslie Phillips, Leslie Burton
Anthony Hopkins directs and takes the lead role in this variation on Chekhov's oft–filmed drama Uncle Vanya, setting it in his native Wales…
Blue JuiceBlue Juice (1995)
Dir. Carl Prechezer
Feat. Sean Pertwee, Ewan McGregor, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Sean Pertwee is the surf–king of a Cornish(!) town, prolonging adolescence with his loutish mates but fearing an inevitable tide of…
Brothers Mcmullen, TheBrothers Mcmullen, The (1995)
Dir. Edward Burns
Feat. Edward Burns
Filmed on weekends over two years at his family home, Ed Burns' DIY romantic comedy went on to win the Grand Prize at the 1995 Sundance Festival.…
Catherine Cookson Collection (TV Mini-series) Catherine Cookson Collection (TV Mini-series) (1995-2000)
Feat. Nigel Havers, Clare Higgins, Emily Mortimer
Various collections of the prolific Catherine Cookson's mini–series adapted from her widely read novels. Vol. 1 contains: The Cinder Path,…
Disappearance of Kevin Johnson, TheDisappearance of Kevin Johnson, The (1995)
Dir. Francis Megahy
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, James Coburn, Dudley Moore
Fact–based movie movie about the perils of the Hollywood machine, in which a would–be film producer apparently runs afoul of the…
Edie and PenEdie and Pen (1995)
Dir. Matthew Irmas
Feat. Stockard Channing, Jennifer Tilly, Scott Glenn
Unhappily–marrieds Stockard Channing and Jennifer Tilly cut out to Reno to dispense with husbands, bad luck and sobriety. Bittersweet comedy…
Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, TheEnglishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, The (1995)
Dir. Christopher Monger
Feat. Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald, Colm Meaney
In 1917, much ado ensues at a Welsh village. When the local hill falls just short of qualifying for the official map, the locals set about building…
Hamish MacBeth (TV series)Hamish MacBeth (TV series) (1995-1997)
Feat. Robert Carlyle
The town of Lochdubh in the Scottish Highlands forms a droll and scenic setting for this smalltown policier set around the put–upon local…
Kicking and ScreamingKicking and Screaming (1995)
Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Josh Hamilton, Eric Stoltz, Elliott Gould
Several college grads flounder in love and with prospects of the future. Dialogue–intensive comedy borrows its philosophical vantage and acting…
Madagascar SkinMadagascar Skin (1995) Recommended
Dir. Chris Newby
Feat. Bernard Hill, John Hannah
Intimate drama that portrays the unlikely relationship between two outsiders in a remote seaside cottage in South Wales. Hannah plays a disfigured…
Perez Family, ThePerez Family, The (1995)
Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Alfred Molina, Anjelica Huston, Marisa Tomei
A gently humorous tale about Cuban refugees who pose as a family in order to gain entry into the U.S. The director of SALAAM BOMBAY well harnesses…
Rik Mayall Presents (TV Series)Rik Mayall Presents (TV Series) (1995)
Feat. Rik Mayall
There's more to Rik Mayall than the usual ' fart jokes' ,as demonstrated by these six groundbreaking 50 minute plays commissioned by the BBC in 1995.…
Being HumanBeing Human (1994)
Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. Robin Williams, Robert Carlyle, John Turturro
An episodic comic–drama in which Robin Williams plays five men named Hector, who each search for their place in their own historical period…
Country LifeCountry Life (1994)
Dir. Michael Blakemore
Feat. Sam Neill, Greta Scacchi, Kerry Fox
Yet another version of Uncle Vanya, this time set 'out back' in WWI–era New South Wales, and providing some interesting comparisons between…
Due South (TV Series)Due South (TV Series) (1994)
Feat. Paul Gross
CRASH dir. Paul Haggis served as creator of this offbeat, mildly popular fish–out–of–water policier about a Canadian Mountie in…
Eat Drink Man WomanEat Drink Man Woman (1994) Recommended
Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Sihung Lung, Yu-Wen Wang, Chien-lien Wu
Those that attended Ang Lee's WEDDING BANQUET will want to sample his tasty and sensual comedy about the perennial delights of life – sex and…
Forrest GumpForrest Gump (1994) Recommended
Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise, Mykeltin Williamson
Oscar–winning box–office monster has suffered heavily from over–exposure, but one cannot dispute its effectiveness as a nutshell of…
Jimmy HollywoodJimmy Hollywood (1994)
Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Joe Pesci, Christian Slater, Victoria Abril
Joe Pesci is marvellous as a starry–eyed Hollywood no–hoper whose attention–seeking transforms him into a vigilante media hero with…
Love On A Branch Line (TV Mini-series)Love On A Branch Line (TV Mini-series) (1994)
Dir. Martyn Friend
Feat. Michael Maloney, Leslie Phillips
Acclaimed comedy tracks the misfortunes that befall a dull civil servant who decides to quit his job to become an artist in Paris, but his employers…
No Ordinary LoveNo Ordinary Love (1994)
Dir. Doug Witkins
Feat. Smith Forte, Erika Klein, Robert Pecora
Intriguing clash of styles marks this MELROSE PLACE spoof as one to watch, with five sexy and possibly dangerous housemates coping with a unexpected…
Pie in the Sky (TV Series)Pie in the Sky (TV Series) (1994)
Feat. Richard Griffiths
Brit crime series following a retirement age detective hanging up his mystery solving hat to fulfil a goal of owning his own restaurant, but it seems…
Pret-a-PorterPret-a-Porter (1994)
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Julia Roberts, Tim Robbins, Sophia Loren
Director Altman's take on the Paris fashion industry hasn't the edgy sarcasm or the incisiveness of his THE PLAYER and SHORT CUTS, but is…
Sex Is a Four Letter WordSex Is a Four Letter Word (1994)
Dir. Murray Fahey
Feat. Joy Smithers, Mark Lee, Miranda Otto
A love columnist holds a dinner party for six young Ozzies, ostensibly to source material for her spicy novel. Low budget comedy–drama.
Somebody to LoveSomebody to Love (1994)
Dir. Alexandre Rockwell
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Rosie Perez, Quentin Tarantino
Harvey Keitel and Rosie Perez match–up as a screwball couple frequenting scuzzy clubs in a murky continuum of unrequited dreams. Dir. Rockwell…
Spanking the MonkeySpanking the Monkey (1994) Aro Favourite
Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. Jeremy Davies, Elizabeth Newett, Benjamin Hendrickson
The awkwardness of youth is brilliantly captured in this provocative tragi–comedy, another maverick success story from the US indie scene. A…
Spider and RoseSpider and Rose (1994)
Dir. Bill Bennett
Feat. Ruth Cracknell, Max Cullen
A light Ozzie road movie about a special friendship between her elderly widow and a rebellious young ambulance driver entrusted to escort her home.…
Vanya On 42nd StreetVanya On 42nd Street (1994) Recommended
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Wallace Shawn, Julianne Moore, Andre Gregory
The late director's final film recouples him with Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory from MY DINNER WITH ANDRE for another compulsive round of…
Woody Allen Collection, TheWoody Allen Collection, The (Bullets Over Broadway, Deconstructing Harry, Mighty Aphrodite, Everyone Says I Love You, Celebrity, Sweet and Lowdown, Small Time Crooks, Curse Of The Jade Scorpion, Hollywood Ending, Wild Man Blues) (1994-2002)
Dir. Woody Allen
Nine Woody Allen features from the mid–nineties/early–noughties (several, previously unavailable on DVD), plus Barbara Kopple's…
Business Affair, ABusiness Affair, A (1993)
Dir. Charlotte Brandstom
Feat. Carole Bouquet, Christopher Walken, Jonathan Pryce
Would–be writer Carole Bouquet is caught between her husband (another struggling scribe) and publisher Christopher Walken. European…
CalendarCalendar (1993) Recommended
Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Atom Egoyan, Arsinee Khanjian
Dir. Atom Egoyan and his real–life wife Arsinee Khanjian play a romantic–professional couple whose photographic calendar assignment in…
Cemetery Club, TheCemetery Club, The (1993)
Dir. Bill Duke
Feat. Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello
Three Jewish widows in their 60s re–enter the dating game in this light but generally well–regarded comedy. All the cast put in…
Dallas DollDallas Doll (1993)
Dir. Ann Turner
Feat. Sarah Bernhardt
Sandra Bernhardt plays a free–spirited American who turns the lives of a middle–class Sydney family on its ear with her unbridled…
Desperate RemediesDesperate Remedies (1993) Recommended
Dir. Peter Wells, Stewart Main
Feat. Michael Hurst, Cliff Curtis, Kevin Smith
An audacious, decadent soap–opera which proudly flaunts its contempt for traditional local film–making with drugs, kinky sex,…
Much Ado About NothingMuch Ado About Nothing (1993) Recommended
Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves
Kenneth Branagh plunders the Bard again and pulls off a rare breed of romantic escapism. Here he somehow modifies the traditional text for an…
Snapper, TheSnapper, The (1993)
Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Colm Meaney
Dublin–set working–class comedy from the pen of Roddy 'The Commitments' Doyle. Harassment and embarrassment ensue for a family when they…
Younger and YoungerYounger and Younger (1993)
Dir. Percy Aldon
Feat. Donald Sutherland, Julie Delpy, Lolita Davidovich
The director of BAGDAD CAFÉ fashions another quirky, character–driven comedy of self–discovery. Donald Sutherland must reconsider his…
Anglo Saxon Attitudes (TV Series)Anglo Saxon Attitudes (TV Series) (1992)
Feat. Richard Johnson, Douglas Hodge, Elizabeth Spriggs
TV drama based on the post–war satirical novel by Angus Wilson, following an aging historian (Richard Johnson) as he reflects on his youth, his…
Broadway BoundBroadway Bound (1992)
Dir. Paul Bogart
Feat. Anne Bancroft, Hume Cronyn
Third film in the trilogy based on the Neil Simon's memoirs remains faithful to its stage origins. His alter–ego aspires to write successful…
Dear DiaryDear Diary (Caro Diario) (1992) Recommended
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Nanni Moretti
Often hilarious and inspiring film travelogue follows the endearing Nanni Moretti's personal experiences over 18 months. Over three chapters, he…
Discrete, LaDiscrete, La (1992) Recommended
Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Judith Henry, Maurice Garrel
Things don't go to plan for a philandering writer who refuses to commit emotionally. A literary yet accessible essay on sexual game–playing,…
Get Back (TV Series)Get Back (TV Series) (1992-1993)
Feat. Ray Winstone, Carol Harrison, Larry Lamb
Limp sitcom with Ray Winstone as an East End boy now running a menswear shop facing financial ruin. Notable only for an early Kate Winslet role and…
Husbands and WivesHusbands and Wives (1992)
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Judy Davis, Sydney Pollack, Liam Neeson
A Woody Allen 'art–imitates–life' parable about aging intellectuals with the twenty–year itch. Judy Davis, Sydney Pollack and Liam…
In the SoupIn the Soup (1992)
Dir. Alexandre Rockwell
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Seymour Cassel, Jennifer Beals
Steve Buscemi lends his bug–eyed innocence as a wannabee film–maker who becomes involved with a charismatic hood who promises to raise…
NewsiesNewsies (1992)
Dir. Kenny Ortega
Feat. Christian Bale, Bill Pullman, Ann-Margret
Disney musical based loosely on the 1899 New York City Newsboys' strike, in which the young newspaper hawkers of the city rose up to demand fair…
Peter's FriendsPeter's Friends (1992)
Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie
British stiff–upper–lip spin on the BIG CHILL with Kenneth Brannagh and friends. They come across as something of a lacklustre lot,…
Simple MenSimple Men (1992)
Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Robert Burke, Bill Sage, Martin Donovan
Hartley's third feature re–visits his deadpan, sexy and intellectual world in which two brothers set off to find their estranged father.
Used People (1992)
Dir. Beeban Kidron
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Marcello Mastroianni, Kathy Bates
Feathers fly in the hen–house of recently widowed Shirley Maclaine when courted by debonair Marcello Mastroianni.
Absolute HellAbsolute Hell (1991)
Dir. Anthony Page
Feat. Judi Dench, Francesca Annis
Classic BBC television production based on Rodney Ackland's book of the same name: a black, bleak comedy about about a sex–addicted , boozy…
Breaking InBreaking In (1991)
Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. Burt Reynolds, Casey Siemaszko, Sheila Kelley
A Stateside charmer from the director of LOCAL HERO about a veteran burglar who takes on a young petty criminal as an apprentice of his trade.
Brittas Empire, The (TV Series)Brittas Empire, The (TV Series) (1991)
Feat. Chris Barrie
Set around the mishap–prone executive of the 'Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre', this enjoyable series provided a semi–satirical look at…
Commish, The (TV Series) Commish, The (TV Series) (1991-1995)
Feat. Michael Chiklis
Impressionable cop series set in small–town America with Michael Chiklis taking on the role of local police commissioner attempting to balance…
Commitments, TheCommitments, The (1991)
Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Colm Meaney
Surprise hit simply chronicles the rise and fall of a Dublin soul band, formed by a group of teens with naught better to do. Unashamedly light fare,…
Hear My SongHear My Song (1991) Recommended
Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Adrian Dunbar, Ned Beatty, Tara Fitzgerald
A night–club owner goes to convoluted lengths to restore his credibility by tracking down a long–reclusive singing star (Beatty –…
Jungle FeverJungle Fever (1991)
Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Annabella Sciorra, Wesley Snipes
Slick account of an inter–racial affair and its affect on family and friends. Annabella Sciorra and Wesley Snipes star with Spike himself, who…
Night On EarthNight On Earth (1991) Recommended
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Winona Ryder, Beatrice Dalle, Roberto Benigni
An exotic excursion through five cities in five taxis; Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Rome and Helsinki. The clever blend of pathos, humour and…
Object of BeautyObject of Beauty (1991)
Dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Feat. Andie MacDowell, John Malkovich, Joss Ackland
An amusing black comedy set around a pair of passionate high–flying art lovers, who contrive the theft of a prized sculpture while in London,…
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are DeadRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1991) Recommended
Dir. Tom Stoppard
Feat. Gary Oldman, Tim Roth
Tom Stoppard films his own play that follows the aimless lives of two incidental characters from HAMLET. Gary Oldman and Tim Roth dazzlingly…
Sleepers (TV Series)Sleepers (TV Series) (1991)
Feat. Nigel Havers, Warren Clarke
Absurdist BBC spy comedy set in the post–Glasnost era, where it is discovered that two KGB agents assigned to infiltrate British society in the…
Surviving DesireSurviving Desire (Hal Hartley Shorts) (1991)
Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Martin Donovan
The hour–long 'Surviving Desire' is an earlier Hartley work that focuses on Hartley's world of the 'college–educated slacker' whose…
Woman, Her Men and Her Futon, AWoman, Her Men and Her Futon, A (1991)
Dir. Mussef Sibay
Feat. Jennifer Rubin, Grant Show
A woman juggles her career in the film industry with her love life as she tries to find the perfect lover and partner. The star presence of Jennifer…
Antonia and JaneAntonia and Jane (1990)
Dir. Beeban Kidron
Feat. Saskia Reeves, Imelda Staunton
Whimsical portrait of friendship will tickle the fancy of women in particular. Insecurities abound for long–time chums – attractive…
Dancin' Thru the DarkDancin' Thru the Dark (Dancing Through the Dark) (1990)
Dir. Mike Ockrent
Feat. Peter Beckett, Angela Clarke, Julia Deakin
An engaged couple's stag and hen parties wind up at the same nightclub, with a mixed reception! Writer Willy (SHIRLEY VALENTINE) Russell again forges…
Gravy Train, The (TV Mini-series)Gravy Train, The (TV Mini-series) (1990-1991)
Dir. David Tucker, James Cellan Jones
Feat. Ian Richardson, Alexei Sayle, Francesca Annis
Intriguing political TV Mini–series based around a scheming Director of European Economic Community and his naive assistant travelling across…
Guy Maddin Collection, TheGuy Maddin Collection, The (Twilight of the Ice Nymphs, The Heart of the World, Archangel) (1990-2000) Recommended
Dir. Guy Maddin
Feat. Michael Gottli, David Falkenburg, Michael O’Sullivan
Three films from Canada's silent movie alchemist, all deliciously dreamlike examples of the cult filmmaker's brilliant oeuvre. Twilight of the Ice…
ImpromptuImpromptu (1990) Aro Favourite
Dir. James Lapine
Feat. Judy Davis, Hugh Grant, Mandy Patinkin
Splendid frolic with Chopin, Liszt, Delacroix, George Sand and friends gathered at a French country villa. Hilarious and moving, Judy Davis leads a…
Life Is SweetLife Is Sweet (1990) Recommended
Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Alison Steadman, Timothy Spall, Jane Horrocks
Life is always bittersweet in a Mike Leigh film, but never so funny. Naturalism and caricature harmonise is this domestic black comedy thanks to his…
Match Factory Girl, TheMatch Factory Girl, The (1990)
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Kati Outinen, Elina Salo
Aki Kaurismaki concludes his "Proletariat Trilogy" with this bleakly ironic fable following the drab fortunes of a factory–worker (Kati…
Time of the GypsiesTime of the Gypsies (1990) Recommended
Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Davor Dujmovic, Bora Todorovic, Ljubica Adzovic
A fascinating and unconventional glimpse at gypsy life in pre–revolution Yugoslavia. It follows the fortunes of a supernaturally–gifted…
A World Without PityA World Without Pity (Un Monde Sans Pitie) (1989)
Dir. Eric Rochant
Feat. Hippolyte Girardot, Mireille Perrier, Yvan Attal
A young Parisian slacker falls in love with an ambitious, bright student but finds the tables turning on his egocentric existence. Rochant's debut…
Crimes and MisdemeanorsCrimes and Misdemeanors (1989) Aro Favourite
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Martin Landau, Anjelica Huston, Mia Farrow
Premium Woody Allen combines the best of his comedic and dramatic worlds. Martin Landau, Anjelica Huston, Mia Farrow and Woody himself do justice to…
Do the Right ThingDo the Right Thing (1989) Aro Favourite
Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Danny Aiello, Spike Lee, Ossie Davis
Spike Lee's tour–de–force of racial friction and personal politics, forged his status as the most important black director in history.…
Eversmile, New JerseyEversmile, New Jersey (1989)
Dir. Carlos Sorin
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Mirjana Jokovic
Oddball dramedy with Daniel Day–Lewis taking on the role of a dentist travelling by motorbike through South America to provide locals with free…
Family BusinessFamily Business (1989)
Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick
Star–studded caper film that follows a family of criminals and their struggles when attachment clashes with business. Adapted by Vincent…
Kiwi Shorts Volume 2Kiwi Shorts Volume 2 (1989-1993)
Dir. William Toepfer, Anthony McCarten, Jessica Hobbs
Another good sampling of eight short films funded by the NZ Arts Council and Film Commission – also compiled by the good folk at…
MetropolitanMetropolitan (1989) Recommended
Dir. Whit Stillman
Feat. Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements, Chris Eigeman
Sundance–winning arthouse hit focuses on the disappearing Manhattan debutante scene. An unknown ensemble play upper–class adolescents who…
Mystery TrainMystery Train (1989) Recommended
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Joe Strummer, Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Three consecutive stories that take place at the same time and place; one night in a seedy Memphis hotel. Quirky and thought–provoking with…
Press Gang (TV Series)Press Gang (TV Series) (1989-1993)
Feat. Julia Sawalha, Dexter Fletcher
Much–loved British TV series follows the fortunes of a newspaper, the 'Junior Gazette', run by a troublesome crowd of teenage students in North…
She's Been AwayShe's Been Away (1989) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Hall
Feat. Peggy Ashcroft, James Fox
After a lifetime in mental institutions, an elderly Peggy Ashcroft is released into the care of her liberal nephew James Fox. A disarming and…
Steel MagnoliasSteel Magnolias (1989)
Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah
Light comedy–come–tearjerker in which six Southern belles congregate at a beauty salon over several years.
ArielAriel (1988)
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Turo Pajala, Susanna Haavisto, Matti Pellonpaa
A redundant miner takes his newly acquired Thunderbird to Helsinki in search of financial and emotional security, but is hampered with rotten luck. A…
BigBig (1988) Aro Favourite
Dir. Penny Marshall
Feat. Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia
Tom Hanks is perfect as a 12–year–old trapped in an adults body, having to cope with big business and romance without the benefit of…
Down by LawDown by Law (1988) Recommended
Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Tom Waits, Roberto Benigni, John Lurie
Three disparate misfits become friends after sharing an escape from a crummy Southern jail. Art and humour rarely mix better than in this eccentric…
Kiwi Shorts Volume 1Kiwi Shorts Volume 1 (1988-1992)
Dir. Grant Lahood, Scott Reynolds, Nicky Marshall
A good sampling of eight short films funded by the NZ Arts Council and Film Commission, including the classic "The Lounge Bar". Compiled by the good…
Memories of MeMemories of Me (1988)
Dir. Henry Winkler
Feat. Billy Crystal, Alan King, JoBeth Williams
Henry Winkler (The "Fonz" from HAPPY DAYS) directs this sentimental drama with Billy Crystal playing a New York doctor who, after a…
Wonder Years, The (TV Series)Wonder Years, The (TV Series) (1988-1993) Recommended
Feat. Fred Savage
One of the more endearing US TV series of the period, depicts the 'growing up' of its adolescent protagonists with humour and empathy. This disc…
Boyfriends and GirlfriendsBoyfriends and Girlfriends (My Girlfriend's Boyfriend) (1987)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Emmanuelle Chaulet, Sophie Renoir
Through a series of deceptions and misunderstandings, four Parisians come to discover their true feelings for each other. Entrancing tale of…
Broadcast NewsBroadcast News (1987) Recommended
Dir. James L. Brooks
Feat. Holly Hunter, William Hurt, Albert Brooks
Superb TV newsroom dramedy in which vacuous newsreader Hurt and neurotic reporter Brooks compete for the attentions of Holly Hunter.
Degrassi Junior High (TV Series)Degrassi Junior High (TV Series) (1987-1991)
An unusually entertaining 1980s Canadian high school drama gathered a certain cult following around its charismatic young cast and well–judged…
IntervistaIntervista (1987)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Sergio Rubini
An easy–going ode to dir. Fellini's early career at Cinecitta Studios, this takes the form of a mock interview–flashback, with the…
Porterhouse Blue (Mini-series)Porterhouse Blue (Mini-series) (1987)
Dir. Robert Knights
Feat. Ian Richardson, David Jason
Stuffy Powerhouse College, with its old boy archaism and hermetically sealed traditions, is given a jolt of reform by new headmaster Ian Richardson.…
Radio DaysRadio Days (1987)
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Julie Kavner
Woody Allen revisits his childhood days in the golden era of radio.
Someone to Love (1987)
Dir. Henry Jaglom
Feat. Orson Welles
Typically loose and naturalistic drama from independent stalwart Henry Jaglom, who pretty much plays himself – a jaded divorcee filmmaker in search…
Best of Times, TheBest of Times, The (1986)
Dir. Roger Spottiswoode
Feat. Robin Williams, Kurt Russell, Pamela Reed
Robin Williams and Kurt Russell star as two friends attempting to relive a high school football game in this comedy–drama written by…
Crimes of the HeartCrimes of the Heart (1986)
Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek
Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange and Sissy Spacek play the Magrath sisters, who reunite in their family home in Mississippi to regroup and settle their…
Hannah and Her SistersHannah and Her Sisters (1986) Recommended
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Michael Caine, Dianne Wiest
Spot–on romantic comedy from Woody Allen, aligning another witty and perceptive script with a stellar cast.
HeartburnHeartburn (1986)
Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson
Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson undergo some engaging marital strife.
Nothing in CommonNothing in Common (1986)
Dir. Garry Marshall
Feat. Tom Hanks, Jackie Gleason, Eva Marie Saint
Tom Hanks stars as a precocious ad exec who's forced to deal with his aging, unloving father (Jackie Gleason) after his parents separate. The…
Parting GlancesParting Glances (1986) Aro Favourite
Dir. Bill Sherwood
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Richard Ganoung
A gay classic and pioneering film of the independent movement, this is widely enjoyed as a truthful picture of gay life and relationships and also as…
Peking Opera BluesPeking Opera Blues (1986) Recommended
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Brigitte Lin, Cherie Chung, Sally Yeh
One of prolific Hong Kong director/producer Tsui Hark's most celebrated films is a genre–blending romp set around the Peking Opera in 1913. A…
Singing Detective, The (TV Series)Singing Detective, The (TV Series) (1986) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jon Amiel
Feat. Michael Gambon, Joanne Whalley, Patrick Malahide
Ground–breaking fantasy–drama from the unique genius of Dennis Potter. Michael Gambon is brilliant as a bed–ridden, frustrated…
Space CampSpace Camp (1986)
Dir. Harry Winer
Feat. Kate Capshaw, Kelly Preston, Larry B. Scott
Good natured 80's adolescent romp in which a group of young attendees of a space camp find themselves in space for real when their shuttle is…
Sunday in the Park with GeorgeSunday in the Park with George (1986)
Dir. Terry Hughes
Feat. Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Barbara Bryne
Movie adaptation of the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, about a painter who immerses himself in creating a masterpiece. Inspired by…
Beiderbecke Affair, The (TV Series)Beiderbecke Affair, The (TV Series) (1985)
Feat. James Bolam, Barbara Flynn, Dudley Sutton
Character–centric Brit TV series that was the first in the 'Beiderbecke Trilogy' following a couple of Leed's teachers ensconced in a…
Echo ParkEcho Park (1985)
Dir. Robert Dornhelm
Feat. Tom Hulce, Susan Dey, Cassandra Peterson
Drama structured around a series of vignettes, each exploring the hopes and dreams of characters living in the Echo Park area of central Los Angeles,…
FandangoFandango (1985)
Dir. Kevin Reynolds
Feat. Kevin Costner, Judd Nelson, Sam Robards
Kevin Costner landed his first leading role in this nostalgic comedy/drama about five college students from Texas in 1971 who go on a last road trip…
Legend of Billie Jean, TheLegend of Billie Jean, The (1985) Recommended
Dir. Matthew Robbins
Feat. Helen Slater, Christian Slater, Keith Gordon
Under–rated 80's youth drama about a young woman and her pals who become media–hyped "legends" after an incident involving a gun and…
Mr. and Mrs. Edgehill (1985)
Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Ian Holm, Judi Dench
Based on Noel Coward's play about an English couple who lived on the South Pacific island of Cowrie, this telemovie is graced with top cast and…
WaterWater (1985)
Dir. Dick Clement
Feat. Michael Caine, Billy Connolly, Valerie Perrine
When oil is discovered on a peaceful Caribbean outpost island it swiftly finds itself embroiled in a political upheaval with all sides fighting for…
When Father Was Away on BusinessWhen Father Was Away on Business (1985) Recommended
Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Moreno de Bartolli, Miki Manojlovic, Mira Furlan
A delightful dramedy of social upheaval, set during Yugoslavia’s Tito–Stalin conflict of the 1950s. Kusturica filters the tribulations of…
Comfort and JoyComfort and Joy (1984)
Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. Bill Paterson, Eleanor David
Another likeable and quirky comedy from Bill Forsyth, about a disc–jockey who becomes involved in a mob feud over a mobile ice–cream…
Dim SumDim Sum (A Little Bit of Heart) (1984)
Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Laureen Chew, Kim Chew, Victor Wong
Endearing, warm–hearted tale of Chinese–Americans living in San Fransisco. Distinctly Chinese but the themes and the humour are universal.
Rolf De Heer CollectionRolf De Heer Collection (Tail Of A Tiger, Incident At Raven's Gate, Dingo, Bad Boy Bubby, Epsilon, The Quiet Room) (1984)
Dir. Rolf De Heer
Charming, eccentric boxset of six early films from idiosyncratic Australian filmmaker Rolf De Heer. Films Include: – Tail Of A Tiger…
Secret HonorSecret Honor (1984) Recommended
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Philip Baker Hall
A fictionalized monologue adapted from the stage by playwrights Donald Freed and Arnold M. Stone, with the great Philip Baker Hall as former…
She'll Be Wearing Pink PyjamasShe'll Be Wearing Pink Pyjamas (1984)
Dir. John Goldschmidt
Feat. Julie Walters, Anthony Higgins
Eight women come together to have a crack at a week–long survival course, so as to let off some steam and gather life–focus. Leading…
Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland (1983)
Dir. Kirk Browning
Feat. Kate Burton, Richard Burton, Eve Arden
From the Broadway Theatre Archive series, this is a filmed version of the 1970s revival of a 1932 Broadway version. Distinguished by extraordinary…
Experience Preferred, but Not EssentialExperience Preferred, but Not Essential (1983)
Dir. Peter Duffell
Feat. Elizabeth Edmonds, Sue Wallace
Amusing, low–key drama about a young woman waitressing at a seaside resort.
Local HeroLocal Hero (1983) Recommended
Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. Peter Reigert, Burt Lancaster, Denis Lawson
Peter Riegert plays an American oil executive assigned to buy out a small Scottish community where, of course, not everyone takes the bait. Burt…
Return to Eden (TV Series)Return to Eden (TV Series) (1983)
Feat. Rebecca Gilling
Early 80s mini–series set around the survivor of a treacherous crocodile attack, that garnered a small cult due to its Aussie–kitsch…
A Good MarriageA Good Marriage (Le Beau Marriage) (1982)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Beatrice Romand, Andre Dussollier, Féodor Atkine
An art history student is growing tired of being the mistress of a married painter, then meets a handsome and wealthy younger man whom she vows to…
DinerDiner (1982) Recommended
Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, Kevin Bacon
Endearing, and enduring, tale of college friends growing up in the 1950s Baltimore was a box–office flop but soon found an enthusiastic…
Home Sweet HomeHome Sweet Home (1982)
Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Timothy Spall, Frances Barber
Postmen, social workers, and desperate housewives converge in this biting Mike Leigh feature, one of the director’s early achievements. Originally…
Losing GroundLosing Ground (1982)
Dir. Kathleen Collins
Feat. Seret Scott, Bill Gunn, Duane Jones
Noted as the first feature–length drama directed by a black American woman since the 1920s – a semi–autobiographical story of a…
StarstruckStarstruck (1982) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Jo Kennedy
A fabulous, overlooked Aussie musical in which an ambitious barmaid lives out her dreams to be a singing star in the new wave–inflected early…
All's Well That Ends WellAll's Well That Ends Well (1981)
Dir. Elijah Moshinsky
Feat. Ian Charleson, Angela Down, Sir Michael Hordern
Adaptation of the Shakespeare play about a low–born daughter of a doctor who falls in love with the son of a countess, and attempts to cure the…
Aviator's Wife, TheAviator's Wife, The (La femme de l'aviateur) (1981)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Philippe Marlaud, Marie Riviere
A young student is devastated when he finds that his girlfriend is cheating on him. In order to find out why she did it, he decides to spy on her and…
Four Seasons, TheFour Seasons, The (1981)
Dir. Alan Alda
Feat. Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Len Cariou
Inspired by the theme and format of SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR, Alda wrote and directed this grown–up comedy in which three wealthy,…
My Dinner with AndreMy Dinner with Andre (1981) Recommended
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Wallace Shawn, Andre Gregory
An honest exchange of philosophy transpires over dinner between an out–of–work playwright and a theatre director. Remarkably compelling…
Naked Civil Servant, TheNaked Civil Servant, The (1981)
Dir. Jack Gold
Feat. John Hurt, Patricia Hodge, Colin Higgins
The life and times of homosexual Quentin Crisp, as drawn from his autobiography. John Hurt is a revelation as this courageous man who endured major…
S.O.B.S.O.B. (1981)
Dir. Blake Edwards
Feat. Julie Andrews, William Holden, Richard Mulligan
Blake Edwards' satire of the film industry and Hollywood society in which a movie producer who made a huge flop tries to salvage his career by…
Take a Letter Mr. Jones (TV Series)Take a Letter Mr. Jones (TV Series) (1981)
Feat. John Inman, Rula Lenska, Miriam Margolyes
British sitcom set in the office of a multinational corporation, where an exec juggles her hectic work life (and workplace sexual politics) with…
A Change of SeasonsA Change of Seasons (1980)
Dir. Richard Lang
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Anthony Hopkins, Bo Derek
Comedy of tangled relationships and mid–life crises, following a forty–something woman who begins a relationship with a young,…
Being ThereBeing There (1980) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hal Ashby
Feat. Peter Sellers
A middle–aged gardner, reared in solitude and exclusively educated through his television, is mistaken for a political genius. Profound and…
Grown-UpsGrown-Ups (1980)
Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Philip Davis, Lesley Manville, Brenda Blethyn
A working class couple discovers the joys of living in a council flat in this early Mike Leigh drama for the BBC (part of the 'Play for Today'…
Ninth Configuration, TheNinth Configuration, The (Twinkle, Twinkle, ) (1980)
Dir. William Peter Blatty
Feat. Stacy Keach, Scott Wilson, Jason Miller
Psychological thriller set in the 70's written, produced and directed by William Peter Blatty (THE EXORCIST). Having returned from Vietnam, a marine…
Pride and Prejudice (TV Mini-Series)Pride and Prejudice (TV Mini-Series) (1980)
Feat. Elizabeth Garvie, David Rintoul, Moray Watson
Fay Weldon adaptation of the Jane Austen perennial in which the arrival of a wealthy gentleman sends her marriage–minded mother into a frenzy,…
Return of the Secaucus 7Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Bruce MacDonald, Maggie Renzi, Adam LeFevre
In his feature debut, writer–director John Sayles demonstrates a wisdom way beyond his years with this ‘do–it–yourself’…
Amour en fuite, L'Amour en fuite, L' (Love on the Run) (1979)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Marie-France Pisier
The fifth and final entry in dir. Truffaut's loosely autobiographical 'Anoine Doinel' series. Here, the footloose hero reaches his 30s and a new…
Design For Living / Mrs. Capper's Birthday / What Mad PursuitDesign For Living / Mrs. Capper's Birthday / What Mad Pursuit (The Noel Coward Collection - Disc 3) (1979-1985)
Dir. Philip Saville, Mike Ockrent
Feat. Dandy Nichols, Patricia Hayes, Hugh Laurie
–Design For Living (79') Contrived comedy set in a Paris apartment where a woman and the two men she loves all live together in an awkward…
Little Romance, ALittle Romance, A (1979)
Dir. George Roy Hill
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Anna Massey, Arthur Hill
Sweet minor comedy in which aged charmer Olivier persuades two teenage lovers – American boy, French girl – to run off together.…
ManhattanManhattan (1979) Aro Favourite
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway
This classy introspective comedy from Woody Allen tributes his beloved city while his neurotic alter–ego searches for romantic and intellectual…
Measure for MeasureMeasure for Measure (1979)
Dir. Desmond Davis
Feat. Kate Nelligan, Tim Pigott-Smith
Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
More American GraffitiMore American Graffiti (1979)
Dir. Bill L. Norton
Feat. Ron Howard, Bo Hopkins, Candy Clark
College graduates deal with Vietnam and other issues of the late '60s in this creaky sequel to the coming–of–age hit.
That Sinking FeelingThat Sinking Feeling (1979) Recommended
Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. John Hughes
The Bill Forsyth (LOCAL HERO) ‘touch’ for gentle, ironic comedy, is fully evident in this first feature. Chronicling a small–scale scam…
To the Manor Born (TV Series)To the Manor Born (TV Series) (1979-1981)
Feat. Penelope Keith, Peter Bowles
Fondly remembered British comedy series in which the recently widowed Audrey Forbes–Hamilton (Keith) finds she has to relinquish her stately…
A WeddingA Wedding (1978) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Lillian Gish, Ruth Nelson, Desi Jr. Arnaz
An ensemble satire completely suited to dir. Robert Altman’s trademark naturalism and sardonic worldview, this is a suitable follow–up and…
BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 1BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 1 (Romeo & Juliet, King Richard the Second, As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Measure for Measure, The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight) (1978) Recommended
In 1978, the BBC set itself the task of filming all of William Shakespeare's plays for television. The resulting productions, renowned for their…
BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 3BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 3 (The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, All's Well That Ends Well, The Winter's Tale, Timon of Athens, Antony & Cleopatra) (1978)
The third in a series of boxed–sets compiling the BBC's comprehensive Shakespeare adaptations for television. This set includes: The Taming…
BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 4BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 4 (Othello, Troilus and Cressida, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) (1978)
The fourth in a series of boxed–sets compiling the BBC's comprehensive Shakespeare adaptations for television. This set includes: Othello:…
End, TheEnd, The (1978)
Dir. Burt Reynolds
Feat. Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise
Black comedy directed by and starring Burt Reynolds, who plays a real–estate agent who decides to kill himself when he is diagnosed with a…
Same Time Next YearSame Time Next Year (1978) Recommended
Dir. Robert Mulligan
Feat. Alan Alda, Ellen Burstyn
Genteel yet immensely likeable two–hander based on Bernard Slade's Broadway play with Alda and Burstyn as an adulterous couple who share one…
Annie HallAnnie Hall (1977) Aro Favourite
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Diane Keaton
The 'hall'mark of Woody Allen's career – it won him an Oscar for Best Picture and made him a household name. It's a hilarious send–up of…
Citizen SmithCitizen Smith (1977-1980)
Dir. Ray Butt
Feat. Robert Lindsay
Mischievous TV comedy about self–styled 'urban guerilla' Wolfie Smith (Lindsay) who tries to spark a socialist revolution from the London…
DespairDespair (1977)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Dirk Bogarde
Fassbinder's blackly comic adaptation of Nabakov's novel about delusion, depression and decline of the human spirit. Dirk Bogarde plays a Russian…
Eight is Enough (TV Series)Eight is Enough (TV Series) (1977)
Feat. Dick Van Patten, Diana Hyland, Betty Buckley
Comedy about a family of eight living in Sacramento California, where Dad is a columnist for the fictional local newspaper (based on real–life…
Man Who Loved Women, TheMan Who Loved Women, The (1977)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Charles Denner, Leslie Caron, Brigitte Fossey
Charles Denner plays a dedicated skirt–chaser, who falls in love with women so constantly he is brought to the point of…
Alfie DarlingAlfie Darling (1976)
Dir. Ken Hughes
Feat. Alan Price, Jill Townsend, Joan Collins
Alan Price is a poor substitute for Michael Caine in this limp sequel. This time round Alfie is driving lorries round Europe and back to his…
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (TV Series)Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (TV Series) (1976-1977)
Feat. Louise Lasser, Greg Mullavey
Adventurous satirical soap opera from the 70's following a small–town housewife who encounters various complex and compounding…
Next Stop, Greenwich VillageNext Stop, Greenwich Village (1976)
Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. Lenny Baker, Shelley Winters, Ellen Greene
Cozy, semi–autographical coming–of–age from New York native Paul Mazursky, recounting with fondness the formative years of an…
StroszekStroszek (1976)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Bruno S., Eva Mattes
Powerful tragi–comedy follows a simple–minded Bruno S to America with a prostitute trying to escape her unsavoury past. The film's…
Lucky LadyLucky Lady (1975)
Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Gene Hackman, Liza Minnelli, Burt Reynolds
Shapeless caper with three rum–runners set during the prohibition whose lives are complicated by the personal relationships. A notorious…
NashvilleNashville (1975) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine, Geraldine Chaplin
An American classic, 70s watermark and widely considered Altman's masterpiece. Story of 24 characters gathered for a political rally in the country…
Seven BeautiesSeven Beauties (1975) Recommended
Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Shirley Stoler
Wimpish Casanova Giancarlo Giannini is cast wherever the winds of WWII fling him: eventually into a German concentration camp run by Shirley Stoler…
California SplitCalifornia Split (1974) Recommended
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. George Segal, Elliott Gould, Gwen Welles
A terrific gambling lark–come–cautionary tale from director Robert Altman, starring George Segal as a casual gambler who befriends a…
Front Page, TheFront Page, The (1974)
Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Susan Sarandon
Regular odd couple Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau jostle on screen in this snappy remake of HIS GIRL FRIDAY, playing reporters in the midst of a…
Harry & TontoHarry & Tonto (Harry and Tonto) (1974)
Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. Art Carney, Ellen Burstyn, Rene Enriquez
Art Carney won the Oscar for his performance as a retiree embarking on a cross country odyssey with his beloved cat Tonto.
MarthaMartha (1974)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Margit Carstensen, Karlheinz Bohm
Addressing his favourite subject, emotional cruelty, Dir. Fassbinder skillfully works a vein of pitch–black comedy in depicting Margit…
American GraffitiAmerican Graffiti (1973) Recommended
Dir. George Lucas
Feat. Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss
Seminal coming–of–age comedy set in '62 spawned a hit TV show (Happy Days), a mega–selling soundtrack and boosted many careers.
Girl Most Likely To, TheGirl Most Likely To, The (1973)
Dir. Lee Philips
Feat. Stockard Channing, Edward Asner, Jim Backus
An 'ugly duckling' high–school student is transformed by plastic surgery and decides to wreak homicidal vengeance on former boyfriends and…
A Gorgeous Girl Like MeA Gorgeous Girl Like Me (Une Belle Fille Comme Moi) (1972)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Bernadette Lafont, Andre Dussollier
Twisted French black comedy of a licentious, manipulative murderess recounting her sordid past to a green criminology student. Dripping in silly…
Cesar & RosalieCesar & Rosalie (1972)
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Yves Montand, Romy Schneider, Sami Frey
French romantic drama with Yves Montand and Sami Frey playing contrasting romantic rivals to divorced single mum Romy Schneider. Montand is a coarse…
Discreet Charm of the BourgeiosieDiscreet Charm of the Bourgeiosie (1972) Recommended
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Fernando Rey, Delphine Seyrig, Stephane Audran
Best Foreign Film Oscar–winner in which six guests convene for a meal they never actually get to eat! Bunuel veers between reality and illusion…
Emma (TV Series)Emma (TV Series) (1972)
Dir. John Glenister
Feat. Doran Godwin, John Carson
A reverent, charming BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's novel about one of her most memorable characters, Emma Woodhouse.
MASH (TV Series)MASH (TV Series) (M*A*S*H) (1972-1983)
Feat. Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, Loretta Swit
Long running and much loved TV Series loosely based on Robert Altman’s 1969 film set in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the Korean…
Number 96 (TV Series)Number 96 (TV Series) (1972-1977)
Feat. Rebecca Gilling
A groundbreaking Australian soap–opera set around a block of flats in Sydney, and the sometimes nude, often rude, and frequently comedic…
Pete 'n' TilliePete 'n' Tillie (1972)
Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Walter Matthau, Carol Burnett, Geraldine Page
Bittersweet character story of a smarmy rogue and an aging virgin who get married despite fundamental differences which remain unaltered nine years…
Seduction of Mimi, TheSeduction of Mimi, The (1972)
Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Mariangela Melato
Satirical comedy taking plenty of shots at Italianisms, about a poor labourer who is forced to leave his family in Sicily to take an illegal factory…
Carnal KnowledgeCarnal Knowledge (1971) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Art Garfunkel, Ann-Margret
Classic from the early 70s 'zeitgeist', this funny yet sobering film chronicles the sex lives of two disparate men from high–school to…
KotchKotch (1971)
Dir. Jack Lemmon
Feat. Walter Matthau
Heart–warming fare with irascible senior citizen Walter Matthau resisting all attempts to 'retire' him. Matthau's regular screen buddy directs.
Bombay TalkieBombay Talkie (1970)
Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Shashi Kapoor, Zia Mohyeddin
Probably the most visually distinguished Merchant–Ivory film, this semi–satiric swirl through the 'Bollywood' film industry works as both…
Catch 22Catch 22 (1970) Recommended
Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Alan Arkin, Jon Voight, Orson Welles
An acerbic anti–war statement based on the much–hailed novel about a WW2 fighter pilot's reluctance to fight, in order to preserve his…
Claire's KneeClaire's Knee (1970) Recommended
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Jean-Claude Brialy
The director's fifth moral tale gained him major international recognition. A curiously droll tale of a middle–aged man's obsession with the…
Domicile ConjugalDomicile Conjugal (Bed and Board) (1970)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud
Serio–comic misadventures of Truffaut's alter–ego, Antoine Doinel, an immature father–to–be who is unsettled in matrimonial…
Harold and MaudeHarold and Maude (1970) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hal Ashby
Feat. Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon
Much adored black comedy about a lonely teenager who befriends an old woman who shares his morbid fascination, among other interests. This cult hit…
LolaLola (Twinky, London Affair) (1970)
Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Charles Bronson, Susan George
Comedy drama following the relationship between a 38 year old American man who writes pornographic novels and the 16 year old girl he falls in love…
Lovers and Other StrangersLovers and Other Strangers (1970)
Dir. Cy Howard
Feat. Beatrice Arthur, Bonnie Bedelia, Michael Brandon
Smart ensemble comedy about preparations for a young couple's wedding and how this stirs up the lives of those around them. Full of many delightful…
Ma Nuit Chez MaudMa Nuit Chez Maud (My Night at Maud's / My Night with Maud) (1969)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Francoise Fabian, Marie-Christine Barrault
Rohmer's fourth moral tale again presents the idea of a man's romantic dilemma with more than one woman in his life. The wordy philosophising is…
Me, NatalieMe, Natalie (1969)
Dir. Fred Coe
Feat. Patty Duke, James Farentino, Salome Jens
Thoughtful, though occasionally mawkish coming–of–age tale with Patty Duke as a young woman struggling with low self esteem and fighting…
SloganSlogan (1969) Recommended
Dir. Pierre Grimblat
Feat. Jane Birkin, Serge Gainsbourg
Vivacious French romance about a reckless advertising director who throws caution to the wind and abandons his preggers wife to embark on a worldwide…
StaircaseStaircase (1969)
Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Rex Harrison, Richard Burton, Cathleen Nesbitt
Sitting somewhere between farce and melancholy, a pair of aging barbers bicker over the possibility of ending their loving but often volatile…
Virgin Soldiers, TheVirgin Soldiers, The (1969)
Dir. Norman Cohen
Feat. Lynn Redgrave, Hywel Bennett, Nigel Davenport
Comdey–drama following a squad of naive young British soldiers in 1950's Singapore who fall for the daughter of the Regimental Sergeant Major.
Vortex, The / Hay FeverVortex, The / Hay Fever (The Noel Coward Collection - Disc 1) (1969-1984)
Dir. Philip Dudley
Feat. Margaret Leighton, Richard Warwick, Penelope Keith
–The Vortex (69') Dark and disturbing drama centred on a family torn apart by drug abuse and sordid affairs. This deeply shocking play, that…
With Six You Get Egg RollWith Six You Get Egg Roll (1968)
Feat. Doris Day, Brian Keith
Doris Day's last film sees the archetypal girl–next–door a more mature "working mom", here a widower trying to integrate her three sons…
Cool Hand LukeCool Hand Luke (1967) Recommended
Dir. Stuart Rosenberg
Feat. Paul Newman, George Kennedy
Sure–footed, entertaining chain–gang yarn with a famously repulsive egg–eating contest.
Graduate, TheGraduate, The (1967) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katherine Ross
An endearing Dustin Hoffman in his first leading role, is seduced by a middle–aged woman and then falls in love with her daughter. A brilliant…
King of HeartsKing of Hearts (1967) Recommended
Dir. Phillipe De Broca
Feat. Alan Bates, Genevieve Bujold, Pierre Brasseur
Excellently quirky mid–60s comedy that became a cult–hit in the US, has soldier Alan Bates infiltrate a French village in WWI, which has…
Thief of Paris, TheThief of Paris, The (Le Voleur) (1967)
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Genevieve Bujold, Marie Dubois
Enjoyable comedy with Belmondo as a young man cheated of his inheritance who in turn develops a taste for thieving. Set in Paris at the turn of the…
Woman Times SevenWoman Times Seven (1967)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Rossano Brazzi, Vittorio Gassman
Shirley MacLaine inhabits seven different women in seven fanciful, star–studded mini–stories of adultery for Italian dir. Vittorio De…
Family Way, TheFamily Way, The (1966) Aro Favourite
Dir. Roy Boulting
Feat. Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett, John Mills
This Boulting Brothers classic is a hilarious yet affecting portrait of the marital difficulties of a young newlywed couple (Hywel Bennett and Hayley…
AlfieAlfie (1965)
Dir. Lewis Gilbert
Feat. Michael Caine, Shelley Winters
The film that made Michael Caine a household name. His eponymous anti–hero is that of a likely lad who likes to 'ave a go wiv the birds. They…
Fists in the PocketFists in the Pocket (1965)
Dir. Marco Bellochio
Feat. Lou Castel, Paola Pitagora, Marino Mase
A ferocious intensity pervades this bitter yet utterly startling tale of a family afflicted with epilepsy, blindness and frustration, unafforded the…
Paris vu parParis vu par (Six in Paris) (1965)
Dir. Eric Rohmer, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol
Passionate, parochial anthology of New Wave shorts from six of France's best: Godard, Chabrol and Rohmer headline a concoction of Parisian sketches…
Shop on High Street, TheShop on High Street, The (The Shop on Main Street) (1965) Recommended
Dir. Jan Kadar
A key film of the Czech film renaissance of the 1960s, that explores 'everyday fascism' through the story of a Jewish shopkeeper who mistakes her…
Yellow Rolls-Royce, TheYellow Rolls-Royce, The (1964)
Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Rex Harrison, Omar Sharif
Star–studded omnibus following three consecutive owners of a cute Rolls Royce Pantom II. An English aristocrat, a Chicago gangster and a…
Sparrows Can't SingSparrows Can't Sing (1963)
Dir. Joan Littlewood
Feat. James Booth, Barbara Windsor, Roy Kinnear
A sprightly British kitchen sink comedy about a man who returns from two years at sea to find his house demolished and his wife living with a married…
Yesterday, Today and TomorrowYesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1963)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni
A compendium of three stories starring Sophia Loren in her luscious prime in three very different roles. Together with Marcello Mastroianni, it…
Boccaccio '70Boccaccio '70 (1962)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti, Federico Fellini
Feat. Anita Ekberg, Romy Schneider, Marisa Solinas
Naughty for the time, this all–star portmanteau film is loosely based on updated versions of the bawdy stories of 14th century writer Giovanni…
Two For The SeesawTwo For The Seesaw (1962)
Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Shirley Maclaine, Edmon Ryan
'Odd couple' comedy set in NYC, where a Nebraskan lawyer (Mitchum) moves to start life anew and hits the romantic playground in the company of kooky…
Waltz of the ToreadorsWaltz of the Toreadors (1962)
Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. Peter Sellers, Dany Robin, Margaret Leighton
Bruising comedy with an elderly general struggling to come to terms with impending retirement and his ruinous personal life.
Who's Got The Action?Who's Got The Action? (1962)
Dir. Daniel Mann
Feat. Dean Martin, Lana Turner, Eddie Albert
Comedy drama with Dean Martin playing a lawyer with a bad gambling habit whose behaviour concerns both his wife and his law partner.
Only Two Can PlayOnly Two Can Play (1961)
Dir. Sidney Gilliat
Feat. Peter Sellers, Mai Zetterling, Richard Attenborough
One of Peter Seller's earlier films sees him in rare semi–dramatic part, playing a librarian in a small Welsh town who has an affair. Dryly…
Bells are RingingBells are Ringing (1960)
Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Judy Holliday, Dean Martin, Fred Clark
Winning musical rom–com from Vincente Minnelli (MEET ME IN ST LOUIS), with Judy Holliday playing a fictionalised version of real–life…
It Started in NaplesIt Started in Naples (1960) Recommended
Dir. Melville Shavelson
Feat. Clark Gable, Sophia Loren, Vittorio De Sica
Winning combination of Gable and Loren guided by director Shavelson (HOUSEBOAT) team up again for this romantic comedy drama set in Naples following…
Good MorningGood Morning (Ohayo) (1959)
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Shimazu Masahiko, Koji Shidara, Chishu Ryu
Ozu’s most accessible and scathing film amuses with its deceptively light–hearted tale of two boys’ vow of silence after being refused a…
Hole in the Head, AHole in the Head, A (1959)
Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, Eleanor Parker
One of dir. Capra's (IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE) final efforts stays true to the redemptive themes of his classic works. Sinatra runs a threadbare…
Bus StopBus Stop (1956) Recommended
Dir. Joshua Logan
Feat. Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray
Marilyn Monroe excels in this comedy/drama as a distraught southern showgirl who becomes the object of desire and marriage for an obsessive and naive…
French Can CanFrench Can Can (French Cancan, Only the French Can) (1955) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Jean Gabin, Michel Piccoli, Dora Doll
Jean Renoir returned to France after 15 years absence to make this vibrant tribute to the Parisian world of his father, the Impressionist painter…
Final Test, TheFinal Test, The (1953)
Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. Jack Warner, Robert Morley, George Relph
Gentle comedy of values has a famed cricketer making his way to the middle for one last innings. Meanwhile is son is torn between seeing dad bat one…
Hobson's ChoiceHobson's Choice (1953)
Dir. David Lean
Feat. Charles Laughton
Hard to take one's eyes off the maniacal acting of Charles Laughton in this Dickensian comic–drama, as a vulgar cobbler whose rebellious eldest…
Flavour Of Green Tea Over Rice, TheFlavour Of Green Tea Over Rice, The (Ochazuke no aji) (1952) Recommended
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Shin Saburi, Michiyo Kogure, Kōji Tsuruta
Dir. Ozu once again explores the subtleties of Japanese family life, this time drawing our attention to the struggles of those in arranged marriages…
White Sheik, TheWhite Sheik, The (Sceicco bianco, Lo) (1952)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Alberto Sordi, Leopoldo Trieste, Giulietta Masina
Fellini’s against–the–grain feature debut coaxes the marital problems of a newlywed couple into a light, playful comedy that wasn’t…
People Will TalkPeople Will Talk (1951) Recommended
Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Feat. Cary Grant, Jeanne Crain, Hume Cronyn
Enjoyable and sophisticated allegory, disguised as a standard Hollywood romantic comedy, in which a humanitarian doctor (Grant) must contend with the…
History of Mr. Polly, TheHistory of Mr. Polly, The (1949)
Dir. Anthony Pelissier
Feat. John Mills, Betty Ann Davies, Megs Jenkins
Bracing comedy set in the Victorian era follows the various misfortunes of sensitive but ineffectual draper Mills as he sets out in search of…
QuartetQuartet (1949) Recommended
Dir. Ken Annakin, Arthur Crabtree, Harold French
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Basil Radford, Honor Blackman
Four W Somerset Maugham stories are given exemplary treatment by the best of British, incl. Dirk Bogarde, Basil Radford and Honor Blackman. Unlike…
Roxie HartRoxie Hart (Chicago) (1942)
Dir. William A. Wellman
Feat. Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, George Montgomery
Comedy adapting the 1926 play Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins, which was the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical. Ginger Rogers plays the…
Tales of ManhattanTales of Manhattan (1942) Recommended
Dir. Julien Duvivier
Feat. Charles Boyer, Rita Hayworth, Ginger Rogers
A star–studded portmanteau of five tales of life in the Big Apple. Runs the gamut from film noir, to romantic comedy, to high melodrama.
Remember the NightRemember the Night (1940) Recommended
Dir. Mitchell Leisen
Feat. Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Beulah Bondi
Preston Sturges scripted this forgotten yuletide gem, about an assistant D.A. (MacMurray) who, feeling sorry for a glamorous jewel thief (Stanwyck),…
Bank HolidayBank Holiday (Three on a Weekend) (1938)
Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. Margaret Lockwood, John Lodge, Hugh Williams
Minor drama with nurse Lockwood heading to the seaside for an illicit weekend only to have her enjoyment tempered by her job.
AngelAngel (1937)
Dir. Ernst Lubitsch
Feat. Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall, Melvyn Douglas
Love triangle between a distracted husband, a neglected wife and an ardent suitor set amid the rigid social norms of the…
O.H.M.SO.H.M.S (You're in the Army Now) (1937)
Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. John Mills, Wallace Ford, Anna Lee
Broad comedy with Ford as an American gangster who evades capture by joining the British army posing as a comedian.
Devil Is A Woman, TheDevil Is A Woman, The (1935)
Dir. Josef von Sternberg
Feat. Marlene Dietrich, Lionel Atwill, Cesar Romero
Set during Carnival in turn on the century Seville where a temptress comes between a young revolutionary and his old friend.
Le Crime De Monsieur LangeLe Crime De Monsieur Lange (1935) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Rene Lefevre, Florelle , Jules Berry
One of the dir.’s early classics. Rene Leferve rises to newsprint fame as the author of the serial “Arizona Jim” after his boss, a…
MariusMarius (1931)
Dir. Alexander Korda
Feat. Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, Orane Demazis
Based on the play by revered French writer Marcel Pagnol, this is the first film in the Marseille Trilogy featuring the characters of Marius (Pierre…
Red Headed Woman / Waterloo BridgeRed Headed Woman / Waterloo Bridge (1931-1932)
Dir. Jack Conway, James Whale
Feat. Jean Harlow, Chester Morris, Lewis Stone
RED HEADED WOMAN: A snappy comedy from the pre–code Hollywood era with Jean Harlow playing a woman from Ohio who manipulates men in order to…

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